Financing College!!! Help!!

Question

I am entering my first year of college, and I find its a lot more challenging to pay for than I thought. I have been a straight a student since freshmen year. I also have been the photographer for the yearbook, winner of Women in the director's chair competition, apart of the knowledge bowl competitions at my school and participated in college courses for about two years before i ever became a college student.

Yet despite this, I cannot find scholarships at all!! FASFA will not help because of my mother's income, but my father's medical bills are piling up and we can't afford both! I also haven't recieved any scholarships from fastweb.com even though i submitted hundreds of applications!!!

I have the brains, now I need the money!!! Even I can't figure this one out!! Help!! :(

Answer 1

Anyone can get help from fafsa in the form of federal student loans.  Dependent freshman usually get offered 5,500 their first year.  You need to contact your school and tell them you want loans and also tell them of your dads high medical expenses.  Often times they will ask you to write them something about the situation and prove it.  

Occasionally they can make adjustments, but be aware the medical bills have to be "paid".  Simply having them outstanding won't help you.  Also, send them supporting documenation for the expenses.

Fastweb is all well and good, but that is a national database for scholarships and millions of kids do that.  You will have the BEST luck with the schools scholarships and from any organization you have a direct and personal link to.  Your moms credit union or place of employment, your church, girl scout troop, high school.... etc.

And don't listen to JOTZ about moving out of  your parents home to establish residency somewhere else for fafsa.  She is wrong and that won't work.

Answer 2

try seeing if the college or university you want to attend have scholarships they offer throughout the school year.  

Answer 3

Yes, you absolutely need to talk to your financial aid office. They really know their stuff and can usually hook you up with money that you didn't know about. I know because I'm a sophomore and for the past two years they have helped me out. They really want to make financing college easy for you and do everything they can. And did you actually fill out the FAFSA? Even high income earners can sometimes get stuff through FAFSA but I'm not sure about the ins and outs of that one. You may just have to get some private loans, and the school may help you out with finding the best ones among those. Try your best to stay away from those though. If they are your only option, make sure to find ones that are deferred until after graduation and the ones with the best interest rates. Good luck, I know it can be stressful!

Answer 4

Dont despair.  First listen to what girl says she has great advise.  If still not possible you may want to move out of your parents home.  If you have a grandma, aunt, uncle etc.  You can move in with them.  It will take you about a year moving out of your parents house and establishing residency elsewhere.  Residency is established by having a utility bill, phone bill etc. with your name and a different address than your parents.  Even if you do that, FAFSA, may not help you because I believe it considers your parents income regardless of where you live until your 23 years old. However, there is a Federal program called the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)  that has a training and job office in EVERY county in the USA.   This program assists their county residents with training and job search.  The catch is that they are there to do vocational training.  You didnt mention what field of study you were intersted in.  WIA eligibilty requirements are not the same as FAFSA, so the minimum age of 23 doesn't apply.  I highly suggest you get into a medical field, Registured Nursing ius a high demand field regardless of where you live.  Most WIA offices sponsor RNs.  Every state differs in policy, every county also differs in othe county policies.  Would not hurt to check it out.  I am from California so i do not know other states policies, but the office is there.  Investigate, and apply for your counties eliigibilty process, you will know if eligible or not.  If not you may want to hint to eligibilty worker that you are planning to move out of parents home and would that make a difference of your eligibilty.  Check out the website and investigate.  Goof luck to you.  Hope this helps you a little.

Answer 5

You should try talking to the financial aid office to see if they have any kind of special conditions application you can fill out.

Also talk to them and the counseling center to see if they have any institutional or outside scholarships you could apply for.

It sounds like you are extremely busy, but maybe get a student work-study job.