Why can't you get Financial Aid with a Bachelors Degree?

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Hi there! I just received a Bachelors Degrees of Science in Health Care Administration, and now I am wanting to go for the Associate Degree of Nursing and become an RN at the local Technical College with a great nursing program. I visited the financial aid office today and she stated that since I have a Bachelors Degree I do not qualify for Federal assistance, as I had in the past with the Pell grant and the Stafford loan. She stated my options now are, private loans, such as Sallie Mae and Wells Fargo. Is there any other financial assistance that anybody else knows of that I missed? If it helps I live in Georgia. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

You can read more in the FAFSA website. But basically since you are going for a "lower" degree (AAS has less requirements than an BS/BA degree) is the biggest issue there are time limits (credits attempted vs. credits completed vs credits required to complete a degree) for federal financial aid. pell grants are only available for first undergrad degrees. There is also limited financial aid for graduate and post-bac courses. There are a few exceptions such as certain teaching and math/science degrees. There are a few nursing specific loan programs such as the HRSA that are need and non-need based.

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/recentChangesSA.jsp

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/grants.jsp

Here are some nursing specific aid programs:

http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/index.html

Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

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Because you have a previous Bachelors, you have taken your "bite of the apple" when it comes to the Grants/free money. You could possible get government funded student loans if you haven't capped out of those, but the free money is only for those seeking their first degree.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
Because you have a previous Bachelors, you have taken your "bite of the apple" when it comes to the Grants/free money. You could possible get government funded student loans if you haven't capped out of those, but the free money is only for those seeking their first degree.

Such crap. I have gone back to get my BSN, bc A I wanted to get into nursing/medicine B. my previous degree in sociology was unable to obtain gainful employment except retail :(

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I am in a Second Degree BSN program and I was able to get Financial Aid. I recieve Subsidized and Unsubsidized federal loans. The only thing I wasnt eligible for was grants. There is an overall cap on how much you can borrow for undergraduate and as long as you havent hit that cap you should be able to use loans.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Its not crap. The government (meaning the taxpayers) cannot afford to finance people's degrees to the extreme of "well this one didn't work out so now give me money for THAT one". What does need to happen is better education for the first time degree seeker so that they understand this is their one time shot at the free money.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

i have a bs and a masters and i still qualified for financial aid (loans, not grants, but still federal) for my adn. i live in nc.

it wont let me write below this: you have to go a long way to cap out loans, i have 50k in graduate loans, had (paid most it off) 35k in undergrad and now i will have another 20k for the adn. they love to give out money! (they aren't really giving it)-but if you want to borrow it, it is usually available. after grad school, i consolidated and have an interest rate of 1 1/4%

quote from mama_cashew

because you have a previous bachelors, you have taken your "bite of the apple" when it comes to the grants/free money. you could possible get government funded student loans if you haven't capped out of those, but the free money is only for those seeking their first degree.

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I'm also getting my Associate's for Nursing after previously receiving a Bachelor's degree, and unfortunately the Pell Grant and other scholarship money is no longer available for me, but I do receive Federal Student Loan money, so that should be an option for you as well.

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Yep, what others said. I have a previous AA and still have a hard time getting financial aid! I have to submit appeals and pray they get approved!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
I am in a Second Degree BSN program and I was able to get Financial Aid. I recieve Subsidized and Unsubsidized federal loans. The only thing I wasnt eligible for was grants. There is an overall cap on how much you can borrow for undergraduate and as long as you havent hit that cap you should be able to use loans.

Oh I got the max for subsidized & unsubsidized loans just no grants which would have been reallllly helpful

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Such crap. I have gone back to get my BSN, bc A I wanted to get into nursing/medicine B. my previous degree in sociology was unable to obtain gainful employment except retail :(

Well, perhaps, they would prefer to give another person a chance to pursue their dream.

Our government (read 'taxpayers") does not have the money to continue to repeatedly help finance degrees. And no one owes it to you to finance your educational choices.

I received NO financial aid for my degrees.

(donning my flameproof scrubs in preparation for responses to unpopular comment

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
Its not crap. The government (meaning the taxpayers) cannot afford to finance people's degrees to the extreme of "well this one didn't work out so now give me money for THAT one". What does need to happen is better education for the first time degree seeker so that they understand this is their one time shot at the free money.

The better education I agree with. I got my degree back in ~2007-2008 i paid for it out of pocket so it's not a matter of them financing one that ddnt work. I think if I had financial aid the first time around I'd agree 100%, however if someone wants to strive for higher education the gov should back you

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