How are you "paying" for school???

stpauligirl · Aug 31, 2005

Just curious how most of you are paying for school. I'm taking Student loans out, i got the pell grant, and on the side i sell on ebay and i have just started selling italian charm bracelets (used to be a hobby and then an addiction, and now a job LOL)
so how are YOU paying for college???

I am currently taking the prerequisites at a Community college, lower tuition...and pay out of my own (husband's) pocket. Once I am in nursing school one semester will be $1500+ and I will get a student loan for that.

Curious0599 · Aug 31, 2005

Using Stafford and Tuition Answer loans, like most I will be paying my school loans off FOREVER after I graduate but I would happily go into debt for my education!

missninaRN · Aug 31, 2005

I filed my FAFSA really late this year, since I didn't decide to go to school til about three weeks ago. Still haven't heard back on how much I will get.

So I am paying for this semester myself. I have made over $600 on Ebay already and another $250 by selling an antique hutch locally. Just need to make another $200 at our garage sale next month.

Next semester I will take a student loan because there won't be anything left to sell! We do have a little budgeted for school, but it will not cover all the expenses. (Our dd dropped out of college last Spring, so Mama's using the budgeted funds until she decides to go back.)

Once I get into NS, we will definitely need to take the maximum loan amount available.

curlyfries · Aug 31, 2005

I already have my B.S. from a private college and the state of Illinois paid most of it because of my disability. Now that I am going back to school to get ASN, I am pretty much on my own. I don't qualify for Pell but did qualify for Tuition Assistance Program by the state of New York.

Depending on what state you are in you may want to check on your college's finanical aid link on their website. There will be list of things that you can apply to to increase your funding for your education. Usually second year nursing students gets more aid than first year in some areas. It is true for the college I am going to.

Those scholarship can be a pain but they maybe worth looking at even if you had to write a simple or complex essay to get the funding. As for me I was able to have the New York state pay for tuition by the TAP (Tuition Assistance Program). Everything else like fees, book and supplies I will be using my student loan to pay for it.

Depending on the kind of college you attend, public colleges tend to be much cheaper than private colleges. For dependent students the max. student loan that they can take out is $23,000. For independent students (usually age 24 and above) the max. is $46,000. The number varies by state and colleges but they're just general.

If you can start pay interest on your student loan until you graduate. By then start paying the standard, P + I. Student loans are very forgiving if you are not able to pay, they have deferements but don't default! The only time that student loan will go away if you are dead. They won't go after your family or your life insurance. Very rarely if you become disabled and can't work for more than 7 years, they can forgive your student loans.

More information on student loans are at this link......

http://www.dlssonline.com/index.asp?ParentURL=%2Findex%2Easp&Subd=&Framed=&Section=&Subsection=&AccessibleMode=On

If you are taking out student loan for the first time, you need to take the enterance counseling located on the site. When you graduate have to take the exit counseling. It's simple but make sure you read everything!

Hope this helps!

Tommy

curlyfries · Aug 31, 2005

I would contact the financial aid office asap! There are a few of steps that you have to do in order to get student loans. One is getting the PIN number so you can electronically sign your forms online. Also you have to fill out the e-MPN, it's an electronic promissary note on the student loan website I posted in my other post.

Usually finanical aid office would require you to fill out a simple form that you want student loan to pay for your education. You can still get your student loan for the Fall but it won't show up right away. They would require you to pay something up front until your student account gets credited by student loan. What ever positive balance is left would go to you in form a check from the school.

I hope this helps!!

Tommy

I filed my FAFSA really late this year, since I didn't decide to go to school til about three weeks ago. Still haven't heard back on how much I will get.
So I am paying for this semester myself. I have made over $600 on Ebay already and another $250 by selling an antique hutch locally. Just need to make another $200 at our garage sale next month.
Next semester I will take a student loan because there won't be anything left to sell! We do have a little budgeted for school, but it will not cover all the expenses. (Our dd dropped out of college last Spring, so Mama's using the budgeted funds until she decides to go back.)
Once I get into NS, we will definitely need to take the maximum loan amount available.

Rohan · Aug 31, 2005

pell grants, loans, blood, I sell birdhouses, rice socks, soaps on the side and I'll be working on-call for my current transcription place.

lalajenn · Aug 31, 2005

My husband is working 2 jobs and also have gotten a couple of loans from a bank. Not really happy about getting loans but I really want to go through school. I have been accepted into a nursing program twice before but couldn't go through with it because we couldn't get any money together so now we are doing everything possible to get me through school.

curlyfries · Aug 31, 2005

You may want to check into private student loans. Most of them allows you to borrow up to $50K a year. The private student loan works like the federal student loan, you don't have to pay back until you either graduate or leave school after six months. They also give you up to 30 years to pay it back.

I would avoid borrow money from the bank, they require you to make payment right away.

There are number of private student loans, you just have to shop for them. The difference between the federal student loan and private student loan is that private student loans checks your credit.

Good luck!

Tommy

My husband is working 2 jobs and also have gotten a couple of loans from a bank. Not really happy about getting loans but I really want to go through school. I have been accepted into a nursing program twice before but couldn't go through with it because we couldn't get any money together so now we are doing everything possible to get me through school.

lalajenn · Aug 31, 2005

Thanks for the info! At first I am going to a community college for my ADN and than for the BSN I will be applying for private student loans. The bank loans works for now since community colleges aren't as expensive as a bigger university and we aren't paying that much a month for it. I will be applying for more money though once I get my BSN and eventually my Master's.

You may want to check into private student loans. Most of them allows you to borrow up to $50K a year. The private student loan works like the federal student loan, you don't have to pay back until you either graduate or leave school after six months. They also give you up to 30 years to pay it back.
I would avoid borrow money from the bank, they require you to make payment right away.
There are number of private student loans, you just have to shop for them. The difference between the federal student loan and private student loan is that private student loans checks your credit.
Good luck!
Tommy

SkanauxRN2009 · Sep 1, 2005

Thanks for the info! At first I am going to a community college for my ADN and than for the BSN I will be applying for private student loans. The bank loans works for now since community colleges aren't as expensive as a bigger university and we aren't paying that much a month for it. I will be applying for more money though once I get my BSN and eventually my Master's.

I receive a Pell Grant, supplemental grant, and Stafford loans. It is scary going in to debt. I just paid off one student loan from many years ago. Now I am taking out another one. I chose Sallie Mae also for my student loan.

Sarah Bellum · Sep 1, 2005

Loans from Educationone.com, for the smallest amount that will cover tuition and books.

Can't pay as I go due to personal family situation (child w/ special needs, dh also in school *and* working 3 jobs, I'm already working part time to get health insurance and help keep the family's finances afloat). I already have a bachelor's degree so no grants for me! To get into the accellerated program here I only need 6 classes and because (for most of them) each one is the prerequisite for the next I can only take one class at a time. So I don't qualify for Stafford loans or other scholarship money.

I'd *much* rather pay as I go (I hate being in debt) but we just can't afford tuition/books without going back into credit card debt and since we just paid them all off (YAY!) I'm taking out student loans, thankyouverymuch.

TiffanyA · Sep 1, 2005

Most of the money is coming from a Student Loan. I also got a GED scholarship (for getting my GED at their college), an Achievement Scholarship (for ACT scores), and MTAG. Thank God for all of that,otherwise I don't know how I would come up with the money.