<p>“Why couldn’t I just be born rich, like some other kids here? So unfair. Kinda makes me wanna be a communist”</p>
<p>…Yeah…communism and rich…that’s the ticket…</p>
<p>Agreed. Those two words just don’t go together (unless, of course, you are the dude in charge!).</p>
<p>I can guarantee you I am not rich!! 
Some here are well-off, but many are just normal folks doing our best to try to get ourselves through the money pit that is college. We all have to do what is best for our own personal situations. Get used to it … you’ll face this A LOT in life.</p>
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<p>He has a couple. He can commute to this school or attend a CC (unlikely though based on prior comments). A $10,000 loan – which gets higher each year because tuition will probably keep climbing – and more Stafford loans seems like a recipe for a headache. Adn if he doesn’t get approved, he’s hobbled right there.</p>
<p>If you do go to the loan route, try and see if you can line up a job. I know it might not seem like it from some comments, but employers really aren’t exactly clamoring to hire inexperienced teenage workers during the recession, but there are a couple of areas that you might be able to get hired. From my own personal knowledge, lifeguarding might be a good opportunity if you have the skill set for it. I strongly suggest, no matter what you do, that you do look for a job though. Even if you do find a miracle scholarship in college – and as others have pointed out, this is not a realistic plan – you could always use more pocket money. It looks like your award doesn’t even contain room for books or any miscellaneous expenses that might come up in college.</p>
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<p>She’s right. You have to look at your situation. Your friends might be able to afford to be full-pay at college; others might have scholarships. If you don’t have either, you have to work something out. If you’re that against going to a community college, then you might look at commuting. If you can’t find jobs that will give you $10,000+/year after taxes for the next three years (?) then you’ll have to work something else out.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree that he has better choices…what I meant was does he have other option for finding the money to attend Kean, since he seems determined to do so? Is NJ state aid only offered to those who did very well in HS?</p>
<p>Jon, I agree that your scholarship chances are better if you start at a CC and do very well. Good transfer/returning student scholarships are generally hard to find but there is an exception. Look at this page and you’ll see a small slice of the scholarships available to Phi Theta Kappa members (honor society for 2 year college students) in NJ. Many more are listed on PTK’s website:
[New</a> Jersey Council of County Colleges](<a href=“http://www.njccc.org/transferschol.htm]New”>http://www.njccc.org/transferschol.htm)</p>
<p>*
I’ll try to get a job during the school year, but getting a job during the summer will prevent me from studying abroad this summer…yet another dream likely crushed because of money.*</p>
<p>That’s life. However, most of us don’t bother nurturing dreams that aren’t affordable. And most people have to work instead of going abroad. geesh!</p>
<p>Jon…I know this is going to be harsh. You’ve known for a long time that your parents’ financial situation was not going to be helpful for you. If I remember correctly, your parents are divorced, your mom doesn’t make a lot of money, and your dad is living with some lady. That often means little financial help and I believe your past posts indicated that your family wouldn’t pay much if anything. </p>
<p>You wasted a LOT of time last year arguing with us when you kept trying to find ways to go to OOS publics without the stats for scholarships or the means to pay. Instead, you should have been more focused on making sure that you had a true financial safety in place since your financial situation is precarious. </p>
<p>You have had champagne taste and beer pocketbook the entire time. Now, you’re talking about summer abroad! OMG…that’s like $5k -10k. You can’t afford that. </p>
<p>Your problems are because you’ve been unrealistic this entire time. </p>
<p>I’m really only saying this so that another student who may be reading this learns from this. There aren’t tuition fairies out there. KNOW your financial limits and academic limits and apply accordingly. </p>
<p>How much did you earn/save this summer?</p>
<p>I don’t have the real number in front of me, but common sense tells me that 99.5% or more of all young people do NOT go abroad to study for 3 months in the summer. Ever.</p>
<p>Yes, one needs some money to go abroad for a summer trip or study–but if that is your dream goal, you can make it happen. It may take some very creative planning and scheduling. You may have to take a full year off to work first. You may need to consider going to an affordable CC first. Whatever.</p>
<p>Some teeny tiny fraction of all young adults have parents who pay for trips abroad. The rest of the world (those who choose it) manage it by making money and paying for it themselves.</p>
<p>Besides, it’s cheaper to study abroad during the semester time. Most universities let you take your financial aid with you to pay for study abroad programs, whereas in the summer you have to pay out of pocket. Don’t give up on your hope of studying abroad (my parents couldn’t pay for it either and I managed to find scholarships to cover the entire cost of the program). Just give up on it over the summers.</p>
<p>^ You’d definitely have to check on taking your scholarship abroad. I have two daughters in college and it’s 50/50 here.</p>