whooaaaa...$10,000 a SEMESTER

Paying for College
1

<p>…I was always told that those rates you see online on college websites were per academic year.</p>

<p>I’ve been looking at these websites since I was in like 7th grade, NEVER have I seen the fact that these rates are per semester, not year.</p>

<p>Now, I dunno what to do. </p>

<p>I’m only a sophmore, but still, thats a lot of money when you have to come up with it all on your own. I am going to new mexico state <a href=“http://www.nmsu.edu%5B/url%5D”>www.nmsu.edu</a> and most of their scholarships are for instate students…I think theres like one that I would qualify for. </p>

<p>Another problem: I have a fraudulent credit score…someone (have no freakin clue who) used my name and ssn to get an $800 comcast bill…I’ve got the forged signature paper, 1 or 2 bills, and the paper that says that its going on my credit score.</p>

<p>-therefore, along with the fact that due to a mess up with the government, my stepdad owes over $50,000 in taxes (they taxed his GROSS income, which was like $200,000; NOT his take home pay which wasnt even 1/5 of that. Therefore, if any loan requires my credit score, my parents credit score, or my parents tax info, I dont qualify for those either</p>

<p>Grants, sure, I’m a great student: 3.87 non weighted, 4.2 (expected) weighted; manager of wrestling team, member of club interact, voluenteer at local church feeding underprivliged kids (I’m at the receiving end of that too, but I voluenteer my time, not $$), top 10% of class… you get the picture. I havent done anythint SpAcTaCuLaR, so I wont qualifiy for davidsons fellows or any of those “I saved the world in HIgh school,” scholarships. Also, I am (from what I understand) in the top 10% or more of my applicant pool, so maybe, i dunno, maybe that matters? </p>

<p>I figure, $5,000 in grants, whatever I can manage in scholarships…then what? I really dont see my chances at any loans, especially not $50,000 worth!!!</p>

<p>Christ, to think that I just found this out after probably 200 hours of looking at different schools. Call me ignorant, go ahead, but what matters is the fact that this just happened, and I am royally screwed. </p>

<p>Thanks</p>

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<p>also, as far as jobs go…I dont mind work study…as long as I can still have my own employment of atleast 15 hours a week…to pay for my personal expenses.</p>

<p>…and sorry about the … and comma obsession. Its a bad habit that I only use on the internet.</p>

3

<p>also, I’ll have about $6,000 saved before I leave because of working.</p>

<p>I have none of the electronic stuff I need/dorm stuff (I’m not allowed to live off campus), so I’ve got to buy it all: I figure (in 2009)</p>

<p>laptop: $650+
Microsoft office, internet card etc (accessories): $120
printer ( a 1/4 decent one): $80
mic/fridge: $110
tv, mp3, camera, clothes, bedding, a bookcase and a dresser, and the rest of the little things: taking mine </p>

<h2>light fixtures: $30</h2>

<p>I figure $1500 (from what I’m looking at, including inflation, and whatever else that I didnt mention)</p>

<p>and its going to cost me a whole $1000 to even get there, BY CAR! ($5/gal, 10 mpg, 1800 miles). I might sell that car and get another, but…I’m a little attached</p>

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<p>first – you need to use a financial aid calculator and see if you will qualify for financial aid. <a href=“http://www.finaid.org/calculators/[/url]”>http://www.finaid.org/calculators/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You also need to take care of your credit score. see what you need to do to get it off the credit report. </p>

<p>I don’t know the details about your dad, but taxes are always taken from the gross. take home pay is after taxes. </p>

<p>see what the financial aid calculator comes up with for your EFC (expected family contribution) and then talk to your parents and see what they feel they will be able to contribute. You really need to know how much your parents will pay.</p>

<p>once you have those figures – post back here and we can get you more advice.</p>

<p>any reason why you want to go to nmsu and not your state school?</p>

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<p>You can fix your credit score by writing to the reporting agencies (equifax etc.) and explaining the fraud. ID theft is common and they know it.
You have to choose the right school, some will give you more scholarships than others. As hsmomstef said, why only nmsu? Consider other schools, too.</p>

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<p>I have considered a few others, but michigan has nothing to offer me at this point, and u of m’s in state tuition is MORE than nmsu out of state!</p>

<p>$6500/semester. </p>

<p>My efc is $0 since my mom doesnt work either. Also, theres 4 of us in the household. And it has long been known that, if anything, I’ll be sending them cash, not the other way around. My stepdad doesnt make a sallary and he averages about $35,000 a year</p>

<p>Location is the most important thing to me when considering schools, considering that it doesn’t take an ivy league education to become a nurse…and I’m all western minus california. I’ve got to be able to look out my window and see mountains. I’ve considered Adams State College in CO, but their nursing program sucks and they wont take my AP credit.</p>

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<p>With an EFC of $O you open yourself up for extra grants, possible scholarships, and even work study. I would not assume that you have to pay the entire tuition plus board. At least you could get a federal Pell Grant for close to 3500 a semester and they have SEOG grants that are about 1100. I would open your options regarding schools though as you could compare offers and see exactly which is the better deal, and not have to just take what they give you at nmsu</p>

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<p>ok, this is probably a stupid question, but when a college website features scholarships, will all students that meet the criteria (and apply) get the aid? or is it like any other scholarships where between 1-20 people get the cash?</p>

<p>No ones ever told me, so i was just curious.</p>

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<p>oh yeah, and one more thing: since what my parents let me do is out of my control, I’m not allowed to clear up my debt until I am out of the house…</p>

<p>long story, but just trust me. I’ll be applying within 3 weeks after my junior year is over, and wont be out of the house until maybe, june 20 or so of the year I graduate, 2009. Trust me, at that point, I’ll be all over it. But until then, I cant do anything…please trust me, I just cant. </p>

<p>I think that I might have confused you about the tax thing: heres the whole situation so maybe it makes sense: He was a truck driver, and made about $2,000 a week. However, he has to pay for his own gas, food, hotels, labor; and thats about 3/4 of that money. The company takes it out of his payroll, so his Check is about $600-$900…He did this type of work for about 12 years, never had a problem, and it was allways understood that what goes on the pay stub is what would be taxed. Somehow or another, the company screwed him and he now owes more taxes for just one year than he ever even made in pay.</p>

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<p>thses are the states/places I would consider:</p>

<p>Arizona
Colorado
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Nevada
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Tenesee
<em>some</em> Utah</p>

<p>I like either mountains, forests, desert, or bad weather…odd, I know</p>

<p>I’d like a school with atleast 5000 full time students
A place where I would be automatically accepted
Public university
Nursing program where i atleast dont have to go to another campus for some of my classes
Decent dorms…and students living in them/gauranteed housing</p>

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<p>The University of Memphis is super cheap, sanluisfreak. And their Nursing Program is really, really fair.
The University of Tennessee medical studies programs are also really cheap and fair.</p>

<p>The kindest people in the whole world, in my opinion, live in Oklahoma.</p>

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<p>the rudest, if I’m being honest (not to judge, but from my experience…having been to every state in the us atleast twice, except nevada, utah, and montana) Connecticut and Rhode Island. My god, I dread going there every time. </p>

<p>Another nice thing about kentucky and tennesee: cost of living! Detroit isn’t horrible, but its still really expensive: average house in the slums is $60,000. </p>

<p>I’ll look into it. Thx</p>

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<p><a href=“http://www.allnursingschools.com/find/Tennessee/nursing-schools.php?src=trl_ans[/url]”>http://www.allnursingschools.com/find/Tennessee/nursing-schools.php?src=trl_ans&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.nursing-school.org%5B/url%5D”>www.nursing-school.org</a> </p>

<p>We do not have as many taxes in TN. </p>

<p>Also Memphis is a city which is kinda old and stuff, but you can go to Millington or Shelby Farms and enjoy beautiful unspoiled country side all day long.</p>

<p>Do not even get me started with the countryside of Arkansas! :)</p>

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<p>beautiful forests there. </p>

<p>Going too far south though…bugs and humidity</p>

<p>Ever seen a house in florida covered in fish flies? IIICCCKKk. And it seems hotter when its humid. </p>

<p>one other thing…I kind of like having people around me who do different stuff besides med.</p>

<p>Honestly, the reason why I am going into nursing is because I can find a job right away, and I can work in the location that I want.</p>

<p>There are definately things that I would rather do for a career, I’m a buisness and teaching geek. But sacrafices are sacrafices…and location is more important than just how much I enjoy my job…plus, $40,000 a year for one person is RICH where I come from. I would imagine that a straight-up nursing school would offer no chances for me to change my major. Plus, by the time that I apply, I might have discovered another career feild where I could find a job in the San Luis Valley in CO (<a href=“http://www.slvdweller.com%5B/url%5D”>www.slvdweller.com</a> <a href=“http://www.colomtland.com%5B/url%5D”>www.colomtland.com</a> )</p>

<p>sorry, guess I should have said that: not a specialty school.</p>

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<p>also, I’ll have about $6,000 saved before I leave because of working.</p>

<p>$6,000 is a pretty good start</p>

<p>I have none of the electronic stuff I need/dorm stuff (I’m not allowed to live off campus), so I’ve got to buy it all: I figure (in 2009)</p>

<p>since when do you NEED all the electronic stuff while you are in college! Pretty much every campus I’ve been on has computer labs, computers in the library etc. Dorms have social areas for listening to music, watching TV, movies etc. I’m going to college for the education and social interaction, not to isolate myself with all my own personal desires. I’m taking some clothes, a comforter and pillow, a clip on light and money for textbooks which I hope I can pick up used. I plan to take advantage of as many activities as the college offers. Car (?) Most colleges offer transportation services both on and off campus. Get your priorities straightened out. College is an experience not a country club.</p>

<p>laptop: $650+
Microsoft office, internet card etc (accessories): $120
printer ( a 1/4 decent one): $80
mic/fridge: $110
tv, mp3, camera, clothes, bedding, a bookcase and a dresser, and the rest of the little things: taking mine</p>

<h2>light fixtures: $30</h2>

<p>I figure $1500 (from what I’m looking at, including inflation, and whatever else that I didnt mention)</p>

<p>and its going to cost me a whole $1000 to even get there, BY CAR! ($5/gal, 10 mpg, 1800 miles). I might sell that car and get another, but…I’m a little attached</p>

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<ol>
<li>generally the scholarships are limited, not everyone gets them. They just want you to try to qualify. However I have heard of a few that have “automatic” ones (Bowling Green?)</li>
<li>same with admission, if you meet the admission requirements that does not mean you are “automatically” in. Although again I have heard of some exceptions to this (the local community college for example)</li>
<li>as far as your expenses go, many schools offer cheaper computer programs once you are enrolled (they want all the students to be using the same stuff.)
May not need a printer - some schools include printing in your fees and you print at the common printers.
Mic/fridge:share with roommate or may be part of housing
put a tv card in your laptop and you don’t need a tv.</li>
<li>Also when you look at nmsu don’t forget to add in Housing and Dining plan fees.</li>
</ol>

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<p>Sanluisfreak, why are you set on New Mexico State? It is very difficult in general to get money from out of state schools unless you are one of their top candidates and qualify for one of the more generous merit awards. State schools usually do not cover full financial need, so even if you qualifed for need, it is not likely you would get all you would need. From what I can glean from your post, it is unlikely you would even qualify for financial aid given your family income despite the issues you brought up. I suggest you check out this post: “What I’ve learned about full-ride scholarships” in the Parents section of CC. That is your best bet for finding a way to get as close to a full ride as you can.</p>

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<p>It may be easier to find that thread from this: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=148852[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=148852&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;