Student loans for more than cost of attendance

Make sure you are getting the maximum in subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans. Also, you can apply for what's called a PLUS loan to make those extra expenses. PLUS loans, however, require a credit check and the interest rates are based on that instead of being determined by the federal govt. Good luck!

The interest rate on new PLUS Loans first disbursed after July 1, 2006 is a fixed rate of 8.5% in the FFEL program and 7.9% in the Direct Loan program.

The financial aid office at your school should have information about all your options.

If you wind up taking out 3rd party loans like SallieMae in addition to the federal loans then yes. I'm doing it to help me be able to live in this city and attend college.

Sallie Mae as well as most other private loan companies have also stopped doing loans that go above the cost of attendance. I've been researching this too because I will be a second degree student and I'll be leaving a full time job to go back to school.

In an ideal world, yes. At least at the community college I go to, CCAC, the staff is woefully uninformative and sometimes downright rude. I lucked out in that my mom works for Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) in the office of admissions and financial aid, so she got someone to talk with me a little, but even that was only helpful for what transfers. Everything you need to know can be found online. That's my motto. I don't believe what any staff person says unless I see it in writing. I've been led astray many times otherwise. If you're looking for money for full time school, you should look into Job Corps, Careerlink (in PA, I don't know what the equivalents are in other states), and welfare programs since you have kids. In PA, there are state programs to help with home heating, food, child care and health, housing, and job placement among others. Look at your state's website, financial aid websites, and ask around!

I was able to get the maximum pell and maximum stafford loans (5300 roughly for the pell and 9500 for the stafford loans). It may sound like alot, but that's for the whole year and is my only source of income so it's definitely hard to make it stretch! I would advise that you get the most that you can, and if it wont be enough, maybe get a roomate or see about getting a private loan or maybe work-study at the school, or some other part time job. Also apply for any grants that you can! Good luck!

I'm replying to this thread so I can see all the replies. I'm a second degree student and will be leaving a FT job also, with a house and family on top of it all who depend on my income. I have no idea how the heck we're gonna do it!