@thumper1 Yes, the OP should get a part time job on campus to cover personal expenses. What I meant, though, is that savings from current income don’t seem feasible.
OP, it looks like you’ll just have to be very thrifty with move-in and fall book expenses. And if you’re in absolute need of money/can’t come up with the cash for books, is there a close relative/friend/even teacher who would be able to lend you the $ and then you can pay them back once you work during school?
Do you have any siblings?
I’m not sure why you’re worrying that if you earn more, you’ll have to pay more. You should still come out ahead.
^this…you would not earn $15k just to save having to pay $900 of your own expense? I say this with all respect for your situation, bc I have been in that situation myself…Financial aid is not a jackpot…dont try to game it. Pay what you can and be proud that you can.
Who buys your clothes and boots now? I must say, I am a little shocked by this…
OK…I finally took the time to read past posts and there are tons of inconsistencies. I’m inclined to not believe much of what is posted…these were all posted either in June or July 2015…right now.
So…which is it…? Did you leave home at 16 or 18. Plus now you are saying that both parents are no longer alive.
And you claim to have emanicipated minor status. That is a legal status which must be obtained prior to age 18. Not that this matters if both parents are no longer alive. Hoping you have death certificates for both to prove this status.
No…you don’t have a perfect ACT score…not even on your practice tests. A perfect ACT is 36.
Please clarify your information. You know the old saying…garbage in…garbage out.
I’m sorry, but I’ve never head of any school offering a stipend so you can buy the clothes you need to survive.
I think that responsibility is yours, not theirs. If it means cutting back on other expenses, fine. Cut the costs of cable/internet/whatever. If it means getting a summer job, then do so.
If you’re hesitant to save money, then spend it-- hit the Land’s End catalog, look at overstocks, and buy a good warm coat.
But making enough money that your EFC goes up still leaves you with more money in your pocket.
Also, you live in Pennsylvania…not Florida. There is winter in PA. It’s not unique to places where Ivy League schools are located. Surely you have winter clothes to wear when winter comes in PA.
Then how did you get a social security number so you could work?? Are you saying you are 20 years old and are in HS now?
And in some posts he says that he’s 20, but recently he posted:
am a high school Junior <<<
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And he lives in PA (as thumper notes) so he should have cold weather clothes.
It’s time to play…Spoof the CC message boards!
I’m still trying to figure out how his Russian and Mexican parents are Amish. I’ve never heard of ‘Amish-like’; you are either Amish or not and it is not a religion that recruits.
There are two ways I know of to get a stipend. First, go to a military academy. Those students are paid every month. Second, be a scholarship athlete at one of the schools that is giving a stipend starting this year. Stanford, Cal, UCLA are all awarding them, most around $3000. And you won’t need winter clothes.
So…Which is it…an old ACT hat you took when you were about ten years old (really???), or an old SAT that you took four years ago when you were…how old?
Well that escalated quickly, first and foremost choosing not to disclose every detail in every post I make does not make me a liar, it simply means that my situation is so complex that I don’t really feel like going into the nitty gritty of every detail every time I have a question about the college admissions process.
My parents are in fact both passed away, a fact which I do not need to prove to anyone other than a college financial aid committee. My mother died this past summer of a treatable illness and my father died when I was 12 or 13 of suicide.
I am in fact 20 years old and a high school Junior (it does happen particularly when your parents homeschool), class of 2016 so Senior would be more applicable given that my school runs year round. I left home at 16, but I often put 18 to avoid legal issues of not being a legal adult as I am told that technically that is a crime. It is a habit I still have, sorry if that confused you at all.
My parents are NOT Amish, they are part of exclusionary church where people live in a community together, there are so many rules that it is easier to say essentially Amish as they teach and uphold many of the same teachings and I really don’t feel like explaining it every time it comes up. Being as this is a faith that I no longer hold, I see no reason to explain it any further.
My mother is Mexican and her mother was Argentinian, my biological father is Russian. Not that it is really of any relevance at all to this discussion. I have had 3 step parents in my life, and 2 foster homes. the nature of my family history is very complicated so in the abbreviated remarks I make on an online forum there may be some inconsistency…Imagine that. I have a total of 13 siblings all but 2 of which remain in the church.
I only recently moved to Pennsylvania and was living in Miami prior to that, furthermore, winter clothing is hardly the only college expense I will have.
When I said about 10 years ago, I was exaggerating I want to say I was 15?, it was before I left home. I was told that these scores are too old to be used, additionally my SAT scores, I had presumed were cancelled because they are also very old. By perfect, I meant to imply they were what I wanted them to be, I don’t consider myself more or less intelligent based on a scores arbitrary numbers. I meant that I had no intention of working to improve that score.
I only recently became an actual citizen of the US. I had a case number for my court hearings but there was an error in which one set of documents says I was born in 94, another says 95 and given that my parents did not believe in going to hospitals, there is no real way to prove that. Before I had a social security number I was paid in cash for my work. I was able to file taxes under provisional information this past year.
BTW, sorry I am college prep scholar not a quest scholar.
With all that said, I did not ask to explain myself on this thread. I did not ask to be told whether it was morally acceptable, whether or not I am lazy or whether or not I am honest. I asked whether or not stipends were a thing. To be perfectly honest, I am not really interested in whether or not you all think I am a tr0ll I only asked a question. Now, I must say I find it really startling how quickly everyone jumped on this train. I explain myself only because I want to have a valuable experience on College Confidential and I want my questions to be taken seriously and I know that I can benefit from the knowledge of a diverse community who have experienced college admissions from different perspectives. What I don’t benefit from ( and what you don’t benefit from either) is the need to explain every post I have ever made when I’m just trying to figure out what my options are. No different from anyone else on this forum.
I work my buns off. There I said it. I count dollars in my apartment to make rent. I go to school and I study for hours like any other kid on here. I work a 38 hour work week at a job where I am treated with no respect for my heritage or my sexuality and I take it because I NEED that job. I work in a restaurant where I am expected to be on my feet for 9 hour shifts with no break (as anyone who has ever worked as a line cook can tell you). I work so hard now because I want to live a life where I don’t have to do that. Where I won’t have to be sexually harassed by my boss, where I won’t have to survive paycheck to paycheck. Where I won’t have to ignore health problems because I can’t afford to pay a doctor. Where I won’t have to lie about having a “new” issue discuss in order to get free counseling. Where I won’t have to constantly worry about how I am going to pay my bills, how I’m going to find time to write that paper, where I am going to get the money to send my test scores to colleges. Don’t presume to know me, just because I choose not to spill my guts on every post I make, I have chosen to spill them here to make a point. I have had enough of people on here implying that low income students asking legitimate questions about how to get help for college expenses are lazy. That you are lazy because you can’t afford to pay SAT sending fees, that you are lazy because you can’t find a job that pays enough to allow you to save 2 thousand dollars over the summer. Until your counting pennies to save up for your bus fare to take the ACT, or your borrowing against your rent to take a visit to a college that says they will repay you, or your sitting in your living room in the middle of December in PA with no heat because you can’t afford it that month you have no right to even speak to the matter, let alone make a judgement call on it.
To those of you who gave me useful info, thanks. I did not know the rules on work study before and I wasn’t aware that some goodwills have better stuff lol. Mine literally has a bunch of baby clothes and the mens department consists of some jeans that are 38 plus waist size. I will definitely be keeping an eye.
I’m sorry for the rant but this is how I feel on the matter. I have spent a large portion of my life answering to other people for the complexity of my situation and I am in fact very defensive on the matter, which I am sure you have noticed by now lol. Point being, be aware that things are not always what you initially think they are. That 15 dollars means something very different for a lot of other people. That 2,000 dollars is more money than some people have ever had control over at any given time in their life. Be more sensitive to the fact that not everyone has the luxury of being a dependent, of having a cut and dry family info to paste into the Common app and be aware that most of these people are not going to be forthcoming on these details. They are personal and sharing them leaves many of us in a position where we feel at a disadvantage. On my college application, I will be sure to explain every tiny detail, the quest bridge app leaves plenty of space for that. On this online forum, I will put forth information at my discretion when I feel that it is relevant.
@Lilliana330 Thanks for being so understanding
OP- big hug and condolences on the loss of your mom. You sound like a tough, hardworking, and resilient young person and I know you are going to do great things with your life.
My community has a free loan society which is over 100 years old. It was started by Jewish immigrants from Germany who then helped the more recent immigrants from Russia who then helped the more recent immigrants from Poland… and then back in the 1980’s we had another influx of refugees from Russia (what goes around comes around). Google “Hebrew Free Loan Society” or just free loan society and see if there is one near you. Virtually all of them help people of any religion, and they are set up to dispense small, interest free loans (a thousand dollars is typical in my town). The paperwork is minimal and it operates on an honor system… when you pay back the loan the money then goes back out to someone else who needs a hand. People in the community often donate to it to mark a particularly good piece of luck (you start a business which is successful) or in memory of someone in the community who was particularly charitable. Find one near you- they will likely consider your warm clothes, books, and “start up costs” at college to qualify.
Then- contact the local alumni association of the college you are attending. My alumni association has both a small scholarship program for needy kids from our area who are attending our alma mater to help with things like lab fees and incidentals which might not get covered by financial aid. And at the discretion of the officers, we sometimes augment our “book award” or whatever which is usually just a few hundred dollars to help a kid with transportation or books. Again- minimal paperwork. Nobody is going to ask you to fill out fifteen forms if you’ve been accepted to their college but a couple of hundred dollars is standing between you and freshman orientation. Alumni of your college are going to be very committed to making your freshman year a success…and if you’ve got a copy of your financial aid letter to show them that you are really working on a razor’s edge, so much the better.
Hope these suggestions help. There are people and funds out there looking for kids like you… best of luck to you, and my sincere hope that your rough start in life is going to turn around very quickly once you get to college.
Thank you for your explanation. Unfortunately, there are posters on this forum who are less than honest, and one thing they do is post inconsistent information.
Now…to help. When you go to any of these fly in events, you will have the opportunity to speak with both admissions and financial aid folks. Please explain your situation to them, and ask what sorts of resources are available to help students in your situation. Many of these generous schools also have dome funds which can help. Some will grant short term loans until work study money is earned. Some will adjust the cost of attendance to include it,s like transportation and personal expenses. This varies by school. You will need to ask at each school.
Good luck. I hope it all works out.
And one other helpful thing. Because both of your parents are no longer alive, you are independent for financial,aid purposes. You will not need to list anyone else’s finances on your financial aid application forms. You will not need to list siblings or anyone else.
This will give you the ability to borrow up to $9500 your freshman year.
Some of the schools on your list give need based aid and do not package loans in the financial aid package. You would be able to take this loan if needed (your total need based aid package cannot usually exceed the cost of attendance…thus the suggestion to discuss this with the schools…to see if this can be adjusted).
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I am in fact 20 years old and a high school Junior (it does happen particularly when your parents homeschool), class of 2016 so Senior would be more applicable given that my school runs year round. I left home at 16,
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Who has been home-schooling you for the high school years that you have completed?
@mom2collegekids My parents chose to home school while I was at home. “homeschooling” for us was another way of saying no schooling. I had no formal documentation to provide of that instruction, so when I left and sought out a real education I had to start off with zero credits. I could have taken my GED but I know that I have more options than that.
What I mean is…who has been home-schooling you for the past 3 years?
@mom2collegekids I go to an online international school and a local high school for my arts and some sciences. I don’t really feel comfortable getting too specific 
When you turn 21, you will no longer be allowed at the bricks and mortar school. Plan accordingly.