Kommander wants to go to college

[Kommander]

Since I graduated high school, I've worked at a fast food place, a factory, construction/home improvement, and data entry. When I got let go from the data entry job back in March, I decided: I'm done. I'm not working one more job where the pay is barely above minimum wage and I'm treated like shit.

Essentially, I need help trying to figure out how to get a free ride for the next four years. Tuition, books, supplies, and living expenses. In my current financial situation, I can probably get the maximum out of financial aid. However, that still leaves living expenses.

I know what you're thinking: "A job would cover those." As I said in the first paragraph, I AM FUCKING DONE WITH SHITTY JOBS! Also, I just turned 25 and I need to make up for lost time, meaning, I need to focus on my education. I plan on cramming as many classes into each day as I can; so much so that the only way I could fit working in is if I no longer required sleep, and 5 Hour Energy only does so much. I'd consider a paid internship, but that's probably not an option at this point.

So, how do I do this? I'm sure the enrollment people will be able to help me out further, but I'd like to have some idea of what I'm doing before I talk to them. Any and all input is appreciated (except anything negative that isn't also constructive. Nay-sayers will be stabbed in the eye with a Torx screwdriver.)

If it helps, I'll be majoring in marketing, and, while I'll probably be starting at community college, I'll accept nothing less than a Bachelor's Degree.

 

[Omnius]

You've been playing too much Baldur's Gate!

If I were you, I'd look into a job that provides education as part of the employment.
Good luck!

 

[anti-matter]

In NYS you can get free tuition at state schools (SUNY) if you join the National Guard. Probably the same where you are too.

 

[Daedalus12]

Join the US army.

 

[Kommander]

If I were you, I'd look into a job that provides education as part of the employment.
Good luck!

Having a job where I could actually afford to support myself would be nice and all, but that's the bare minimum of my goals. Ultimately, I'd like to be in business for myself. I'm sure that companies that offer that kind of thing have measures in place that would prevent me from taking my education and running away as fast as I'd like to. But, if that fails...

In NYS you can get free tuition at state schools (SUNY) if you join the National Guard. Probably the same where you are too.

Join the US army.

The military in any form is not an option for me for several reasons I don't care to go into.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Many private scholarships (meaning not from the school or state/federal government) will provide money for living expenses. Apply to as many scholarships as you can. In many cases, if you end up getting more scholarships than your tuition costs, the school will refund the extra money back to your bank account. For example I have a university grant that covers tuition but I also have a $1,000 scholarship each semester, so after they send that to the school it gets routed back to me to use for whatever I want. However, check the fine print, because for some scholarships, if they find out you are receiving aid from somewhere else they will stop giving to you.

Going to community college while you work isn't a bad option, but if you want to get it all done as quickly as possible and have a shot at the really good scholarships, I would go with a 4-year university. Preferrably a state one. Unfortunately I can't give better details since I am only informed about California's system. But the state schools here can be pretty cheap ($2000/semester, sometimes less) if you aren't picky about where you want to live. And if you really try it isn't TOO hard to find that much in scholarships. Even if you go with student loans that's not much to pay off later. I don't know how much your cheaper universities cost though.

If you do plan to go to community college first, have a really good 4-year plan of every class you will take, where you will transfer to, and what all of the transfer requirements are. SO many people get screwed and have to spend an extra year in university because their credits didn't transfer as they expected. The only way to combat this is to plan ahead.

I didn't have a job during undergraduate, but that's only because I had the fortune of receiving a really great four year scholarship that covered my tuition and living expenses (though I wasn't living the high life, that's for sure, but it was nice enough). It was a private scholarship that I found in one of those "Getting to College For Free" books or whatever they're called from a bookstore. It had hundreds of pages of websites where you could go to apply, and I must have done all of them. Took months, but it worked. That's another thing - if you want to really look for scholarships, you should start at LEAST a year before you plan to begin your first semester. Some application deadlines are very early, and you don't want to miss out.

To put things in perspective - I did more work and invested more time and energy into finding scholarships that first year before college than I actually did while in my first year of college. I can't even count all the personal essays I wrote...

I only know one other person who did not have to work during college. He had scholarships for tuition and his mom paid for his living expenses. But everyone else I knew had to work crummy part time jobs. The nice thing about living in a college town is that the employers will usually work around your class schedule. However not having to work in undergraduate was a really awesome experience and allowed me to really focus on school, which I appreciated very much.

Another thing, if you go to a university (not sure if community colleges have this), there is usually an Honors program. These often give grants/scholarships if you agree to be in the program for a certain length of time (two years for me). This is really worth it, since all it required was taking specific classes with the other Honors students. But it wasn't anything extra, the classes fulfilled GE requirements we already had to take. The classes weren't much harder than normal ones and sometimes were even easier. Plus you get to go in and bond with a smaller group of students, which makes studying a lot easier.

Hope I was some help...if you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them.

 

[Vulcan Princess]

Fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible. This is the application that determines your eligibility for financial aid. The schools will use the magic number it churns out in preparing your aid package. Since you're 25, any income your parents make won't count against you. It varies from school to school, but my financial aid package covers living expenses as well. (It's all loans, so I declined the living expenses portion and got a job, but at least the option is there.) There are a lot of grants available to undergraduate students. Good luck!

 

[RevDMV]

+1 on going with a 4 year of choice. Credits don't always transfer, no matter who says they do. Plus the sooner you get into the groove at the 4 year the better you'll do, finding the good profs, study partners, cheap beer nite at the pub, you know all the important stuff...

As far as a job, get an on campus gig. No problems with schedules, plus, at least in the Calif system if you work on campus you get higher priority at registration time. A huge benefit at the beginning and ending of school, when you either can't get classes, or need just that one.

Run away from loans/credit. If you long term goal is self employment you really don't want to start in a hole.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Geez, I can't believe I forgot to mention the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It's the most important thing ever for any college student who isn't super rich. The deadline differs by state. For the fall 2009/spring 2010 year it was due March 1, 2009 in California. Almost all schools will require you have filled this out to be considered for university scholarships.

 

[Garak]

Whore yourself out. It's the only way.

Well that or being a deckhand on an Alaskan King Crab fishing boat.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Hey, when are you going back to Wal-Mart to pick out things that have no honor? I WANNA GO!

 

[nevermore]

If I were you, I'd look into a job that provides education as part of the employment.
Good luck!

Having a job where I could actually afford to support myself would be nice and all, but that's the bare minimum of my goals. Ultimately, I'd like to be in business for myself. I'm sure that companies that offer that kind of thing have measures in place that would prevent me from taking my education and running away as fast as I'd like to. But, if that fails...

I suggest getting a job at a university. Many will give you full tuition remission to pursue whatever degree you like with no obligation to use it there. It would mean part-time school, of course, but its always an option.

 

[T'Baio]

God, I love Canada! I love Ontario!

From the OSAP web site, "OSAP provides eligible Ontario students with financial assistance to help pay for their tuition, books, mandatory fees, living costs and transportation."

https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/not_secure/about.htm

You got nothing? They give you everything!

YAY CANADA!

 

[Goliath]

^Do they mention that you have to pay it back after you graduate?

I myself went to university on the "learn now, pay (and pay, and pay) later " plan.

 

[Plecostomus]

Whore yourself out. It's the only way.

Well that or being a deckhand on an Alaskan King Crab fishing boat.

You'll start out as an apprentice baiter, work your way up to journyman baiter and soon you'll be (I shouldn't have to finish this joke. )

 

[Tim]

If I were you, I'd look into a job that provides education as part of the employment.
Good luck!

Having a job where I could actually afford to support myself would be nice and all, but that's the bare minimum of my goals. Ultimately, I'd like to be in business for myself. I'm sure that companies that offer that kind of thing have measures in place that would prevent me from taking my education and running away as fast as I'd like to. But, if that fails...

I suggest getting a job at a university. Many will give you full tuition remission to pursue whatever degree you like with no obligation to use it there. It would mean part-time school, of course, but its always an option.

Yep. A number of people at my university's tech transfer office are doing just this to get masters' degrees.

 

[Hoser]

^Do they mention that you have to pay it back after you graduate?

I myself went to university on the "learn now, pay (and pay, and pay) later " plan.

Of course, you could apply for interest relief and debt reduction and all that.
OSAP's pretty much one of the options I'm seriously considering......I just hate living in any kind of debt.

 

[RoJoHen]

^Do they mention that you have to pay it back after you graduate?

I myself went to university on the "learn now, pay (and pay, and pay) later " plan.

Of course, you could apply for interest relief and debt reduction and all that.
OSAP's pretty much one of the options I'm seriously considering......I just hate living in any kind of debt.

Nobody likes being in debt, but it's often necessary.

 

[Kommander]

Hey, when are you going back to Wal-Mart to pick out things that have no honor? I WANNA GO!

You found where we hid the Sudafed, I see. Anyway, whenever you want. Wal-mart is full of items that are without honor, and it is the sworn duty of JuanBolio and I to make others aware of such dishonor as often as possible.

Anyway, thanks for the input, everyone. I applied today at the community college and they're sending me a financial aid package. Considering my parent's incomes aren't a factor and I only made $14,000 last year, that should cover a lot. As for living expenses, I'll look into grants and scholarships once I talk to the people at the school. If that doesn't work, I'll figure something out. Things have a way of falling into place nicely when I put my mind to it. As a very last resort there's loans (although, while my credit isn't terrible, it's not very good either...) My dad can probably help me out a bit, and my mom has been dating a rich guy for a little over a month. I really don't want to bug either of them unless I absolutely have to.

As far as transferring credits, I know for sure Macomb Community College credits will transfer to Wayne State University, which is good enough I guess. I'm kind of going for significantly better than "good enough," but it's acceptable.

 

[Amaris]

Interesting that you should be looking, Kommander. I'm doing the same. I am speaking with people at DeVry, and they're helping me put together a financial package, since I'm unemployed, and the rep was confident that most of my tuition and fees could be taken care of by grants and low interest loans. As much as I like technology, that market is not only saturated, it's sagging, so I am looking at a Business Administration/Business Management degree. An Associates.

I hope you're able to go to college. It only took me 10 years to get to it!

J.