How do you pay for college while living on your own?

You're a college student now, right?

If so, lots of options available to you, but I can't tell if you are or not so thought I'd ask first.

First off visit your school's financial aid office or if you are not attending school yet, visit one where you would want to go. If you are living on your own and don't make much money you should qualify for all sorts of assistance and there are also loans.

Also, check with work and see if they have a tuition reimbursement program - some companies will actually reimburse you all or part of your tuition.

First make sure your job is steady and you're working at least 40 hr/week.

Then, don't buy a car. Save the money in conservative investments such as CDs and bonds.

Then pick a college that has an evening program and that will take you as a student.

Then attend night classes, study and eventually you'll have your degree or even be able to transfer to the day school.


My uncle, many years ago (!) put himself through Northwestern's dental school, by working at night at the Mars candy company in Chicago.

He made it , as have many other hard working people ...

I just realized the title kind of contains the info that you're in college, sorry. I'm flitting in and out of A2K while doing a zillion other things...

Yes, financial aid office. Also there should be some sort of health care plan available to students. You shouldn't have to pay that much out of pocket.

I was making nearly nothing. Loans. That's how I did it.

And yes, universities do have student health plans. They aren't the greatest but they are better than nothing.

My advice? Get loans, work 10-15 hours a week only (to pay for food each week and incidentals), live in the dorms your first 2 years, take a full load of classes each semester and get out as soon as you can.

That will save you the most time and money.

The student health plans are very poor.

Ogionik--

Because college costs a lot of money, more and more students are "non-traditional". "Non-traditional" means older than 21 or taking more than 4 years to finish a degree.

What were your grades like in high school?

Get a high school transcript and make an appointment with someone in the admissions department of the college you would like to attend. Ask them about college costs.

Linkat has some excellent advice.

Good luck.

You are never too old to go to college. I still take college courses that interest me.

If you had good grades in high school then check with the college to see what scholarships are available.

Good Luck

I'd first check to see if there are any government programs available in your state to see if you don't qualify for some sort of low income grant.
I'm 43 years old and am looking into going back to school on a program they offer here.

Best of luck to you.

i had straight f's actually(jr year), long story short, they said i was out of school like 180 days or someshit, but i transferred schools so i was in school, but nothing i said got my grades back, it was the automatic failure after 10 days of truancy bullshit rule, oh well, i got 90% + on every test i took tho, i dont think that will help much >.<, on the profiencies i scored in the top 1% , except in math ugh!

I just dont want to go deep into debt, im glad i posted this! i was set on getting a car after thinking about it, but a buspass is $40 a month, a car is god knows how much more, even if it was paid off insurance + gas would kill me.

no car no girls tho

thanks for the input guys

I dated guys without cars. Cars suck up money big time. Rent a nice car if you need to go some place.
Go to school in a city that has decent public transportation like Philadelphia or Pittsburg or Atlanta or Miami.

Find a two bedroom apartment and rent out the larger bedroom for more money than you pay. Example: Rent is $800, rent larger room for $550. Other option: work for housing. I worked as a governess for a year in NYC so would not have to pay rent. I got to live off of Park Ave in a doorman building.

See what work/study programs are available. Schools will sometimes offer tuition discounts if you work for them, usually the work is clerical.

Get former teachers to write letters of recommendation that will explain you were a good student in class, but had problems that prevented you from staying in school consistently.

Call colleges you are interested in and speak to admission counselors. They can help you do the financial applications.

Go to a community college the first two years to save money and work on your grades. Transfer to your dream college, or the best you can afford and get accepted to, for actual graduation.

The health care system in this country is an embarrassment. We voted in a president who prefers to spend our tax money on killing people rather than keeping them alive. I have no advice on the issue.

Good Luck.

Check out this site--follow the links:

http://www.lasvegaseducation.org/?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_n=edu_google_lasvegas_re_lasveg_200609

Do you have a GED?

have you considered "co-op colleges" where you alternate between study and work terms(and getting paid) ?
see link for information .
hbg

CO-OP COLLEGES

i have my diploma and a GED, but my diploma cancels the ged out, and the marine recruiter, basically, stole my ged.

(i used my ged to get almost all my credits back, its called fasttrack or someshit)

Get a stripper pole

Contact the GED people--check the blue pages in the phone book under "education" and get a duplicate of your GED certificate. Get a copy of your diploma.

Pick a college in your area and make an appointment with someone in the Admissions Office.