Aidpage

 in response to bookworm2011...   Thank you for your response, it is very helpful. My older son was fortunate to receive a scholarship based on his baseball skills and a GPA of 4.0, but I still had to co-sign loans for him b/c school cost money and a full scholarship does not cover everything, at least not for the working class. I am so upset over these new laws and how it has been affecting my younger son's chances for an education. I mean, he's only going to community college, not Harvard. With the loans I have co-signed for my older son, my salaray as a teacher, I am over extended. I don't see how I can keep doing this for the next 4 years to get my younger son through college. If I died would they still make him have a co-signer? Or simply reject him for any financial aid/student loans?

I just wanted to let everyone know that I had to go through the commercial process and get a personal loan for my son to attend college. I was hoping to avoid the route, but time was running out and had to insure his future. Of course interest rates are a lot higher on a personal loan, but I am employed and can make the payments. So thank you for all of you who had taken a personal interest in my plight to borrow money at a lower fee, I wish it had worked out, but for now I had to go the personal loan route. However, if any of you are familiar with scholarship programs or low interest loans other than what the schools financial aid office offers (b/c I am still paying on my other sons loans) and even though I haven't paid late, they consider me a risk as a co-signer b/c of high debt in school loans on a teacher's salary. My son tried to file as an independent b/c I stopped claiming him on my taxes for this specific reason last year, but they won't give him a loan because he has never established credit. Oh well, it seems like when you work hard all of your life and pay your bills the government doesn't really seem to care about me or my family's needs or education. Maybe if I quit my job and went bankrupt they would. Sorry, I know I sound bitter, and I am b/c if you are working class your screwed and if you loose your job your screwed, no one seems to really care about people who work hard and pay their taxes and bills. At least no one in the government seems to really care. Times have really changed for the worse it seems, at least it has for me and my family. I just hope some of you who are less fortunate than I am get better results. I wish you all the very best.

I paid what I could towards my son's college tuition, and we are short by $1000.00 which they want now. If someone can lend me the money (I will pay it back) I would be forever grateful. I already gave the school everything I had, which, as you know a semester in college is literally thousands of dollars (maxed out loans, then I cashed out my life insurance and pension). Now that I have paid a lot of money, but am short by a grand, they will drop my son and I won't get my money back either (I did not find that out until after I paid up front). I know this is not a dire situation compared to other ppl's problems, but I don't want my son to loose out. This is so important to him and he is so important to me. I will be perfectly willing to put up collateral or sign a legal agreement. I have a steady job (I am a Spec. Ed. Teacher) and will even do direct deposits as payment. The school business office called me today to tell me they are going to drop my son if I don't get the balance of $1000 paid within a few days.

 in response to lamison...   I sent you an email. Thank you again.

 in response to lamison...   Thank you, I will email you with his college information. I will also be very adamant about his grades also. I appreciate your help. I look forward to working with you regarding my son's education. Thank you very much, you are very kind. Lisa

I didn't claim my son last year on taxes for the soul purpose for him to get a student loan and he still could not get a student loan without a co-signer. He never had any established credit, he was 19 y.o last year, worked P/T minimum wage (less than $100. per week after taxes) no benefits, and still did not qualify for aid or loan.

 in response to getfreedental...   I tried Pell grants/financial aid (FASFA), Stafford loans, personal loans, etc. I have even gone to financial aid counselors on numerous occasions but the result has been nothing, zero. I tried everything before coming here. I don't understand why b/c I personally know some teachers that make at least 20 grand more than I do per year and their kids are getting full financial aid (not a scholarship either b/c their GPA's are only 2.0) and/or loan interest loans. I am a teacher in an inner city school district in Camden, NJ and my pay is less than 50 grand per year b/c I am new and don't have tenure either b/c we traveled a lot when my husband was in the NAVY. He retired from the US Navy with a pension of 12 grand per year and no more free health care (they completely cut out retired vets benefits a year ago) so now I pay for my family's health care from my job. And no, teachers do not get free health care for their families, never did. In the past, teachers used to get free health care but only for the teacher, you had to pay for family. Now, I have to pay for all of us. Bottom line is right now my son cannot go to the local community college. I can't get a loan, I tried many times and it keeps getting rejected saying I need a co-signer (most of my family has passed away, so I have no co-signer). I am over-extended and don't make enough money. I am working on getting my credit report straightened out, but it will take a minimum of 30 days before old debts that have been paid off are taken off my credit report. But it will be too late for my son to start Spring classes by time my credit report is fixed, b/c classes start next week.And even then, I still don't know if I'll qualify for a loan for him. I have tried to set up a monthly payment plan with the school, but they won't do it, said it's too late (I've been trying to do this for a year with them) and I don't make enough money, high risk they call me. I don't know what to do, it seems so unfair. If I quit my job will my son be allowed to get some kind of aid then? As a teacher I know that the only chance he has to make an adequate living is to get an education, I don't want him to rely on the gov't system in later years b/c he has a family and a low income job. There has to be a way I can send my son to college, I've exhausted every resource and can't find a way and need help. The standard college route is not working, at least not for us and I have to find a way to get him in college. We've tried online classes too, which I paid for (I sold my jewelry) and he received an "A" (98.5) in English Composition, a "B" (86) in Math (Advanced/Int. Algebra) and a "B+" (90) in Science (Biology) which I had hoped would get him some type of aid or scholarship, but nothing, no one cares and I don't have the money for him to continue online courses either. I hope someone out there can help me, I don't know what to do and I can't give up, not on my son. So please contact me if you can seriously help, and I would be able to show documented proof of everything I have described to someone who is seriously able to help my son get into college.

I know a lot of people are hurting right now and I would not be here for myself, but I am a mother of 2 boys and I have no way to pay for my sons college tuition. He's opted to leave the university, attend a local community college and attend part time, but things got even worse financially and now I can't even pay for him to attend part time (2 classes). It would cost about $1000. for him to attend community college part time and that is what I am asking help for. He is working, but he's a teenager and makes less than $100 per week. I would pay it back, I don't know how right now, but I do work and am living paycheck to paycheck right now, but I never asked anyone for anything and this is hard for me to do, but it is for my son, not me. I will personally take full responsibility for paying back the money and would agree to payment arrangements. But he needs the $1000 immediately (it's already 10 days late) for Spring 2012 semester. If you can help out right away (before its too late, which is the end of this week) please contact me immediately. Thank you for listening.