Work Study Canceled, No luck with jobs..time to drop out?

Paying for College
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<p>I posted last week about how my work study was canceled (<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/998972-work-study-award-cancelled.html#post1065602201%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/998972-work-study-award-cancelled.html#post1065602201&lt;/a&gt;) and how I was given completely different answers by the student workers in the financial aid office. Pretty much, two of the students told me I could have a work study job this semester if I found one, but it's not the case & I've been a little screwed over since they gave my funds to those on a waiting list.</p>

<p>I was in offered a job with dining services two days after they canceled my work study. They won't hire me now that I don't have the award anymore. I was counting on that job, which I applied for at the start of August, but the interviews for it happened too late and I didn't get any of the other 25-30 jobs I applied and interviewed for.</p>

<p>I talked to a FA officer who was pretty apathetic about the whole situation. She told me that not many jobs on campus are non work-study, and those that are were usually taken by seniors. No help there. She couldn't give me any advice or consolation whatsoever. And there wasnt even a "sorry" for the student workers who gave me the wrong information.</p>

<p>What I don't understand is how they can take my award away when I have jobs pending? I guess it's just bad timing.. It's not even my fault that Dining offered the job so late. I applied weeks before school began, to every job I was qualified for, and ones that I wasnt. I called, I emailed, I interviewed, and nothing turned up in time. What more could I do? I really wish the FA office relayed information to those with Work Study positions so decisions would've been made before the cut off date.</p>

<p>I've applied to places off campus. There aren't many, since I'm in a very rural area with no car and a very unreliable bus system. McDonald's doesn't even want to hire me. Nobody seems to want to work with my class schedule, so every job I interview for, I get turned down.</p>

<p>I have rent, internet, my cell phone and cable all to pay for. I blew $700 of my refund on books, which was ridiculous. The rest of my refund check covered everything above for August & September, and will cover most of October. What about November through January? I have no idea what I'll do. I'm not even really eating anymore in an attempt to save every penny. I don't even really have anyone outside of school to ask. My mother is unemployed, but even if I went to my her she'd just tell me to drop out. She never believed I'd make it through college academically anyway, and last time she asked if I had a job, she just laughed because I'm just not good enough compared to others. </p>

<p>Honestly, I'm thinking about dropping out of school for the year to work since my schedule gets so much in the way. Delay graduating for a year too (which was supposed to be Fall 2011). I don't really even know how to go about the process of dropping out. I don't know what to do. Any advice or someone telling me I'm dumb would help. I'm sorry if this is somewhat rant-y, I'm just so frustrated that my attempts to get jobs here at school have gotten me nowhere, and that every employer gives me the reason that my schedule just doesn't work for them.</p>

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<p>Did you ever check about getting additional subsidized loans? If you do not already have the max in sub loans (which I seem to remember you did not) and you were eligible for WS, you should be eligible for more in sub loans.</p>

<p>I am surprised that a school would do what they did with WS. But each school can set their own rules.</p>

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<p>I am surprised as well, especially since the past 2 years I had more time to find jobs, and found it rather easily with less work experience. I do have $1000 in Work Study for the spring…definitely going to start looking in November for jobs. Hopefully my luck is better then.</p>

<p>My loan package is currently in the process of being reinstated, thankfully. Very glad I kept the print outs of the MPN and counseling. What is the max for Sub loans for a Junior?</p>

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<p>$5500 for sub Stafford loans (for the school year)</p>

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<p>What about unsub loans? You could get $2000 ($1000 for each semester)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the info! I am pretty sure I’m at $5500 for Sub loans, I think I’m at $1400 or so for the year for unsub though. Will definitely look into that once they’re online. How long does it take generally to get the additional loan funds?</p>

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<p>I would first cut all possible expenses. Cable? That can go. Your cell should just have enough minutes for emergencies. Can you add a roommate?</p>

<p>You really don’t want to borrow any more than you have to, that will just create different problems.</p>

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<p>I have a roommate right now, we’re in a 2 bedroom apartment paying $430 each a month. Don’t know if that’s a good deal or not, but all utilities are included with that. My room is pretty small so I don’t know if I’d be able to fit another person in my room, but I will see if I could find someone and make arrangements from there. I’m not sure if people are still looking into the second month of school but it’s worth a try.</p>

<p>Strangely enough, cable & internet is $1 more than just internet. Its $54.99 for internet alone, but $55.99 for the bundle. We only had internet in the apartment last year since we had no TV, and were planning on the same this year but went for the bundle. The prices are kinda ridiculous compared to the company back at home but unfortunately they’re the cheaper company out of the 2 here. </p>

<p>My cell phone is the cheapest plan on Verizon and it’s a really old phone. No texting plan, either. I switched to Verizon because it’s really the only service provider that gets signal in buildings/dining halls on campus and at most apartment complexes.</p>

<p>What is the issue with borrowing more from an unsub loan?</p>

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<p>Do you really need Internet? Colleges have free wifi on campus, and if they don’t the library has Internet. You don’t need to have access to the Internet at your apartment anyway; it’s mostly a distraction from your studies and if you’re spending that amount of money, it should go towards essentials like water, electricity, and other utilities rather than fripperies that children shouldn’t even be using anyway.</p>

<p>The fact that you can’t find jobs now isn’t particularly surprising. Kids today don’t really know how to make themselves and their resumes presentable in order to secure interviews and offers of employment. Employers want to see candidates who look respectable and mature and come across as personal and well-behaved. If your resume is poorly written, it reflects badly on you. If you show up for an interview wearing “sloppy sweats” or otherwise looking unkempt, you probably won’t get any job at all. Even McDonald’s wants someone who is well put together. As far as your schedule; your boss isn’t required to fall over themselves to make sure that you can get your other work done. If you can’t manage juggling both an education and a career, it might be time to drop out. I don’t recommend that lightly, but if you’re honestly not mature enough or at that level of time management that you can balance both aspects of your life then one of them has to go.</p>

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<p>The problem is many students borrow more than they’re able to pay back and live crappy lives after college because of it. What are you studying?</p>

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<p>Redroses - I am a political science major with a minor in biology and psychology. I’m pretty certain on what I’m doing after undergrad. If it helps, my EFC is 0 and this is the first year my sub loan was maxed.</p>

<p>Bedouin-
Our wifi here is terrible, mostly because of all the people using it. We also don’t have access to many places after about 10 PM to sit and do homework/use the internet. Our student council is still petitioning for the library to be opened later and possibly have a work space that’s open 24/7 for students like other colleges in the state do. </p>

<p>The price I pay for things isn’t too terrible. My apartment has water, electricity, and all other utilities included with rent. Since those aren’t separate costs, I only have rent, internet/cable bundle, and my phone to pay for. Too much? </p>

<p>Also, this is post isn’t about me not being ready for a job. I’ve worked every year since my sophomore year of high school. This is the first year I’ve had trouble finding a job. Freshman year, I volunteered as a ref with the Athletics Dept worked in the dining halls (which is why I was counting on the job again this year). Last year, I worked in the Athletics as an Intramural Ref Supervisor. Unfortunately, that department doesn’t have work study jobs this year so I couldn’t return there.</p>

<p>I’ve had my resume reviewed by career services last spring while I was searching for a summer job, and had many corrections done to. I’ve done numerous job and internship interviews and know what to do in regards to those. And I really don’t think McDonalds turned me down because I didn’t go about the interview properly. I made a point to ask them and other employers when I interviewed and didn’t get offered a job if my schedule was a problem. If you’d like further details, I’d be happy to share with you.</p>

<p>None of this is a matter of whether or not I can handle a job. I am sure I can. I have in the past. I worked in high school and did very well considering what kind of high school I went to. I worked the past two years of college and have a decent GPA overall, and a really good in-major GPA. I don’t believe any of that is an issue. It’s just getting a job this school year that has been so problematic.</p>

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<p>Do not drop out or drop any classes without finding out what your financial liability will be! Ask the FA office to put it in writing for you if you find that you have no other options. Since classes have been in session for several weeks now, it’s likely that you would be out a significant portion, if not all, of your tuition and fees. Imho, you would be better off taking the rest of your unsub loans for this semester than losing the entire investment you’ve already made for this semester.</p>

<p>Do you have a grandparent or relative who might help you with your food expenses until you find a job? Can you ask the faculty/stafff you’re acquainted with to keep you posted if they hear of any non-WS jobs? Let them know that you really need to find a job in order to stay in school and it’s likely that something will come through for you. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Please consider the excellent advice here very carefully. Please do what you can to avoid dropping out. I know that things probably seem really tough right now, but if you can possibly figure out how to make it all work you will be that much closer to having your degree. Hang in there.</p>

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<p>Thanks sk8rmom & kelsmom. I’m looking into the unsub loan since as a last option since that will solve the problem for this semester. An extra $600 in addition to what’s remaining of my refund seems like it would be enough. And dropping out would be really hard for me as I really enjoy my classes this semester.</p>

<p>Also, I’m really hard now at places on the town…mainly restaurants and other chain fast food places. Since I don’t really even care about going home during breaks, I’m hoping that will be a plus since many students leave for the week long thanksgiving and month long winter break. We’ll see where that takes me. </p>

<p>Since i still have my spring semester Work Study, I’m hoping that I will be able to continue with dining services or somewhere on campus starting in January, especially since there will be openings from graduating seniors. So looking at things that way, my only problem months in regards to money are November through January, which isn’t as bad as it seemed at first.</p>

<p>Does anyone know about how long it would take to get the extra money from the federal loan?</p>

<p>Thanks everyone else for your replies!</p>

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<p>How long it takes depends on your financial aid office’s processing requirements. Once the loan revision is processed, it’s quick - but it may take time to be processed, depending on what is going on in the office.</p>