Why my dad is NOT paying for my college?
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Sorry kid, but your only option left is probably private loans from banks that specialize in college loans. You don't have to start paying until after graduation so all your parents need to do now is to co-sign the forms. After that it's up to you to pay it off with income from a job. That's how most people get by when their school's financial aid isn't enough.
Get student loans like every other human being. College is expensive and sometimes you can't expect your parents to pay for everything. I got students loans, got my Bachelors degree and now I'm paying them off. It's not that hard.
There are ways; both my sons (a senior and a sophomore in college) are paying for their own with no debt. Do community college for the first 2 years, work hard at a job summers, holidays, and weekends, and go to a 4-yr. school if you need a degree (the community college can give associates degrees and certificates in many areas). Don't wait for anyone to GIVE you anything--work for it and it will be worth more to you.
There are too many scholarships available. Most of them don't even have applicants.
www.fastweb.com has a large list of scholarships. Be warned... don't give them an email address that doesn't get spammed. However, the scholarships are legit. They've helped me.
Remember - those little $200, $500 scholarships add up quickly. Don't reject it because it doesn't give you everything you need in one lump sum.
If your parents absolutely refuse to help you with anything, consider trying to declare yourself financially independent (once you're 18). The upside of this is you'd get a LOT more financial aid, possibly enough to cover college expenses since you'd have little/no money. The downside--you'd loose all insurance (like health insurance) you had with your parents.
Also, take out loans, especially the Student Stafford Loan. You did fill out the FAFSA, right? That's where most federal aid comes from. Also try student employment and little scholarships given out by companies--they add up!
Finally, consider this if you really want to go to college and honestly can't afford it. Many students join the Reserves of a particular branch of military. They pay well, you don't work that much, plus you'll get tuition assistance. Keep in mind the committment involved in that, though. Just an idea.
I'm sorry your parents won't pay for all of college...but keep in mind how expensive it is. Try to come up with a compromise-"Dad, how about you pay for my room/board if I take care of tuition and any spending money I want?" Anything is better than nothing! Just try not to get too aggrivated with them.
Good luck!
Because you can take out loans for college, whereas your parents cannot take out loans to fund their retirement. I read that more than once in financial planning articles.
I also read in more than one source that there is tons of $$ out there in scholarships, grants and awards both large and small, you just have to scour the Internet, newspapers, etc. Go to the library and get a book about scoring money for college.
Why do you have no money? Can't you work? There's nothing that says your parents have to pay for your education.
You can also get a job at a company with tuition reimbursement. This is a fantastic employee benefit that very few employees actually avail themselves of. If you get a job at some mega-corp with this benefit, it is well worth the boring routine work and low pay you will get for your cubicle job.
Get off your butt and quit expecting your parents to hand everything to you.
i do believe anyone can get a student loan, the only difference is for how much, so you may have to choose a cheaper school then your original choice, but trust me, you can go. There are plenty of us out there that have 80,000+ in student loans.
You can get financial aid & sometimes grants depending on your situation (checkout www.fafsa.ed.gov). Work a part-time job. If you're unable to find one, use a temp agency. Without your parents help, you're probably more-likely to get better grades and whatnot because it's coming out of your pocket. Also, when you're finished, you can take pride in knowing that you paid for your education by yourself and didn't have to rely on anyone to get it done.
No degree here working in a company making 23/h in Silicone valley. My bf is 10 years in a company, no degree, making triple my pay. Depending on what you do, a degree is NOT the most important thing. If you demonstrate a good knowledge in the subject and hands on experience, you can do it. well unless you are a doctor. My BF and I are in the IT world. He's a developer, I'm a technician.
"Without a degree, my future is ruined."
Your future is what you make of it.
If you choose to let it be ruined, that is your choice to make.
Some of my friends with liberal arts major college degrees from a prestigious school make less than I do as an information systems summer intern, without my college degree.
"I already tried financial aid; they don't give you enough to even survive."
That's funny, I got enough for the Fall 2007 semester to pay for tuition, fees, books, room, board, transportation, health insurance, and another $1000 for "personal expenses."
You need to go talk to your school's Financial Aid Office.
Perhaps your parents make too much and won't take out PLUS Loans or provide you with funds. Maybe you should draw up a plan for your time in college and discuss it with them. If I were your parents, I would not just hand you money, although I would be open to assisting you in completing a plan to a four-year Bachelors degree, if you explained why in a cogent, humble, and business-like manner.
"andd don't tell me about job. I already tried that and it did not work."
No money? Get a job. If you are too proud to take a job, then don't plan on having food or a place to sleep, either.
You can get a part-time job that offers tuition reimbursement, such as a bank or credit union teller...or work for the grocery store.
Your school may also offer part-time or full-time jobs with tuition waivers.
Consider becoming a Resident Advisor: many schools provide tax-free room and board.
Consider a cheaper school.
Consider joining ROTC if you are in a less demanding academic program.
Consider a community college.
Some community colleges offer better quality courses than four-year schools! The math courses that I am taking right now at Northern Virginia Community College (very highly ranked) are better than those of the University of Virginia, where I attend regularly, serve to illustrate just one example.
Consider Distance Learning options, such as NVCC's ELI option. Even with out-of-state tuition prices, you can take courses in small bits and pieces that will eventually transfer to a four-year school. (See www.nvcc.edu for details.)
Consider working for a few years and saving up money to go to school.
...or consider working and studying part-time. Combined with tuition reimbursement, you may finish school debt-free and with real world work experience. Plus, if you work for a large company, they may want to hire you after graduation.
You should be able to easily pick up $15-20K in income as a student, if you work during summers and the school year and study judiciously. Add on some scholarships and max out your Stafford loans, budget wisely, and avoid credit card and payday loan debt, and you will make it through very easily.
You have much opportunity, but you must hustle. Nobody will hand you anything on a silver platter.
Time is your most precious asset, so go use it wisely!
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