Alternative lending for Nursing school????

Question

I have been accepted into an excellent nursing school, to start in the fall. I am a 33yr old married mother of 2 living outside of the state where the college is, but the school is just 7 minutes from my home, and it does its clinicals and placements at the hospital where I would like to work.
Here's the problem. Being out of state, I get no state aid from either state, and after government sub & unsubsidized loans, I still need $11,500 per year to go to this college. I have been denied for alternative loans because my credit isnt so good. My father has had 2 massive heart attacks and a double bypass. My family's life changed in the blink of an eye. I have put all my money (ok, my husbands money also) into keeping my father alive-his meds are expensive and at this time he is getting no help paying for these. $800 per month. He was in CICU for 23 days, 30 miles away from home and I put the rest of my life on hold to be there for him every day.

To get to the point, after my dads first heart attack, I knew, I wanted to be a nurse someday. After his second, well, I was sure. He had a nurse that held my hand, while I held his. I was crying, he was holding my hand, yet heavily sedated, breathing tube, heart lung machine, a tear rolled down his cheek. I wiped it away. This nurse, she told me, you dad is a strong man, and I promise you, he will go home. He is going to make it, I didnt think he was, his doctor wasnt hopefull. His nurse told me that the man in that bed was strong, had a lot of fight in him and he will go home. Sometimes I think her encouragement is what kept him fighting, even when he was ready to let go. Her genuine concern for him is what kept him alive, and I want to give that to someone, I want to keep someone else's dad fighting. I need to be a nurse, I just need another plan for tuition. I have no cosigner~any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you..

Answer 1

Have you tried filling out the CSS profile? It might draw out more scholarship money and lessen the need for student loans. Another thing is to approach the financial aid office about your situation on needing more funding. Bring proof of your expenses and your current situation when you talk to the financial aid office. I will list some other free sources for locating money for college.

First, the college's financial aid office and website has a list of private scholarships offered from outside organizations and companies. Sometimes a college major's website will list scholarships, too.

Second, the public library has a book listing scholarships with some not even listed on the web.

Third, states do offer grant and scholarships for future nurses. They can be located by searching Google.com and Yahoo.com with your state's name and nursing.

Finally, I recommend joining several free membership scholarship search websites. There are scholarships for a variety of things including ethnicity, clubs, hobbies, and even wearing duct tape to the high school prom. Most are updated on a regular basis. Most offer a customized search based on information entered onto a form on the website.

Good luck!