How can my daughter get much needed help with college tuition? She will be attending UAB Tuscaloosa?

Question

Her biological father won't help, even though it is a court order for him to do so..(any ideas with that too?) I am remarried, but we are having a tough time. We are willing to sacrifice, but we still need the basics---electricity, food, water, well you get the picture. We have no luxurys. We both work hard, but having a hard time making ends meet---specially now, that she is starting college in just a few weeks. I have another daughter who will start college next year---then what do we do? Stop eating? PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer 1

There are tons of scholarships that go unclaimed each year. Many $400, $500 or $1000 scholarships never even get applied for because people think it's chump change and not worth applying for. Well, get a few of those $500 scholarships and it'll really make a dent in your tuition bill.

Do a search on scholarships, search your major, your ethnic heritage, your town, your parents employers, your employer, hobbies, high school, local chamber of commerce/rotary/ lion's club etc. Left-handed? There is a scholarship out there for you! Older woman returning to school? There are scholarships out there for you. Do combined searches on more than one criteria "hispanic women aviation scholarships" etc.

Go to the library and ask the reference librarian for a reference book on scholarships. They usually have more than one. There are all kinds of scholarships out there, you just have to start applying yourself and make it your summer career to send out letters everyday for scholarships. Good luck!

Answer 2

Complete the fafsa form, try to talk to the financial aid officer at the school ( UAB in Birmingham or UA in Tuscaloosa?) if it's UA in Tuscaloosa they offer a wide range of scholarships and payment plans, plus you can defer half of the tuition a semester. Look for scholarships online (www.fastweb.com) but watch out for scholarship scams. Basically talk to a financial aid advisor...if all else fails she can get a little part time job. 98% of us college students know that a little money can go a long way!

Answer 3

Check out the Ford Scholarship!

I have news for you, even if your daughter doesn't possess the necessary criteria to meet their objectives, then find a way to address them anyway.
For instance, when I applied for my scholarship, I did not have any sports activities to list...but I emphasized my participation in theater, and how I built similar character traits found in athletes like teamwork, leadership, accountability, humility when I made mistakes and pride at a job well done.
There are a ton of scholarships out there, many that people never apply for because they talk themselves out of meeting the requirements. Lets face it, these people are just looking for someone to give their money to. It might as well be you.
Check with the school that she wants to attend and ask if their are any school sponsored or alumni sponsored scholarships. Some are need based, some are academic based, and some are just because she is a young woman and that often qualifies as a "minority"... But DEFINITELY check out the Ford Scholarship. It would be worth it.

Answer 4

From the Government:
Always start with your Federal aid application -- file your FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and make your it gets to the school(s) you're interested in. This will determine your eligibility for Federal Aid programs, state aid programs, and many institutional/private programs as well. One thing to feel better about: when your second child applies to schools, BOTH of your children's EFCs will decrease dramatically (potentially by half), which could/should increase both studens' eligibility for federal aid.

From Schools:
Call your schools' Financial Aid Office to see what other programs they might offer besides Federal/State aid. Make sure you know if you are eligible and what you can do to apply. Some schools compile lists of outside/private scholarships that have worked for their students in the past; it's worth asking.

Even if you are no longer enrolled in high school, go visit your High School guidance office to see what they recommend. Some offices will collect scholarship listings that you can browse through

From the Library:
Go to your local library. They might have a similar list of scholarships posted somewhere. If not, at the very least, they should have dozens of College Planning-type books that you can look through (for free!) to get ideas.

From the Internet:
There are numerous resources out there to help you prepare and pay for college. Try registering with any and all of the below scholarship search sites:

http://www.fastweb.com
http://www.srnexpress.com
http://www.scholarships.com
http://www.scholarships101.com
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp
http://services.princetonreview.com/default.asp?RUN=%2Fcollege%2Ffinance%2Fscholar%2FscholInterview%2Easp&RCN=auth&RDN=7&ALD=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eprincetonreview%2Ecom
http://www.collegeanswer.com/paying/content/pay_free_money.jsp

Apply for as many scholarships as you can. For all types of Financial Aid advice, I love FinAid.org: http://www.finaid.org

Remember: you should never have to PAY for Financial Aid advice. Ever. Steer clear of companies that want money upfront. Some good advice about Scholarship Scams: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/scholarship/

Finally, Loans:
If your daughter is really committed to obtaining an education, or if you are committed to financing one on her behalf, there are always private educational loans that you can borrow to make up the difference between her financial aid and her costs. No one *wants* to borrow loans, but the option is there if you need it. For options, consider the Federal PLUS Loans (which you would borrow onher behalf) or the Sallie Mae Signature Loan (which she could borrow using you as a co-signer.. or not).

Answer 5

Apply for financial aid, she will foot the bill in the end. Financial aid will determine what she is qualified for. Financial aid will take into prospective your income, her income, the number of dependents, if you are married, your spouses income too. My dad's income hurt me because his income level was high and even though he did not support me, I got less money. If she does get financial aid, she will need to watch the interest rates on her loans and to take school very seriously because most students are required to be above certain a GPA to continue to receive financial aid. Once she is out of school for six months, she will need to start paying for her loans.

Many parents feel like it is their obligation to pay for college but these days, tuition can kill some parents. I could have had my parents pay but they are old (my mom had me when she was 39). Financial aid is a way for students to go to school, even when a family can't afford it. I have been working and going to school for awhile now and I'm still not finished. It may take awhile, especially if the student is working to finish school. But not everyone is fortunate enough to have tuition and boarding paid.

As for the court ordered child support, contact your state child support services and start asking questions! My sister is on the same boat and the child support bureau lost the court order and she had to send them another one. Most of the time they are short staffed and don't have their head pulled out of their @ss. If it is court ordered, he is in contempt of court. If you get no answers there, contact the judge that ordered he pay child support.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

try and get financial aid. alot of family qualified for them, but alot of family never even know that. theres also scholarships they can try and get.yout kids can aslo get student loans which they can work and pay off once they finish college

if ur really really struggling. have one of them hold off on college until they have more money to pay for it.

Answer 8

apply for scholarships online at:

fastaid.com
fastweb.com
srnexpress.com