I'm afraid that I won't become a nurse because my mother refuses to co-sign on any loans for me. I know her and she would rather pay for something she can't afford.
Like she's about to go on Maternity Leave as a single mom and she's paying for my summer classes, my car maintenance, phone bill, and some times gas money if I dont have it. Plus she's saving $500 a week, and pay the
I will be applying for the nursing program very soon this Fall but I know that I probably won't end up going as I have to pay rent for housing (there's no dorms) and plus the 7,000 a semester. Which I need a loan. I tried talking my mother into co-signing before but she's really pessimistic and belives that it will garnish her wages. But I already have 11k in student loans with the goal of becoming a nurse (which my mothers knows this and supports me) but I just wish that she could just lower her views for once and help me out.
So I'm thinking that I should just apply for the program, put the deposit down for an apartment and just play as I go and hope that mother would be just a little sympathetic to my plight and co-sign a loan for me.
When I told my mother that my apartment will cost $400 a month her eyes bugged out and I knew that she was calculating all those months into her head of how much she gone have to pay for me. But she wouldn't have do that if she just co-sign for me.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post so I'll just ask a question: How can I talk my mother into co-signing for me?
Sorry if your eyes hurt from reading all of this bad grammer. But the text box won't get any bigger since I'm on my phone and I don't really know how to work Allnurses. I used to post on Reddit until I heard about this site.
I had a well thought out, reasoned approach to help guide you through this bind, but then I re-read your original post and saw the following quote:
It's time to grow up and become the adult you legally are.
The first thing to do is to realize you won't be going to nursing school this year. You need to pick up a second job and grind out 50 hours a week. You need to save every penny you earn, and give some back to your mom.
You can apply for school next year, after you've saved $15,000.
Welcome to adulthood.
I thought the same, until I read where mom told him/her to rent an apartment, rather than stay at home, even though the OP states she/he is willing to pay $200 rent.
Methinks there are a lot of family dynamics at play here that we are not privy to.
While it is great that you want to pursue a BSN reality is that it is difficult for you to finance your education at this point.
My children do not qualify for federal loans due to family income. I fork over the money but I would never sign a parent plus loan.
You are young, which means that you can try a strategy other than straight BSN.
This is what I would suggest if money is an issue:
This summer find a job that pays more hours - if you are already a CNA apply to places that hire and do not limit yourself to hospitals.
Check out your local community college for LPN classes. See of you can use some of your credits and transfer something - anyhow, the program is short compared to BSN and once you are a LPN you will find a job in longterm care. While you are working as a LPN apply to a school to get your ADN - see if some of your credits from the program you are in now transfer.
Granted - this is not the most glamorous way as it will require working in longterm care (unless you find a LPN position in a different setting) but it will be affordable. You do have to be determined though and have a lot of self discipline.
If you cannot live at home just look for a room - an apartment may be too expensive.
I don't think I answered all of your questions properly. My mother is a truck driver and she's self employed so if she doesn't work enough hours then she don't bring home a lot of money. I hardly see my mom and it's been like that for 3 1/2 years now when I may just see her 1 night per week. I remember when I was 16 and underemployed and me and my siblings used to starve and had to wait until my mom came home. But it is better now that I have a job and a car.
My plan B is to become an LPN for free at Job Corps and my plan C is to become a CNA.
Take advantage of job corp, go the CNA and then LPN route free through them. Avoid student loan debt, especially private loans. You can do a LPN to RN bridge at a tech school over an additional year. Any way you can save money is smart, not using Job Corp is throwing money away.
I agree with your mom saying no to cosigning. Also please don't saddle your disabled dad with Parent Plus loans how is he going to be able to pay them back! Even though he is disabled if he has a good credit history or even no credit history he would probably be approved. At this point the govt doesn't take into account a person's income or debt ratio and many low income parents are being saddled with parent plus loans they probably won't pay off in their life time, but they might find their disability and social security garnished to pay the loans. Parent Plus loans do not have income based repayment or forgiveness options like student loans have. Many colleges are putting parent plus loans in the mix to make up for the fact that the college is too expensive because there is no limit on parent plus loans like there is for regular student loans. Also because Parent Plus defaults aren't held against the college like regular student loan defaults are. Lastly the interest accumulates from day one on Parent Plus loans and they are at a higher interest rate than regular student loans.
Your mom sounds very generous with all that she is doing to help you and the bills she is already paying for you. She is a smart woman to refuse to cosign student loans which are the most dangerous debt out there, and if you didn't pay on the loans for whatever reason you bet they would garnish her wages!
So what are you waiting for, go to job corp and get your LPN and then bridge to RN, hopefully you will be considered independent by then, but avoid student loans and use only govt loans if you have to!
If job corps is an option for you, you should really look into it. In my area they offer a Lpn program and you live there for free. You can do a lpn to rn program after. I would not purposely go to a school you can't afford that is setting yourself up for failure. Call job corps set up a meeting. If you don't like it you don't have to go so no harm in finding out more info
I try not to be negative on this forum, I try to keep quiet, but really. Your mother does not have to co-sign on any loan. She is not responsible for you as an adult, beyond any legal requirements. Your mother is not rich. You are very clearly not responsible with your money. Work more hours (like 60 pw), save up your tuition fees in advance and then take your RN course. OR work out scholarships and aid so you can attend. Get loans in your own name and pay them off when you're earning. Or a combination of all 3. Your mother is very sensible in refusing to co-sign and I would do exactly the same in her situation. The world does not owe you a living.
This may have been asked, but can you live at home? Maybe pay mom a rent to help offset the costs and help her out a little, but it could be less than living somewhere else perhaps? Keeping in mind I went to school 25 years ago, I lived at home through most of my schooling (BSN) until I got married while I was in my last year of nursing school. I went to CA state college for my BSN and we are luckier here with lower State college tuitions compared to some other states .
A personal loan does not sound right for you, if your dad is on disability you should be able to get money or loans related to that low income status. My mom went on disability when I was 15. She was given a portion of money every month for my schooling until I was 18. This got me through my first two years of college though I worked summers . After that I worked, got grants, and two different types of loans. One I did not have to pay back if I worked in an area of "need" and nursing was one of those , the other I owed $4000 when I graduated and had it payed off by my first year after graduation.. I think I would also get my CNA as others have said, right away. I got mine by working at a nursing home where they trained you as you worked when I was 17. Perhaps they do not have those type of programs anymore, but the job corps thing sounds good too, free is good. The bottom line is... find the cheapest way to live, best way to make current money, and least expensive school to reach your goals, and rack up as little debt as possible. If you have to take breaks in between semesters or less classes per semester to work more, pre nursing is the time to do it. By the time you get into a nursing school you will usually need to find a way to stay in continually until you graduate, at least two years for an ADN program and probably longer for a BSN (ours was 5 semesters of actual nursing school). It took me a total of five years to graduate doing full time units every semester.
I thought the same, until I read where mom told him/her to rent an apartment, rather than stay at home, even though the OP states she/he is willing to pay $200 rent.
Methinks there are a lot of family dynamics at play here that we are not privy to.
I wanted to rent out a room from some one's home for $200 a month but my mother is a very skeptical person and doesn't want me living under a roof with "strange people" who can be anybody she said.
This may have been asked, but can you live at home? Maybe pay mom a rent to help offset the costs and help her out a little, but it could be less than living somewhere else perhaps? Keeping in mind I went to school 25 years ago, I lived at home through most of my schooling (BSN) until I got married while I was in my last year of nursing school. I went to CA state college for my BSN and we are luckier here with lower State college tuitions compared to some other states .
A personal loan does not sound right for you, if your dad is on disability you should be able to get money or loans related to that low income status. My mom went on disability when I was 15. She was given a portion of money every month for my schooling until I was 18. This got me through my first two years of college though I worked summers . After that I worked, got grants, and two different types of loans. One I did not have to pay back if I worked in an area of "need" and nursing was one of those , the other I owed $4000 when I graduated and had it payed off by my first year after graduation.. I think I would also get my CNA as others have said, right away. I got mine by working at a nursing home where they trained you as you worked when I was 17. Perhaps they do not have those type of programs anymore, but the job corps thing sounds good too, free is good. The bottom line is... find the cheapest way to live, best way to make current money, and least expensive school to reach your goals, and rack up as little debt as possible. If you have to take breaks in between semesters or less classes per semester to work more, pre nursing is the time to do it. By the time you get into a nursing school you will usually need to find a way to stay in continually until you graduate, at least two years for an ADN program and probably longer for a BSN (ours was 5 semesters of actual nursing school). It took me a total of five years to graduate doing full time units every semester.
My mother refuses to take money from me. She is really against making her kids pay rent. I can get my own car fixed but she likes to take things own her shoulders more than she should. And I'm very grateful for that which is I decided I'm not going to make her co-sign for me and just figure things out on my own.
I'm glad you have decided to figure things out. I know it's hard, but it's part of being an adult, which you are now. I moved out at 18 with no help from my parents at all. I was able to sign for my own student loans when I was around 21. I had a few years of good credit under my belt at that time as well.
Go out and find a good job. I had one at 18 and worked my way up to management. If you look at your local hospitals, they may have some tech jobs as well which pay decently. Especially if you work nights. Weekend nights pay really well. Save some money, build some good credit up. This will also maybe allow you to graduate with less debt as well. You are so young and have plenty of time to get this done.
Your mom is helping you out way more than my parents did. I didn't get much after I got my first job at 16, and after I moved out, I haven't gotten anything since.
You're afraid you will never become a nurse and get stuck with $11k in loans...
Yet you have NO PROBLEM sticking your mom with the bill?!
Based on what you said - I wouldn't cosign for you either if you were my kid. You have the audacity to criticize how your mother manages money, yet at the same time you think it's ok to potentially leave her holding the bill for your student loans?
If I were you I would go to job core and get your LPN for free! Then, try to find LPN job that that pays tuition reimbursement to pay for you to get your ADN and eventually your BSN. You should be more then able to support your self on LPN wages as you continue school. I also had no financial support while getting my ADN and then my BSN. I worked to support myself while living on my own. I had 2 jobs most of the time and lived on the bare minimum. My current job paid for my BSN. I had minimal student loans because I choose to do my ADN at a community college. You can get to the same place but you may just have to change your route a bit.
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Guttercat, ASN, RN
1,353 Posts
I thought the same, until I read where mom told him/her to rent an apartment, rather than stay at home, even though the OP states she/he is willing to pay $200 rent.
Methinks there are a lot of family dynamics at play here that we are not privy to.