Grants and Scholarships

How do I fill in the financial aid gap?

I have received a Pell grant , a subsidized and an unsubsidized student loan, and it's still not enough to cover my tuition and room and board, let alone miscellaneous expenses. My parents are deceased and I'm going to a University in Texas, so I have no one to cosign a private loan for me. Also, I've applied for some scholarships, but because I've had to fund my education thus far on my own, working two jobs and going to school full time, it hasn't left me much time for extracurricular activities, sports, or club affiliations (the things a lot of scholarships use as criteria) also, I had a rough time last semester with my Calculus class and it dropped my GPA down to a 2.9, so I'm like a .1 point from gettting some academic scholarships. Is there ANYTHING else I can do? I really owe it to my parents (and myself) to finish school. It's a promise I made to my deceased mother. Also, I'm single so no spousal support either. Also, to the guy who asked about the community college..I'm attending a community college now, but I only have the fall semester left before I have to transfer, because I will be ineligible for any more student loans since it's only a 2 year college, and I've been there since the fall semester of 2004. So yeah, I'm trying to knock out as many of my general courses as they will let me first. I will only have about another semester of prerequisites before I transfer directly to my junior year major's program at the University.

Public Comments

1. Have you tried Sally Mae? They give educational loans without a cosigner. Also, the office of financial aid should help you.
2. you need a student loan or a personal loan. You can also reduce the number of credits you take each semester and put more hours in at a job. It takes longer, but it helps pay for college. Lots of people do what they have to. You can try going to a less expensive community college for the first year or two and just take generic courses that would transfer to the University in Texas. Why pay big dollars for level 100 classes. Just make sure everything will transfer.
3. You may have to lighten the course load every year so you can work more to support yourself. It may take longer to get your degree this way but you will have done it on your own.
4. Cut down on your course hours or take out a personal loan.
5. As I've said, you must look for scholarships.