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I don’t know where to begin but in short, I am in a stick a** mess.

I am a fifth-year senior at Cal. During my fourth-year, I became sick and my studies were partially derailed. I ended up taking incomplete for four classes and stepped away from school. Furthermore, it pushed back my plans to take summer classes and an extra semester to finish my major upper divs.

I came back this past fall and killed my outstanding incompletes, earning all A’s and earned A’s in the classes I was enrolled. This brought my cumulative GPA to a 3.93; I was no slouch in undergrad.

It was my plan to take my last semester classes this Spring, however, my family fell on hard times. My family is dirt poor, both of my parents are disabled and medical bills for my mother were pilling up. The funds I anticipated to finance my last semester of school were used to help my family and consequently I couldn’t pay for school.

I don’t qualify for federal loans because the UC’s don’t finance anything for me past a fourth year, extra semester. To make matters worse, my credit is not strong enough to qualify for a private loan and I cannot get a co-signer.

I have petitioned my school to help me out but guess what, no help. The state budget cuts have left Cal with limited funds and me high and dry.

I am so pissed…my plans to finish college are ruined, my plans to apply to law school are being shelved for another year and I feel that my enability to graduate in a timely fashion from college will hurt my law school application in the future?

I have looked into finishing up at a local JC but classes were cancelled this summer. And to add salt to my wounds I was informed come enrollment time for classes this fall at my hometown JC, I would have last choosing because I am not a continuing student.

What should I do? I feel so f*ked with college and law school admissions.

That's weird, I'm also in my fifth year and my UC still gave me grants towards "student fees" (aka tuition). I only had to take out one unsubsidized loan for $3,000, being such a small amount I didn't really mind. My UC covered everything else. Are you sure you didn't fuck up your FAFSA?

I don't think that your circumstances meaning that you will have to delay finishing your undergrad degree will hurt your applications to law school. Your GPA is far more important than having to take off time to earn money to finish paying for school.

I wouldn't give up on getting into JC classes either, if you talk to professors there and explain your situation, perhaps they may be able to save a space in the classroom for you. I would go to every person--financial aid, admissions, deans, professors for classes you need etc. you can find to talk to them about your situation and see if they have any ideas of what you can do. I know that sometimes schools have provisions for emergency loans. You may not be able to get anywhere with this, but don't give up.

Don't get discouraged. I know this is tough and it seems unfair, but it won't hurt you. Who knows with the economy improving waiting another year for law school may turn out to be to your benefit.

With a short addenda, no harm to application at all. Chill bro.

It's all OK. Law schools only care about LSAT and GPA. You have a great GPA, so just get a good LSAT and you are set.
I am sorry about your situation, sounds hard. Maybe you can use this whole experience for your PS...