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Trying to start school. The plan is community college then transfer to a 4 year to get my bachelors. I mentioned it to her and all she said was "good luck". The fact that the ALL of my family has never set foot inside of a college is frustrating so not getting help is absurd. I'm 23 recently moved back in with my mom specifically to go to school (our verbal agreement) and now she shows no interest. I am deeply concerned with my future. Not looking to be a millionaire or anything but just want a decent job that I like with an acceptable income. I guess the Million dollar question is what do i do now? I read online that I have to wait until I'm 24 or 25 until I'm independent and fill out my own fasfa?!? What are some other options to getting started on school? who would I talk to? any info on this matter is greatly appreciated. All I want is a college education!
Suck it up, work while going to school part time, and next year you will be old enough to automatically qualify as an independent student.
Trying to start school. The plan is community college then transfer to a 4 year to get my bachelors. I mentioned it to her and all she said was "good luck". The fact that the ALL of my family has never set foot inside of a college is frustrating so not getting help is absurd. I'm 23 recently moved back in with my mom specifically to go to school (our verbal agreement) and now she shows no interest. I am deeply concerned with my future. Not looking to be a millionaire or anything but just want a decent job that I like with an acceptable income. I guess the Million dollar question is what do i do now? I read online that I have to wait until I'm 24 or 25 until I'm independent and fill out my own fasfa?!? What are some other options to getting started on school? who would I talk to? any info on this matter is greatly appreciated. All I want is a college education!
Find the TRIO organization, it should be located on your local campus. Go talk to someone there. Tell them your situation.
It works with low income, first generation college students( you mentioned no one in your family has gone to college) and single parents. They may be able to offer you guidance. Utilize them once you get into school, there are several benefits to that program.
I put links below. '
Good job trying to go to school!! You can do this!
DO NOT - I REPEAT - DO NOT TAKE OUT STUDENT LOANS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!
Now that that is covered. Apparently they changed the law in 2008 and you have to be 24 to be considered independent. Which is nutty, but I guess no nuttier that everything else in this nutty country.
When my spouse was in college she got grants at 22 as an independent. But she was also prior military and had some GI Bill money too. That may have been why.
Again - DO NOT - I REPEAT - DO NOT TAKE OUT STUDENT LOANS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!
Get a job, save some money, get a summer job, sell your blood - but DO NOT take out student loans. YOU WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE IF YOU DO!!!
Go part time to Community College and work full time for two years. Work two jobs in summer. I knew a guy who drove a cab in summers, he literally lived in his cab and banked about $5,000 a month!
I went to college a hundred years ago. I was lucky, I had a silver spoon stipend of about $220 a month and lived at home, and my tuition was covered by grants. I also worked part time.
I didn't win any awards, I squeaked by as a C- student. I was usually about one class from academic probation. But my spouse was Valedictorian of her university and guess what? Nobody cares! All that matters is the name on the sheepskin. Nobody looks at your transcripts. Ever.
And whatever you do, DO NOT go to a "for profit" college. You will waste your time.
While I agree about the "for profit" college, it repeated and capitalized warnings about student loans are silly at best, and dangerous at worst. Students loans, like all loans, should be taken out after serious consideration of all alternatives. There is nothing wrong with taking out a stafford loan for community college. Private loans are another matter and are to be avoided.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joe from dayton
The reality of your situation may be that you may need to work at least X number of hours per week and go to school part time.
As many others have done, some even working full time while in college. Your future is more important than a big social life. I would also, though, take the advice of the others and speak to a counselor. They must have seen this situation before.
Just out of interest, what's stopping OP from filling out the FAFSA as her mom? I know it's probably not the most honorable thing to do, but neither is hamstringing your child from going to school...
Just out of interest, what's stopping OP from filling out the FAFSA as her mom? I know it's probably not the most honorable thing to do, but neither is hamstringing your child from going to school...
Explain. I'm not being thick, I really want to know the logic behind the "just no". It seems like a fairly low-impact activity to the mom to begin with (which is why I am puzzled as to why she is being deliberately dickish to her child), so what's the downside?
DO NOT - I REPEAT - DO NOT TAKE OUT STUDENT LOANS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!
Now that that is covered. Apparently they changed the law in 2008 and you have to be 24 to be considered independent. Which is nutty, but I guess no nuttier that everything else in this nutty country.
When my spouse was in college she got grants at 22 as an independent. But she was also prior military and had some GI Bill money too. That may have been why.
Again - DO NOT - I REPEAT - DO NOT TAKE OUT STUDENT LOANS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!
Get a job, save some money, get a summer job, sell your blood - but DO NOT take out student loans. YOU WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE IF YOU DO!!!
Go part time to Community College and work full time for two years. Work two jobs in summer. I knew a guy who drove a cab in summers, he literally lived in his cab and banked about $5,000 a month!
I went to college a hundred years ago. I was lucky, I had a silver spoon stipend of about $220 a month and lived at home, and my tuition was covered by grants. I also worked part time.
I didn't win any awards, I squeaked by as a C- student. I was usually about one class from academic probation. But my spouse was Valedictorian of her university and guess what? Nobody cares! All that matters is the name on the sheepskin. Nobody looks at your transcripts. Ever.
And whatever you do, DO NOT go to a "for profit" college. You will waste your time.
Calm down. Student loans are perfectly fine if you follow simple guidelines. You don't have to take to fearmongering and screaming warnings online.
OP, since you do not have much support from your mother, your first step should be to do some research on what you want to do. What are your abilities? What are your interests? You need a plan and then you need a backup plan.
Research the schools that are available to you. Community colleges can vary greatly in quality, so make sure that the one you choose will provide you with many transferable credits. In fact, contact the schools you would ultimately like to go to and ask them to provide you a blueprint to follow to get in.
Then apply for loans as you need them, but make sure to comparison shop and work closely with the school's financial aid office. And whatever you do, make sure the careers you are targeting (and it should be multiple careers) will provide you with the income to pay off those loans.
Don't ever sit there and think "It will all work out" or "I'll deal with it when it comes up" - for people in your situation, you must always have a plan and be willing to revise it as needed.
I had $180K in student loans by the time I graduated with an MBA and my life is far from ruined, so...no. That saidthis is sound advice. You'll waste not just time, but a ton of money, as well.
I mean, who wouldn't want the equivalent of two mortgage payments at once?
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