Grants: To anyone who has ever applied for a grant

RodeoRN · Nov 23, 2005

Tina,

I feel your pain. I've had my own credit struggles. However, there are many ways for getting funds for nursing school. (You've heard there is a shortage?)Your best ally should be the counselors and financial aid office at your school of choice. I'm not sure if you're wanting to become an RN, or LVN, but let me encourage you to pursue the RN. Whether in an associate degree or baccalaurate program, you take the same NCLEX for your license.

Of course, in this forum, I am not able to discern your ethnicity or any other other demographics. You may belong to an organization that helps with scholarships, DAR, American Legion, LULAC: the LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), began the LULAC National Scholarship Fund. LNESC raises monies through donations from national corporations, while the LULAC local ... http://www.lulac.org/Programs/Scholar.html. You get the idea. Try different web search engines and look for scholarships. Even your local librarian may have a book on scholarships available.

And then, there is your employer. Do they give tuition re-imbursement? Do you work in a hospital, yet? If not, get on their payroll. Many of them have a career coach that will help you and give scholarships or tuition re-imbursement to all employees regardless of their job description. If you have the skills set to work as a patient care tech/nurses aid, you can roll some of that experience into nursing, later. But don't not take a job because it doesn't get you to the bedside.

I work in a large hospital in the biggest medical center in the world. Unit secretaries, transportation assistants, decedent care attendants, medical records and housekeeping staff all have the same educational opportunities available. Your hospital probably does, too.

Good luck,

RodeoRN

TinaCMT · Nov 23, 2005

I currently work from home for a medical transcription program and I know they would not help me with any LPN program because they know they will lose me as an MT. I just got off the phone with the education department from a local hospital and she said that I have to be an employee in order to get any assistance. I have applied with several positions at that hospital but haven't heard anything back yet. I've also applied for several positions at two other local hospitals but still haven't heard anything from them either. I will check out the link that you gave (thank you) and hopefully find something. I also called my MIL and asked if she had already mailed out that application and she said no, so I asked her if we could just white-out what she filled in and then copy that application so we'll have several copies. She said we could, and I'm going to be getting the book from her tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to fill out as many applications as my little hands can handle and get something. Thanks for responding!!

over30nursestudent · Nov 24, 2005

govt. stafford loans are easy to get. As long as you have never defaulted on a previous govt student loan or have been convicted of a felony you qualify. The govt acts as the "guarantor" for the loan and a bank loans out the funds. This is not credit based. If you are filling out a fasa then that is half the paperwork. You will be considered for grants first then if you don't qualify you can do the stafford. The loan stays deferred as long as you are in school at least half time (6credit hrs). You have a six month grace period after graduation before you start to pay on your loans. Good luck.

TinaCMT · Nov 24, 2005

I've never gotten a loan before or even been pulled over for a ticket, let alone convicted of a crime lol. So, I guess I would qualify. If I qualify for the full grant, would I still be able to apply for the Stafford loan? I know that the full grant would pay for the program and books but I will still need help with uniforms, other supplies, food, daycare, etc.

Also, do you know if I would happen to be denied for the Stafford loan would it drop my credit score? I worried about that too.

The financial aide at the school was gone for a long time (I think he went to Iraq and was just gone for a while) and so he told me he has been out of the loop for a while and things have changed and that he would try and help me but he really didn't seem to know much.

I hate waiting until January to find out anything, but I guess that is what I'll have to do (that is when I can finally apply for the Fafsa grant).

Thanks for all the encouraging info!! It does make me feel a lot better!

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

I've never gotten a loan before or even been pulled over for a ticket, let alone convicted of a crime lol. So, I guess I would qualify. If I qualify for the full grant, would I still be able to apply for the Stafford loan? I know that the full grant would pay for the program and books but I will still need help with uniforms, other supplies, food, daycare, etc.
Also, do you know if I would happen to be denied for the Stafford loan would it drop my credit score? I worried about that too.
The financial aide at the school was gone for a long time (I think he went to Iraq and was just gone for a while) and so he told me he has been out of the loop for a while and things have changed and that he would try and help me but he really didn't seem to know much.
I hate waiting until January to find out anything, but I guess that is what I'll have to do (that is when I can finally apply for the Fafsa grant).
Thanks for all the encouraging info!! It does make me feel a lot better!

No, your credit score will not drop if you get a government guarenteed loan because it is not based on credit.

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

Grants are fairly easy to get. www.fafsa.ed.gov get yourself a pin number first and then you fill out for a grant with your income tax. You put in your college code, all your financial/dependant information and then you find out in 2-4 weeks from the college as to what you're eligible for (if any). Last year my husband made $27K and for the first time ever it didn't cover my tuition ($1,300 a semester), but when he made less than $25K, it covered my tuition plus extra that I got refunded back to me halfway through the semester. And because it didn't cover all of my tuition and I really didn't have the extra money (after books!!!) to cover the rest, I took out a subsidized stafford loan (where you don't pay the interest while you're still in school and has a maximum loan amount of $3,500 - over that you have to pay the interest while in school).

They don't check your credit and like the person above said - as long as you've never defaulted on a student loan before and you're not a convicted felon, they'll give anyone a student loan, but still be careful with them and only borrow the amount of your tuition or perhaps $500 over that to help cover book costs. The good thing with them, is that after you graduate you've got a 6 month grace period and then after the grace period ends you have like 60 days to make your first payment, so really you have 8 months after you graduate before you have to start paying and when you apply it shows you that if you borrow x amount, your payments post graduation will be y amount.

Hope this helps.

over30nursestudent · Nov 24, 2005

Your credit score will not be affected. Actually if you do get the loan, it will show on your credit as in good standing and deferred (granted that you stay in school at least half time). You can not have grants and gov loan at same time. when you do fafsa you are automatically considered for pell grants etc. the stafford loan is an option if you cant qualify for grants. Also, you w/ the loan you can of course apply for the maximum per semester plus if you need more you can ask for additional funds. Thats what I do, I have had to factor in day care expenses which are not cheap. There certainly is no such thing as a 2.00hr babysitter anymore lol!!!! When it comes to your books, when you go to your school's bookstore the cost of your books is deducted from your loan. You will have to wait for a check in the mail for any additional funds you requested (daycare etc) At my school it usually takes about 7-8 weeks. When I started school, I did not have any credit and my student loans really helped build it. Have a great holiday and please let me know if I can help in any way. Peace, Colleen

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

Well not being able to have a grant and a loan at the same time isn't entirely true. I've got a Pell grant AND a Stafford loan. And a Pell grant, although it's from the govt, it's still a grant and doesn't have to be paid back unless you default on your schooling and fail/withdrawl.

And I agree that daycare isn't cheap anymore. I consider myself VERY fortunate to have found a British nanny who watches children in her home, came highly recommended and has done a world of good for my daughter for only $3 an hour. I love that woman.