Obtaining Loans For Pre-Reqs but already have Bachelor's! HELP!!

[CareQueen]

I have just decided to go back to obtain an Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN. My Bachelors is in Government so I only need to take the science courses. 6 courses in total. However, I need to take those classes starting yesterday in order to start the program in either May or June 2013 depending on both where I get in.

My problem is that the eligibility for loans is different for those who already have degrees. According to FAFSA I am eligible for $20k for the BSN. This is good, but I'm worried about the pre-reqs. I NEED loans to cover most of the pre-reqs or I won't be able to afford to take them. I spoke with one of the financial aid offices. They informed me that they participate in the program which allows one to apply and use Federal Direct Loan funding to cover pre-req courses for degree programs, for up to 12 months. The thing is though, the specific office has to manually apply for it for you, you can't do it yourself.

The ultimate thing I need to know is, is there a way for me to take pre-reqs at a school that offers them cheaper, without actually entering a nursing program at that school?..but still have the pre-reqs eligible for the loans based on the fact that successful completion of them will allow me to enter into the OTHER school's BSN prog?

In other words: I want to enroll into the BSN progam at School A. School A can apply for the pre-req loan funds for me, BUT that means that I would have to take the pre-reqs there also (and would rather not). Since School B has cheaper pre-req classes, I would prefer to take them there, but I have no intentions of completing any degree prog at School B, just want to take the pre-reqs. Would School B still be able to apply for the pre-req loan funds for me, even though I'll be entering a degree program elsewhere?

[Evadney77]

I am a second degree student as well. For aid that is not a loan, we are ineligible but you should be able to get a loan. I had no choice but to take out a loan for pre-req's.

[CareQueen, BSN, RN]

@ melc0305: When I filled the FAFSA out the first time, I selected the option for entry-level masters. However, after talking to the aid offices for the programs, they said to select the option for "5th yr/other undergrad" and then to select 2nd Bachelor's degree. That changed the amount that I was able to borrow. When I selected Masters, it said $20k, but after that update my loan eligibility was lowered to $12,500k, so there is a difference. Did you use up your maximum amount of loans for undergrad when you were getting your first BA? I think undergrad is only eligible for up to $43K or something close to it, no matter if it's first or second degree.

[CareQueen, BSN, RN]

Wow, those are some cheap credits, even for CC! OP I don't think you would be a "guest" student. You would apply for admittance 1st to a CC, I can't imagine they would let you take the class any other way. Science courses often have additional fees tacked on top of the regular tuition. So keep that in mind. You are probably best off making a trip to your local CC, and talking to a fin aid counselor. I see what you mean about wanting to pay for your pre-reqs without the loan, but if you can use it at both schools, $20k is &20k, right?

Also a $ saving tip, look for international editions of your textbooks. I have save a lot of $ this way.

Just an update....I figured it out! It took some doing, but I finally got it done.....enrolled in a local cc, but the only way for me to qualify for federal loans was to declare into an AS program. (Now of course I have no intention of actually finishing theAS program but the govt will only lend you money if they can see what it is that you're working towards...eh, works for me.) Lucky for me, the cc that I'm attending has an actual Liberal Arts: Pre-Nursing Option major that is pretty much comprised of exactly the classes I need to take. Unfortunately, I figured all of this out about a month too late, so I can only take 2 pre-req classes this semester instead of the four I wanted, but I have a plan to make up for that, so I'm hopeful! Thanks again for the advice folks!