Hello Everyone,
My name is Nick, and I am 23 years old turning 24 in November. I currently have 26 college-credits and have attended 1 community college and 1 online school Kaplan University. I am not eligible for for parent plus loan, and I am now a independent student living in Orlando, FL while my family lives in New York. Currently I am $9,555 if I want to live on campus and $950 if I want to live off-campus.
I will be transferring to Bethune-Cookman University and majoring in Hospitality Managament. At my community college I had a 1.8 but at Kaplan University I have 3.75 GPA.
I am looking for any suggestions that anyone have to help me. Me and my parents both don’t have good credit so obtaining a loan is not an option I believe.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Are you saying you are accepted yet or no? Do you have a financial aid award letter?
Often students can find cheaper housing off campus and if they are older like you are they don’t need dorming as it is not their first time living away from home. Do what is cheaper. Only half the students at that college live on campus. Look for room shares with the others. That way you don’t have to have an expensive meal plan either, you can make some of your food at home.
If you are low income you can get a federal Pell grant for up to 5,775 if you file a FAFSA.
As an independent student you can borrow up to 9,500/10,500/12,500/12,500 for years freshman through senior, if you file a FAFSA. These are federal loans and you can get them without credit check as long as you aren’t delinquent on any previous federal loans. And if you have used some loan eligibility up you may be somewhat restricted (you didn’t say.) This is not free money and you have to replay it so you really shouldn’t borrow this much. You should work part time, get cheap housing, work full time summers, try to get something from your parents to help.
You may be eligible for Florida s\State grant if you are a FLA resident.
You may get aid directly from the college. But often transfers aren’t offered as much. I don’t know if they will accept any Kaplan credits–most colleges won’t from those for-profit schools.
What does this mean?
As a sophomore student, you are eligible for $6500 in Direct Loans if you have completed a fafsa…actually $10,500 if you are an independent student.
^^yeah, I didn’t understand that either.
None of their costs are updated or accessible but the best I could find looks like:
Cost of Attendance $28,860
- Tuition and Fees $14,410
- Room and Board $8,560
- Books and Supplies $1,450
- Other Expenses $4,440
I don’t know why ‘other’ is so high. But the tuition and R&B is correct.