Financial Aid Question : Help?

Question

I plan to attend a community college in California; I am an Illinois resident.

My Pell grant will be $4,000 but I do not have enough money.

My parents make little money, so I think I would get a federal subsidized loan.

The maximum amount for that loan is $3,500.

To attend the community college I want to go to, it will be $6,000 for my first year.

So, I was wondering if I get a federal subsidized loan, will I be able to use some of the extra $1,500 for car expenses.

I am 2,000 miles from the college. Or does the money from the stafford loan only have to be used for education??

Oh, the $6,000 to attend the college is just the bare minimum number of classes that is considered full-time.

Any help would be appreciated!

Answer 1

There are government loans & grants, and then there are private loans & scholarships.

try to aim for grants/scholarships more... they are not to be paid back. its confusing sometimes, but just keep applying. Scholarships usually have a 1 or 2 page application, and require an essay. Take your time with the essay, so yours stands out.

every big (and small) company you see (manufacturer, orgs, corps and groups also) all have grants and scholarships they hand out like candy. Walmart, Kmart, Target, Coke, computer companies etc etc etc

here are some links with a HUGE list of what is available. some you will need to copy and paste into a new window. also, fastweb (take the time to fill it in) will search databases and get back to you with a list of scholarships you qualify for.

Also contact all mens, womens associations in your state, they almost always have grants & scholarships. What ever field you are going into, contact the orgs, associations etc for them; Also check with professional organizations related to your career interests, such as the American Bar Association or the American Medical Association. they also always have scholarships. Research and dig, call then write. Its all worth it.

OVER apply; it doesnt hurt to have too many, and the extra funds can help with housing.

YOU WILL NEED ADOBE READER:
(yes, its free)
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

TESTING & PRACTICE TESTS
(SATs, PSATs, ACT, GRE LSAT, MCAT, GMAT,TOEFL, etc)
http://www.kaptest.com/college
http://collegeboard.com/splash/
http://act.org/
http://lsac.org
http://toefl.org
http://www.ets.org
http://www.gre.org
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat
http://www.gmac.org

TURNITIN
(don’t copy papers, teachers/professors
DO check your papers with this)
http://turnitin.com/static/home.html
http://plagiarism.org/

INFO
NACAC & COMMONAPP
http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/
http://commonapp.org/
http://nsse.iub.edu/index.cfm

DVD TOURS OF COLLEGES
http://collegiatechoice.com/

CRIME STATS, DATA OF COLLEGES
http://ope.ed.gov/security/search.asp

SCHOLARSHIP LIST
http://scholarshipamerica.org/
http://www.lifebridge.org/gran-list-alph.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/njcomputerchick/school.html
http://www.chrome.org/scholarshiplist.html

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, HELP & INFO:
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/servlet/scholarshipsearchservlet?SS_ACTION=DB_SEARCH&pageIndex=1
https://www.collegedata.com/cs/search/scholar/scholar_search_tmpl.jhtml?Referrer=OvScholar
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-jobs.htm
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/other.phtml
http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/
http://www.back2college.com/library/scholarships.htm
http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/
http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/
http://www.findtuition.com/scholarships/
http://www.collegeconfidential.com/
http://college-scholarships.com/
http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/grants/grants.asp
http://www.gmsp.org
http://www.gmsp.org/gmsp_web/(nb5ctd55gavpfi55bb3a3j45)/scholarships.aspx
http://www.sfa.ufl.edu:16080/scholarshipcafe/
http://www.edsf.org/scholarshipAwards.cfm
http://www.fafsaonline.com/
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
http://www.feea.org/
http://www.greenzone.org/
http://www.salliemae.com/
http://www.ed.gov/finaid/landing.jhtml
http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/
http://www.educationplanner.com/ss/code/Profile1.asp?level=u®ion=s&mode=EDIT&sponsor=2859&volume=SS&e&h
http://www.studentawards.com/
http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/Detailed/Scholarships/Meta_indexes_and_other_scholarship_directories/Women_s_and_Non-traditional_students_scholarships_meta-directory_126.php
http://www.akaeaf.org/programsandinitiatives/
http://www.schoolsoup.com/
http://www.blackexcel.org/link4.htm
http://www.dellscholars.org/
http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/
http://www.jackierobinson.org/
http://www.bpwusa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4212
http://www.wilsonfund.org/scholarships/scholarships.shtml
http://www.uncf.org/
http://www.socxfbi.org/login.asp?reason=denied_empty&script_name=/cgi-alumni/adir2.dll&path_info=/search&sitename=FBI&scroll=10&p=1&S=scholarships&x=0&y=0
http://www.finaid.org/
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
http://www.act.org/recognition/clients.html
http://www.act.org/kfcscholars/index.html
http://www.kfcscholars.org/
http://www.rhodesscholar.org/
http://www.collegedata.com/
http://www.fastweb.com/
http://www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pageID=139
http://www.policylink.org/EDTK/AH101/Financing.html#4
http://www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfm

MISC FIELDS OF STUDY
http://www.arts.ucla.edu/support_ucla/primary.htm
http://www.act.org/goldwater/yybull.html
http://www.act.org/recognition/clients.html
http://whereyouheaded.com/
http://luth.org/schools.htm
http://www.nwboatschool.org/
http://soloschools.com/
http://www.nols.edu/wmi/
http://etruscanfoundation.org/

NURSING / CNA
http://www.scholarships-ar-us.org/grants/nursing.htm
http://www.dar.org/natsociety/edout_scholar.cfm
http://nursingworld.org/nursecareer/edfund.htm
http://www.medi-smart.com/finaid.htm
http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-scholarship-search
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/DSA/nsl.htm
http://www.nsna.org/foundation/
http://www.4cnas.com
http://www.choosenursing.com/
http://www.minoritynurse.com/
http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subptyschol.inc
http://www.straightforwardmedia.com/nursing/
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/

BECOMING A TEACHER
http://www.siemens-foundation.org/TeacherScholarship/
http://www.aft.org/teachers/jft/becoming.htm
http://www.fseog.com/
http://www.childcareservices.org/ps/teach.html
http://www.act.org/recognition/clients.html

CHILDREN OF MILITARY
http://www.militaryscholar.org/about/about.shtml
http://www.mcsf.com/site/c.ivKVLaMTIuG/b.1677655/k.BEA8/Home.htm
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm <-do search for ‘scholarships’
http://www.milspouse.org/Educ/Fund/MilFScholar/
http://www.aerhq.org/education_dependentchildren.asp

INTERNSHIPS
http://www.fasttrackinternships.com/
http://www.internprograms.com/
http://www.brillstreet.com/
http://ceri.msu.edu/

DEPENDENCY or NOT
http://www.salliemae.com/get_student_loan/apply_student_loan/understanding/financial_aid/dependency/

LOAN FORGIVENESS
http://www.pheaa.org/loanforgiveness/healthier_futures.shtml
http://www.aft.org/teachers/jft/loanforgiveness.htm
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/cancelstaff.jsp?tab=repaying
http://www.finaid.org/loans/forgiveness.phtml
http://www.aessuccess.org/manage/cant_make_payment/Federal_Teacher_Loan_Forgiveness.shtml
http://www.staffordloan.com/repayment/forgiveness.shtml
http://www.educationplanner.com/ss/code/Profile1.asp?level=u®ion=s&mode=EDIT&sponsor=2859&volume=SS&e&h

STATUS OF LOAN OR AID
http://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/

IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR PIN yet (for your loan / aid status) apply for one:
http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp

ESSAY HELP
http://essayedge.com/
http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/
http://www.gradesaver.com/resources/scholarship.html
http://www.collegeadmissionsessays.com/
http://www.nataviguides.com/broke_essay.html
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/apply/articles/process/essayjump.asp
http://www.scholarshipessay.us/
http://www.freschinfo.com/tips-brainstorming.php
http://www.freschinfo.com/tips-topic.php
http://www.korepetycje.com/Essays_Articles/scholarshipessay.html

GRANT SCHOLARSHIP SCAM LIST
(if you find a scam report it here too)
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer/media_psas_classads.html
http://www.actstudent.org/finaid/scholarshipscams.html

LOANS
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DirectLoan/index.html
http://www.acteducationloans.com/
http://www.finaid.org/loans/educationlenders.phtml
http://www.financialaid.com/plus/index.cfm?id=plusloans
http://www.alternativestudentloan.com/
http://www.parentplusloan.com/
http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/about/
http://www.myspace.com/financialaidpodcast
http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com

GRAD LOANS & SCHOLARSHIP
http://www.gradloans.com/graduate-plus-loan/
http://www.gfoa.org/services/scholarships.shtml
http://www.akaeaf.org/programsandinitiatives/

DEFAULTED STUDENT LOANS
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DCS/index.html

CONSOLIDATE LOANS
http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/
http://www.plusloanconsolidator.com/
http://www.salliemae.com/after_graduation/manage_your_loans/consolidate_student_loans/student_loan_consolidation.htm
http://www.salliemae.com/content/privateconsolidation/index.html
http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/

TEACHER / PROFESSORS reviews, rated by students
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/index.jsp
http://teacherreviews.com/
http://pickaprof.com/

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
http://www.edupass.org/finaid/
http://www.irex.org/programs/grants.asp
http://ciee.org/
https://www.iesabroad.org/IES/home.html
http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman/index.html
http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman/resources.html
http://www.iefa.org/
http://www.iefa.org/resources/
http://educationusa.state.gov/
http://college-scholarships.com/
http://www.studyabroad.com/forum/financial_aid.html
http://www.internationalstudent.com/
http://www.internationalscholarships.com/
http://www.internationalstudentloan.com/
http://www.globalslc.com/
http://www.edupass.org/finaid/loans.phtml
http://www.abroadplanet.com/student-loans/the-global-student-loan-corporation/
http://www.salliemae.com/international/
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
http://fordfound.org/

HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.hsf.net/
http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/
http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/grants/hispanic.asp
http://www.hsfi.org/
http://scholarships.hispanicfund.org/applications/
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/scholarship/scholarship.htm
http://www.bpwusa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4212

Answer 2

Federal aid is required by law to be divided into two equal parts, called disbursements. If you're awarded the loan for two semesters, the first semester, you get half the money, and the second semester you get the other half. So you won't actually get the whole of the $1500 extra until the second disbursement (just keep that in mind).

However, once the school reimburses you for that money, you can use it for whatever you need, and either way, transportation is definitely an educational expense, especially in California where things are more spread out and there isn't too much public transportation.

I would contact the school as to their process for loan refunds.

Answer 3

The answer to your question is a simple yes. You can use the extra money towards living expenses (any of them).

This is what happens. After you accept your loans, grants, and scholarships all the money (per term) will automatically go to your college. Your college will then take out money for tuition and fees. They will then issue you a check with the remaining money. You can use this remaining money how you see fit (i.e. books, rent, food, car payments). No one regulates how you use the remaining money. It is simply your choice.

Another hint: You should fill out the FAFSA and just wait to see what you get. You may be eligible for grants as well as loans. You may be eligible too for more money than you think.
It only takes like half an hour to fill out online.

Take care and good luck!

Answer 4

is 6000 dollars for just classes? if so, you should just plan on going to school for 1 class, take whatever loan they give you, and take up a part time job for one year. become a resident of california, and your tuition fee will drop. and once you become resident, you can goto full time, because most community colleges have programs where they pay for all your classes if your a full time student, and they usually have a book voucher program where they pay for most of your books. so my suggestion is rather trying to figure out how to go to school with just limited amount of funds, take one class, and work part time, or just work part time or full time and become a resident, because then you qualify for lower tuition fees.

Answer 5

Here is a way to get some extra help. There is a program that works with local grocery stores. You register your grocery card with their website and a portion of all the purchases go to paying for college.