Struggling to pay for collegeAnswered
I'm a rising senior, and I'm preparing to apply to college this summer/fall and because of my strict parents I can only work this year. My mom is on the older side and thinks financial aid and scholarships, or even financial aid itself covers EVERYTHING for college. Like no matter how much I try to explain it, and I soon found out she's saved no money for me or for college. So it's all on me, and she's pressuring me to get fee waivers from every school I'm applying to otherwise she's not paying for it. Is that even possible? Because we are low income. I'm getting a job soon, so is it possible I can save enough to cover application fees and tuition? I really need some help.
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2 answers
I would talk to your counselor from school about this. Typically they will be able to get application waivers for you, especially if you are low income. I know most schools also have a waiver available online for you to fill out before you apply. I had a similar situation where my mom didn't really understand financial aid. i would recommend setting up a meeting with a financial aid counselor from the college you are looking into as well. I did this, and it helped my mom (and myself) understand a lot more about financial aid and the FAFSA. They would probably be able to help you out with waivers as well.
You can go to www.studentaid.gov and use the estimator tool to see how much financial aid you may receive. Then look at the colleges you're interested in and compare the cost vs. financial aid estimate. Also, the college or state may have grants as well, so talk to their financial aid department as well.
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That is a great idea, sadly our parents are more likely to believe college counselors than us. Good luck, I know what it is like to have difficult parents regarding this whole process.