College loans overdue
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:56 pm
This fall, I only have one dream. To go to school. That’s it. But that’s a lot to ask for these days. I am a 27 year old young adult who wants nothing more but to start her life. I will be 28 in a couple months, still 2 years away from the age I need to be for the government to allow me to be independent. No matter how independent I am now, I still can’t file a FAFSA for school without my parents tax information. Why is this such a problem for me? It has been 3 years. Since I graduated high school, I have been hoping and praying that my parents would file their taxes. Unfortunately, they just haven’t. Yes, by law they are required to file. I can no longer keep my life on hold, however, waiting for them to file. I finally received acceptance into Western Illinois University’s biology degree program where I can get my life started. I do not want to waste the next few years just waiting and waiting. I must start now. To do so, I need much more help. My financial aid advisor has been of little help to me. She did recommend I fill out a FAFSA with estimated amounts, which I did. I must have been unsuccessful or just too late to get any real help. I was given federal Stafford loans, the total of which doesn’t even cover half of the expenses for school. I have been scholarship hunting for 3 years because I have not given up hope, but I have received nothing. I was told that the grants have been depleted and Perkins loan funds are gone as well. So what do I do? My advisor suggested talking my parents into applying for a parent PLUS loan. Did I mention yet at how unwilling my parents are to cooperate and provide assistance? Well, to get approved for a parents PLUS, you can’t have adverse credit, and if you do, you need someone to endorse your loan. My parents’ parents are not able. My mother was adopted and has no one. My dad’s father is quite ill. No one is in the position to be helping me. My parent’s application turned up just like I had assumed it would, NOT APPROVED. Now what? With my dad’s previous unemployment and my mom’s bankruptcy at a younger age, the government can’t give to them what is needed to help me. Once again, I turn to my financial aid advisor and ask, what is my other options? She tells me apply for private student loans, its all the option you have left. I have put in multiple applications and, because I lack a cosigner with bearable credit, I have gotten the same response my parents have- NOT APPROVED. After all this, my advisor says that they can give me an additional $4,000 government loan. Great, because that’s all I owe? Not even close still. Searching for funds has brought me from one site to another and then to five more after that, telling me all about what funds are out there. The sites saying that there is still grant money, help for those that know where to look. Where do I look? Where do I find these hidden funds? I am on my own. I know the government doesn’t see it that way, but it’s true. And I need help. I’m asking, begging, for help. For once, I want to not have to do this alone. I want answer’s, and I most especially want a way to make my one dream happen. Thank you for your time when no one else has time to give,