i just decided last month w/ all certainty that i'd like to go back to school, made a plan on how to get in to a local community college and have applied & registered. but i have no idea if i'll really be able to do it. because i may not be able to pay for it. i already have student loans (16k) from my first degree from a private college, so i can't get any grants, and i'm afraid that i've waited too long to make up my mind that i won't be able to get any financial aid until the semester has started. i'm super stressed!! i won't be able to go to school if i can't get any loans, my first choice was to just get a small loan while working at night but the place i want to work at isn't calling. i don't know how else to get to go to school other than taking out loans. is it too late? i know that i can't work a full time 40 hr a week day job & take 4-5 classes because just working right now has left me pooped. has anyone been in a situation like this? the fin aid office (well one of them anyway) has said that it can take up to 10 weeks to even find out if i can get anything - the other school's fin aid office is closed for winter break. they both have my fasfa on file. i am so nervous that i won't be able to go to school after all that my stomach is in knots, i would hate to have to put this off for another semester.
Well this is what I've done. I have a previous BA and have student loans(over 20,000) They will automatically go into forebearance once you are over a part time status student. I have made arrangements with my CC where I am taking my prereq's to get on a payment plan. I then use the money I used to pay my monthly school loan, and payed on my classes. So far so good!!!! And I'm NOT in debt this time around. I don't know if it helps at all but Good Luck!!!
Just make sure that you haven't consolidated your loans, in that case they will NOT allow them to go into deferment or forebearance. I've found that out the hard way:uhoh3:
scholarships? it's a pain in the keister to apply for them all, but it might be well worth it.
or personal private loans, if you have decent credit.
you would think they would make it easier for us, considering there's a nursing shortage and willing students.
topcat
thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me, topcat!
is it just me, or is there never anything at discovernursing? maybe i just don't fit the requirements/eligibility, but in the last year or two, every time i visit the site, i come up with zero scholarships. but i will be doing every fastweb scholarship i can. it's just so hard to fit in, between the last semester of my first bachelor and working. i'd have to win a lot of little scholarships.
unfortunately, my credit isn't the best. especially with all the bogus stuff on it, but there are some things i'm guilty of (late payments, having to settle for less than total owed, etc).
you said it about you'd think they'd make it easier for us. there's some great loan repayment programs, but how in the **** do you get the loan in the first place?!?! :angryfire
I know all the big hospitals in my area will pay for nursing school if you sign a contract to work for them for a year or two in return. That is what I will be doing if my appeals for financial aid don't go through.
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me!!
I'd be moving from Louisiana to Maryland. I'd ultimately like to stay in Maryland after graduation for a few years. Hopkins Hospital, it seems, has great loan REPAYMENT plans, but there's nothing co-op, with them giving money while you're in school.
I just keep thinking there has to be SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE that we just don't know about.
I'm completely serious when I say I'll do ANYTHING to get my schooling financed.
i'm completely serious when i say i'll do anything to get my schooling financed.
hmm....stripper? you know, the old stripper myth: "i'm stripping to pay my way thru college." altho the only stripper who ever did that and made it thru school was in that ice cube movie, the players' club.
how about loans from mom and pop? or other "generous benefactors"? i mean i don't know! :doh: i wish i could be of more help, but i'm in the same boat and that's why i'll need to start with lpn school and hope my employer will front the cost of the rn program for me.
i know you like johns hopkins, but are there any less expensive schools in louisiana? or less expensive in maryland?
and yes, i never seem to be eligible for anything at discovernursing.com *sigh* i think those are mainly for high schoolers going to get bsns.
I am in a similar situation. I have maxed out my subsidized loan in my undergrad and now I can be eligible for unsubsidized loans. So basically you have to figure out how much do you have left of 46K? Also, some schools consider Nursing a professional degree, so you can fall under professional loan category. check out this site for more info: http://www.financialaid.com/stafford/questions.cfm
Also, while you are in school, your previous loans are deferred, not foreberance. Deferrement is good :) the government picks up the tab..
Now if you take loans out from a private institue, you can have hospitals reimburse you when you sign a contract with them. I would also consider looking for a part time job in a hospital and at times, they can also pay for your education. Lots of hospitals do that!
Peachy: Honestly, you do not want to take 100K loans out for a BS in Nursing. If I was you, I would go to a local school and not have to pay much. John Hopkins is a good school but way too expensive. I personally will not apply to any school that is private and out of state cause right now they need nurses badly regardless to where they go to school. If you are able to get loans and want to be in a debt of 100K, then more power to you. But see if you can go local!
Wow you guys are AWESOME!!! Thanks for the info... well an update... I did eventually get into the hospital that I'd been applying to (for the past YEAR! yuck!) and I'm currently 36 hrs full time/nights. On the school front I've decided to apply to UT's Alternate Entry MSN but now I'm not sure where to go in terms of fin aid... I still have paper work @ ACC but do I keep trying to get funds from them? I'll have 1 more class @ Temple College & a few @ ACC before I can even apply to UT's program. I'm only in 2 classes now (A&P I & Human Growth/Develeopment) because the other 2 I was going to take are not required for the MSN & this whole work full time in a high stress unit & try & be a stay @ home mom/student is just a bit much for me to handle. Anyway anyone have any info on what to do now that I've decided to do the masters thing instead of the ADN thing? We're barely sqeaking (sp?) by on what I'm making now & I can't pick up extra shifts (scheduling/child care conflicts) anyway anything else would be greatly appreciated!!!!!
anyway anyone have any info on what to do now that i've decided to do the masters thing instead of the adn thing?
contact ut's office of financial aid. you'll still have to complete the fafsa in order to become eligible for graduate student loans.
fyi-the main reason i maxed out on undergraduate loans is because i used any excess funds for living expenses. for example, if my loan amount that semester was $5500, but tuition and books were only $3000 (as i went part-time), i used the excess to help pay rent, buy food, etc., especially since i wasn't making that much working full-time anyways. the downside was that i maxed out and actually had to delay my bachelor's for another year, as i needed to save up the remaining $5000 to finish my degree. just a little something you might want to keep in mind.
*sigh* i think those are mainly for high schoolers going to get bsns.
SarasotaRN2b
1,164 Posts
Just make sure that you haven't consolidated your loans, in that case they will NOT allow them to go into deferment or forebearance. I've found that out the hard way:uhoh3: