Thread: Student loans... What to do until then?

Originally Posted by thr3kvya

So I assume many of you are students or prior students and have run into this error before. I got into college and doing great. Now I lose my job and am stuck with bills coming in and 2+ months until Student Loans / Grants arrive. How do we survive until then? I just got here as semester started so jobs are tanked being in a HUGE college town. Are there other ways to access the money early or anything? Companies that help you until they arrive. Family isn't an option for me due to lack of.

Most schools will forward you some money out of future loans if you talk to the department about it. I can get up to 600 bucks in advance at PSU for example... based on academic record (how likely are you to qualify for FA next semester?). If you can prove you need assistance, you might get it. Look into DHS even if you really need to, you can get rent assistance for a month. Also, Prowl Craigslist everyday and apply to more than one job everyday and you should be able to find more work even if it is shit or part time.

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

Most schools will forward you some money out of future loans if you talk to the department about it. I can get up to 600 bucks in advance at PSU for example... based on academic record (how likely are you to qualify for FA next semester?). If you can prove you need assistance, you might get it. Look into DHS even if you really need to, you can get rent assistance for a month. Also, Prowl Craigslist everyday and apply to more than one job everyday and you should be able to find more work even if it is shit or part time.

I agree. If you're already talked with Financial Aid, have you tried actually talking to the head of the department? I know the actual reps weren't nearly as helpful so I demanded to see the head of the department and she was actually very helpful to me when I needed assistance.

Depending on your major, university, and professors, you might want to talk to them as well. I went to a smaller, private university so I knew all of my professors pretty well and I could always contact them if I needed help and I know others who did the same. They took care of us when we needed it.

Not always sure where the funds came from, usually left-overs from people who graduate early or drop out early and have leave unused money for the university to re-distribute.

Hope you find something to help you out. Work is work also, so I'd take anything and anything no matter how much you might hate the work/pay. It'd be something until you find something better.

Most schools have finical advisers of some sort. When I could not make ends meet last year I sought out assistants through my school. I don't know where you go but I have been to 3 university's and they all had some form of "student banker assistant". Again I cant speak for your case as I don't know what school you go to but perhaps that is a route of assistants you can look at.

Also have you looked at any form of unemployment ? Government Money? State Money? These options are all something that have been answer to me by school assistants. Find the proper people in the right department and shoot them an email explaining your situation and I'm sure they will get you in the right direction to get assistants.

I have washed buses at a ski resort in Colorado in the dead of December in -10 degree weather. I doubt there is a person out there who can be like, "Oh yeah I had it worse than that." Until you have literally had to spend hours getting early stage frostbite checked weekly at the clinic you haven't seen a cappy job. Checked in with our financial aid office and they give the usual " all students must wait until after the drop date which is March 9th". I REALLY dislike them OMG. Though I think it is about time to transfer colleges..

Like I said, try talking to the head of the department. Mine was way more helpful than the other dimwits that work in that office.

Originally Posted by thr3kvya

I have washed buses at a ski resort in Colorado in the dead of December in -10 degree weather. I doubt there is a person out there who can be like, "Oh yeah I had it worse than that." Until you have literally had to spend hours getting early stage frostbite checked weekly at the clinic you haven't seen a cappy job. Checked in with our financial aid office and they give the usual " all students must wait until after the drop date which is March 9th". I REALLY dislike them OMG. Though I think it is about time to transfer colleges..

Perhaps not a a financial aid office. Speaking from my experience at UW-Madison there is a school run bank, and I went in laid out what I had and they help me make it work. I don't know if they have the same thing set up at your school but I image if it is a big university they have some sort of resource for financially struggling student out side of financial aid.

Ask to speak to the head of the department. THE HEAD. I can't stress that enough. It took me 5 months to qualify for Fin Aid all because I didn't do that. The stupid lady I had been dealing with didn't understand what my disease was or how it could affect me. That all changed when I got a hold of the head of the department.

Robert,

All of our financial aid pays after 60% of the semester, therefore it will pay around the end of March. If your Pell Grant is complete, you will be able to use your ID card to purchase your books.

Hope this helps!



This is from my Department head... LOVE IT

Was that an email, or did you take to him/her directly? I've found people are more helpful when you are there in person so you can better explain things as opposed to email or even on a phone call.

If that doesn't help though, then you just have a shitty ass financial aid department which sucks.