Any independent college students out there?

Question

I will be attending college soon & I have no mom and dad with me due to family problems. If any of you are also on your own, could y’all tell me how you do it? How do you manage to pay for your expenses. Will it get easier? Is it worth me being in college debt since I don’t have the money.

Answer

Hope you dont take offense to me offering my advice, but my parents are around, they arent in a position to financially help me much and I dont know if it's worth it as I'm still in school. I think it depends, do you know what you want to go for and are dead set on it? I've knows since I was five I wanted to be a veterinarian and have actively worked towards it since I was 13 (almost 20 now). If you know what you want to go for, I'd start at a community college and get your GenEds out of the way. Make sure, before you take them, that they transfer to whatever university you want to go to if you want to have a 4 year degree (just talk to you advisor and have them call the university). Starting off at a small college means your tuition for the first two years will be, at least in my case, a third of the cost as going straight to university. And the university I went to was not private. 
I hope I didnt upset you by offering this and I dont know how helpful it is, but it is stuff I'm very glad I knew. Good luck!

Answer

I had a falling out with my family and am now 9 hours away from them living with my boyfriend and friends and it’s tough to handle expenses such as getting sick and needing to pay for doctors appointments and urgent care without insurance, or not being able to afford a car, or some weeks even just paying for groceries. But having a support system of friends makes a world of difference and my school offers a pantry program where you can go discreetly every week and pick up a weeks worth of groceries for free after explaining your financial and homelife situation with a counselor. There are also emergency/ low income/ at risk housing options across the US where you can get very cheap rent for apartments

Answer

First of all- it’s totally worth it!! My parents are around but I am on my own to pay for school. Honestly the best decision I’ve ever made was going to a community college/trade school. I know they have a bad rap but it’s so much cheaper and it’s not such a shock. I am also an RA- which means I get room and board free- so I HIGHLY recommend looking into being an RA or doing something like student ambassadors- where I go, they get paid to give tours of the school. I would also look into a federal work study- they offer jobs on campus and pay you decently. A lot of schools have pantries that students can go to, I know mine does and it’s amazing I use it a lot. Apply for scholarships through the college and outside as well- or look into government grants. Another smart thing is go to a financial adviser or college planning services, I use Education Quest. Good luck! Let me know if you need anything!

Any independent college students out there?

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