Expert: jessalyn - 3/27/2002

Question
Jessalyn,
I read your profile and sounds like you can help me.  I am fixing to complete my first year of college.  I would like to be able to transfer to a private school which the cost is around $20,000 per year.  My parents are unable to fund this amount of money.  I applied for so many scholarships last year and no luck.  I am maintaining a 3.4 gpa in college.  I have filled out the FAFSA application.  I was wondering if maybe you could help me with ways of getting some monies for school.  I understand that there is plenty of money out there, but I can not seem to find it.  Please would you help me.  I will be able to get a merit scholarship from this private college for $5500 but still that is a long ways from the total amount.  

Thanks,
Sheila

Answer
Hi Sheila,
 The first thing to do is to keep applying for scholarships.  A great scholarship search engine on the web is www.fastweb.com.  I would also check out some books in your local bookstore for other target areas for scholarships.  Check with your local rotary club and other civic service clubs in your area.  They often give out scholarships to locals, and most people don't know about them.  Also check out possible scholarships at your work or your parents' work.  Larger companies and unions often give scholarships.  There is also a lot of money up for grabs by volunteering for some of these organizations.
 Have you actually gotten your financial aid package from this private university yet?  I would call them and see if there are any other scholarships or grants that you might be eligible for.  You might have to apply for some separately to be considered.  When you get the financial aid package, you will be able to see if the government is going to give you any money for this school.  They will look at you and your parents' tax returns and determine what amount of money they think you can contribute.  The rest will have to be matched by the school, and you may be awarded financial aid grants.  Basically, the government will not give you anything at all if they think that your parents make too much money (and unfortunately, what they deem too much money often turns out to be too little money) The FAFSA has to be filled out yearly, so if you get slighted this year, you might see a change in award money the following year, depending on how much your financial status changes.  If you have a bank account, clean it out.  Keep the money in a safe in your room or something, but don't keep it in the bank when filling out the FAFSA. The government considers that money that you can use towards paying for your education.
If your parents are still together, you won't tend to get as much money as you can get if they are separated or divorced, especially if one parent refuses to contribute to your college education.  The more money it looks like you have saved, the less you are likely to get. (Reply to this if your parents are divorced, separated or anything like that and I'll tell you what to do)
 The next thing to do is to get as friendly as possible with the financial aid office.  Always be polite and nice, and they should be able to help you.  After the deadline for students to enroll has passed, all the financial aid that these students were offered goes back into the pot.  By being in constant contact with the financial aid office, and by inquiring about this money, you might be able to get access to some of it.
Another thing to do, which is what I did, is to appeal to the Dean for more financial aid.  This doesn't always work, and you have to be super polite and do it as soon as possible, and even then there is no guarantee that they will give it to you.  The best thing to do is to call the admissions officers (get in touch with the person whose name is on your letter of acceptance) and explain your situation to them, and how badly you really really want to come here and you need more financial aid and is there anything you can do, such as appeal to the dean for more aid?  If so, and you become somewhat friendly with the admissions officer, he/she might agree to vouch for you to see if you can get some more money. Just be firm and polite, and keep trying.  You don't have to harass the office, but keep touching base to let them know that you are still alive and in need on aid.  This option might not work, but trying is the key.  Not many students keep in pursuit, and if you do, you will be one of the few and might really get some extra cash.
Hopefully, some of this will work out for you, but you might still find yourself short.  Most students will find themselves taking out a loan.  Some are government based, others are given through private lenders (www.salliemae.com is a great site for loan info) Your parents can also take out a loan called the PLUS.  Loans without interest are the best.  If you find yourself falling a little bit short of all the money you need after scholarships and grants and everything, a loan may be the only option left.  I had to take out some loans.  The key is to get loans with little or no interest, and if you only need it for a little bit of money, then it could be well worth it.
Other ways to cut cost?  If you are going to be living on campus, see if you can find low cost university housing.  A lot of college's cost comes from the housing, which is a nightmare.  Low cost housing might not be the most glamorous, but you will save a bundle.   Don't buy all your textbooks the first week of school.  Chances are, you won't need all of them, and will only need a few pages from some of them.  Most professors leave copies of the textbooks in the library and you can photocopy and borrow them.  Wait until you see your syallbus for your classes before buying the books to determine if you really need them.
Some schools also offer a monthly payment plan, which enables you to pay a little bit of the leftover tuition at a time, which could be a good option if you got a pretty good aid package but still owe a little bit.
 Most states give grants if you decide to go to a school within the state, regardless of whether it is private or public.  And if you go out of state, most state money will transfer, unless you are going between PA and NY.  The state offices also have state scholarships up for grabs, so get in touch with your local representatives about them.
One final option is to join the army or navy reserves,or ROTC.  This usually involves giving up a part of your time, but your college will pretty much be paid off (A friend of mine did it) It's not something everyone should do, or is willing to do, but if this sounds like it could be your sort of thing, it could really help.
Don't forget to keep targetting your specific niche area for scholarships and hunting for them.  The more you apply for, the greater your chances.  And keep phoning and being friendly with finanicial aid.  They could be your saviors. Accept anything they offer.
I really hope this helps and that you get the money you need.  Good good luck, I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Jessalyn