I’m a junior majoring in public health education, and the stress has been weighing on me for months. I’ve been applying to every scholarship I can find, but I haven’t heard back from any of them. I’m also applying for VA benefits, but I’m unsure if I’ll qualify or if they’ll be enough to help. I’m feeling so overwhelmed and don’t know what to do.
I understand your struggle—I need to come up with $12k for the upcoming semester because I’ve been working towards a master’s degree. There’s no way I can get that much money in time, and it looks like I might lose the $30k scholarship I have, which gives me $10k a year, because I need to maintain full enrollment. The high interest rate on the student loan isn’t something I want to deal with either. It really does suck, but it is what it is. I wish you the best and hope you find a way to get the money in time.
Get a job and check if your school offers bus passes, so you don’t have to pay for transportation. Fast food places like In-N-Out are always hiring, so that could be a good option. Keep in mind it might take a few weeks to actually start working, so a job alone might not help you come up with the $7k quickly. If the $7k is for tuition, consider taking out a loan and then using your job to pay it off. You could also ask people around you for help and sign a proper contract to assure them you’ll pay them back. It’s similar to a loan but without the interest, and it’s with people you know.
I’m currently exploring payment plans. I just need to figure out what to do if I don’t receive any more scholarships.
You mentioned VA—does that mean you or your family is in the military?
Yes, my biological father was in the military.