• LAVA Moderator: Shinji Ikari

need help enrolling / filling out FAFSA

birthdaycake

Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
465
so i want to goto college. actually ive been wanting to for quite some time now. but what always keeps me from actually enrolling is..........money. i dont have a whole lot of it. nor anybody willing to help financially.

i have tried filling out the FAFSA, but it is so confusing to me that i can never get though it.

do i actually enroll in school first, and then fill out the FAFSA? most schools require payment within a certain amount of time, so if i have to enroll first, that kinda kills my plan cause like i said i have no money in the first place.

how can i start taking classes, and get financial aid to be able to pay for them? it is all so confusing to me, and rather intimidating. i feel like i probably woundnt even qualify for financial aid in the first place. im 24, did not do great in high school, and have never really taken college classes before.

is there like a guide or someone or place i can see or go to for help with this? like, i seriously need someone to sit down next to me and help me through the FAFSA, because it is SO FUCKING CONFUSING AND DESIGNED TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE ME JUST GIVE UP AND SAY FUCK IT AND NEVER GOTO COLLEGE.

i dont see why everything that is supposed to help people has to be so difficult.
 
Start at a 2 year school. Its cheaper, easier, and in the end its exactly the same except you miss the social scene (which you already missed since you're 24). You'll probably actually get more out of it too.

And no its not *that* confusing. You need to just sack up and learn how to jump through hoops properly. That's 90% of what you will learn in college and most of the point. Any job you get after college won't give much of a shit about what you learned in college because they have to train you for a very specific skillset anyway. What they are looking for is that you have the ability to focus on a goal and accomplish it over a 4 year period. That's the REAL lesson you get out of college imho.
 
aanallein said:
Start at a 2 year school. Its cheaper, easier, and in the end its exactly the same except you miss the social scene (which you already missed since you're 24). You'll probably actually get more out of it too.

And no its not *that* confusing. You need to just sack up and learn how to jump through hoops properly. That's 90% of what you will learn in college and most of the point. Any job you get after college won't give much of a shit about what you learned in college because they have to train you for a very specific skillset anyway. What they are looking for is that you have the ability to focus on a goal and accomplish it over a 4 year period. That's the REAL lesson you get out of college imho.

i am trying to enroll in a 2 year. lol you make me being 24 sound like i am some old person, im sure there are other people the same age as me or older just starting out. how old are you? (and i could give a f*** about the teenage social "scene")

your statement of "its not THAT confusing" is exactly what irritates me about college. just cause it is easy for you or others to understand/complete, does not mean it is for everybody else. people who easily succeed at something and then have this attitude that everybody should be able to do it just cause they themselves did, thats arrogant and ignorant.
 
^ chill out.

The social scene I'm referring to is the Dorm scene, etc. that goes along with a 4 year university. That's the major difference between going the 2 year -> 4 year route compared to going straight to a 4 year. Ultimately you end up with the same degree so all that is equal. BTW I'm 25 so we're about the same age. No the social scene isn't important I'm just illustrating the difference between a 2 year school and a 4 year and IMHO that's about it.

And I'm sorry but doing the paper work isn't rocket science. Millions of people do it every year. I'm not arrogant or ignorant. I did the paperwork when I was 17 just like millions of other people. I'm not putting you down. You simply need to gather up your information - Tax forms, SS#, etc. and sit down and fill them out and don't put it off any longer. If you enforce timelines you'll get it done. Procrastination is probably the main issue.


You seem to take everything as an insult to yourself when they aren't insults (and I'm not just talking about my post).
 
1. Fill out the fafsa ASAP with your first choice school as the first...the second choice as the second school etc.
2. Go to the school and make an appt with the financial aid counselor. they will explain a LOT to you.
3. A 2 yr school is okay to start with. I did just that. Also 24 isnt too old to go to school, Im 25 about to graduate and while most of the people in my classes are my age or younger there are people in their 30s.
 
i hope you have a good backup plan for the future then...I know I wouldnt want to work retail and make 10.75 an hour the rest of my life...which will all you'll be able to get without a degree or trade knowledge of some kind...

your financial aid department of your school should help you in filling out Fafsa...its not that big a deal as you make it out to be.

steps:

enroll -> register for classes -> see financial aid office in school -> have them help you fill out financial aid stuff you need -> start school

in that order....worked for me :)
 
allfunkedout said:
your financial aid department of your school should help you in filling out Fafsa...its not that big a deal as you make it out to be.

steps:

enroll -> register for classes -> see financial aid office in school -> have them help you fill out financial aid stuff you need -> start school

in that order....worked for me :)

but dont you have to pay WHEN you first enroll OR register for classes? see the problem is........I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY EVEN TO BEGIN WITH. NONE. NOTHING. no i cant take out a loan. no i dont have a friend/family with money to spare. i dont even know why im answering this shit..........like i said b4, it doenst matter anyways. fuck it. i should have never even started this thread to begin with.
 
birthdaycake said:
but dont you have to pay WHEN you first enroll OR register for classes? see the problem is........I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY EVEN TO BEGIN WITH. NONE. NOTHING. no i cant take out a loan. no i dont have a friend/family with money to spare. i dont even know why im answering this shit..........like i said b4, it doenst matter anyways. fuck it. i should have never even started this thread to begin with.


you should be able to atleast get federal loans unless you commited a drug crime or somethign while you already were on federal loans. beyond that, you dont have to pay it all at once, most schools will work with you, you can probably find an on campus job, so you go to school and work. this should be enough money to cover school if you go in state.
 
birthdaycake said:
Nope. Fuck it. Im not college material anyways. It'd be a waste of time.


I highly recommend you reconsider, or else you'll be dealing with a hard time getting a good salaried job. The best thing to do is fill out your fafsa right now, save it, submit it after january 1st, because that's when you can submit it, and then get all of your enrollment taken care of.

You could probably do multiple things at once, paperwork wise.

And if you are applying for a need-based loan, like through the school, you need to get the fafsa, same with school financial aid. It's a very necessary thing. That whole pin-number thing is kind of redundant, where you have to apply for one, wait, and then start the fafsa, but still.

College will pay off 10x if you follow through, no matter what you do.
 
allfunkedout said:
no.

so, why cant you take out a loan?

i have bad credit, nor any willing co-signer. i cant even get a 500 dollar over draft line of credit from my bank.
 
not understanding the FAFSA or being confused by it is no excuse -- NO EXCUSE.

there are advisors at your school that are there to help you. take it there.

federal financial aid does not -- Does Not -- DOES NOT -- depend on your credit.

so at this point, knowing that your bad credit is irrelevant and that there are people to help you fill out your FAFSA, you've no excuse other than laziness.

get help from people who can help you -- they do exist.
 
True ^ It sounds like you are more scared of starting school than anything. I dropped out when I was almost 18 and I went back to get my ged when I was 22. 4 fucking years wasted, but I am making up for it as i'm going into my second semester of college. :D

Don't be scared, have some self confidence, get in school! Be cool, stay in school, don't you rememba?

Anyways PM me if you need to talk or have any other financial aid questions.
 
You know who has information that could blow anyone here out of the water?

FINANCIAL AID COUNSELOR

Every school has them and they're more than happy to help you out. That's what they're there for.

Go speak with one of them.
 
Birthdaycake, it's good to see you're finally taking the first step which is actually thinking about how you'll pay for college.

I'm telling you the honest truth here: The FAFSA is easy. Just go online, get your PIN number, and start filling it out. There are tons of help documents on the website, just hit it up. You fill in what year you want to start college and they get you the money before you actually need it. It's all automatic, like the money is applied directly to the tuition. Once you get everything filled out, you don't even have to do anything for the rest of the year (just don't forget to file for the next year on time...lol).
 
protovack said:
Birthdaycake, it's good to see you're finally taking the first step which is actually thinking about how you'll pay for college.

I'm telling you the honest truth here: The FAFSA is easy. Just go online, get your PIN number, and start filling it out. There are tons of help documents on the website, just hit it up. You fill in what year you want to start college and they get you the money before you actually need it. It's all automatic, like the money is applied directly to the tuition. Once you get everything filled out, you don't even have to do anything for the rest of the year (just don't forget to file for the next year on time...lol).

Yeah, thanks i guess. I mean, im not doubting what you say here, i really just cant take and kudos here either. I just moved into a new place with family members and have been so busy with cleaning the house, taking care of dogs, kids, etc. And i just started a new job, which i have been trying to focus on doing well at to be successful in terms of work/money.

I tried signing up for online classes here in Maricopa Country, AZ.........yet it the website was so fucking confusing and hard to use, that i just gave up.........besides, people told me online classes are a joke. I missed the deadlines for current in person classes being offered around here..........so even if i had the money to go i would have to wait till next semester.....whenever that is.

Im not bitching here. Im just stating the truth to what has been going on. Im pretty much done with the idea of going to college, every time i try to make it happen or sign up or go or enroll or whatever...........my own issues and life gets in the way. I just dont see how im supposed to sign up for classes when i dont even know what my work schedule is going to be yet, or what it will be in the future when new classes start.........i just seems impossible to fit in with my life. I know i know, lots and lots of others have done it and made it work going to school and working full time and dealing with life and all........but thats them........THEM..........not me. I just cant do it.

So i figure i should simply quit fucking worrying about it, cause its not going to be possible to happen anyways. I dont care anymore. Let others do that shit.

Sorry if im coming across as blunt or rude or mean, but im just being real with you all on where im at and where im NOT going in life. Lol.
 
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