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

flowerpowernow · May 4, 2012

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.

Exact same situation as me- going for ADN and RN-BSN bridge and I already

have a bachelor's degree. I'm currently paying off the less than 10k in loans (stafford I think) I used for my first bachelor's degree. I got a message from my ADN program that I'm not able to receive financial aid because of my degree. What do I do now? I'm so confused. Is my fafsa all I need for the federal student loan money? What's my next step??

flowerpowernow · May 4, 2012

It seems like SAP is getting in the way- but only 9 credits from my bachelor's will matter for the ADN....

Help!

ixchel · May 4, 2012

Here's the deal. We all grew up hearing society declare that if we worked hard enough and we went to college, we could be whatever we want when we grow up. So, all of these people have been going to school getting first degrees in the stuff they love and they get ****** when they can't find a job. So whose fault is that? I honestly blame the people who have told us this whole time that we can be whatever we want when we grow up. Sure it's a feel-good story designed to make us work hard, but how many employed philosophy majors do you know? (And by employed, I don't mean working at a restaurant.)

People don't take time to research their field before they get a degree in it. Those who do qualify for financial aid may use theirs up, or they may not, but either way, they get their shot to get their first degree. They earned it, and because they didn't do the research ahead of time, or because they don't live in a good area for their degree, or for whatever reasons, they made a bad choice. It sucks. That is partly their fault, and it is partly the fault of society for creating unreasonable expectations.

Should the government (and, yes, taxpayers) have to pay for their poor foresight? Should money be taken from the pockets of those who are trying to get their first degrees? Face it-- the Pell Grants are looked at under careful scruitiny by congress every year. The liberals want more money for it, the conservatives less. We're lucky we get as much as we do. I do not think it would be fair to cut from the first degree seekers because the second degree seekers need to change fields.

My local congressman went on the record not too long ago saying that the pell grant was just another opportunity for poor people to scam the system. Obviously he is one who votes to lower the funds. I wrote to him telling him all about my situation and how I have been working my butt off. He wrote me back and said he appreciated my comments but we have more important needs for our taxpayer dollars. This blows my mind! Wouldn't he rather give people the opportunity to get off other "entitlement" programs and put them into a position to pay more tax dollars? BAH! HUMBUG!

The thing is-- several of you have said here, "just" apply for scholarships. "Just" apply for HRSA. I have applied literally for dozens of scholarships over the last 2 years. DOZENS. There are so many people applying for the exact same scholarships that I have never gotten a single one. I have a 3.87 GPA right now and a reasonable background that I should be a very strong contender. And yet, I have never gotten a scholarship. If the pell grant were made smaller because the qualifications changed to include second degree seekers, I might not be able to be in school right now working toward my first degree.

And now I'm done my tirade :specs: I apologize if I have offended.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · May 5, 2012

Isn't there a loan program for students that promise to work in an underserved area for a set amount of time? I can't remember the name but maybe someone might recognize what I'm talking about.

Myself and a few classmates rec'd something similar: Our last semester loan would be forgiven up to 50% for working as an RN in our state. 50% for FT, up to 25% for PT. You have/had to work for 2 years I believe to get the full 50%. It's not a lot, but I'll save myself a few hundred dollars where I can!

northmississippi · May 5, 2012

I made the mistake of getting a bachelors in business, ive never had financial aid or a grant, ever.. and they wouldn't help

me either when i went back to get an adn-rn. I just put it all on a credit card. I did get a small act scholorship though, i got it for scoring a 22 on the act when i retook it. good luck.

scurbro · Jun 27, 2012

Honestly I think there is a mistake in knowledge about funding for a second bachelors degree. There are quite a few options, just the free money from the federal government is out such as Pell Grant. You can still receive loans though.

Actually if you go for a year in AmeriCorps you get at least 5,000 or so, but that is a taxable education award. I myself am thinking of this option, hopefully it will happen. It may push it back a bit, but it will work.

The scholarship from the National Health Service Corp is great, and you can apply at any point of your education. The United State Public Health Commissioned Corps is accepting only a limited applicant pool, but they are accepting into their student program if you are interested in that route, you will have serve in a uniformed branch, but its not military even though it has partnership with the military. Obviously the military is another option, and most require at least 4 years of service.

The other thing is just looking for scholarships that take any level of education. Johnson and Johnson has a search for that. I found that useful. There is also other scholarships that it just takes a lot of searching. I am not in debt from my first degree, and so I am in a situation where some of you may not be.

Hope this is helpful.

I have gathered a bunch of information for myself through research. I am looking at all my options. All I know having a degree in Political Science I need to take a lot more math and science classes.

For now I am simply researching. I am at the beginning of this.

Stephalump · Jun 27, 2012

Honestly I think there is a mistake in knowledge about funding for a second bachelors degree. There are quite a few options, just the free money from the federal government is out such as Pell Grant. You can still receive loans though.
.

In order to receive federal financial aid, you must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines set by the government. GPA must be high enough, you must actually complete a certain percentage of attempted hours, and you must complete your degrees without a maximum time frame.

The maximum time frame is 150% of the number of credits required to compete the degree. So, you have an allowance of about 90 credits at a community college and about 180 at a four year university. If you attempted 130 credits earning your first degree, you're well past the limit at a CC, and you're left with 50 credits at a university.

So, you can see why some people would run into a problem. A community college isn't obligated to give loans to anyone with a 4 year degree, and if a 4 year university decides you can't finish a 2nd degree within the proper time frame, they aren't obligated to grant you anything, either.

I know people who have continued to draw loans far past maximum time frame with no problem. I know people who have been denied - they appealed and received loans. I know people (myself included) who are completely out of luck.

It's complicated business :)

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jun 27, 2012

The US government is pushing financial aid officers to enforce the 150% credit and satisfactory academic progress guidelines with minimal room for appeals. Unfortuantely for some, some schools are following the guidelines more stringently than others.

ImKosher · Jun 27, 2012

I feel that is pure personal interest when it comes to pell grants, if you manage to get one good for you, use it and don't waste it like many have done ::cough:: if you can't get it, it's you make to much money or have already used your resources. Don't gripe about how you can't get another pell grant and blame others for using it. Even going as far as to state it's a scam for the poor.

mssjez · Jun 27, 2012

I am attending an ADN program after completing a BA and MA in a different field. I filled out fafsa because I needed to for the school to distribute loans and they told me I was awarded a grant. I've now gotten it for two years in a row, and it isn't much but I think maybe because I hadn't gotten any aid before and had to put everything on loans, that maybe I'm receiving some now.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jun 27, 2012

Well the real heartache with the pell grants is when your just over the threshold. There is a very unsweet spot in financial aid. When you have a job and are independent but you need to work to pay for tuition or need to quit your job to concentrate on school but you can't quite do either without some help because compared to students who don't work your "rich".

Stephalump · Jun 27, 2012

The US government is pushing financial aid officers to enforce the 150% credit and satisfactory academic progress guidelines with minimal room for appeals. Unfortuantely for some, some schools are following the guidelines more stringently than others.

I've noticed they've been cracking down! I have some second degree friends who had no problem getting loans for the last year or two who were just denied financial aid (right before starting NS, of course) for exceeding maximum time frame. Disappointing when you've been allowed to do it for so long, but there's nothing you can do about because of the rules in place!