So I asked my mother if she could co-sign on a loan with me today because she has great credit and because I just got an e-bill in the mail yesterday saying that I still owe the school $5,234 for my tuition and fees. It was a pretty big surprise and a setback for me because I thought that my two scholarships would covered it all.
Nope, I'm in the hole. But long story short my mother told me she will absolutely not co-sign on a student loan with me because it will garnish all her wages and she doesn't want to go into college debt for me. And I have no one else to ask in my family because my grandmother has bad credit and my father is not in my life to ask him.
I don't have a job and never had one before, so I'm just freaking out now on what should I do.
My mother has always been this way( she didn't even want to fill out the fafsa for me because she didn't want them having her SSN). I tried joining NROTC a year ago when I was still in HS so they can give me a really great scholarship, but my mother wouldn't allow that either. I couldn't even get a job because my mother had let my driver's permit expire so I wasn't able to obtain a car to get to work everyday, even though I had about 3 job offers at the time.
Now I'm afraid she's trying to take away my future of becoming a nurse as well. She even suggested for me to wait until I'm 24 when I can become independent to apply for the fafsa or just go get a bachelors in early education and wait to become a nurse. But I don't want to wait.
What should I do?
(I'm sorry for my long post and me renting as well).
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Or she'll be 18 shortly she can join the delayed enlistment program enter any branch of the military she wants to right now and they will accept her into the service guaranteed contingent upon her finishing high school.
As previously mentioned, a whopping 75 percent of all 18-year-olds in the US are not eligible to enlist in the military for one of several reasons:
1. Inability to attain a qualifying score on the ASVAB
2. Being overweight or obese
3. Having a chronic health condition
We mention the military as if it is a valid option for all young people in this day and age, but the vast majority (fully 3 out of 4) do not qualify to serve in the armed forces.
The OP will score well on the ASVAB if she was able to get accepted into college, but we do not know if she's too pudgy or has a health issue that renders her ineligible. We must be cognizant that, in the face of two Middle Eastern wars that are winding down, the military is ultra picky these days because they are operating over budget, overstrength (read: too many enlistees), and thus need to reduce the number of persons who are currently serving.
You need to stop blaming your mother. You are not entitled to anything you seem to think you are. You're mother does not need to co-sign anything. Guess what happens if you default? Her credit that took her years to build is finished. Then they garnish her wages. It takes years to build good credit, and one bad decision to ruin it. Employers check credit now. Is it really fair for you to ask her to do this? No.
Welcome to life. Your mom is doing you a favor by trying to get you to stand on your own two feet. My parents did it for me and I am forever indebted to them for it. I graduated at 17, moved out on my own at 18. I was responsible once I turned 16 for paying for all of my expenses. I paid for my first car, my insurance, all of my miscellaneous such as clothes and gas.
Get your drivers license, and get a job. The expired permit falls on you. If this is your "dream", you will find a way to make it happen.
At 39, I am financially independent. I take care of me and my son. I own my car and home outright. When I was married, I owned three cars, 2 main homes, and several rentals outright. I have no debt at all. I'm having some extensive dental work done which I can thankfully pay for. I learned how to save and work at a young age.
Be thankful. The only things you are entitled to as a minor is food, clothing, and shelter. The rest is a privilege. Your schooling up until now was a right. Your mom is teaching you some excellent life lessons, and I commend her. Hopefully, I can be as strong as her with my son.
This child is still a minor, and there is not a college on Earth that isn't going to expect some parental financial contribution; this also includes the government, as a student is not considered "independent" until age 24. Is the mother obligated to help her child? Not legally, but it is grossly out of touch in this day and age to expect a kid to put themselves through college on low wage work.
I am not going to reply in detail to your post... but before giving out advice, every one should please make sure to have the right info.
The National Health Service Scholarship is for doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners and you must have already been accepted and enrolled in a program... The NURSES corps scholarship program is for nurses and you must also be enrolled or accepted into a program before applying... so what about the pre-requisites? you know that stuff and all those credit hours they make you take WAY before you apply to nursing school?
The Nurse corps scholarship is based on financial need and given to those with the "greatest financial need. An applicant's financial need is determined based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) ... which is provided on the official Student Aid Report (SAR) ... generated through the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA)..." Read on on your own at hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/scholarships/nursing.
Oh No! there is that whole FAFSA issue again rearing its ugly head. It is not about debt or no debt or the mother's right or lack thereof, it is about the young woman getting the FAFSA information so that she can have options. A Pell grant is not debt and since she has no income or little income, you betcha that she will get it which $5775 for the 2015-2016 school year.
"Is the mother obligated to help her child? Not legally, but it is grossly out of touch in this day and age to expect a kid to put themselves through college on low wage work"
The problem with our society creating the entitlement generation is the above attitude. The OP is not a kid. They are an adult or soon to be an adult. Multiple jobs, community college, and it can be done and has been done.
Wait.. So a 16,000 LPN is not reasonable? This other LPN program is 20,000 for 18 months, do I thought the 16,000 was more affordable. But where should I look and how much should it cost?
I'm looking into this CNA program as well and it's about $800.
"Is the mother obligated to help her child? Not legally, but it is grossly out of touch in this day and age to expect a kid to put themselves through college on low wage work"
The problem with our society creating the entitlement generation is the above attitude. The OP is not a kid. They are an adult or soon to be an adult. Multiple jobs, community college, and it can be done and has been done.
Thank you.
17 is still a kid, sorry, but that's beside the point. If you think its affordable in this day and age to go to college on low wage work - you're seriously, seriously ignorant. It is not "entitlement" to expect parents to help with college costs - the government expects it when they determine aid. I suggest you educate yourself on how much college actually costs and how financial aid actually works.
I don't have anything that would really disqualify me from the military but me being anemic. I have very low iron and since I only eat what my mom buys I can't change my eating to healthier base foods with iron.
Also I found out that my scholarships does cover the cost of my tuition buy I am no longer going there since the school cost 28,000 with room and board, books, etc.
As for whether or not to pursue a CNA or LPN, while I don't think it would be wise as a stopping point there is no reason why a person who is worried about money shouldn't attempt to achieve those certifications along the way as they work their way towards becoming an RN. In fact more and more nursing schools are refusing to admit students into nursing programs either LPN or RN who don't have at least some experience working as a n aide or at least volunteering in some type of healthcare setting in some capacity.
Many LPN programs that do admit students without such experience have a component where first quarter LPN students learn all they know to get their CNA and many LPN students work as aides on weekends and holidays while pursuing their LPN. Most RN programs in this country teach students all they need to know to get their LPN after the first year of the RN program. Many schools offer LPN to RN bridge programs. It is easier to pursue an RN if you don't have to work but if you have to work it can be done.
While it's true an LPN is not going to give a person the same options as an RN it's still a lot better to be a new LPN capable of earning in 16-20 dollar an hour range working in a nursing home, correctional facility, or VA on weekends and holidays while pursuing an RN than slaving away at some at some McJob at minimum wage, for nine dollars and some odd cents an hour. No one is suggesting she shouldn't pursue an RN. However if money is an issue it is entirely possible for a young person to go to school and become an LPN entirely free and then use that as a stepping stone to get there. People are just pointing out that there are options and if you really want to attend college taking out loans is only one of many, many, ways to get there.
I agree that LPN is still a good starting point for those with financial difficulties or the need to work for a decent wage while continuing on in school.
OP my LPN program was through a community college and many of them are still reasonable. At a local CC in my area the cost is $113 per credit which works out to around $6,000 with fees etc for the LPN program.
relax, take a breath and start planning to drive and find a job. i had to drop out of nursing school for financial reasons 20 years ago. i waited and planned and when the time was right the director welcomed me back. you can do all the things you are afraid of, you just don't know it yet. here i sit now, wondering why did i even finish this school? bah, i worried for this? (thats for the ol timers reading this)
Wait.. So a 16,000 LPN is not reasonable? This other LPN program is 20,000 for 18 months, do I thought the 16,000 was more affordable. But where should I look and how much should it cost?
I'm looking into this CNA program as well and it's about $800.
I think you need to do some comparison shopping when it comes to schools. Keep looking at community colleges for other LPN programs or better yet, an ADN program. The $800 for CNA is not bad, but $16000 for LPN is too much. My ADN program was about $11000, including prereqs, fees, books, etc. It also had the option to exit the program after the first yr as an LPN (& half the cost).
As a PP said, some employers will help pay tuition for a commitment to work a couple yrs. Maybe try getting a CNA job while taking some nursing prereqs & save back as much money as you can against the day that you will be able to move out on your own.
Another option during school is to work as an aide in someone's home. A girl I went to school with would stay overnight 2-3x a week at the home of an elderly woman & her disabled son, just to help out with meals, light housekeeping & to be there if they needed anything. They went to bed early & she studied - nice job to have as a nursing student.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
1. Inability to attain a qualifying score on the ASVAB
2. Being overweight or obese
3. Having a chronic health condition
We mention the military as if it is a valid option for all young people in this day and age, but the vast majority (fully 3 out of 4) do not qualify to serve in the armed forces.
The OP will score well on the ASVAB if she was able to get accepted into college, but we do not know if she's too pudgy or has a health issue that renders her ineligible. We must be cognizant that, in the face of two Middle Eastern wars that are winding down, the military is ultra picky these days because they are operating over budget, overstrength (read: too many enlistees), and thus need to reduce the number of persons who are currently serving.