[Izraehl]

I am confident that I can get into Michigan State and maybe even University of Michigan but I'll need help to cover just the dorm expenses. No my dad is a pretty stingy guy who believes that since his dad worked in the shop for GM his whole life, and he did, that I should too. He doesn't believe that I should even be going to school. He never did and his did dropped out of high school. He believes that higher education is pointless. The thing is, I'm a 4.0 student who's highly motivated and out of work because of back issues. I'd give SO MUCH to go to either of these schools.

Anyway, he's not a very reasonable guy (anger issues big time if you don't let him control everything) and even bringing up helping gets him really angry. However, after some sincere discussion he amazingly said he might help me out.

I'm going crazy because of the uncertainty, but just in case he doesn't help me, what are some other ways I can get the money I need? I know a lot of people believe that I should just go to another school which is cheaper, but if I can get into one of the best schools in the US I do NOT want to waste that opportunity. What are some realistic alternatives to getting the money I need? I know scholarships are out there, but I feel like a lot of the websites online aren't quite legit.

Mmore info: I'm a university sophomore majoring in behavioral neuroscience

[salukigirl]

So you're already in college and wanting to transfer? Are you a MI native? I think it's great that, despite not having the support, you are still determined to do this for yourself. That, in and of itself, deserves you some respect!

Have you spoken with the head/chair of the dept you would like to transfer into? I gathered 65k in school loans but it was out of state. My senior year I finally got enough in scholarships to not have to take out loans.

Basically I spent hours and hours applying to every scholarship - even those that didn't directly apply to me. If certain monies don't get enough applicants, they will give that money to someone who doesn't meet all the requirements so don't throw something out just because it has 1 point that makes you not competitive.

Also, I applied for an undergraduate assistantship. Basically it was 20 hrs a week working in a lab. It was $800 a month which isn't much but it was extra which was nice. Talk with the financial aid office and also talk with the dept head or chair about possible funding opportunities. And - as always - APPLY FOR FAFSA! That money is there for you to use! If you are a first generation college student and your dad doesn't make much you should have an EFC of 0 (estimated family contribution). That will give you Pell Grants (which Obama just increased) and possibly some state-wide scholarships.

There are so many untapped markets that students don't look into. PM me if you have any questions. Been through it ALL! lol

[Izraehl]

Yup, I'm a Michigan native. Thanks for the recognition, it means a lot to me! I have 46 credits right now at a smaller university, and by the time I'd transfer I'll have 70 credits. I just want to finish my degree at a really nice school such as MSU or UofM.

Where did you find scholarships to apply to? did you have a decent success rate? I'd hate to spend 40 hours a week applying to scholarships and not getting any. Hell, I've dealt with that enough applying for jobs in this state for last 2-3 years. haha :P

is undergraduate assistantship just work study? It's estimated that I'd get 3000/year from MSU if i got a work study/student employment job.

and yup, fafsa is taken care of, just need to worry about the gap of cash i dont have covered yet. (scholarships would be very niceeee... haha , tell me more about them! )

[salukigirl]

As an undergrad in zoology with a minor in chem, I had a 3.6 GPA and pretty good relationships with just about everyone in my dept. I had a pretty good success rate. The one I'm most proud of is the NSF Green Scholarship for 15,000 my last year in school. It was a sustainability scholarship so I had to write an essay on how I would use sustainability in my career etc....

Undergrad assistantship is not work study. Work study is included in your aid and you don't get a paycheck. Basically you work off your tuition. Undergrad assistantship is a paycheck and isn't on your aid account.

I'm an Ohio native so I'm with you on the whole no jobs thing. I think our 2 states make up 8 out of 10 of the fastest dying cities in the US. Woo-hoo!

How much do you have to make up? Is this for room and board plus tuition or is this just to cover their "expected cost of living"? According to my university now I need like 35k a year to live. However, I love ramen noodles and spaghetti so it's not even close to that. They include a lot of stuff in those costs that you can cut out. Rent books instead of buy. Get a roommate. I know the pride gets hurt - but a lot of kids I went to school with were on food stamps. I worked 2 jobs my whole time bc my hubris will not let me go on food stamps but it's always an option.

[Izraehl]

How much do you have to make up? Is this for room and board plus tuition or is this just to cover their "expected cost of living"? According to my university now I need like 35k a year to live. However, I love ramen noodles and spaghetti so it's not even close to that. They include a lot of stuff in those costs that you can cut out. Rent books instead of buy. Get a roommate. I know the pride gets hurt - but a lot of kids I went to school with were on food stamps. I worked 2 jobs my whole time bc my hubris will not let me go on food stamps but it's always an option.[/QUOTE]

Where did you look for scholarships? Was it online or did you speak to people at school to find most of them?

I have to make up around 4k for one school year, that's not including living expenses and what not. That's purely tuition and room and board. Also, I'm totally down with the whole Ramen and spaghetti thing. :P

Also, I want a room mate. The college experience is what I'm after, but at the same time I really want to be a part of the research going on at the university. My major is research heavy and my school now isn't a research school. It's the research from big schools like the ones I want to get into that gets published and noticed. I'm determined to get into that as an undergrad.

[salukigirl]

I went to the financial aid website for my school and basically just went thru all the scholarships in science and applied. I would also look up specific faculty and what their interests are. I would contact them about any part-time positions, work study or assistantships they may have.

[Izraehl]

Originally Posted by salukigirl

I went to the financial aid website for my school and basically just went thru all the scholarships in science and applied. I would also look up specific faculty and what their interests are. I would contact them about any part-time positions, work study or assistantships they may have.

Hey thanks for all the posts, they're making me feel better about this whole situation

[salukigirl]

No problem. I just graduated with my BS a year ago so most of this crap is still fresh. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. Once again, congrats on you making it this far. It really shows a lot of character to complete something without having that support. That piece of paper will just mean that much more to you!

[Perna]

Tell your Dad you are planning to be on the Board of Directors of GM:

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...100419908/1431

[Izraehl]

Originally Posted by Perna

Tell your Dad you are planning to be on the Board of Directors of GM:

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...100419908/1431

I showed that to him and he said "Well that's good! You might meet somebody and get a good job!"

[Fresia]

I wanted to wish you the best as you move forward with your plans. Searching for all the scholarships can be time consuming but worth it in the end; contact the financial aide department at the schools to see their recommendations on where to look for scholarships as well. They can have some good recommendations. There are a lot of good suggestions above for the assistanceships that can be invaluable. Contact the departments to see what might be available. The other thing is that once you are accepted, there are school specific scholarships and grants that the financial aide department will determine you qualify for, which will help as well.

If this is what you want to do, don't let anyone stop you. You'll find a way.

[Christina86]

There are TONS of scholarships, you just need to know where to look. There are BILLIONS of dollars in unawarded scholarships every year, mostly because people don't want to apply or don't know to apply or don't know where to look for a scholarship. Best bet would be to sign up with a scholarship website (or several!) for starters, calling up the school you want to get into, and see what scholarships THEY have (lots of places offer entrance scholarships based on grades), also look into organizations you've been a part of, or that your parents have been a part of - they usually offer scholarships as well.

[Izraehl]

Thanks everyone! You're really making me feel better about this.