Student Loans?

[~boogiepop~]

Hey K-con forumers! I'm coming to you for help on this because I have no idea how to ever get started. My mom has become tired of me and disowned me last night and is allowing me to live in her house until summer starts. I am planning on going to the Art Institute of Portland but tuition is nuts. I was going to be able to get a student loan with my mom's signiture but she has now withdrawn herself out of that and my life completely.
So I am stuck! I have absolutely no credit and I don't know if AIP has another loan I can apply for. So do you guys know any good places I could a student loan that doesn't have a rediculous intrest rate with my credit that doesn't exist? And if not that then how many community colleges are around in Portland because that is going to be my fall back if I can't go to the college of my choice...:\

[superjaz]

how old are you? once 18 you should get a credit card and use it very limited (like use it to buy a pop on monday then using onling web site pay it off once it shows up) because this will give you credit

you can still get loans but since your situation has changed you need redo you applacation, when you are under 24 when you apply for school aid they are assuming you have some help from your parents, i dont know you might need to leagaly sever ties with her to be able to claim your self as a independent,

and as she has washed hands of you you might want to make sure she no longer claimes you on your taxes, for next year

[melchizedek]

Well for 2008 she should be able to claim boogie as a Dependant for obvious reasons. I think the community college thing is a good idea though.  You could still goto uber spendy college, just transfer your CC credits in.  That way you'll be spending 3k a year instead of 30k a year for the first two years.

Which part of town do you live in?  Portland Community College is the biggest CC around but depending on where you live there are other local options.

[melchizedek]

Sorry about that, I figured she'd be living in NW portland because that is where AIP is.  I guess I shouldn't assume

[XFD]

The problem you're going to have is that the FAFSA does not follow the federal rule that considers you to be independant when you're actually independant (pay your own taxes and live on your own). As such, you're considered a dependent until you're 24 (there are some... odd exceptions).
If your parent refuses to help out by signing off on anything you're going to have a very difficult time with getting many of the government subsidized loans.

- COCC is a plenty capable school, so I would highly entertain pushing a few classes into that first.

- Personally, I would recommend going out and working for a year or so before you jump into college. You'll build some credit history and also get used to the rhythm of paying your own way. This will allow to you get a feel for the kind of workload you'll be able to manage.

I left the house with $100 to my name at 18, so I've been in your shoes before. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM or AIM me.

P.s. I used to live in LaPine... hated that place.

[~boogiepop~]

I'm 18 and trying to get a credit card but I'm having a problem getting one anywhere. I've tried Target, JCpenny's, and Macys for credit cards but they are all in Bend. I don't know if Fred Myers gives out credit cards but I think I will try there next since it is only a couple blocks away from my home.
I don't really want to sever ties from my mom because if there's any chance of her being nice in the near future that will kill it. She's really the only family I have and I'm really upset that she's doing this to me.

And I don't want to stay in Central Oregon at all because well, the only reason I was thinking of staying was for my mom. I'd rather be up in Portland where I know people are going to be if I need help then alone in Bend.

I'm worried about taking off of college for a year because I know that most kids who do that don't end up going.

I don't mind changing things or anything I just want to get out of here D: I went into my school office and asked them about loans and someone said they would help me if I brought my finacial aid letter so I'm hoping I'll get something out of that.
If anyone has anymore ideas I'm open to hear them! I'm gonna take everything I can get at the moment.

[~boogiepop~]

Well it would help Nikki if YOU STOPPED SKIPPING CLASS!!!

But that's just a thought...

I'm not skipping class I don't have a third period D: I'm actually going to school on senior skip day.

[melchizedek]

Yeah if you do take a year off it'll be hard to give up the lifestyle to go back to school.

[superjaz]

you could go half time for a year, less expencive and your still in school

[Lily]

What about WOSC, or Eastern Oregon for a while to keep costs down? Or PSU, for that matter, just to get things like general undergrad requirements out of the way more cheaply?

[melchizedek]

Yeah, just make sure to check that classes will transfer before taking them.

[XFD]

I would recommend a full, genuine, credit card ( www.citicards.com ) that acts more as an expensive kind of cash than a very narrow expenditure card like a JCPenny's card. Think of it this way, a freddy's card will be used for groceries, clothing and the occasional nick-nack. A true creditcard can be used as disposable money; between the two the true credit-card shows a better credit worthiness than a store-specific card. Building credit means to demonstrate responsibility.

See if your mom will have an issue providing you with her tax returns for FAFSA, if she doesn't then you should be better off. Do this ASAP because that will help you figure out what you can do. Moving to Portland would be a good idea no matter how you cut it. If you would like some academic advising help I'd be glad to tag along and berate the advisors into getting you a plan that would actually transfer wherever you need. (Huzzah life experience!)

If you have to go to school, I would suggest starting off with 8 credit hours (2 classes) for your first term and get a feel for it. This is where PCC is so nice, because it's effectively "highschool plus." As an inbetween, you're loaded with something closer to a 4-year uni workload but still able to maintain some time to get used to it.

The first year of any real college program is just, "getting it," which is why it's usually fluff classes.

[~boogiepop~]

Well it would help Nikki if YOU STOPPED SKIPPING CLASS!!!

But that's just a thought...

I'm not skipping class I don't have a third period D: I'm actually going to school on senior skip day.

OK, good. Just chekcing. What what Kyle think of you skipped? lololol

He wouldn't care....hahahaha XD

you could go half time for a year, less expencive and your still in school

That's what I was planning on doing for going to AIP for the summer but I totally forgot about doing that if I end up going to another college.

What about WOSC, or Eastern Oregon for a while to keep costs down? Or PSU, for that matter, just to get things like general undergrad requirements out of the way more cheaply?

Yeah, just make sure to check that classes will transfer before taking them.

That's one big issue, I know for a fact AIP doesn't take a lot of college credits because it's a privet school. So if I go to community college I'm pretty much stuck with it. Luckily whatever college I go to I already have all my english credits out of the way thanks to College Now stuff at my school. I'm going to try to look at community colleges that are right in Portland so I can use the max ::{because I won't have a car}:: and so I have a decent assortment of jobs I might be able to get.

[superjaz]

also banks give out credit cards i have a US bank credit card

[~boogiepop~]

I would recommend a full, genuine, credit card ( www.citicards.com ) that acts more as an expensive kind of cash than a very narrow expenditure card like a JCPenny's card. Think of it this way, a freddy's card will be used for groceries, clothing and the occasional nick-nack. A true creditcard can be used as disposable money; between the two the true credit-card shows a better credit worthiness than a store-specific card. Building credit means to demonstrate responsibility.

See if your mom will have an issue providing you with her tax returns for FAFSA, if she doesn't then you should be better off. Do this ASAP because that will help you figure out what you can do. Moving to Portland would be a good idea no matter how you cut it. If you would like some academic advising help I'd be glad to tag along and berate the advisors into getting you a plan that would actually transfer wherever you need. (Huzzah life experience!)

If you have to go to school, I would suggest starting off with 8 credit hours (2 classes) for your first term and get a feel for it. This is where PCC is so nice, because it's effectively "highschool plus." As an inbetween, you're loaded with something closer to a 4-year uni workload but still able to maintain some time to get used to it.

The first year of any real college program is just, "getting it," which is why it's usually fluff classes.

I'll have to go check out places like that again and my bank. I'll really have to check out PCC and see what's going on because it sounds like it's right around the place I would want to be and would work with a schedual of me have a job and such. I'd just rather be in some college then no college at all.

[XFD]

also banks give out credit cards i have a US bank credit card

I didn't even think about this, but this is probably the best suggestion of them all. If you have a checking account with a particular bank, they will often be more open to extending a line of credit (Credit card usually) to you.

[kissarmy]

check out www.chase.com thats where i got my card once i turned 18 and i got an 800 dollar limit on it right off the back

also if you haven't done so already, I'd like to point out that in this kind of situation....you MAY be able to get a free ride.... but you'd have to talk to the school about it... in extremely stressful financial situations Ai schools have been known to offer free rides to some students... and, if you talk to a financial officer in the school you might have a chance

buuuuut there are a crazy bunch of conditions you have to fill and even then, it's only supplies and tuition.... you still have to pay for your own books, and room even if you stay in the dorms i have a couple friends who are getting free rides, one from the government, one from Ai but really, you needs to go into the financial offices at AiP

yup. well tryin to help ya know my stuff if ya want more info laters

[superjaz]

I am going to pass on one more piece of advice i was given by tons of people when i went out to the world on my own on a really tight budget (paying for half time school+rent+all my necessitys on 300-350$ a month),
as it sounds like things will be tight for the next year and i mean no implacations or rudeness or meaness what-so-ever,
but as it looks like to will be working and school and such you might qualify for food stamps, the oregon trail card,

[Evaldas]

I would have to agree with Jaz, I found out part way thought my first year of college at OSU that I could qualify for food stamps. There is no shame. It makes getting the basics covered that way you can use that money for other needed things. You need to be either attending full-time or working min 15 hours a week. Though, this may have changed...but it was very easy to get into the program.

One thing to be aware of with loans and scholarships, some of them require you take a certain amount of classes every term/semester in order to have them....that often meant that you had to go full-time. Perhaps some of that may have changed in the past two years.

I would just like to offer a word of caution about using a CC. Make sure you stay on top of your payments and if you can, pay it off entirely every billing. I had to live off my CC when I was unemployed for nearly two months....it turned into a snow ball affect and now I have a bit of debt I just can't seem to shake.

Student loans....similar. Try to keep those to a minimum and attempt to find free money anywhere. There is no guarrenttee that you will get a job that will allow you make comfortable payments when you get done with college. Sure you have a few years of deferment if needed, but, that is only temporary.

It's not easy, but I felt it was worth all trouble.

[leashy]

Have you looked into scholarships?  Being in your situation, you may be very likely to qualify for some

[~boogiepop~]

I was thinking about the Food Card thing but I was kind of hesitant on it because I don't know if that would work for me.

And I'm currently trying to apply for as many scholarships as I can but I still don't know if I've gotten any. If I can just get enough money to go to school this summer I'll be fine. I've already got a job lined up through the school and I fairly sure I will have enough time to do more Scholarships and the such.

I'm crossing my fingers I talked to my FA adviser and there's a slight chance I might be able to get a loan with Chace loans or something of that sort. I'm going to apply tomorrow and hope to god that something comes out of that. If not I just gotta keep trying! Thanks for all the advice so far I really, really appreciate it ::{hugs for you all}::