Can't Afford Selected College

QUESTION:
I am going to winston salem state university in the fall and i live in VA so I will be paying out-of-state tuition. My parents and I completed the FAFSA, and i did not recieve any grants I only got a $5500 loan. I need a big time loan and idk where to turn please help me I'm so stressed.

ANSWER:
Will you be a freshman this coming fall starting your academic degree courses, or an upperclassman (or woman)? It sounds like you've made a decision to attend a school, but the funds are not there? Is that the case? Or is it that you would use up too much of your college fund in the first year, if you went there this fall?

I have a couple of thoughts in response to your message, but want to make sure I have all the facts...

In the mean time, you need to contact Winston Salem State and tell them your situation. Contact either the recruiter/admissions representative you've been working with or someone in financial aid - both should be motivated to help you, IF THEY CAN! Remember, the answer could be "no, that's all the financial aid we can give you"!

Don't try to negotiate more money, and don't expect them to come up with all the money it will cost you to go to school there. Simply find a sympathetic ear, explain your situation (that you don't have enough funds to be able to attend school there in August), and see if there is anything that can be done.

Remember that you have plenty of options. If you do end up finding a loan but are unable to get a suitable job upon graduating, you can always consider graduate school. This option temporarily postpones your loan payments and gives you more time to study your desired field while arming yourself with knowledge that will only help you when you get out there in the real world. Many graduate programs are short in duration. A Master’s Degree in Health Care Ethics, for example is not as extensive as you’d think, and online tools allow you to access the course offering and view it now. You will be able to take informative courses that will teach you how to effectively handle difficult situations with patients and coworkers.

Write me back with answers to the questions I've posed, and I have a couple of other thoughts for you...

Submit your questions to lance@collegeanswerguy.com

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