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Exhausted all options, still can't afford cost of living?

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:17 pm
by mcatt
I have gotten some wonderful scholarship offers and have almost all the tuition settled for at the schools I'm interested in. I have also been estimated to receive the maximum amount from the FAFSA. My problem is, the cost of living in all the other areas. The schools I'm looking at either forbid working the first year or strongly advise against it. I would get another loan but I don't know what other kinds of loan would allow me to defer payment until after I graduate law school? Does anyone else have ideas? My parents are not willing to contribute a penny to anything for law school. Since I won't have an income while in law school, how do I get the money to live in that area? For example, getting an apartment or feeding myself? Most schools don't have graduate housing that I've seen. I would appreciate any help or any advice from someone in a similar situation. I worked so hard in undergrad and it's very saddening to see that my dreams might not happen because I can't afford them.

Re: Exhausted all options, still can't afford cost of living?

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:20 pm
by northwood
have you applied for a GRAD PLUS loan? Or will you need to get another type of loan ( due to lack of citizenship/ residency requirements)

Re: Exhausted all options, still can't afford cost of living?

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:22 pm
by radikal_eyes
contact the financial aid office at your preferred school and discuss your situation. they might be more helpful in terms of connecting you to financing options.

Re: Exhausted all options, still can't afford cost of living?

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:25 pm
by A. Nony Mouse
The loans you should be eligible for - Grad Plus loans as mentioned above - cover cost of attendance, not just tuition. You/your parents don't have to contribute anything; you can borrow up to the full amount that schools estimate as the total cost of tuition and living expenses. As suggested, contact your school's FA office. Tons of people (I'd guess most) pay for living expenses with loans.

(It's possible to be ineligible for Grad Plus if you have terrible credit, but that doesn't sound like what you're talking about.)