Smokin' ain't allowed in school

[cyrano]

Soon they will come to me and tell me what FAFSA will allow me to have toward school.
I am strongly dubious that it will be enough. Therefore I'm going to be looking into alternate sources of funding.
I know there are people on my friends list who are somehow managing to go to school. Are you working part time to do it? Are the jobs sort of minimum wage CoffeeBucks positions? Are there other sources of loans? Is the interest rate hideous beyond all belief?

Comments

[netdancer.livejournal.com]

If you can get work-study it can really help a lot. I always did that when I could; it doesn't pay as much as a 'real' job but it flexes around class schedules and is on campus, so you don't have to flail and scurry to get to class. Last time I 'did' school, my work study was at minimum wage, doing tech support for the school, which I then put on my resume as work experience.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

And if I can get something to tie into my degree path, so much the better.

[aberdeen.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be able to live on the loans I can get, even if school were free. But they pay my tuition and I continue to work full time. This is not optimal, but it's how I did the MS, too.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'm prepared to work full time and go to school. I think it would be bad for me.

[amanda_lodden.livejournal.com]

Given how much you tend to stress alerady, I have to agree with this statement.

[jezebeltw.livejournal.com]

I have been wanting to do FAFSA, but keep hearing horror stories of getting accepted (I've been told I won't get it because I should have finished my education 10 years ago).

I plan to just put away money in my education fund for future quarters, but will have to ramp it up or get other kinds of funding for SJSU.

I work at a library and it pays very well; I work less than 20 hours a week.

[aberdeen.livejournal.com]

You'll qualify for loans, if nothing else.

[jezebeltw.livejournal.com]

thanks.

Can I borrow 10 bucks? :P

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

So how hard was it to get a job at a library?
Were there prerequisites?

[jezebeltw.livejournal.com]

The entry level library work requires only a high school diploma, even for clerk jobs. It does help to have some customer service skills since you will be working with the public.

when I had my interview for a library page (book shelver), I had to do a alpha / numeric test.

Keep this link: calopps.org
It's where I found both my library jobs. A lot of systems have frozen the hiring for the time being, but hopefully it will change.

Good luck, fellow student.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

I worked part-time through school, and I did get some aid through the FAFSA, but I also applied for a scholarship at my school itself, and that made a big difference. Take a look around - I've heard that a lot of scholarships go unfilled every year just because people don't apply for them, so it's always worth a shot. :)

Oh, and if you do end up working, the best option is to get a job somewhere at the school you're at. The pay might be worse, but campus jobs better about scheduling around classes, and a lot of times they're set up so that you can do reading / homework at least part of the time while you're on the clock.

Oh, and I did take out a loan for my last year, but, happily, the interest doesn't start until after you graduate.

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

Financial Aid Goodness Rankings

1) Scholarships/Grants: free money!
2) Work-Study: as described by others
3) Work while going to school: harder on schedule
4) Subsidized Federal/State Loans: the government picks up the interest while you're in school at least half-time, cap on interest rates
5) Unsubsidized Federal/State Loans: cap on interest rates
6) Private Loans: unsuspecting people get into real bad trouble with these

Did my master's degree entirely on loans. I was really poor. Did my teaching credential with a combo of outside work (tutoring) and loans. Was still really poor. Am repaying these loans today (and will be for a long time). Payments are significant but not ardous. Then again, you are acquainted with my insane work schedule.

Oh, and if you ever want to discuss particulars in intimate detail, I will be happy to talk in person over food or in hot water or whatever.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I think, once they get back to me about my award, that would be lovely. It's been far too long since we talked in person, food or hot water regardless.