how do most people go to college? (SAT, bachelor's, degree)

[desert sun]

my g/f is 26 trying to go to college but she dosent qualify for any kind of assistance, no financial aid, she did qualify for a loan but only part of it, we would still need to pull out another loan, we tried this but now need a co-signer. She works full time and we got our bills so how do lower-middle class or even middle class people go to college?

What other options are out there?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by desert sun

how do most people go to college?

I take the train.

Eh, seriously though... some people in your GF's predicament go to community college their first two years because it's a lot cheaper and the credits will usually transfer to a 4-year school. Make sure about that second part though -- and not by asking the community college, but by asking the 4-year colleges and universities in your area if the credits from XYZ Community College will transfer, and if that applies to all courses or if certain ones don't transfer, etc.

[charolastra00]

Worked my butt off in high school so I would never have to be in that position.

[LynchburgLover]

First of all -- don't give up. Just start with the community college. Take one class at a time and work very hard to get good grades.

Eventually, if she can keep the gpa high, she may qualify for some scholarship money at the higher level.

It may take many years but perserverance will pay off. Good luck.

[TouchOfWhimsy]

Originally Posted by LynchburgLover

First of all -- don't give up. Just start with the community college. Take one class at a time and work very hard to get good grades.

Eventually, if she can keep the gpa high, she may qualify for some scholarship money at the higher level.

It may take many years but perserverance will pay off. Good luck.

I agree with this.

Try to avoid taking out loans if you can. It would suck to spend all that time working and going to school, just to have a pile of debt to pay off at the end, ya know? It will take longer to pay cash as you go, but I don't see an easier/better way to go about it as an adult (as opposed to a kid fresh out of high school, still being supported by mom and dad).

[enigmaingr]

Is your girlfriend going to school full time? Most financial aid, like grants, are reserved for full time students. Secondly, is the school she is going to accredited? Hopefully, she isn't falling for one of those diploma mills that advertise on TV. Finally, is she a degree-seeking student? That is, is she in a program that will lead to an associates or bachelor's degree? If she is going for pretty much anything that begins with the word "certificate", she probably won't get anything but loans. (examples: certified medical assistant, certified message therapist).

If your girlfriend is going to a legitimate school and in a degree seeking program, she should be filling out the FAFSA form every year. She may qualify for some grants.

[andthentherewere3]

I agree with the above post. From my experience, even if you don't qualify for scholarships etc., colleges will still give you need-based grants if you truly are "lower-middle class or even middle class" as you say. Did she fill out a FAFSA last year, and apply to colleges? If not, now is the time to be filling out the FAFSA again, the deadline is in February.

[StinaTado]

I went to an expensive private school with a ton of financial aid money. It was cheaper than going to a state school. Most people don't believe it, but it is often cheaper for a lower middle class person to go to a private school with a commitment to meet 100% of the student's demonstrated need than it is to go to a public school. Of course, the schools with this kind of financial commitment are harder to get into because their financial aid packages make them enticing. If your girlfriend is only an average student, this probably isn't an option for her.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by StinaTado

I went to an expensive private school with a ton of financial aid money. It was cheaper than going to a state school. Most people don't believe it, but it is often cheaper for a lower middle class person to go to a private school with a commitment to meet 100% of the student's demonstrated need than it is to go to a public school. Of course, the schools with this kind of financial commitment are harder to get into because their financial aid packages make them enticing. If your girlfriend is only an average student, this probably isn't an option for her.

That's very true, my son is going to an expensive private university for the same tuition one of the cheaper state colleges offered us. I'm not sure if we are lower middle-class, but middle-class all the same. But even if a person's grades are average, it doesn't hurt to apply anyway. One of my children's friends got into a well-regarded, private university with a C+ average. I think the student had a high SAT score, which might have helped.

[lisdol]

She will find, too, that after the first year, when she is a full time student and her income has fallen to a low level, she will qualify for more aid/loans b/c they go off of the prior year's income to calculate aid, in my experience.

I worked as a waitress 30-35 hours per week and still qualified for enough aid combined with the income to pay 1/3 of the rent/utils of a 3 bdr plus food, secondhand clothing, and gas money for my clunker and tuition and fees/books.

Or...she can go a little at a time.