Did you live off of student loans while in school?

[wannabenursetx]

I'm truly struggling, trying to figure out a way to attend school full-time during the day, so that I can have nights with my family. Unfortunately, we would really take a hit without my income (or at least a good portion of it). I REALLY want to devote full-time to school so I can give it my complete focus.

Is it a pipe dream to assume my family could live off student loans while I'm in school??:uhoh21:

[GrnHonu99, RN]

If CCs all cost 1000 a semester- we could pay as we go. Ok have BS in another area. Might get into intense LPN program (only one in my rural area) - you are not allowed to work. How can I pay for it? Lousy credit. No family or anyone to consign. Can't get pell or federal/state loans or grants. Can I borrow 8000 for tuition and enough to pay rent and utilities, gas and car insurance? How? I am over 40. Not allowed to work in this program - if not working will lose food stamps and might lose section 8 assistance on rent. Trying to get scholarship from hospital - they say I am too old for their scholarship (maximum age is 32). Any ideas? I have been trying to get into an LPN program for several years. The entry level masters in my state are way too expensive (like 60 to 80 thousand for tuition alone) and very selective. Like I said - any ideas?

i dont have much advice here, hmm...the only thing I can thing of is like someone else said, petition, petition, petition. I have lousy credit as well but I still get federal loans...im not sure why you arent eligible? Did you file the FAFSA? Also around here some hospitals have tuition reimbursement...that may help? Also check with your local BON...I live lin cincinnati, but the nearby Kentucky board of nursing will give you 3k per year for every year that you agree to work in the state of KY...you dont have to go to school in KY either...maybe your BON has something similar? There are several older women in my program who are receiving federal loans...i think the oldest student is around 54. Good luck hope these ideas help.

[Aquamarine]

I worked part time through nursing school. I have a lot of travelling to do also so car repairs, gas, tolls added up to 300.00 a month. There is no way I could have done it if I had not taken out school loans. I will be making double what I would have made if I had not gone to school. I would not quit work entirely but I have to borrow or I cannot have time to do all the course work, sleep, study, etc. I borrowed 11,000.00 for two years and worked part time. I just barely made it financially. I have a mortgage, a few little bills but the money goes. Gas, food, utilities and those endless expenses for books and extras for school right up to graduation, the boards. I could not have made it through without some borrowing.

Don't live off of loans. You don't want to graduate with thousands of dollars of debt.

I can pay as I go, too. Or they also have a monthly payment plan. The community college is only $1000 per semester, which is insanely cheap, but there are a lot of people that can't afford that, even. Or they could but they have different priorities.

[Fox]

Hello Guys,

I was thinking about taking out a loan for living and tuition. Which lender did you used?

Thanks

[sugabuga]

How long do you have to pay off the loans?

[nadjjaa]

How long do you have to pay off the loans?

I used Sallie Mae. My tuition loans are through them, and they give you about 10 years to repay, starting 6 months after graduation. The loan I took out to pay for my living expenses they're giving me something like 20 years to pay off. I wouldn't recommend taking that long, though, due to the interest.

nadj

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

Hello Guys,

I was thinking about taking out a loan for living and tuition. Which lender did you used?

Thanks

I got my private loans through the Bank One (now Chase) Education One program. You can borrow as much as you need for the cost of tuition, books, living expenses, etc. They send the check directly to you.

http://www.educationone.com/

[mstigerlily]

No, I am student loan free too. I was lucky to go to a community college and get the Board of Gov Fee Waiver so my tuition was free. I paid for books as I went and worked part time while husband worked full time.

Melissa

Am I the only person left on the planet who pays as I go?

No Debt..No Worries

[leopold]

I spent the first 40 years of my life completely debt free. I am now so deep in debt I have come to terms with the fact that I will probably never be out of debt. I had to quit working while in school because of health problems which I had resolved years before but with all the stress and exhaustion of school and work went completely out of control. So I have resolved myself to my debt, no matter what I do in life I'll have it so I might as well do something worthwhile. :)

[Aquamarine]

i used hsbc, but consolidated to lock in my interest. i did not "live" 100% off the loans , i made it a little hard for myself. i mean if you don't make it you have quite a big burden there to pay back.

i made it, i will pay about 125.00 a month to pay back 12,000.00 in 7 yrs. the interest was minimal. i lived out of town and drove back and forth for school for a year. i was without a job for the summer but then back to work part time. i earned about 250.00 a week, i had a lot of car expenses the first year. then i gave up and got a new car in my last semester. the thing is if you borrow...you have to make it.

i am makeing double what i used to make ... i can pay that off.

nancy

hello guys,

i was thinking about taking out a loan for living and tuition. which lender did you used?

thanks

[apaisRN, RN, CRNA]

I lived/slept in my car for a semester because I didn't work while in school. I wasn't about to do that again! Funny thing, In the Walmart parking lot (where I parked my car at night to sleep 'cause I knew the security guard) I meet 2 other students at my community college who where in there last semester of nursing school and had been living in their cars already for 3 months! We where a homeless student caravan...

Wow. I don't think there is anything I'd want enough to sleep in my car. In order to be successful in school I feel like I need my warm, pleasant bed with clean sheets as well as a lot of other creature comforts. Not luxuries, don't get me wrong, but everyone needs a pint of B&Js sometimes. I salute you for finishing school under such stressful conditions.

I start CRNA school soon and we'll be living off my husband's income and loans. We could maybe make it with only tuition loans except that we're moving to the most expensive metro area in the country for me to go to school. I don't like debt either but I expect a good income afterward, and as someone pointed out, loans mean you HAVE to succeed.

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

Well I'm happy for all the "pay as you go" people out there. You certainly will have less stress when you are done, and good for you, but frankly I would rather not have to tell my kids that they are going to eat PB&J's (with the occasional pancake thrown in if they are lucky) or wear pants with no knees because their mommy decided that she would quit her university education at 19 (which incidently she busted her rear for for her whole life) and have babies instead and now that THEY are all in school they get to go without so SHE can fufill her dreams... nope not gonna do it. I know that isn't everyone's situation but it is mine.

I'll be in debt up to my ears before my kids go without necessities just because of my choices. I hope the original poster has NO GUILT about having student loans so she can be with her family. I should have finished my education before I entertained the thought of marriage and motherhood but I just couldn't wait. And I'll have to pay for it along with a whole buttload of other people out there.

With attitudes like this, it's no wonder why so many people are up to their eyeballs in debt. My advice? Take out the minimum in loans, work while you're in school, and live frugally. What about a PRN nursing assistant job? Those pay well, even if you're only working one or two nights a week. I found that I had MORE time with my family while in nursing school than I have now that I am working. Just FYI.

There are a lot of consignment shops that sell name brand clothes in great condition for less. Your kids don't have to go without while you are in school... I don't think anyone was suggesting that. And there's always Wal-mart and other discount shops. Other tips? You can get your groceries at a wholesale that makes you bag your own food. I don't know why, but those places are always SOOO much cheaper. There are all sorts of tips for frugal living... just search the net.

If you're indian, you can apply for stipends and scholaships at www.ihs.gov if you agree to work for them after graduation. They pay you monthly, which can help decrease the burden of your bills. There is even state assistance to help with some of your bills to get you through school... for your housing, your electric and water, your food... for your kids to go to daycare. Oh, and if you're indian, a lot of times they have scholarships that are available to all students. There's vocational rehabilitation, if you're ex-military you might even have assistance there. If you are a first generation student, a lot of times you are eligible for special assistance. But you have to speak up!

You can make it work without loans. You just have to get creative and use all of your resources and do some researching. A lot of people, I have seen, are just lazy and don't want to search for those resources. If they do find them, they don't follow through and jump through the "hoops" (ie: paperwork). Always follow through. You'd be surprised how many people don't... but their loss is your gain!

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

If CCs all cost 1000 a semester- we could pay as we go. Ok have BS in another area. Might get into intense LPN program (only one in my rural area) - you are not allowed to work. How can I pay for it? Lousy credit. No family or anyone to consign. Can't get pell or federal/state loans or grants. Can I borrow 8000 for tuition and enough to pay rent and utilities, gas and car insurance? How? I am over 40. Not allowed to work in this program - if not working will lose food stamps and might lose section 8 assistance on rent. Trying to get scholarship from hospital - they say I am too old for their scholarship (maximum age is 32). Any ideas? I have been trying to get into an LPN program for several years. The entry level masters in my state are way too expensive (like 60 to 80 thousand for tuition alone) and very selective. Like I said - any ideas?

I thought that if you were in school full time you were eligible to keep the state assistance. And the scholarship thing... that is discrimination if I ever heard it! There were a ton of students in my RN class that were over forty!!