how to pay for school??

Nursing Students General Students

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I was just accepted into the RN program at PBSC or used to be PBCC for this fall semester, I'm 22 and have supported myself fully since I was 17, and they still make me use my parents info on the fafsa and it says I'm not eligible for anything but a loan. The only loan I can take out is like 2,000 per semester and I get no help from anyone, what do I do? where else should I look for aid?

Right now I work 45-60 hours a week just to pay my bills but can't do that in the program

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Scholarships, grants, loans from hospitals

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Did you fill out your FAFSA as independent? If you support yourself you should not have listed any of your parents information, I think you may have filled out the form wrong I would go back over it.

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They said until I'm 24, married, or have a child, that I still have to use my parents info. I don't file dependent and my parents can't help me with school or any of my other bills. I submit it online and they say its incomplete without my parents tax info. I don't understand it either. Ironically I'm the oldest of 7 and my stepfather is disabled and can't work.....

I'd be interested in hospital scholarships but it says I have to wait until the middle of the first semester to qualify.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med/Surg, hospice.

see if you can emancipate yourself from having to claim your parents on fafsa forms. a friend of mine did that and she is 22 and no longer has to claim her parents. i would just call the number on the site and see what steps you need to take from there. otherwise you might try and take out a private student loan through your bank.

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You're really in a tough spot. It's true that you must fill out the FAFSA as a dependent until you're 24 (or married or have a child), EVEN if you support yourself fully. This very much screws those students who support themselves.. I had this problem as well, but luckily (or not?), my mother was pretty broke herself, so I still got financial aid.

Unfortunately, most financial aid offered by schools is based on the FAFSA.

You can look into scholarships offered through the school of nursing at your particular university as well as merit-based (ie. don't use the FAFSA for determination of eligibility) scholarships offered by your school.

Or, wait 2 years until your are 24?

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WOW, I did not know you had to be 24 to claim Independent. That is completly ridiculoous and I am going to definately look into that. I dont understand why you would have to wait until your 24 to claim independent, what if your parents have money but have not given you any financial help since you were 16, that is not fair! Now Im really mad, A grown adult has to depend on their parents financial situation to go to school, RIDICULOUS. Im sorry your in this situation. You cold always pull a Britney Spears and marry your BF in Vegas?

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Specializes in Telemetry.
WOW, I did not know you had to be 24 to claim Independent. That is completly ridiculoous and I am going to definately look into that. I dont understand why you would have to wait until your 24 to claim independent, what if your parents have money but have not given you any financial help since you were 16, that is not fair! Now Im really mad, A grown adult has to depend on their parents financial situation to go to school, RIDICULOUS. Im sorry your in this situation. You cold always pull a Britney Spears and marry your BF in Vegas?

Yeah, it sucks... I went through this my first year of college, my parents had money but they are not generous and I was financially supporting myself. I hate that about the FAFSA, but I guess it's to deter families from lying (like, a family could say they aren't giving their kid tuition money when they actually are). Luckily, I got married young so I didn't need to worry about that for very long.

OP, you can get private loans through banks if you have decent enough credit. Would your parents at least cosign for a loan?

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Yea im also luck that I married young also because my parents wouldnt have contributed anything

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You could check into the WIA grant. I don't know what state your in but it helps with tuition, supplies ect.. It might be worth your time to check into it. I hope this helps.

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Private loans.

Go to a BSN program so you will be a junior/senior instead of freshman/sophomore and will be eligible for larger federal loans.

Get a part time job, roommates, and learn to live on ramen.

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