@GreenTeaFanatic It’s very unlikely that you could get a private loan on your own. Your mom might be able to but the lenders check credit and income to qualify people. Not many 17-18 year olds have the income or credit to borrow that amount of money. Parent Plus loans are much easier to qualify for and might be your only option. Even though the loans would be in her name, you could still pay them off.
Have you received your full financial aid package yet? Usually they spell out pretty specifically what the cost of attendance is, your scholarships, grants, work study, Stafford loans etc. and the difference is what you need to figure out how you will pay. If you are offered Work Study that can cover some of it, as can working over the summer.
Private loans will require a co-signer. The challenge you have is that loan limits are only what the institution be it a bank, credit union or sallie mae say they are. They might be happy to loan you whatever you freshmen year only to not offer any loans other years. If you don’t have a means to get funding you have no choice but to drop out with lots of debt and no degree.
You can’t get private loans on your own. The only thing you can get a is a parent plus loan. That is why you can find a loan and that’s why no one can recommend one. It doesn’t exist.
Can your mother drive? She could drop you off in the morning and pick you up at night. It’s much cheaper than trying to borrow an extra $10k/year (beyond the $5500 federal student loan).
Thanks for your posts, I appreciate it.
@lvvcsf Not yet, I don’t know where to find that. When I got to the CSU student portal, the section for financial aid says that I have $665 Pell grant, $3,241 OOS waiver and $5,000 Provost scholarship ($8,906). Nothing about the $5,500 federal loan or work study. This may be because at the time I completed the fafsa, my mom hadn’t finished her taxes.
@austinmshauri Even if I did that, once I transfer to a 4year university, I would get no scholarships since I would be a transfer student. That would be more expensive than if I went to my OOS school.
I’m going to talk to my counselor tomorrow about my option regarding Sallie Mae and Discover loans. Mom will co-sign for loans from these places
There are a lot of college kids who don’t have cars and don’t need to use public transportation on their campuses. Have you considered a college that would be affordable for you to live and go to school for all four years without moving off campus or needing a car?
I’ll also work during the school year, if that makes any difference
I think the nurses I know who haven’t had the money right away for a four year school have gone to a community college for a nursing degree and then worked as a nurse while continuing college. I know that’s what my cousin has done (is doing, I should say, as she is currently working on her Master’s). It does take slightly longer, but it’s with significantly less debt especially since the hospitals pay for the continuing education. Have you looked into that? I hope you aren’t getting frustrated with the other suggestions, it’s just that as people have already said, you aren’t going to be able to get additional loans without a cosigner.
If you are set on it, if I were you I would check with whatever bank or credit union you and your mom do business with already.
I understand what you’re saying @mom2twogirls And I do appreciate that you’re replying to my post. My ultimate career goal is to become a women’s health nurse practitioner(WHNP). I would have to get a master’s degree, which would require me to have a BSN. The option of going to a CC in my area is not possible, since I can’t drive and it’s too far. I’ll talk to the creit union we’re apart of and see their loan options
I don’t know, maybe I can go to a community college OOS in a place that has public transit and get my ADN. But I still need a BSN
You need to budget an accurate room and board costs for the entire time. Using your figure of $400/month for rent. You will still have $100 for your share of utilities and $150 in food if you eat light. That’s $650/month x 9 for $5850 plus public transportation costs. I don’t think you can do it for $650 per month. I went to a state university and didn’t need a car except to get home. Everything was on campus or walking distance. Even when I moved into an appt I was fine.
Is your current health insurance going to work in Ohio and will it meet the university’s standard for a plan? That could blow a hole in your budget before you even show up.
Some community colleges have dorms as well. You may want to look to the cost of a community college with dorm for nursing, getting that degree and a nursing job at a hospital that will then pay for you to get first your bachelors and then your masters.
@sportsman88 If I’m a nursing major, I would have to go to a hospital when we start clinicals. I don’t plan on walking all the way to a hospital…which is why I need public transportation. Plus, if I want to got different places in the city, riding the bus/light rail is convenient. CSU gives all students a pass that gives students free rides on all public transportation(pretty awesome). I plan on working all through school to help with costs
@blossom Yeah, my insurance extends to the Ohio area
@mom2twogirls I didn’t even know some CC had dorms. Thanks for telling me that, I’ll look into it!
http://financialaid.tamu.edu/Aggie-Assurance
Do you qualify for this? Did you apply to Texas A&M?
You keep saying that you don’t drive. Is this due to a medical condition like epilepsy? Because you CAN learn how to drive.
To add on to post #29, you should really plan on rent costs for 12 months, not 9, since if you are renting an off campus apartment typically you lease that for the full year. Maybe you can sublet it for the summer if you are not staying there but that would depend on whether your lease allows that.
Also I don’t think that nursing majors have a lot of time to work as fulltime students.
I would check into Texas A&M and maybe other schools that might have aid that covers tuition for lower income families
@mommadc I didn’t apply to A&M since the nursing program requires you to go the nursing college in Bryan TX. And my mom’s income isn’t less than $60,000. Also, I don’t have the privilege of being able to not work during school. Not an option for me
@Pizzagirl I don’t have a license. And besides, even if I learned, I couldn’t afford a car lol
I’m from Cleveland. I want to tell you right upfront…taking the public transportation to hospital sites MIGHT be possible…and it might not be. The two major hospitals are Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. Both have hospital sites all over the greater metro Cleveland area. If you live near Cleveland State…downtown…it would be a real,schlep to get to say…Hillcrest Hospital (part of the Cleveland Clinic hospitals ) and esoecially if you were doing the night shift…and that WILL happen.
The cost of Cleveland State with your instate tuition cost is pretty modest all,things considered. But you still need to be able to pay the balance.
If your mom applies for a Parent Plus Loan, and is denied, you will be able to get an additional $4000 a year in Direct Loans per year. That will help a little in closing your gap.
Most nursing students cannot work during school, and esoecially once the start nursing rotations. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.