<p>I was accepted to Belmont University in Tennessee and I fell in love with the school. Except… I’m getting nothing but subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans (approved for a Parent PLUS Loan, but that’s sooooo not happening, as my parents say.) I would love love love to go there - I wasn’t accepted anywhere else for the record - so it’s either take out the loans (just me, not my parents) or go to community college. HELP?</p>
<p>Yes, it sounds like you’ll have to start at a community college, unless there is a school that you can still apply to that might give you an affordable merit scholarship OR is there a state university that you can apply to right now that you can commute to?</p>
<p>There are still rolling admission schools which I have to send in the information to, but I was rejected from a state school I applied to (UMass Amherst). There’s no state schools I can commute to either. If I go to a school other than community college, it HAS to be a school I can live at. I really, really want to get out of my house, and I’m trying to avoid community college as much as possible. :/</p>
<p>It’s very unlikely that you can get a loan (other than the federally guaranteed Staffords) without a co-signer. If your parents aren’t willing to co-sign, I think your only choice as between Belmont and community college is to go to the CC.</p>
<p>Are you in Massachusetts?</p>
<p>Do you live in a rural area where there are no state schools around? </p>
<p>What were your stats? </p>
<p>How much will your parents contribute each year? </p>
<p>I really, really want to get out of my house, and I’m trying to avoid community college as much as possible.</p>
<p>The problem often is this… Unless you have high stats where a school will offer great merit and/or you can get accepted it is almost impossible to “go away” to school unless your family will pay. Taxpayers don’t really provide aid for students to “go away” to school because that is a luxury.</p>
<p>The problem is that you need the money for room and board. That is something your parents are responsible to provide for you in terms of college until you are 24, married, a veteran, have a dependent, have a court situation. Just like if you wanted to go away to a boarding school for highs school, you have to pay. The Staffords will pretty much pay for Mass state school tuition and some expenses, but not for room and board. Unless you can get a scholarship for that amount, it isn’t happening.</p>
<p>Nationwide, the single largest group of traditional age college students is comprised of those who are commuting to their local community colleges. By some estimates, this may be more than half of the total traditional age group. If you find that this is your best (or even only) option, you will be in good company. You can save a lot of money by attending a community college for the first two years, and perhaps by the time you are ready to transfer to a 4-year institution your financial situation will be better. Even if it isn’t much better, you will only be looking at two years worth of college debt, not four.</p>
<p>lovester</p>
<p>I was raised over in Middle Tennessee and from what I can recall about Belmont, they are very tolerant minded about transfers.</p>