Can anyone send me in the right direction on finding grants/loans to help pay for school?

Leslie - posted on 09/09/2009

Hi Rachel. When I got pregnant with my son I decided i was going to go to school. But as we all know school is not cheap. I went on line and applied for a FASFA grant. The FASTA grant is awsome it gives u a certain amount each semister depending on if ur full time or part time and whatever u dont use on tuition and books u get back in a refund check midsemister. U should check it out. Good luck.

Karen - posted on 09/06/2009

Fill out the FASFA first then talk to the advisor or financial aid they should be able to give you info on grants and scholarships. Then talk to everyone that you know there are a number of groups that have scholarships, everything from the Moose lodge to the companies that are in your field. I hope this helps.

Leilanie - posted on 09/04/2009

this is what happened to me, i had ben wanting to go back to school and every semester that i filled out FAFSA when i was working I never got anything. the only thing they wanted to offer me was loans. I wasn't about to go down that road. WHen i lost my job in June of this year i applied to FAFSA again and i was approved for a Pell Grant and it has paid for all of my classes and books for the fall semester. Granted i'm just going to a community college, but that's the best place to start. Go to your local community college and ask for help, there are ways for you to go back to school.

Anreh - posted on 09/02/2009

Hi Rachel

My husband is a financial aid director at Golden Gate University in SF. He has the scoop!

If you are an undergraduate student, you may be eligible for Pell grants. Fill out the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. If you EFC is below 4600 and you attend school at least half time, you will likely receive something. (The EFC is a number generated by the government based on the numbers you input into your FAFSA).

If you a graduate student, there are no government grants available. However, you may be able to find some private or third party grants at www.fastweb.com

If you don't qualify for any grants or scholarships, it's okay. You are guaranteed to qualify for federal student loans, AKA Stafford loans. They max out at $6250 for undergrads and $10,250 for grads. There's no credit check and income is irrelevant. As long as you're a U.S. citizen, attend school at least half time and don't have a prior default on a student loan, you cannot be turned down for a federal student loan. You have 10 years to repay it, and repayment doesn't begin till after graduation.

Hope this helps!

Herna

Erica - posted on 08/28/2009

Like everyone is telling you, do a search on FAFSA. Also contact your local unemployment office and social services. Ask both departments if they have any programs that can assist you. In some states these are well concealed resources and the employees can't volunteer the info until you specifically ask about them. Talk to your school (I go to University of Phoenix too. Let me tell you, there is something wonderful about sitting in your pajamas, doing your classwork knowing that another babysitter is not with your kids). Most importantly, don't pay for the book on pell grants. They're out there. Tons of them are out there and this is the end of the fiscal year. That is a plus for you because all of these places have to give the money away or they lose it for next year. You may get the pell grant even if you don't fall under the guidelines of someone they would normally give it to (my sister received a $500 grant for African American boys. My sister is not African American, nor a boy. But that company didn't lose the $500 for the following year.



Good luck. It is overwhelming. Let your school counselor help you.

Christin - posted on 08/27/2009

aessuccess.org and google fafsa it takes time but you will find all kinds of grants and scholorships!

Sarah - posted on 08/25/2009

Definately the FAFSA! It'll even tell you what you are elligible for after you fill it out. Depending on your course of study, you could get extra grants on top of loans. If you are in a credential program you are elligible for the Pell Grant as well as loans. Good Luck and Congrats on going back to school. I am working on a 2nd credential. It's a lot of work with kids, but well worth it!

Jenny - posted on 08/23/2009

hey im 20 and have two kids and i got the fasfa and if u go to ur local career center ask them about the wia grant they payed for everything even my gas to go to school and bc the wia grant paid everything even books they gave me my pell grant from fasfa 3 weeks after school started and that was 2630 to help with living every semester this even works for people who going to school on line hope this helps u

Ashley - posted on 08/21/2009

The first thing you should look at is FAFSA if you need financial aid. Are you married? If so, then you are considered an independent student. if not you're considered a dependent student until you turn 24. I got married at 20 and I have a daughter now so I was able to get a lot of financial aid for school. The school I go to now is pretty expensive and I was able to get A LOT of financial aid, which covered everything except for $500 a semester, which I am able to pay interest free over the semester. FAFSA should have financial aid workshops in your area so you can get more information. They'll even help you fill them out!

Ashley - posted on 08/21/2009

www.FASFA.com

Misty - posted on 08/21/2009

I usually go through the FAFSA on the web. Go to your schools financial aid department and the Non-Traditional Students organization on your campus if there is one. Also, we have something where I live called Workforce that has scholorships and grants for certain areas of study. Check to see if there is some thing like that in your area. Be careful online because you can get scammed. Hope this helps. I am using a full Pell grant and two student loans.

Brittany - posted on 08/16/2009

fill out a fafsa... you could potentially get a pell grant... which is the money you dont pay back.. and then the federal student loans arent credit based... I made like 12000 last year so I did work, and I still have an estimated family contribution of 0 dollars. I get a check of almost 6000.00 after my tuition and books are paid for. thats after the pell grant and loans.

Christine - posted on 08/15/2009

Hi Rachel
My daughter got her loan through ISU but it was not enough so she is getting a secound student loan from Wells Fargo Bank we are getting 6% apr so thats not bad at all.Try them I hope that helps.Also she got a Grant from ISU you might try the school you want to go to and see what they have going.

Juanita - posted on 08/13/2009

Rachel, if nothing else works for you try going through your school and apply for a loan through NelNet, they are good about giving current students loans for schooling.

Nicole - posted on 08/13/2009

Definitely turn in your FAFSA first. Then talk to the advisers at your school, or the schools you are considering. I was so concerned about how we would afford school. I have been able to go to school for one and half years now for free between grants and scholarships. I even get money back each semester. All schools offer scholarships to students with different backgrounds. These are not the only ones, but may be the easiest to receive. Good luck!! We have all been where you are. Getting started is the hardest part.

Ally - posted on 08/13/2009

hi rachel-

if you're a military dependent, there are benefits from the gi bill & also, if either of your parents were in the military (ie, vietnam vet etc..) there are benefits there too that you may be eligible for as well...

like pauly said though, each state varies on their benefits...one thing that i will stress to you (from experience) is when you decide on your program, take whatever basics you can at a community college (english, math) that sorta thing b/c once you are only alloted x-amount of dollars per degree & once you use that, everything else begins coming outta your pocket & it is not cheap!

another thing, when buying your books, unless they are major specific (anatomy, medical terminology etc...) go for the used books as books are outragiously priced & depending on the subject & the school, some only use a book one semester & then when you go to trade it in you get sometimes not even half of what you paid for...

Crystal - posted on 08/12/2009

I am in my last semester of Nursing school and I got a Scholarship from Work-One. The Government is offering lots of $$ to help Moms finish their degree. Depending on what field you are going to be in when you graduate, there may be scholarship money for you. Work-One, Job Works or some institution like that may be able to help. Even the College Financial Aid office will be able to tell you what's out there and available for you. Good Luck!

Sarah - posted on 08/12/2009

Hi Rachel, I had this problem when I started school too. I am 27 and just went back about a year and a half ago. I think that Pauly has the best advice. Apply for the FAFSA. Also, if you have already chosen your school the academic counselors or advisors there will be able to help. You may even want to talk to the financial advisor. There are many sites out there claiming to give grants, so be leary! I would not look into loans just yet. Your best bet is to talk to the school of your choice. I attend University of Phoenix Axia Online. Tuition is higher than a local college, but everything is online. And the counselors are great! If you are interrested in Axia just let me know. maddydes05@yahoo.com.



Good Luck!

Pauly - posted on 08/12/2009

Hi Rachel,

Have you tried to apply for FASFA through the Federal Government? Depending on what state you live in most state have Grants for moms who don't make a lot of money! Also, I think that Obama has a grant program for moms to go back to school too!

Check it out and let me know how it works for you!