Again you and your dad need to call the VA. 30 years in the airforce might qualify for the GI Bill transfer.
If your younger siblings have good high school grades and test scores, tell them to look for full ride merit scholarships so that they can avoid your situation.
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/
Would it be possible to go to school for one semester and then work full time during the other semester and during the summer. If you live at home, this would allow you to save 7 months of income. This combined with the direct loans might be enough to cover one semester. I realize this is far from ideal but in four more years you will have your degree.
He got out of the air force over 20 years ago and has been working for the FAA sense. There isn`t a GI Bill to transfer.
Would your father consider loaning you the money at a reasonable rate? Could be a win-win or a complete disaster. The terms would need to be fair. Once you take the direct loans, it sounds like you need roughly 25K. Based on your father’s income, I would think he would have the resources to loan you the money on hopefully favorable terms. If you didn’t borrow for the first two year and if the terms are favorable, the 40K of debt should be manageable depending on your major. Most here strongly recommend keeping the debt loan to be less than the federal direct loan limits (~30K).
Think about loans or working for few years or going to military, there are no easy answers to these dilemmas. Anyhow, you are 19 years old and have an associate degree so you’ll find a way, though may be later then sooner. If you are a good student then look at schools where you can get merit scholarships.
You are in a tough situation. Did you take our any loans THIS year? Someone else can comment but I believe you could get FA (the loan) for THIS year and save it for next year (in addition to that years loan)…it’s not enough for you to get through two more years though.
Unless your father is willing to lend you the money you need to pay for living on campus at GMU or JMU, or take out Parent Plus Loans, or cosign private loans for you(don’t recommend this anyway, your federal loans will be high enough already) you simply cannot afford to live on campus.
This not what you want to hear, but $$ are not going to fall from the sky to pay your college bills. GMU is not very far from the metro, don’t know about JMU, and it may be a long commute, but commuting may be your only financially viable option aside from putting your BS degree on hold until you are 24(even then, you probably would not get enough aid to live on campus)or save enough $$ to pay for it yourself.
You have younger siblings and DC is a very expensive area to live in. Your dad probably does not have much $$ to spare, so unfortunately, you need to work out an affordable plan on your own. It stinks, but many other students are in the same boat.
You are instate for VA. Have you looked into transfer scholarships at Old Dominion or VCU?
This is from VCU’s website, the deadline for transfer applicants is April 1:
“Scholarships are awarded to fall semester applicants only. The majority of scholarships are awarded to freshman applicants, though a limited number of scholarships are awarded to Virginia Community College System transfer applicants who have earned a minimum of 45 semester credit hours.
VCU’s Transfer Scholarship Is equal to the cost of one-half in-state tuition and fees”
check out the details for VCU scholarships here:
http://www.ugrad.vcu.edu/apply/scholarships.html
IS tuition and fees is $12,812 this year, with Room and Board, IS cost is $22,398. Even with the 1/2 tuition scholarship, VCU might be too expensive if your father can give you no financial help at all.
It might make sense to take a gap year and work full time while still living at home with your family, so that you can save enough $$ to cover your room and board for your last 2 years(hopefully no extra semesters would be needed to fulfill your major requirements).
Could OP rent a room in an apartment with roommates close to VCU? How much would something like that cost? That’s a pretty good transfer scholarship.
It stinks that you can’t work your way through college anymore.
Are you living with your dad? Is there a school you can commute to?
If not, then find an online school that won’t cost much.
What is your major?
Look at what the online cost to go to South Dakota State Univ.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1797405-list-of-inexpensive-reputable-online-college-ba-bs-classes-and-degrees.html#latest
also…look at UMaine Fort Kent and their transfer scholarships.
This is from a few years ago, but if you could get the high award, take out a 7500 loan, and work summers and during the school year, that might work.
2014-2015 Scholarships for Transfer Students (13 or more college credits)
Scholarship Name Eligibility Requirements Amount
Bengal Gold If cumulatve transfer GPA is 3.25-4.00 $5,000.00
Bengal Silver If cumulatve transfer GPA is 2.75-3.24 $3,500.00
it sounds like your dad is solely supporting your siblings and you. Sounds like mom took THEIR life savings (not just your dad’s), in lieu of splitting retirement later…or some such deal…or dad got the house.
ok…I just checked and UMaine Ft Kent’s awards are still the same.
the OOS cost is very low. Does your dad still carry you on his health insurance? If so, then you can waive that requirement.
http://umfk.edu/admissions/tuition/
Tuition and fees are about $10000 per year for OOS (minus $5k if you qualify for that award)
Room and Board are another $8k
books about $1000
I don’t know if your dad can get the tuition tax credit, but if he can, ask him if you can get that money.
JMU is the cheapest in state school if you are living on campus but you have to pay for a semester’s lodging in advance. You can share an apartment off campus for about $400 a month. Apartment shares close to the school are plentiful and cheap. It’s expensive to live off campus at VCU because rents in Richmond are high. I’d budget $600 for VCU. You can get an idea by looking at each cities Craigslist.
You said you are earning $8 an hour now? You need a new job. We live in central VA and my son earned $9.50 an hour after sophomore year of high school. He’s above $13 now. I noticed Aldis hires at $11.50 here so I bet they pay more where you are. You could also look into stocking shelves over night at some stores for $13+/hour. At any rate you need to sock away as much money as you can now.
You can borrow $7500 each of the next two years without a cosigner.
JMU
In State (full-time undergraduate)
Tuition $10,284
Room $4,648
Board $4,370
Books $976
GMU
In-state:
Tuition and Fees In-state: $10,952
Room and Board $10,510
Books and Supplies $1,150
You could borrow the $7500 and add about $3000 of your savings for JMU tuition. You can probably spend less on books. I often never purchased a textbook and used one from the library. Live off campus and pay rent month to month. Maybe your dad will be generous enough to buy you a meal plan or buy some books for you. Ask him how much he will save without you in the home having meals and taking showers. Maybe he can kick in the $300/month or so. Is he willing to cosign any parent plus loans?
You could stay home and commute the hellish 90 minutes to GMU and only have to pay tuition. Apartments are very expensive near GMU so most students live on campus or commute from home. GMU students do seem to get placed in government jobs so maybe that would be an advantage. JMU’s business school has a good reputation so you wouldn’t go wrong there. Good luck.
" don’t know if your dad can get the tuition tax credit, but if he can, ask him if you can get that money."
If he is HOH and earns $190k, not even close to possible. The cutoff for HOH/singles is $90k for AOTC
^^
That’s what I was afraid of. I didn’t know what the cutoffs are…we’ve never qualified.
What are some employers that help pay for college? Starbucks (I think online with an Arizona schoo??), Home Depot? Walmart? What are some others?
UPS has a program called Earn and Learn.
I think Best Buy has a program. OP should check in state and regional chains too. The Northeast has a small convenience store (Stewart’s) that offers tuition assistance. Maybe there’s something like that in VA.