Ya'll wanna know the secret to getting financial aid? Here it is.
There isn't one, motherfuckers. Follow your princess's advice:
1: File your FAFSA yourself. Don't let an advisor, or worse, someone you PAY at a "college planning center" to do it for you. It's a free application, and paying for it guarantees that someone is banking off of something going wrong and misleading you as to what you can get.
2: Do not bitch to me that you didn't get enough money. You're one of 8 million college students in America. Shut your piehole.
3: Fastweb.com. Live it. Learn it. Love it. Or, do what we had to do 10 years ago, and that's get your fucking ass off of the computer and go to the library, find the big book of grants I know they still publish, sit yourself down, and start writing letters until your pen runs out of ink. You can't win scholarships and grants if you don't fucking apply for them.
4: KEEP YOUR FUCKING GPA UP, MORON. If you got below a 2.5 last semester, you don't deserve anything. If you got below a 1.5, why are you even in my office? Seriously. You're PAYING to go to school now, and if you want more money to continue this education, you need to be competitive with your grades. I had a 4.0 my first semester back in college. Not because I'm a genius, but because I FUCKING KNOW BETTER. It's not rocket science, it's school, do the required work and you'll be surprised how well you do. If you're seriously struggling, get help. It's there. Those professors are more approachable than you think.
5: LOANS ARE FINANCIAL AID. Do not come to me and tell me that you didn't get any because you weren't offered a Pell Grant or University Grant. Fact: Those are for us po' kids, and if you're from a family that you're still dependent on that makes above the mark, you're not getting them. Plain and simple. There is no way around this. Keep your grades up, take the low-interest federal loans, and see #3.
6: LOANS CAN BE MANAGED. Federal programs are FANTASTIC. Private loans are GHASTLY, but there are a wealth of programs out there to assist in the repayment of scary student loans. Yes, loans are fucking horrible, but they can be taken care of. If you want more info, let me know.
7: DON'T TAKE ANYTHING AT FACE VALUE. If you don't get enough aid to cover the cost of attendance, and you know you won't be able to pay the balance, talk to your financial aid department. Did you know that Brown University gives a free ride to almost 60% of their undergrads on merit alone if they fall below a certain income? I didn't until I was already enrolled at URI. Check with your university, keep the pressure on, there's always something. State schools may not have this, but private schools have a larger endowment and a lot more programs to keep the smart kids in their ranks so their graduation numbers stay high.
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people. Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
9: IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, DISABLED, OR UNEMPLOYED...Don't let them give you the runaround. You're going to school for free or almost free. Get in touch with the right people right now to get your vouchers.
10: MY WORD IS THAT OF GOD. Do not question this. I am a goddamn industry professional.
I will answer any question that is thrown at me in this thread. This is free advice to anyone that wants to know, without having to do any sort of research or making an appointment at your school.
I will do my best to answer what I can without knowing your personal situation. Ask away, even if you think they're stupid questions. This is your money and your future, no question is stupid.
Tell me more about #6 Suu. I've got a bunch of Sallie Mae loans with an interest rate that's somehow not legally recognized as usury. Paying more in student loans a month than car insurance, rent, gas, electric, internet, and cell phone combined! Oh, and I will be until I'm 38.
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on April 04, 2011, 04:22:52 PM
Tell me more about #6 Suu. I've got a bunch of Sallie Mae loans with an interest rate that's somehow not legally recognized as usury. Paying more in student loans a month than car insurance, rent, gas, electric, internet, and cell phone combined! Oh, and I will be until I'm 38.
Federal or private? And have you consolidated?
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:23:26 PM
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on April 04, 2011, 04:22:52 PM
Tell me more about #6 Suu. I've got a bunch of Sallie Mae loans with an interest rate that's somehow not legally recognized as usury. Paying more in student loans a month than car insurance, rent, gas, electric, internet, and cell phone combined! Oh, and I will be until I'm 38.
Federal or private? And have you consolidated?
Private. Saving consolidation because I was under the impression you can only do it once, and I'm keeping the idea of grad school open, which would mean more loans.
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on April 04, 2011, 04:24:27 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:23:26 PM
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on April 04, 2011, 04:22:52 PM
Tell me more about #6 Suu. I've got a bunch of Sallie Mae loans with an interest rate that's somehow not legally recognized as usury. Paying more in student loans a month than car insurance, rent, gas, electric, internet, and cell phone combined! Oh, and I will be until I'm 38.
Federal or private? And have you consolidated?
Private. Saving consolidation because I was under the impression you can only do it once, and I'm keeping the idea of grad school open, which would mean more loans.
Okay. This is where shit get's tricky.
*IF* you consolidate, you get one payment with one interest rate. Good.
Private consolidation loans are based on your credit.....bad.
If you do choose to take that route, I'd advise GETTING THE FUCK OUT OF SALLIE MAE. There are other servicers out there that will gladly take your money. SLMA will look like the better deal, but they really aren't, and right now they have their dick so far up Johnny Boehner's ass, the ride with them is going to get rougher. I'd actually recommend getting a private bank loan, like a personal line of credit, to annihilate them if your credit allows. You'll probably get a better interest rate, too. Watch for Sallie buying out competitors this year. I have a really bad feeling that Congress is going to let them.
As for grad school, the plus side is that your loans
will go into deferment as long as you keep them serviced with SLMA or another academic loan servicer. If you go the bank route, you won't have that option.
For grad borrowing options, I'd recommend seeing what you can get with the Stafford program FIRST, and then supplement what you need to with a Graduate PLUS Loan, in which you can borrow up to the cost of attendance from the federal government, rather than hitting another private source. The rate will be low and fixed, and you can consolidate all of your federal loans together. You unfortunately cannot combine federal with private funds unless you do so under a private loan, and then shit can get expensive. It's actually cheaper to have multiple payments in that respect.
I hope this helps.
Oh, I forgot to add, SLMA does have Select Step options to lower your monthly payments. They don't make them blatantly visible to apply for, but I can walk you through the process if you don't already have the option in place.
Very useful info, Suu. The only thing I would add is that, in my experience, one has a much better chance of landing scholarships and grants at the University level, so I would apply for those first. If you've declared your major, talk to the department faculty about local/institutional scholarships; and if you still need more help, try to get on as an RA, a TA, or any other assistant type position. This provides the opportunity to both make money, and start getting professional experience in your field.
If you put the time into it, there's plenty of money available. When I find myself struggling financially, I'm typically kicking myself in the ass for not writing more essays, rather than complaining about the lack of funding available. Today, I'm finishing a one page essay, which may land me an extra 3k next semester, in my pocket. There are maybe 20 to 30 other applicants, at most.
Assistantships are only available to graduate students. By the time you're a grad student, you should have this game played out. My information is geared toward the undergrads I deal with daily.
Work study and student employment are also 2 different things. Anyone can be a student employee, but not everyone is eligible for work study, that's a federal program in which your pay comes directly from the government for the student to put toward their bill.
At my school, you can't apply for university grants and scholarships, those are automatically awarded based on merit and need within individual departments, that's why I said to keep your GPA up.
Thanks, Suu!
Sallie Mae, I hates them.
Grad school is a ways off, if at all. I just don't like to think of that door as closed if it should ever come up. But yes, I will go through federal loans this time. I am not a naive 17 year old being fed gross misinformation.
I really should start an advice blog on this stuff...
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:51:04 PM
Assistantships are only available to graduate students.
Not true. ISU has many undergrad researchers and TA's. I imagine it varies from dept. to dept., but I'm an RA, and most of my wage is paid by the NSF. Also, at ISU, you CAN apply for university grants and scholarships, and as I said, when available, I'd highly recommend prioritizing these when applying. So, apparently, some of these details vary from institution to institution, but it's worth checking into when available, and landing an assistant-ship will certainly benefit the efforts of anyone interested in grad school.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Quote from: Vaud on April 04, 2011, 04:59:40 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:51:04 PM
Assistantships are only available to graduate students.
Not true. ISU has many undergrad researchers and TA's. I imagine it varies from dept. to dept., but I'm an RA, and most of my wage is paid by the NSF. Also, at ISU, you CAN apply for university grants and scholarships, and as I said, when available, I'd highly recommend prioritizing these when applying. So, apparently, some of these details vary from institution to institution, but it's worth checking into when available, and landing an assistant-ship will certainly benefit the efforts of anyone interested in grad school.
RA as in Research Assistant or Resident Assistant? Resident Assistants can definitely be undergrads, but Research assistants...not so much. If your school allows undergrads assistantships, more power to them, but I can assure you that not all of them do, in fact, most probably don't. Those positions are typically reserved for graduate students only because of the amount of work involved.
I get paid to help students get money. You get paid through a program that was referred to you by someone in my field. See also, #10.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:00:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Good for you. That means there ARE people that listen to me. :jebus:
Private loans = The absolute be all, end all, last resort for college financing.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:06:36 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:00:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Good for you. That means there ARE people that listen to me. :jebus:
Private loans = The absolute be all, end all, last resort for college financing.
This was a while ago, before I asked you for advice. I was wanting to go to AI to get a culinary degree. RIDICULOUS INTUITION IS RIDICULOUS.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:19:48 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:06:36 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:00:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Good for you. That means there ARE people that listen to me. :jebus:
Private loans = The absolute be all, end all, last resort for college financing.
This was a while ago, before I asked you for advice. I was wanting to go to AI to get a culinary degree. RIDICULOUS INTUITION IS RIDICULOUS.
NO FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS. DO NOT WANT. YOU CANNOT AFFORD. (SRSLY)
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:19:48 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:06:36 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:00:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Good for you. That means there ARE people that listen to me. :jebus:
Private loans = The absolute be all, end all, last resort for college financing.
This was a while ago, before I asked you for advice. I was wanting to go to AI to get a culinary degree. RIDICULOUS INTUITION IS RIDICULOUS.
NO FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS. DO NOT WANT. YOU CANNOT AFFORD. (SRSLY)
Don't worry, I CAN learn from things before I get involved.
even if they are few and far between.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:19:48 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 05:06:36 PM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 04, 2011, 05:00:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:55:32 PM
Yeah, the main reason why private loans sell is because advisors (who often get kickbacks from SLMA and banks like Citi or BofA) tell students that it's "more convenient" to take one loan instead of a possible 3 (sub, unsub, and private) without breaking down the numbers and showing them exactly what they are getting into. Kids are so dazzled with the promise of going to that big university that they will do anything to pay. And unfortunately, it usually comes out of their soul in the end.
This is truth, especially the bolded part. It doesn't even necessarily be kids, it could be some young single mom who's trying to find a path to follow in her normally directionless and bleak life at home.
Freeky,
Nearly ended up borrowing 50k a year to do something that could be learned for pay.
Good for you. That means there ARE people that listen to me. :jebus:
Private loans = The absolute be all, end all, last resort for college financing.
This was a while ago, before I asked you for advice. I was wanting to go to AI to get a culinary degree. RIDICULOUS INTUITION IS RIDICULOUS.
NO FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS. DO NOT WANT. YOU CANNOT AFFORD. (SRSLY)
:argh!:
:lulz: No, I"m right there in it (AI PDX), and she's right. I saw some kids discussing their loans just before their graduation. 105K+ total outstanding (including fed loans). WTF?
I'm just barely getting enough to attend part time (no private loans for now), and I'm stacking as much of my refunds in a savings as possible. I'm still going to have to whip up a massive ammount of scholarship and grant applications this next two terms, tho.
Suu, may I have clarification on your point#9? Are those separate qualifiers? No-body wants to hire me recently (because I took time off from "working" to start school and make sure my girls special needs son had day-care when
legally required due to age for a couple years).
Are you eligible to receive unemployment benefits? Or did you cease employment voluntarily?
Sallie Mae is the devil. My brother's loans for his Aeronautics degree were through them. nuff said.
I would go to jail to take them down. I've already pledged that.
Seriously, I would willingly firebomb Wilkes-Barre, PA just so that all the students dealing with them could be free.
You might have to locate where the servers are, as well.
But you should in no way actually do this. Of course.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD on April 04, 2011, 07:13:14 PM
You might have to locate where the servers are, as well.
But you should in no way actually do this. Of course.
No, just nuke the whole city from orbit. Just to be sure.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:14:51 PM
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
Um I'm going to argue that this one depends on where your school is located. If you live in a big expensive city this is probably true, but i know that here i would save around $2000 each semester if i just moved to the apartments right next to campus.
Quote from: The Fred ⊂(◉‿◉)つ on April 04, 2011, 09:49:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:14:51 PM
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
Um I'm going to argue that this one depends on where your school is located. If you live in a big expensive city this is probably true, but i know that here i would save around $2000 each semester if i just moved to the apartments right next to campus.
That depends if you'll still be dependent on the meal plan or not. However, as you progress in years through school, typically more money is given for off-campus incidentals to allow for food, rent, etc.
Suu, I'm not the target audience but :mittens: to this thread anyway!
Hey I clicked that fastweb.com link, they basically help you find and apply for uni grants? Like a job opening website, but for grants? Brilliant idea, those guys must be making mad $$$$ on it.
Couldn't you make money by putting this knowledge into a blog or something and putting ads on it or something, maybe answering readers emails (just pick non-retarded ones that are generic and useful for everybody)?
Fastweb is completely free. It's a database of scholarships and grants that basically get filtered when you create a profile so you only get ones that you're eligible for. Again, paying for a grant or scholarship CHANCE defeats the purpose of being awarded free money anyway.
With that, my FAFSA got revised last night. I don't know why, but my EFC is still 00000. The school must have updated my status.
Derp.
"Hi, I'm calling about financial aid? For my daughter? She's coming up this weekend to see the campus and I want to make sure that she gets to talk to someone."
"Okay, is she enrolled at the Providence campus or the Main campus?"
"There's a campus in Maine?"
:aww:
Quote from: The Fred ⊂(◉‿◉)つ on April 04, 2011, 09:49:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:14:51 PM
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
Um I'm going to argue that this one depends on where your school is located. If you live in a big expensive city this is probably true, but i know that here i would save around $2000 each semester if i just moved to the apartments right next to campus.
Also it depends on whether you are 40 years old with three children. I don't think PSU even has housing for that.
Quote from: Nigel on April 06, 2011, 10:01:45 PM
Quote from: The Fred ⊂(◉‿◉)つ on April 04, 2011, 09:49:37 PM
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:14:51 PM
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
Um I'm going to argue that this one depends on where your school is located. If you live in a big expensive city this is probably true, but i know that here i would save around $2000 each semester if i just moved to the apartments right next to campus.
Also it depends on whether you are 40 years old with three children. I don't think PSU even has housing for that.
URI has apartments for grad students and non-traditional students with families that are right across the street from the main campus. You have to be over 25. I'm actually looking into them, but my situation is different than yours as I have no kids, and I don't own my home either. But, if you are looking for something, it may not hurt to ask housing what they recommend. I know there ARE programs, but I can't really tell you much about them because it's not my area. That and every school is different.
I'll be at PCC for a couple of years, but I would totally consider renting out my house (Oh my god, I'd have to get rid of so much crap though!) if I could get a decent cheap student housing situation. Only drawback is giving up my studio.
That alone though makes owning your home worth it.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 06, 2011, 10:23:08 PM
That alone though makes owning your home worth it.
Yeah, it does. Even when things are slow.
Even though I have a one bedroom now, I feel like I don't have enough room for my crap. One day, I will afford a place where I can have a separate studio that doesn't overflow onto my living space.
Speaking of which, Herb and I get to roll my drafting table down the street in a bit. This should be hilarious.
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:03:59 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
I wouldn't do that. I COULDN'T, even if I had the means. I need people around me, particularly on the weeks that I have monkey.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:06:26 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:03:59 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
I wouldn't do that. I COULDN'T, even if I had the means. I need people around me, particularly on the weeks that I have monkey.
:? Would there be MORE people around you in student housing?
Ok, tough question. If I wanted to try and negotiate a small business employer into reimbursing education costs of a certain amount, what tax incentive/motivation/help/whatever could I suggest to him from both state and federal, respectively? Is there anything, or am I just going to have to sell my soul to corporate after I leave here to get it paid for?
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:10:54 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:06:26 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:03:59 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
I wouldn't do that. I COULDN'T, even if I had the means. I need people around me, particularly on the weeks that I have monkey.
:? Would there be MORE people around you in student housing?
I dunno. Maybe. But not strangers, and the bi weekly monkey having is a bbit tough to do now anyway.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 03:06:10 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:10:54 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:06:26 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:03:59 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
I wouldn't do that. I COULDN'T, even if I had the means. I need people around me, particularly on the weeks that I have monkey.
:? Would there be MORE people around you in student housing?
I dunno. Maybe. But not strangers, and the bi weekly monkey having is a bbit tough to do now anyway.
I know what you mean. It does get a FUCKTON easier when they get older though. I was doing the single mom thing when my oldest two were six months and two years old, and frankly... I don't remember that much of it. I wasn't getting any sleep and I didn't have time or money to eat. I would cook for the kids, feed them, get them into bed, and then drink a beer and fall asleep on the couch without eating anything, until the Boy One's colic woke me up 45 minutes later. Most likely, it was the beer that kept me alive... after a while, I started going for stouts, because they're high in nutrients and low in alcohol.
I only weighed about 35 pounds, too... stress and heartbreak have always been excellent for my waistline. :lulz:
Nigel, you rock. It's so awesome you're going back to school.
Aw. :) Thank you!
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 05:20:27 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 03:06:10 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:10:54 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:06:26 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 07, 2011, 12:03:59 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 07, 2011, 12:00:50 AM
And it wouldn't be feasible with community colleges. I'm pretty sure PCC doesn't HAVE campus housing.
Correct. :)
But if I can make it through two years there and then transfer to PSU, rent out my house for enough to cover the mortgage (doubtful... the place needs work) then I'd consider student housing, if it was cheaper.
I wouldn't do that. I COULDN'T, even if I had the means. I need people around me, particularly on the weeks that I have monkey.
:? Would there be MORE people around you in student housing?
I dunno. Maybe. But not strangers, and the bi weekly monkey having is a bbit tough to do now anyway.
I know what you mean. It does get a FUCKTON easier when they get older though. I was doing the single mom thing when my oldest two were six months and two years old, and frankly... I don't remember that much of it. I wasn't getting any sleep and I didn't have time or money to eat. I would cook for the kids, feed them, get them into bed, and then drink a beer and fall asleep on the couch without eating anything, until the Boy One's colic woke me up 45 minutes later. Most likely, it was the beer that kept me alive... after a while, I started going for stouts, because they're high in nutrients and low in alcohol.
I only weighed about 35 pounds, too... stress and heartbreak have always been excellent for my waistline. :lulz:
As I am now, I could not have done that. I'm trying to get back on my feet, but living in my own place, with a Terrible Twos and no work experience or special training, is flat out impossible. Not to mention the fact that I'm not ready
up here *taps head* for that kind of thing. I bet it does get easier when their older particularly once they get to school and are old enough to be latchkey kids, but damn that'd still be rough.
It's not so bad. I was lucky in that I had about eight years of solid retail sales experience before my oldest was born, and I was able to work full time throughout. Some of the logistics were intense, though.
I bet.
Freeky, what are you going to school for, may I ask?
Yeah, sure, I'm getting some trade education done.
Specifically welding. I don't have the money to get the plain old training done and
no experience < degree < actual experience.
That's actually a pretty good field, and will ALWAYS be in demand.
Indeed. That's why I decided to see if I could get into it (talent, enjoyment, etc.). :D
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 09, 2011, 12:22:37 AM
Indeed. That's why I decided to see if I could get into it (talent, enjoyment, etc.). :D
You get to wield FIRE and LIGHTNING to bend the might of IRON and STEEL to
YOUR WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Coyote, too lazy to actually get his welders cert, also a shitty welder. :lulz:
If anyone should go
MAD WITH POWAHHH!!!
it should be people who weld. :lulz:
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 09, 2011, 01:45:12 AM
If anyone should go
MAD WITH POWAHHH!!!
it should be people who weld. :lulz:
People who have welders working for them. :digtbk:
Quote from: Susan on April 09, 2011, 01:46:06 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 09, 2011, 01:45:12 AM
If anyone should go
MAD WITH POWAHHH!!!
it should be people who weld. :lulz:
People who have welders working for them. :digtbk:
Those people automatically become your henchmen.
A note on car purchases for students who live on/near campus:
In addition to the cost of the car itself, in my experience, city campuses make you pay an arm, a leg, and a testicle for parking permits. Walking or biking will be much easier on your wallet, and probably help to counteract the terribly unhealthy campus food you will probably be ingesting freshman year.
most large schools have free a free bus system too
???
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 08, 2011, 11:47:57 PM
Specifically welding. I don't have the money to get the plain old training done and
no experience < degree < actual experience.
Welding is COOL.
Quote from: Nigel on April 09, 2011, 07:01:53 AM
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 08, 2011, 11:47:57 PM
Specifically welding. I don't have the money to get the plain old training done and
no experience < degree < actual experience.
Welding is COOL.
it also makes me...um....nevermind.....still not that drunk....
Quote from: Vartox on April 09, 2011, 06:15:35 AM
A note on car purchases for students who live on/near campus:
In addition to the cost of the car itself, in my experience, city campuses make you pay an arm, a leg, and a testicle for parking permits. Walking or biking will be much easier on your wallet, and probably help to counteract the terribly unhealthy campus food you will probably be ingesting freshman year.
URI charges $150 a semester for a pass.
...But we have the best dining halls in the nation.
Quote from: The Fred ⊂(◉‿◉)つ on April 09, 2011, 06:30:31 AM
most large schools have free a free bus system too
We have 2 shuttles and an hour bus ride between Providence and Kingston. The bus between Kingston and Narragansett is...a half hour I wanna think for a fucking 10 minute drive, and there is no bus between Kingston and Exeter, which is all the super secret biomedical engineering shit anyway.
Well then YOUR bus system sucks :lol:
Even if you live on campus at OSU try getting to classes w/o the buses. That place is like a small city.
Buses were pretty fast at Syracuse to get to the South campus apartments and the off campus apartment area too.
Haven't ridden the bus here cause I forked out the cash for my parking pass lol.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on April 04, 2011, 04:14:51 PM
Ya'll wanna know the secret to getting financial aid? Here it is.
There isn't one, motherfuckers. Follow your princess's advice:
1: File your FAFSA yourself. Don't let an advisor, or worse, someone you PAY at a "college planning center" to do it for you. It's a free application, and paying for it guarantees that someone is banking off of something going wrong and misleading you as to what you can get.
2: Do not bitch to me that you didn't get enough money. You're one of 8 million college students in America. Shut your piehole.
3: Fastweb.com. Live it. Learn it. Love it. Or, do what we had to do 10 years ago, and that's get your fucking ass off of the computer and go to the library, find the big book of grants I know they still publish, sit yourself down, and start writing letters until your pen runs out of ink. You can't win scholarships and grants if you don't fucking apply for them.
4: KEEP YOUR FUCKING GPA UP, MORON. If you got below a 2.5 last semester, you don't deserve anything. If you got below a 1.5, why are you even in my office? Seriously. You're PAYING to go to school now, and if you want more money to continue this education, you need to be competitive with your grades. I had a 4.0 my first semester back in college. Not because I'm a genius, but because I FUCKING KNOW BETTER. It's not rocket science, it's school, do the required work and you'll be surprised how well you do. If you're seriously struggling, get help. It's there. Those professors are more approachable than you think.
5: LOANS ARE FINANCIAL AID. Do not come to me and tell me that you didn't get any because you weren't offered a Pell Grant or University Grant. Fact: Those are for us po' kids, and if you're from a family that you're still dependent on that makes above the mark, you're not getting them. Plain and simple. There is no way around this. Keep your grades up, take the low-interest federal loans, and see #3.
6: LOANS CAN BE MANAGED. Federal programs are FANTASTIC. Private loans are GHASTLY, but there are a wealth of programs out there to assist in the repayment of scary student loans. Yes, loans are fucking horrible, but they can be taken care of. If you want more info, let me know.
7: DON'T TAKE ANYTHING AT FACE VALUE. If you don't get enough aid to cover the cost of attendance, and you know you won't be able to pay the balance, talk to your financial aid department. Did you know that Brown University gives a free ride to almost 60% of their undergrads on merit alone if they fall below a certain income? I didn't until I was already enrolled at URI. Check with your university, keep the pressure on, there's always something. State schools may not have this, but private schools have a larger endowment and a lot more programs to keep the smart kids in their ranks so their graduation numbers stay high.
8: DON'T BUY A CAR OR OTHER OPTIONAL INCIDENTAL WITH YOUR REFUND. I hate you people. Live on campus, it's cheaper in the long run.
9: IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, DISABLED, OR UNEMPLOYED...Don't let them give you the runaround. You're going to school for free or almost free. Get in touch with the right people right now to get your vouchers.
10: MY WORD IS THAT OF GOD. Do not question this. I am a goddamn industry professional.
Great thread!
I'm interested to hear more about #9, please. What vouchers & which right people?
Go to your financial aid office at school and ask about what programs there are for the above mentioned. They should be able to provide the number to the state department that's in charge of that. Veterans should be able to get the GI Bill or maybe subsidized tuition, if you're collecting unemployment, you can probably score a free class or 2, and I'm pretty sure disability can get you a free ride if you ask.
Thanks!
Bumping.
Your award letters and bills are coming in soon. Ask me anything!
On Pell Grants for the summer: I've heard some shaky confirmations from across the grapevine that they are still going forward with it, however, we at my university have not been confirmed this is the case. I will keep you all updated. Trust me, my summer class depends on it.
ON COST OF ATTENDANCE:
For those that receive something that tells you your estimated budget for a cost of attendance, be advised that this is NOT A BILL. What it is, is a statement that your financial aid office plans out for you to give you an idea of how much your school will cost you for the academic year.
If you don't have on-campus housing, scratch that off, if you don't want to buy your books from the school bookstore, scratch that off, and so for and so on, until you're down to what you'll actually be paying. You should not be charged for your books before going to the bookstore anyway, so that tells you it's an estimation based on your enrollment status, as book prices fluctuate daily.
Typically, the only things you are required to pay to your school is tuition and fees. Meal plans, housing, insurance, etc, are additional costs if you choose that route.