<p>@mom2collegekids
Before anything happens, I’ll make sure to sit down and discuss with both of my parents about the situation. I understand that it’s a significant amount of money to take out, but if I can use some of that money to at least pay for the $13,200 tuition, I’ll take care of my living expenses by working a job. I went to a community college for 2 years to avoid this exact situation, and I’m not sure if I’ll have another chance at UC Davis or Berkeley if I take a year off; these schools do not take applicants who exceed a certain number of units, which I will if I continue at a JC. I could just take the year off as well, but I fear that it would be very detrimental to my academic focus as a student… I’d also have to explain to the colleges why I took a gap year in the middle of my undergraduate career.</p>
<p>I don’t plan on using all $20,000 of the loans… First, let’s see if I can still qualify for the Cal Grants in my scenario. I need to call the fafsa office at both campuses on Tuesday.</p>