Yet another financial set back

Published

You may had seen one of my other threads talking about how my final year of nursing school is a financial nightmare. To add to that, the school's financial aid office just sent me a letter stating that one of the grants that I received last year will not be able to be given to me this year due to the fact that I was unable to meet the criteria. Now maybe this is my fault for not knowing the criteria, but either way its making me really frustrated and bitter. The grant totals at $3518, and at the moment, I'm having trouble paying for school with the grant. Even with the grant, I have ~$9000 balance that has to be made up. I can't take out loans because I don't qualify and no one can cosign. I'm already teetering on being unable to finish and now if they take this away I might as well hang up finishing school. The criteria for the grant states that the student have at least a 2.5 GPA and completed at least 24 hours by the end of the spring semester. It can;t be the GPA (I have a 3.81), so it must be the hours. I took only 10 in the fall of 2010 and 12 in the spring of this year. Most nursing students at my school are unable to be full-time considering that the course load usually only totals around 7-11 hours a semester. The remainder is either made up with general ed requirements if you haven;t finished them yet or classes you don't need. I only needed one more humanities course and whether I took it in the fall or spring, I was going to be below full-time. They even prorated my aid last fall and no one brought it to my attention that by taking only 10 hours I might screw up my eligibility for the grant the following year. I can send an appeals letter, but the letter indicated to me to do so for illness or such. I stupidly sent of an email to the financial aid office pretty much saying what I did here and they replied to go about the way set out in the letter. My chance for appeal is probably screwed now as well. I'm thinking its not meant for me to finish school cause all I am meeting is resistance.

I don't really know what advice I'm seeking here. I just feel the need to rant. Has anyone been in a similar situation with financial aid appeals?

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Maybe check with your local hospitals? All of my area hospitals offer scholarships in return for promising to work at their hospital for X moths/years.

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Specializes in Neuro/ MS.

Check with the HRSA. I think they may provide scholarships or loan forgiveness. Don't give up! I would also just start searching the internet. There have been 3 people in my class alone that found scholarships to pay for their schooling. Good Luck!

I moved back in with my mother so that I could afford to keep going. It was not something that I wanted to do but I did it to continue going. I will be here 6 months..praying no longer than that.

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Specializes in LTC.

I know what you mean. I have to pay for my last semester of nursing school. Probably about 2 grand , including books and uniforms.

sigh- This too shall pass.

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I'm trying for scholarships. I JUST missed the HRSA scholarship. I'm not sure about winning those fly by night scholarships on Fastweb. I tried them before and nothing came out of it. I tried to get one through my dad's hospital but I missed the deadline for that one too since I just found out about it. My aunt with Alzheimer's said she would try to help out, but in all honesty I'm sure she can't, if she can even remember what she said. I wrote the appeal letter and I'm about to send it out, although I'm not sure if they will grant an approval. It's like everything I had set out for is crumbling to ruins. I started out school without a worry (well maybe a few) and thought there was nothing to stop me from graduating. Now, I'm not so sure anymore. I'd hate to take a year off because I've been there going on 5 years already. Each year I feel like I'm getting poorer and poorer. Does God not want me to finish school now? I feel really discouraged.

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Specializes in LTC.
I'm trying for scholarships. I JUST missed the HRSA scholarship. I'm not sure about winning those fly by night scholarships on Fastweb. I tried them before and nothing came out of it. I tried to get one through my dad's hospital but I missed the deadline for that one too since I just found out about it. My aunt with Alzheimer's said she would try to help out, but in all honesty I'm sure she can't, if she can even remember what she said. I wrote the appeal letter and I'm about to send it out, although I'm not sure if they will grant an approval. It's like everything I had set out for is crumbling to ruins. I started out school without a worry (well maybe a few) and thought there was nothing to stop me from graduating. Now, I'm not so sure anymore. I'd hate to take a year off because I've been there going on 5 years already. Each year I feel like I'm getting poorer and poorer. Does God not want me to finish school now? I feel really discouraged.

No He does want you to finish school. God may not come when we want Him too but he is always on time. Keep your faith and stay focused. ;)

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Think positive it's very hard I know but think positive so good things can come. How about a sale,or car wash can they let you pay in payments? I will be praying for you because I know how hard it can get in school.Keep going no matter what beg for money ask friends if they can all chip in 10 dollars each can get along way if you have alot of friends and family.

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Now the school has sent the bill for summer AND fall for $19000. It has to be paid with financial aid, in full, or with a payment plan by June 16. Um, I don't even have $3000, so where am i supposed to get $19k! Financial aid doesn't come in until sometime after July 1, so now there is the huge bill to pay. If I don't pay it, I get dropped from my classes. Even if aid was in, there will still be a balance and if it's not paid they will drop you and prevent you from future registration. Then they will hold your transcripts so I wouldn't even be able to apply to another university without starting ALL over again. What is going on?! Why is it so hard for me to finish school??? All I have is 11 more months :crying2: I never win scholarships, I don't qualify for loans, it may take forever to even get a PT job and then I may not even be able to return to school. The job i do have at the school is work study job, so once I leave school, I lose the job. 4 years of my life have been wasted. Don't forget student loans will have to be repaid even if I don't graduate. That will be at least $19000. I don't even own a car and live at home. My mom's savings as less than $2000. My life really sucks now. I shouldn't even had bothered since I am so poor.

I still am bitter over having my mom use my credit and screwing it up without my knowledge. The chance of taking out a loan and paying it back after school is out of the question.I should have graduated this past May, but because of my school's stupid 3 yr program, I have to wait to 2012, which is I why I'm having issues. At least if everything had been done in the 4 yr span i would have stood a chance.

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Update: I got word that I should receive a $4000 scholarship from my nursing school. Hope this all works out. God bless the lady in financial services for helping me out!

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