How do you Survive?

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

How can you guys afford to go to school full time? how do yoy pay for school and living expenses?

I am married and my husband is our financial supporter. I have student loans. I am an older student and have worked a lot of jobs that I don't want to work for the rest of my life. I figured I could make 10 bucks an hour being a retail manager or go into debt and still come out ahead. I still work one day a week at a kids clothing store, but that is just so I can keep my discount.

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

Oh my gosh! And all the whiners here in Cali were in tears about the how $11/unit went up to $26/unit. They have no idea how much more others are having to pay for community college. Bunch of cry babies.

I am not whining at all here. I go to an unknown midwestern university. We are on quarters, 4 10 week sessions a year. I pay about $2500 bucks a quarter just for tuition. I once saw a guy on Oprah who said the only things worth going into debt over were a house and an education.

[not now, RN]

1. State of California fee waver (no tuition!)

2. I attend a community college ten miles from where I live

3. savings

4. part time job

5. low car payment

and the biggie..

6. When I left my husband my parents offered to let me stay with them while I finished school. I was 22, broke and had no place to go. I sucked it up and moved back home.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

School is THE grind of life, isn't it? Many years ago, I went to school FT, had a FT job, another PT job, and built a house while my wife had her 2nd child. Let's say, I had no life...to speak of. Many obligations and responsibilities to push me forward. But, we got through...and it is just a memory now...well, maybe a blur. But, if it needs done and others are counting on you, you'll do.

[cherokeesummer]

I work full time and attend school full time. I even work overtime some weeks UGH!

VERY hard but I've been doing it for years when i got my AA, my BA and then when I was working towards my MS in Psych and then changed to nursing so here I am again, working full time and going to school full time. YIKES!!!!

[KacyLynnRN]

OHMYGOSH!!!!

I go to Indiana University and pay a whopping $154/credit hr. and that is an ansolute STEAL compared to the private colleges. ($500-700/credit hour!!!)

Kacy

[WickedRedRN, BSN, RN]

I am attending Ivy Tech in Indiana, it is a Community College, I believe it is 80.30 per credit hour. If I had my preference I would go to one of the IU campuses, but since I am going for LPN first, Ivy Tech is reasonable.

I work full time while doing pre-reqs part time, been saving and paying off everything I can now. In January I am going into "stockpile" mode, hitting Sam's Club to stock up on household and personal items that it wont hurt to buy in advance now while I have the $$. Hubby will work FT while I am in clinicals, but I also don't want him to work double shifts to support us all while we weather this. Clinicals are stressful enough from what I hear so I want to do everything I can NOW to eliminate little things before the time comes.

[Tony35NYC]

$35.00 per credit hour. Community Collages Rule!

$35 per credit! Wow!!!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Partial scholarship for my second year.

My church loaned me the money for my NCLEX. Actually they gave it to me, but i gave money back when i made it.

Budget, budget, budget. I wrote down every single thing i spent money on.

Tuition was set up in bimontly payments.

Liability-only insurance.

Generic food.

LESS food (half a sandwich instead of a whole one. toast with no butter, macaroni without cheese)

RARELY going out to eat.

[MSURT]

• GI Bill
  
• Reserve Pay
  
• VA Work Study
  

I am barely making it but I am surviving.

[luv4nursing]

glad to see Im not the only one struggling. I work part time, and get very mad at my classmates who dont work and dont understand how or why most of us work. Its called LIFE...lol:) It seems like those in my class who are blessed enough not to have to work through school cant fathom what its like for us regular folks. HELLO, I dont work because I want to or because its a hobby...there are things called car payments and utilities that wouldnt allow me to attend school if they werent paid bc I wouldnt have electricity or transportation...hahaha.

Im feel blessed that I live with my fiance who pays for most of our expenses, but he cant do it all. otherwise, Id be working full time instead of part time. Also, luckily I got a scholarship for my LPN program so I only have to pay for books,lab fees, and uniforms.

At my school they dont give out student loans so I dont have that option.

[RedSox33RN]

Man-o-man!! I'd love $35 per credit hour!! I LOVE my school, but I'm paying $615 per credit hour.

I have to belt-tighten this coming semester. I'm buying a condo, have no job, 4 kids that I'll have 1/2 time custody of with my ex, and still have a 2 1/2 commute each day. Loans and grants and scholarships are my best friends, as are coupons and cashing in some stocks. I know it will all be worth it in the end, but for now - it's tight!