financial aid help!

[jamieb131]

OK I am in need of some financial aid help. Like a lot of you out there, I am going to be completely reliant on loans for my income. Now, my school has set up a "budget" they think you should stick to, and your financial aid is based on that. However, it seems to be a budget where you live with 6 roommates in the ghetto and eat ramen noodles. ANyway, my question is, is there any way to get more money than your school seems to think you should have? I have heard about private loans, but if your school has to certify the amount then they'll probably deny it since I've already met their recommended budget. Please help! EMail me at jamieb131@yahoo.com or post here.

[SLJ0720]

Bank One has private student loans called Education One loans that don't require school certification.  The website says that pretty much all students have to have a co-signor though unless you work full time.

[Brooklaw]

I asked my school to increase my COA, and they looked at me like i was an alien from War of the Worlds. If you can get it without their approval, then do it, but be careful cause i heard that they can decrease your other loans/fin aid if they find out.

[ruskiegirl]

OK I am in need of some financial aid help. Like a lot of you out there, I am going to be completely reliant on loans for my income. Now, my school has set up a "budget" they think you should stick to, and your financial aid is based on that. However, it seems to be a budget where you live with 6 roommates in the ghetto and eat ramen noodles. ANyway, my question is, is there any way to get more money than your school seems to think you should have? I have heard about private loans, but if your school has to certify the amount then they'll probably deny it since I've already met their recommended budget. Please help! EMail me at jamieb131@yahoo.com or post here.

As the above posters have pointed out, there are alternatives, like additional loans that don't need certification and student budget appeals with your financial aid office.  However, I would caution you to wait and see how your budget will actually work out before you begin to secure additional loans.  When I looked at my budget for the first time, it certainly looked like I would be struggling just to get by.  This did not turn out to be the case.  I actually had enough money to take a couple of cross-country trips, do all my Christmas shopping and feed my insatiable appetite for shoes, pedicures and clothes.  The thing you have to keep in mind is that you don't have to break down the lump sum in the way that the school does.  I found that I spent much less on food than they budgeted and slightly more on gas and travel expenses.  Just see how it works out.  You can always get additional loans later.

[jamieb131]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I did not know about the loans that do not require school certification. At the moment, since my mom is looking for a new job, and therefore, unemployed right now, she can't be a cosigner for me. We have worked out a solution and when she has a new job she said we might do the extra loan thing later. Thanks for the info though.

For anyone else out there in the same situation, Bank of AMerica also has a loan that doesn't require school certification at www.educationmaximizer.com.