Urgent situation here!!! Pelase help!!

Paying for College
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<p>Okay here is the situation,
I just got accepted to Cornell University's CALS as a biological science major. I have completed all my requirement except Biology II with lab. Now in order for me to complete Biology II with lab, I would have to take it over the summer.</p>

<p>I could find no community college in Maryland that offer Biology II with lab. The only institute that I can find Biology II with lab is Morgan State University.</p>

<p>Now the problem is, it would cost at least ~$1,200. I and my parents are able to pay for it, however, it will be a big struggle for us.</p>

<p>Now, the other situation is that we now have no car, we have bad credit, no one in our family is willing to help us out, and my older brother and sister are being jerks and are not helping us out.</p>

<p>So, if we have two choices, try and get the car fix; if we do that, then I will not be able to pay for my summer course. We can pay for our summer course at Morgan State University; if we do that, then we would have no car and therefore it would be very difficult to commute there. So either way I will lose this financial battle. So the only thing I can think of is getting a loan for my summer course. My parents tried their best and do not want me to get a loan, but I don't see any other way.</p>

<p>So I was wondering, if Cornell is willing to give me a subsidize or unsubsidized loan for my summer course.</p>

<p>If I do get a loan from Cornell for my summer course, will my financial aid for the 09-010 year adjust or change? If so, is there a bank I can go to to get a student loan that will not charge me interest until I graduate from Cornell?</p>

<p>Please I really need help. My family is struggling workers everyday and I hate to see them like this. It not only affects them, but it also affects me and my little brother. My older brother and sister are being jerks and standing there watching us fall until we have no place to go.</p>

<p>Edit: Oh By the way, I commute to my current college, I do not live on-campus. I also do not know my financial package yet. But I expect it close to be a full ride because my EFC is 0 and my parents makes 17k/ year. :'(... I will not be able to get my financial package from Cornell until mid-may. </p>

<p>I have also contacted Morgan State University if they offer some sort of aid for visiting students, but they said that they do not. It has to go through the institution in which I am trying to transfer the credit to (which is Cornell). Cornell CALS admissions and registrar already know that I will take Bio II with lab over the summer at Morgan State University because it is under their file. The loans I am thinking of trying to get is a Federal Perkins Loan, but I have no clue how to obtain it and if it is available for the summer session. I also try to look for some scholarship but to me they don't seem real. Please help and I am so sorry for posting this thread in 3 different places. I am trying the best of my ability to use all of my resources and the full advantage of the CC board.</p>

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<p>First of all, you must be enrolled in a college as a regular, degree seeking student in order to receive federal financial aid from that school. From your description, it appears you are a guest student at MSU so would not be eligible for federal aid for this class - PLUS, you must be enrolled at least 1/2 time to get any student loans (which if usually 6 credits, even in summer). Perkins is a federal loan, so you would not be eligible for it at MSU given the situation you describe.</p>

<p>There are no private loans that do not charge interest while you are in school. Some may allow you to put off repayment until after graduation, but interest is accumulating the whole time.</p>

<p>Are you asking about getting a loan through Cornell to use at MSU? That can’t be done.</p>

<p>Don’t you have any community colleges around you? They offer bio II with lab.</p>

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<p>I live in baltimore city and the only community college that does is near DC which is ~45-50 min. drive from my house. The mechanic suggest that if we get the car fix, we should not drive it over a long distance. I’m afraid that we will have the same problem if we do drive it over that long distance.</p>

<p>Also if I do have to get it through a private loans, will my parent’s bad credit affect me? They probably want to co-sign the loan.</p>

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<p>OK–thinking outside the box here----It sounds like Morgan State Univ. has the class you need offered this summer-correct? The expense of attending is approx $1200-correct? You are currently commuting to your college-are you using the car that needs repair of $1200+/-? So, now you are up to $2400 in expenses? If you have only $1200—then which is more important to you at this juncture? My guess-the class-and you take a bus, or post a notice in the student union and find someone to car pool with and share the cost of gas.
Congratulations on getting into Cornell. You have the desire and the ability-you will figure this one out-I know it! APOL- a mom</p>

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<p>It sounds like you need to rethink the idea of taking a class over summer. Given your financial situation, you need to get a summer job.</p>

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<p>Your best bet imo would be to take out a private student loan if you can. May not be what you WANT to do but given the situation that you described that would be the only way I could see a win-win. Have your parents pick up the car expense and get a loan for the class. Most banks will charge you interest on student loans though it may not be much. Check out wachovia I got a low interest student loan for 2000 @ 5.5% interest which isnt too bad and I don’t have to pay on it until I graduate. So, get the student loan and don’t buy your brother and sister christmas/birthday presents for 10 years. :slight_smile: Hope this helps!</p>

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<p>Thanks APOL! I’m doing the best of my ability to get this figure out before I have to actually register for the class.</p>

<p>@toadstool, I am doing the best of my ability to get a summer job and at the same time maybe I can get a private loan and use all of my summer job’s pay to pay for the private loan before I start going to Cornell. I do absolutely do have to take this course. I am determine to do this and go to Cornell, work hard, and go to med school. I just wish this financial issue wouldn’t be that big of an obstacle to overcome. I have turned in many applications in and I’m doing the best of my ability to try and find a job.</p>

<p>@Jralexander Thanks!!! I will think about wachovia’s student loan. :)!! Also did your credit history play a role in getting a student loan? I have “excellent” credit according to websites, but my parents have bad credit. Does that mean my parents can not co-sign the agreement? </p>

<p>I appreciate everyone’s advice</p>

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<p>Have you talked to Cornell about the financial hardship? Maybe they would allow you to take this Fall term due to the circumstances. The other option might be to enroll full time at Cornell this summer.</p>

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<p>I don’t think my credit actually played that big of a roll in getting the loan granted this was a couple years ago before the economy went to the crapper. I would check online on their website I think I did everything online. And if you say your credit is Excellent you shouldn’t have a problem getting it. I did this when I had no credit lol. What I would do is fill out the application for JUST yourself and see what interest rate you get, then add in your parents and see what you get then pick the best. If you need any more info I’ll be checking back.</p>

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<p>My credit is “excellent” when I did the freecreditscore website. But I have no job at the moment, and currently trying to seek employment. I think the no job think will hurt me in getting a student loan O_o.</p>

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<p>That’s not how a STUDENT loan works. You pay nothing on it until u graduate, thus it shouldn’t matter if you have a job now. I’ll check back later.</p>

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<p>I agree with APOL.</p>

<p>And private student loans do NOT work like federal student loans - especially not these days.</p>

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<p>Just a note, make sure you unsign from freecreditreport.com’s services if you only wanted the free credit score report. Otherwise they’ll start charging you monthly to continue viewing your score. I found this out the hard way! You have a certain amount of time to unsubscribe from their services. </p>

<p>Best of luck with Biology II!</p>

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<p>I already unsubscribe hehe!! thanks!!</p>

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<p>If you live in Baltimore, is there anywhere on the train line that could give you the class you need, like Washington DC or Wilmington?</p>

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<p>If I take 6 credits at morgan state university, will i be able to get a subsidized/Federal stafford loan from a bank, so I can take my summer course and not worry about interest rate?</p>

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<p>You should be able to, 6 is the minimum undergrad hours req’d for Stafford.</p>

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<p>Oh if that is the case, then I should just take 6 credits for during the summer session.</p>

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<p>Actually you can’t just go to a bank and ask for a subsidized Stafford loan. You have to be awarded a subsidized Stafford loan by a school where you have applied for financial aid before a bank can lend you money as a Stafford loan. Then you apply to the bank and the bank verifies the amount you have been awarded with the School. So you would have to apply for financial aid through Morgan State to be eligible for a Stafford loan for the summer.</p>

<p>It is also possible that the summer aid will be based on filing a 2008-2009 FFSA (depending on the school). Some schools (most I believe) consider the summer part of the preceding year which would require a 2008-2009 FAFSA. Some consider it part of the subsequent year which would then be based on the 2009-2010 FAFSA. If you got a Stafford or the summer based on the 2009-2010 FAFSA it would reduce the Stafford available for the fall and spring.</p>

<p>You would need to ask the school in question which FAFSA you would need to file for them to consider you for summer aid (if you can apply for aid when you are only attending for the summer session.</p>

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<p>My take on this whole matter is that you should just retake bio at Cornell. I meant Bio 1 as well as Bio 2. I say this because the course is very difficult at Cornell and if you have medical school or research aspiration in this field, you had better have a very strong base in the course and good grades. To take the course at a community college is taking a risk of not getting everything you need for a future at a schools where the grading is tough and sciences course are very rough. </p>

<p>Also Cornell will give you what you need financially, as they meet full need. Better you get it from there. I would get a job this summer to alleviate some of your expenses, and start from Bio I at Cornell. They will give FA for an extra year or semester if that is what it will cost you to retake that course.</p>