Got In But Not Qualify For Fin Aid..help!

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I got into NS but just found out that I do not qualify for any Fin Aid, non whatsoever. This is a 2yr program and the school says that 1) I have reached my lifetime max of fin aid of $46K and 2) I already have an MBA, they cannot help because the school caters to those getting out of HS who are trying to get an initial degree and not for p'ple gettingmore degrees.

I am so disappointed cause I really want to go to NS but I cant pay out of pocket.

Are there any other options that anybody knows about out there?

PS I do not qualufy for scholarships either for the same reasons.

THANKS.

Specializes in Going to Peds!.

More money doesn't mean more responsibilities, it just means you spend more. Nobody needs a $500 car payment per month, premium cable, dining out, etc. There are lots of things to trim in even the most basic budget. Just because you got accustomed to living on X dollars doesn't mean you need X dollars to live on. Google can help you find some frugal living sites and forums. You'd be surprised. There are people who haven't paid for things like toilet paper and toothpaste in a decade or more.

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Have you thought about signing a contract with a local hospital to pay your tuition (in return for a work committment), or any of the nursing scholarships that may be available through your school? You mentioned that you weren't eligible for scholarships - are those the scholarships available through your school or other ones? Vanderbilt SON has a great website you can search for scholarships, loan repayment programs, etc.... http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/nursing/msn/scholarshipsext.html ; although a lot of it is geared towards NP, they also list several nursing scholarship search engines. There is also a federal nursing scholarship that you can apply for which will pay for school, in return for service committment: http://www.hrsa.gov/help/healthprofessions.htm ; this website lists the scholarships and loan repayments available for nurses. And if none of this pans out, you can try to take out a private loan as well, since you maxed out on the federal. Good luck! I hope it works out for you!

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Have you thought about signing a contract with a local hospital to pay your tuition (in return for a work committment), or any of the nursing scholarships that may be available through your school? You mentioned that you weren't eligible for scholarships - are those the scholarships available through your school or other ones? Vanderbilt SON has a great website you can search for scholarships, loan repayment programs, etc.... http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/nursing/msn/scholarshipsext.html ; although a lot of it is geared towards NP, they also list several nursing scholarship search engines. There is also a federal nursing scholarship that you can apply for which will pay for school, in return for service committment: http://www.hrsa.gov/help/healthprofessions.htm ; this website lists the scholarships and loan repayments available for nurses. And if none of this pans out, you can try to take out a private loan as well, since you maxed out on the federal. Good luck! I hope it works out for you!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INFO

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Specializes in Psych.

It's true that you can only get a max of $46,000 for undergrad loans and $138,000 for grad loans. I found that out on the federal government website http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html

Did you take out the entire amount for undergrad loans or some for undergrad and some for grad because as you can see that makes a difference and some community college financial advisors don't know that. If you really did max out your undergrad loans I'm pretty confident you'll find a private loan. I've seen alot out there. Good Luck! And congratulations on getting into school, that's half the battle won already!

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It's true that you can only get a max of $46,000 for undergrad loans and $138,000 for grad loans. I found that out on the federal government website http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html

Did you take out the entire amount for undergrad loans or some for undergrad and some for grad because as you can see that makes a difference and some community college financial advisors don't know that. If you really did max out your undergrad loans I'm pretty confident you'll find a private loan. I've seen alot out there. Good Luck! And congratulations on getting into school, that's half the battle won already!

Thanks so very much for the info....all the loans I took out were for grad school....and nothing ofr undergrad...

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Thanks so very much for the info....all the loans I took out were for grad school....and nothing ofr undergrad...

Call the federal loan folks who originated your grad loans and get from them, in writing, how the loans are to be applied. (For example - I think it's a TOTAL of $138K from all sources for all degrees if you have a grad degree.) Once you get this info, you'll then know one way or the other. Get a hard copy of the school's policy and compare the two. If the information works out in your favor, take the written info to the school FA office.

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yes you may have to have a co-signer

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
I'm really shocked that with a MBA you aren't making enough money to pay for two years worth of nursing school. :eek:

Don't feel bad I had to pay everything out of pocket also so I just worked the whole time. It wasn't too bad. At least when I was done I didn't use any of my savings and didn't have any loans due to pay back. Having a clean slate is hard work but worth it.

I'm surprised that you are shocked. People have all sorts of individual circumstances that make career changes needed.

Occasionally I have to wear one of my business suits to class because I'm coming directly from meeting with a client. I would not appreciate classmates' intrusive questions about why I would be taking out student loans, although I usually wouldn't discuss loans. I don't see personal income as up for conversation.

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Specializes in Psych.
Thanks so very much for the info....all the loans I took out were for grad school....and nothing ofr undergrad...

Ok, now I'm confused. It says in the federal student aid guide that you can take out $138,000 total. $46,000 for undergrad loans and $92,000 for graduate degree loans. But if all of your loans were for grad then that would leave you $46,000 left for undergrad, and $46,000 for grad. I was so confused by this that I called my college's financial aid dept and they confirmed it (its a 4 year college). I really think you need to go back to your financial aid officer and discuss this. Also, I was talking to a friend who had maxed out their undergrad financial aid, consolidated it, then they were able to get the $46,000 again as an undergrad becuase their federal loans had been paid off by consolidation.

Good luck!

Dee

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I'm surprised that you are shocked. People have all sorts of individual circumstances that make career changes needed.

Occasionally I have to wear one of my business suits to class because I'm coming directly from meeting with a client. I would not appreciate classmates' intrusive questions about why I would be taking out student loans, although I usually wouldn't discuss loans. I don't see personal income as up for conversation.

Well since it was put here on the www for all to see and comment about I'm surprised that you are surprised. I'm even more surprised that people with advanced degrees, family obligations and no savings wouldn't get their financial lives in order before starting over with an entirely new career. The fact that people can (and would) actually take out over $100K in loans for school blows me away. I'm just not big on debt but whatever floats your boat.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Well since it was put here on the www for all to see and comment about I'm surprised that you are surprised. I'm even more surprised that people with advanced degrees, family obligations and no savings wouldn't get their financial lives in order before starting over with an entirely new career. The fact that people can (and would) actually take out over $100K in loans for school blows me away. I'm just not big on debt but whatever floats your boat.

You're making faulty assumptions here - which I'm not going to address because they aren't relevant or material to the issue of the thread.

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Specializes in Going to Peds!.

If you really want to do something, you'll make the changes in your life that will make it happen. Period. Maybe the OP does have things in his/her life that need to be changed in order to solve the current dilemma. Only he/she can decide what it's worth and whether or not to make the necessary sacrifices to make it happen.

Personally, my own nuclear family knows all too well about sacrifice. I worked and put my husband through A&P school and he worked and put me through nursing school. The newest car we drove was a 1993. We received federal assistance for food, daycare and tuition. We don't have credit cards or loans. We don't have a house. Our kids clothes and uniforms came from consignments, yard sales and thrift shops. The only "luxury" we kept was the internet. We both graduated, albeit with Associate's degrees, loan-free. We have more than doubled our pre-education income.

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