Newly unemployed with ??

scout59
Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:41:14 +0000

Sybbie and Thumper: Thanks for the replies. I have been following most of the financial aid threads here at CC for a while, but I must admit that I wasn’t as interested in them until I lost my job! (Nothing like unemployment to sharpen your attention……)

Sybbie: we’ll be looking at all kinds of schools and all kinds of financial scenarios. We’ve been saving for DD’s college since she was born, so we’re actually in a pretty good place, finance-wise. Prior to the lay-off, I just assumed that my husband and I made too much to qualify for financial aid, and we hoarded our money accordingly. Now, we’'l be making much less, so I’m more motivated to look at options.

Thumper: You’re right about the timing. DD will be applying to school this fall (2007) for entrance in fall 2008. I was afraid that this year’s income will be used for the FAFSA (as you said)……so it looks as if those fears are justified. Oh, well. My severance will be pretty large (good package, and I’ve been there a long time), but we were planning to save it all anyway - partially to live on while I retrain, and partially for college. Believe me, I’m not complaining about the money – just about the complication to the financial aid forms. One year we’ll look wealthy, and the next year we’ll look poor……

If it matters: DD is a good but not great student (by CC standards, at least. I think she’s wonderful….) Unweighted GPA of 3.7, ACT score 29 (taken once.) ECs are campus radio and Girl Scouts, a strange combination. Looking at urban schools in the Midwest and East (maybe south at Miami), preferably large and/or quirky.