How do I get out of this situation? - Page 3

SeaSideBay · 07-02-2009, 04:05 PM

[quote]Seaside, what is your COA?[quote/]

with housing, about 20,000 per year.

SeaSideBay · 07-02-2009, 04:06 PM

[quote]Seaside, what is your COA?[quote/]

with housing, about 20,000 per year.

thumper1 · 07-02-2009, 04:40 PM

[/quote]

You put the backslash before the q not after the e.

Housing is $20K per year?? where do you go to school? My kids go to college where the real estate is MIGHTY expensive and their ROOM (housing) and board (food) costs to live on campus were about $11, 000 a year.

DD lives off campus in a very nice house...$650 a month for rent and utilities, and $200 a month for food. For 12 months, that is $10,200. And yes...she has roommates...and yes she even shares her bedroom with one other person.

somemom · 07-02-2009, 05:04 PM

Sea- maybe we could offer better assistance if you gave a summary of your situation. What year are you in university? What area of major (science? humanities? etc?)

If you are not a freshman, how many years/units do you have? We can be more helpful with more specifics

sk8rmom · 07-02-2009, 06:35 PM

Seaside, there's no way your Stafford limit has decreased to $4,000 unless you already have $27,000 in Stafford loans. Stafford limits are $5,500 freshman, $6,500 sophomore, and $7,500 junior and senior. The maximum you can borrow as an undergrad is $31,000. So talk with your school again, because I'm pretty sure you misunderstood. Also, your EFC does NOT affect how much you can borrow. You can have a 99,999 EFC (the highest) and still borrow the maximum Stafford.

geek_mom · 07-02-2009, 06:35 PM

Hey Sea -- This may or may not be an option where you are, but it worked for one of our students. Check the employment benefits at your college; see if there's a tuition waiver. If so, scour their job listings for something you might qualify for without a degree. I don't mean the student jobs or work-study, I mean staff positions. Especially if there's something in your department, or someplace on campus where they already know you to be a bright, hardworking, lovable student.

This is how I funded my grad degree and how one of my former student workers managed after his merit scholarship dried up. His total TRB was close to yours. Now he has a job on campus; it's fairly low-paying, but it puts money in his pocket and he pays about $100/year in tuition to attend part-time. Sure, it'll take him an extra year or two to get the degree, but he doesn't care since it's hardly costing him anything and he's adding career-type work experience to his resume at the same time.

SeaSideBay · 07-02-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Housing is $20K per year?? where do you go to school? My kids go to college where the real estate is MIGHTY expensive and their ROOM (housing) and board (food) costs to live on campus were about $11, 000 a year.

No, housing is not 20,000 per year. Housing and tuition together is 20,000 the last year I went.

SeaSideBay · 07-02-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

there's no way your Stafford limit has decreased to $4,000 unless you already have $27,000 in Stafford loans. Stafford limits are $5,500 freshman, $6,500 sophomore, and $7,500 junior and senior. The maximum you can borrow as an undergrad is $31,000. So talk with your school again, because I'm pretty sure you misunderstood. Also, your EFC does NOT affect how much you can borrow. You can have a 99,999 EFC (the highest) and still borrow the maximum Stafford.

Is that rule different for different states or schools? If not, than I don't know. Maybe there is something I missed?

cptofthehouse · 07-02-2009, 07:46 PM

It seems to me that you are currently living with your parents and want to move into your own place. I am guessing that you have been commuting and that your tuition was covered by a scholarship that is now discontinued. My guess is that your tuition is under $4000 which makes your COA at that point since you are on the record as a commuter. That is the only way I can come up with a $4K Stafford loan for the 2009-2010 academic year.

What is the tuition for your college? Is the $4k figure for the unsubsidized stafford for the entire year or for a semester?

You are not giving us enough info to help you.

sk8rmom · 07-03-2009, 07:46 AM

Stafford limits are consistent across the country. You are limited to receiving no more aid than COA, which would include tuition, room, board, books, transportation, fees, and a set amount for personal expenses. If you have been living at home you likely have a very small room/board component in your current COA. If you move, make sure you update your FA office who will increase your COA.

its3amagain · 07-04-2009, 03:59 PM

Hi SeaSide.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I agree with others & you that staying isn't an option. I don't really know much about financial aid etc because I won't be applying for college for a while yet so all I can add is that you should apply for as many merit scholarships as you can find. You said your grades are good so it's worth a try? It's also a useful distraction. Getting yourself out of the house as much as possible is also probably a good idea so going to the library and using the computers there if they're free will probably help.

But yes, merit scholarships, as many as you can and also on-campus jobs, taking any jobs you can get outside of college even if they're at a fast food place or whatever. Just weighing up whether you'd like to stay with your parents or work a job you don't really like until you can find one you do like will probably help your decision.

I don't know if you've already answered this but does your school offer merit scholarships? If yes, apply for them too. Just apply for as many merit scholarships as possible, find out how you'd be considered independent so your parents income wouldn't be relevent any longer and that's about all the advice I can offer right now.

Good luck & stay in touch. (: