I'm so bummed!!!

you may have to find an alternate approach. Consider working in a facility that helps pay tuition. Have your contacted the financial aid dept. in your school? Are you eligible for grants, instead of a loan? Can you work somewhere for a year or so and get money saved, or clean up your credit report? Even if you put off your plans for a year or two it would show maturity to be working towards a goal. Good luck!

I'm confused...we are filing bankruptcy and I am getting loans...so why should the OP have a problem?

I don't understand why you are not eligible for a student loan through the school you want to attend. Stafford loan? Don't give up on this, go for your loan through the school....my credit has always been poor and they loaned ME $$

Have you filled out a FAFSA to see what you are eligible for as far as grants, not just loans? You may be able to get money that you DON'T have to pay back. www.fafsa.ed.gov If you do this online and submit it, they'll let you know what you are eligible for...I have friends getting full Pell Grants and are managing to go to nursing school w/ one modest income of the spouse due to them getting grant money. Contact the Financial Aid office at your prospective school as well just to see what other options they can recommend. That way maybe school finances will be partly or completely taken care of and you can use your saved money for living expenses? Good luck!

Definitely do not give up!!!!!

And while you are planning on how to pay for school, don't forget to plan to work someplace that will pay off your loans. VA hospitals will do that--probably others.

There is at least one program that will pay your way in exchange for working two years in a hospital where there is great need (kind of like in "Northern Exposure"). You get to pick the hospital where you will work, and they are not all in bad areas: Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is one of the best (I worked there about 6 months) and it was on the list!

Check out this site: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/aid.htm

Good luck to you and don't give up!!!! Sounds like you want this very badly--you will probably make an excellent nurse!

Thanks for all of your replies. :)

I did find one place that will give me a loan at 9% interest. The one I wanted was 5%, but my credit wasn't good enough. I am getting a stafford loan totally $6,000 for 2 semesters. Between the stafford loans, pell grant and ohio instructional grant I have the school and all their expenses paid for. :) And now it looks like I'm getting the other one! Thank God!!!!! I'm totally excited and terrified to start in September.

You need to dump your boyfriend Debbie and get yourself a sugardaddy.

:chuckle I tease him about that!

wouldn't want to offend anyone

I'm gonna have to file bankruptcy now. They go by current score only. No hospital tuition contracts around here; no pell grant due to previous degree.

Congrats on finding a loan...If you don't mind my asking, which company gave you a loan at 9%?

I never thought that my credit was real bad, and I still don't think it's terrible, but I do have a lower score. I had a collection from a medical bill that was supposed to be paid by my previous insurance (I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIES :angryfire ).

Sorry that you have to file bankruptcy - that really sucks!!!

My financial aid office at school gave me a paper with four alternative loan companies. The first is the easiest to get a loan through (my loan for 9%) and they get progressively more difficult. (Actually the 9% is 5% above the going rate with is currently 4% - so it will fluctuate some during the life of the loan.) Below is the information from the fianancial aid sheet.

1. ALTsource Loan - Student Loan Funding

www.edusourceloan.com 1-888-265-0784

2. Signature Student Loan - Sallie Mae

www.salliemae.com/signature/slf 1-800-695-3317

(Sheet says to request SLF as your lender - don't know if that would be different for other schools???)

(Also - I was turned down because I only have 24 months of credit card history - they said you need 48 months w/out a co-signer.)

3. Fleet Low Rate ALP Loan - TERI (The Educational Resource Institute)

Dual Loan (for students with a previous BA/BS)

www.teri.org 1-800-255-TERI (8374)

(Didn't try this one because I don't have a previous degree)

4. Key Alternative Loan - Key Education Resources

www.key.com/educate 1-800-KEY-LEND (539-5363)

(I tried this one but they require your credit score to be above 650 to get a loan w/out a co-signer. The percentage is 4.96% w/out a co-signer and 4.41% with a co-signer.)

I hope this helps you!!! :)

I know that a lot of people who go through a bad time and/or divorce come out on the other end with spotty credit...keep trying to get all you can in scholarships and grants so that when you get finished you will be able to be debt free in a reasonable time...good luck