Newbie needs advice

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Hi All...I'm new to the board and this is my first post. I was hoping I could get some advice/input on my situation:

I have taken and passed entrance exams at two different LPN schools and expect to be accepted into both schools. I lost my job in a local pediatricians office ( office manager/MA ) last July and have been unemployed since then. My husband and I made to much last year for me to qualify for any financial aid this year, so I would have to take loans to cover the approximate $8000 costs. Things would be really tight and I was hoping to be able to take some of the loan money to put aside to have if we were to have any unexpected things arise. I don't even know how much loan money I would qualify for.

The other option is to take the class next year ( sept 07 ) and then both my daughter and I would be in school and based on just my husbands ( 40-45k ) income I would assume we would both get some aid.

I know absolutely nothing about financial aid and loans, but I did do the FAFSA and know that I am not eligible for a Pell grant. Can anyone shed any light on the loan situation or point me in the right direction to look? Also, if you were in my shoes what would you do? I am 38 with a 17 year old daughter and a 2 year old son, and going next year would mean we go another year without a 2nd income. HELP!

Lisa

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Check with the financial aid officer at the schools you would be going to for any scholarships or other grants you may be able to get. I live in PA and know for a fact that the PA state govt gives money out to EVERY nursing student (all you have to do is write a paper stating why you want to become a nurse and income and marital status play NO part in getting the money), it doesn't get graded and they give it to EVERYONE who writes them a letter. Depending on how many people respond determines how much money each person gets. They do this once a year. The first year we got $1200/per person and the second year there must have been more students that wrote because we got $700/per person. That was a total of $2000 in money that we didn't have to pay back!! Trust me, there are MANY scholarships and grants out there you will just have to take the time and scout them out. Check local businesses in your town, many of them give scholarships to women that want to go back to school, hospitals and LTC facilities will sometimes help. Some places of course you must be working there while going to school, others will help you out if you sign a contract to work for them after school is over. Check it out!!! Good Luck to you!! And like I said, the financial aid person at the school should have a list of scholarships and grants!!

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Wow..Thanks for your reply! I appreciate it. I have applied at both PA and NY schools since I live on the border...do you have to be attending a PA school to get the $ you are referring to?

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
Wow..Thanks for your reply! I appreciate it. I have applied at both PA and NY schools since I live on the border...do you have to be attending a PA school to get the $ you are referring to?

Yes, I do belive this was money that was given to us by PA state govt. and we needed to be attending a school in PA.

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Great...thanks for the info!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I was a single person with no children who earned $40,000 per year, so I did not qualify for any need-based financial aid. The LVN program's tuition was $20,000. I had good credit, so I applied for a Sallie Mae student loan and was accepted. Contact them at http://www.SallieMae.com if you're interested.

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