My 21 year old non-traditional student
Hi Terry,
Are there any resources that we can tap into to help my daughter pay for an MRI Scanning program that costs about 21,000. We applied for FASBA and was denied based on my salary. Although, my daughter does not technically live with me (she lives with my retired mother) and she works to earn her on money, we were told that she cannot file independently until she is 24 or has a tribe of children. She is very excited about this program and I believe it is a great move for her since she is not a traditional 4 year student, but she is becoming very discouraged with the thoughts of repaying this money back. I’m willing to help as much as I can but it’s not available money in my household. Please share any ideas or resources you think may be helpful.
Thank You!
Desperate Mom
Terry Says: Well, that’s not quite the right information. If your daughter is “emancipated” and self-supporting now — and can prove it, then she could file for FAFSA on her own, and probably get a loan. That might not be enough to pay full tuition, though. Or you could apply for a parental PLUS loan, which carries a higher rate of interest, and would require YOU to be responsible for repayment. Find out more info at www.fafsa.ed.gov and at www.FinAid.org.
Now, some things to think about. Have you checked the placement record of the school that offers this training? Many ‘vocational’ schools have come under criticism for charging high tuition and then giving students an education that does not fully prepare them for jobs, or for which jobs are not available. Do some investigating about placement records, salaries, etc. And it wouldn’t hurt for your non-traditional student to get a JOB for a year or two in a more menial position in a clinic that does MRI scanning. Who knows, they may be so impressed with her interest and hard work, that they will offer to fund a portion of her tuition!