Can't afford textbooks and materials

cptofthehouse
Wed, 15 Jan 2014 13:57:06 +0000

I don’t think you are going to like what I have to say. I am sorry that you are in this situation. However, I think a good deal of your problems is due to the fact that you are not facing the reality of them. You are going to a school you cannot afford, is the bottom line. When you do that, it is inevitable that you will run into money problems.

First of all, about the rant you have about this country. Having grown up in Europe and having SILs and other family members from other countries since I am first generation American on half of the family tree and 2nd on the other, it’s no panacea there either. Unless you make the cut for continuing to college, you don’t get the option. There are not the many choices of private schools and community college/public local colleges that we have here. And you would have to pay for private school there which is no cheaper. I looked up a private school I wanted to attend when I was overseas, and it’s as pricey as any here in the US.

Clearly you did not get a merit scholarship or financial aid package to cover your college costs. So either you did not apply to schools that might have given you those things, or you are not the caliber student to get them. My son , now in college, got below average test scores, but had very good grades. He got a full tuition scholarship offer from a local private school. So he could have gone there for just the commuting costs. He also could have gone to community college for a few thousand dollars, which could have been covered by Direct Student Loans easily or he could have gone to some local state schools which would have cost him most of his Direct Student Loans. If he lived at home with us, a part time job during the year with not too many hours, and working over the sumer whould have covered his commuting costs comfortably, he could have afforded to pay for his books, and he would also have pocket money to socialize. He did not take those choices, because he so wanted to go away to school, but now older and wiser, he see a lot of kids, many from high income families who took those options and they are living high on the hog, happy, are getting degrees leading into some great job prospects and they have been socializing and hanging out even though they are commuters. He is on the edge financially, knows few kids at his school since they are not from this area–met nearly all of them just since he started there and he’s kind of the odd guy out when he comes home too. So there are advantages to going to a local school once you get over the “no one is doing this” which is so untrue.

The fact of the matter is that in this country, the average college student is NOT living on campus, is NOT going to school full time, and is working and earning his wayt through PART TIME. You are stuck on a myth about how college is done that simply is not true. Not all parents, few parents, pay for most of their kids’ college. Most people are too strapped to do so, did not prepare and save to do so, the recent recession has kicked financial situation and prospects. No money for college.

So if you are not going to a local state school, but are struggling to pay for a private college, you are paying far more than you have to, unless said college is giving you enough money so it’s as good of a price as your state options. It does not get better most of the time. The costs go up, and you’ll be expected to borrow more.

My advice to you is to take a deep breath and look at the cost of this college in terms of what you will have to borrow and what your gap has been even with the borrowing. Look at other options. You’ve had , what?, a year here so far? Is this your first or second year at this school. Get out while you can have the slight chance of graduating in two more years from a state school where you can afford the tuition.

In your case, you might want to drop your courses and take a leave of absence from this school for the term, and look for a job. Do it before you are adversely charged for the courses and the loans/aid you have. Look at other options, state school that you can afford. Save some of your earnings so that you have some buffer for things like car breakdowns, failed root canals, lost books, expensive supplies, computers, phones, etc. If you can afford to go full time and get your degree from a state school, then borrow the $7500 a year you will be permitted to borrow for the last two years and go at it. Otherwise part time might be the way to go. Find a job at Staples, Gap, fast food whatever to start earning some money. Spend your time at work or at a school library studying. No eating out unless you work where it is comped. Buy a loaf of bread and a jar of Peanut butter or the like for lunch and scrounge for leftovers from home. That your parents give you home access is worth about $7-15K a year in costs, so enjoy it. When you get your degree and find a self subsisting job, you can then move out.

You should look at school programs and majors with an eye to job opportunities and salaires. You do not have the luxury of majoring in something that isn’t going to pan out in terms of employment since you want to be independent,you have loans to repay and your parents can’t help you out,

There are many kids right on my street that went to wonderful dream schools who are now back home with parents which can be its own hell on earth after being away and living as they pleased for 4 years. Parents not used to having them around either, and there is the stench of disappointment when after all that money invested, all those hopes and expectations, the kids are not panning out with big wages and independence. You are getting a taste of this early. It’s worse when you ferment this for four more years or more and throw in even more money, believe me.

So get yourself a job, and start lookng at how you can stand on your own two feet. Look at education as a means to that. Otherwise you are going to be hurting for a long time over unrealistic expectations and reality that you have just failed to accept.