[darkality24]

well, when I signed up for the ACT 2 years ago, I started getting a lot of college shit in the mail.


I got a lot of bullshit schools boasting huge numbers of students, small class sizes, and useless sporting achievements, but nestled in there were a few amazing schools.

It does however leave me at a total loss as to how I am supposed to pay for it.

The money the state is giving going to offer me to go to a college here is practically a joke compared to what schooling cost, and honestly I really think that experiencing only this state is hampering me anyhow.

My parents wont be able to help me, and honestly I'm not sure I would want them too. But they're the ones pushing for me to go to college within a year of graduating highschool, so I cant get a job and save for it.




Honestly though, I'm just scared that I'll wind up like my family really. My mom and dad grew up in this county, went to school around here, and now have no ambitions, and can hardly function without booze or pills.
Then my older brother, who wanted to move to Seattle and open up a restaurant, goes to a local college, now all he does is work and drink.
My cousin, not quite the sharpest tool in the shed, she was a model and a writer who wanted to move to NY and work for a fashion magazine, she drops out of her second year of college, became a drunk, lost her modeling job and is now an alcoholic living with some biker almost twice her age.


It's something as simple as education, but it feels like unless I can get out of here to do it, I'll never leave this place.

[Hacker]

I don't know about the law in Kentucky, but in Ohio if you are under 23 regardless of if you live in your parent's home they calculate how much financial aid you are able to get against your parent's income, not you own. If your parents don't make dick you will get a reasonable amount of financial aid through the PELL grant, the Stafford Subsidised and Unsubsidised student loans, and whatever miscellaneous Grants and Loans you can get. However, if your parents make a good living - calculate this as "makes 10 cents over minimum wage" you won't get shit for student loans etc.

Besides, you just got done with at least 13 straight years of school. If I could advise anyone in the US about college, it is that I would suggest working in the work force until you are 24 for financial reasons and to avoid educational burnout.

[Fatal_love_syndrome]

I took a semester off of college. My dream is to go to Vassar or some other big school up North. But since the state of Florida pays for 100 percent of my schooling here (Bright Futures Florida Medallion Scholar) and they gave me a pell grant to -basically- dick around with, I'm getting my double-bachelor here for free and then getting my Master's elsewhere.

It's all about choices. Everyone I know that goes here for college ends up staying here and working Tropicana or doing nothing with their lives. I know that. It scares me. I refuse to let that be ME.

Just because your parents, your brother and your cousin did it, don't mean you will. My advice: take the free schooling and push your way through school, then get the hell out of dodge.

[Alaras]

Didn't Darkality just say "The money the state is giving going to offer me to go to a college here is practically a joke compared to what schooling cost"? That kinda hints that he won't get enough to go for free unless he has other sources of tuition money.

[Hacker]

All the information I gave him was for federal funding which is usually considerably more than states pay out. With the FEDERAL Stafford subsidised and unsubsidised loans they're designed to be your living money after the FEDERAL Pell Grant pays for books and tuition.

Federal =/= State, Alaras.

[Alaras]

Yeah, and I don't qualify for a pell grant, despite having zero income and dad making less than 20k a year.

This post has been edited by Alaras: 09 August 2009 - 09:11 AM

[Hacker]

This thread's not about you, it's about Darkality.

[Xadika]

I wish you the best, Dark! I know how difficult all of this can be. I'm going through some of it similarly.

I'm not sure what you're going for, but why not try a two year community college from around there, with the ambitions of going to a four-year? Keep your grades well above average, and the four year might be willing to give you enough money in grants and loans, seeing as you'd be a good student?

Or to (depending on if you can do this with financial aid) perhaps work half of the time, and use the money from that to fuel your college? It would take a whole lot longer, but in the end could really be useful in helping you get where you want to be in life.

Again, best of luck with school, tell us all how it goes! =)

[Alaras]

I'm implying that his dad probably earns more than that, Creature. In fact, if he makes even a dime over minimum wage, he won't get a Pell unless he files as someone who's not a dependent or as a provider.