How does a young person go to college (in US) with no income and uncooperative parent(s)

[Ginevra]

This is the second time I have wondered about this while reading a memoir about a person overcoming a severely screwed up background. The book this time is The Distance Between Us by Rayna Grande. I also wondered it with Educated by Tara Westover. 

Of course I know there are scholarships and grants, but a) I don’t think in either case this supported all of the schooling and b) how to they apply for anything as a young person with no parental cooperation? Is there some sort of indigent person loophole? Even if it was loaned money, I thought there were limits to the debt load colleges allow tobe held by the student herself, not a Gaurantor. 

Is this something that was once possible but no longer is? 

In a related question, I have wondered before how a student can acrrue $80,000+ debt in college, because as I said, I didnt think colleges permitted the STUDENT (not a Gaurantor) to hold so much debt. 

[Ottakee]

Some highschools and colleges have counselors to help navigate this but it is tough.

[SKL]

From what I have heard, I think they need to change the rule that requires a parent's signature / FAFSA.  Used to be you could file as independent if you were 18 and your parents were not supporting you.  Then you did not need anything from them.

I have never heard of colleges having a say in how much debt a student can have.

[Scarlett]

I have no idea.  It is a big mystery to me how a student with no money and parents unwilling to provide info for the FAFSA can do anything until they are 26 or whatever magic age that is they no longer have to go by their parents income. My son's girlfriend was in this situation....she had a scholarship through her Indian GED program that was going to pay for a 4K correspondence course.  But FAFSA was required....over the course of 6 months I watched her attempt to get both of her parents (divorced) to cooperate with her.  One would, then wouldn't...in the end her dad REFUSED to give the final piece of paper which was a current pay stub.  Why he would refuse I have no idea since he is a public employee.   Anyway, it appears the person helping this young woman (only 18) navigate this mess apparently got someone to make an exception and it went through without her parents help.  

[Arcadia]

She is an undocumented immigrant who attended Pasadena City College before transferring to UCSC (according to Wiki https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reyna_Grande).  Pasadena City College does have scholarships for undocumented students https://pasadena.edu/academics/career-center/undocumented-students.php

[lmrich]

I know some who joined the military first and the military paid for college. 

 

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, SKL said:

From what I have heard, I think they need to change the rule that requires a parent's signature / FAFSA.  Used to be you could file as independent if you were 18 and your parents were not supporting you.  Then you did not need anything from them.

I have never heard of colleges having a say in how much debt a student can have.

I guess I dont mean the college itself but the lenders who operate through the college. So, for example, when my kid applied to xyz college, they offered her the maximum student debt Stafford Loan (federally sponsored) and then offer that we could certainly borrow the remaining $32,000 per year as gaurantors. (No thanks.) I dont know what they do if the parents can not/will not guantee that loan. I didnt think the lenders allow the student to assume that debt instead. 

[Sneezyone]

Just now, Quill said:

I guess I dont mean the college itself but the lenders who operate through the college. So, for example, when my kid applied to xyz college, they offered her the maximum student debt Stafford Loan (federally sponsored) and then offer that we could certainly borrow the remaining $32,000 per year as gaurantors. (No thanks.) I dont know what they do if the parents can not/will not guantee that loan. I didnt think the lenders allow the student to assume that debt instead. 

 

Independent students are able to borrow the amount that a parent would be able to borrow in their own names. So if the student max is 35K and the parent max is $35K, an independent student can borrow up to 70K.

[Liz CA]

CCs in our state have a special program for disadvantaged students - I forget the exact name. They get assistance with applying for FAFSA or any other assistance for which they may qualify. They also get directed to academic counselors who typically help with the education plan. Then there is mentoring for academic subjects.

I think many of them work in places with flexible hours (Starbucks, other retail, etc) to get additional income.

[Scarlett]

5 minutes ago, HeighHo said:

Scholarships and other funding restricted to URMs and homeless or working for a company that has tuition bennies.  I know several kids who work full time..started before the state offered the scholarship discount for high school rank/gpa.  These days its very easy if they can find a place to live and a job as the CCs are offfering good scholarships. Some people do unofficial co-op -- work one semester locally, go the next.  My cousins, back in the day worked construction or oil field all the off days and that paid their entire bill. My dc's friends all worked tip based jobs in high income areas thru high school and college - that covered most, and if the campus job or loan didnt top it off, they co-oped. Its actually harder to get a college prep high school ed than it is to do college here.

FAFSA is required for scholarships.  So yes, working and then paying the full tuition in cash would work.  But if one makes use of any scholarship money FAFSA is required to be filled out.

[mom2scouts]

13 minutes ago, SKL said:

From what I have heard, I think they need to change the rule that requires a parent's signature / FAFSA.  Used to be you could file as independent if you were 18 and your parents were not supporting you.  Then you did not need anything from them.

I have never heard of colleges having a say in how much debt a student can have.

I hate the way the FAFSA treats self-supporting students. One of my sons graduated high school at 16 and was totally self supporting by 18. He paid for his own rent, insurance, car, food, utilities, tuition, books, and clothes, but for FAFSA purposes, he was a dependent and had to use our income. Fortunately for him, our income was pretty low at that time, but there was no way he could convince them that we weren't financially supporting him in any way.

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Liz CA said:

CCs in our state have a special program for disadvantaged students - I forget the exact name. They get assistance with applying for FAFSA or any other assistance for which they may qualify. They also get directed to academic counselors who typically help with the education plan. Then there is mentoring for academic subjects.

I think many of them work in places with flexible hours (Starbucks, other retail, etc) to get additional income.

I bet they still require the parents info.  That is a FAFSA requirement.

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, Liz CA said:

CCs in our state have a special program for disadvantaged students - I forget the exact name. They get assistance with applying for FAFSA or any other assistance for which they may qualify. They also get directed to academic counselors who typically help with the education plan. Then there is mentoring for academic subjects.

I think many of them work in places with flexible hours (Starbucks, other retail, etc) to get additional income.

This.  The programs are very good where I am. 

[Liz CA]

1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

I bet they still require the parents info.  That is a FAFSA requirement.

 

You know I have no clue about this. I wonder if it's different if you are an emancipated minor? Or is there is another way around this once a person is 18?

I just know that there were several students who utilized this program when I took a few classes some years ago.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, happysmileylady said:

This is true for most college and state/government type scholarships.  However I don't think any outside scholarships (such as $500 from Grandpa's American Legion Post, or a $10k essay contest, for example) are going to require FAFSA.

I think this varies by school. I remember someone on here getting mad with me once because I wasnt planning to apply for FAFSA, since I was not accepting loans at all. She said she still had to fill out FAFSA for her son to claim his MERIT scholarships. ??‍♀️

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Liz CA said:

 

You know I have no clue about this. I wonder if it's different if you are an emancipated minor? Or is there is another way around this once a person is 18?

I just know that there were several students who utilized this program when I took a few classes some years ago.

From my understanding the only ways around it were mentioned earlier. Have a child, get married, be 26.....

[Sneezyone]

1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

From my understanding the only ways around it were mentioned earlier. Have a child, get married, be 26.....

 

Students who are legally emancipated by a court are treated as independent students, no different from foster kids who age out of care.

[scholastica]

2 minutes ago, Quill said:

I think this varies by school. I remember someone on here getting mad with me once because I wasnt planning to apply for FAFSA, since I was not accepting loans at all. She said she still had to fill out FAFSA for her son to claim his MERIT scholarships. ??‍♀️

This is becoming more common. We have to submit it anywhere my dd is eligible for merit aid. I think it will be the norm in a few years.

[shawthorne44]

I was one of those kids.   My parents wanted me to borrow money from them instead and take the strings that offered.  So, they wouldn't cooperate with the FAFSA form.   The strings were things like I had to live with them and I couldn't leave the house at their whim.   Meaning, it wasn't like they wanted me to do chores first.  They just wanted to be able to say on a Saturday afternoon, "No you can't leave".   
I was lucky in that I went to school when it wasn't so expensive.  I worked 30+ hours a week during classes, and I took another sweat-shop job during the summers.  If I could go back in time, I totally would find some poor person to marry.  

[Guest]

All I know is I for dang sure wish I would have met or known someone who would have assisted me to go to college when I was 18-24ish. All I knew was that college was some expensive thing and that “people like me” didn’t go to college. I didnt even kbow there was such a thing as a Pell Grant until I was in my thirties. Im sure I would have qualified for Pell in my younger days. 

[gardenmom5]

my neice went straight to college with no parental help.  declared independent (or whatever) at 18, got aid based on no help from her parents - so their income was no included on her applications and it didn't count,  not sure how she did.

1ds is old enough he doens't have to give our income for him to receive aid.   interestingly - he received more in aid when he lived with 1dd.  (and she'd pay his gas bill! - which was higher then than it is now.) as far as they were concerned, he didn't live with his parents.   then he moved home and his aid dropped.

[LucyStoner]

I used to sit on the board of a program that helped very low-income students, usually, those who had been homeless or in foster care, go to college.  There are a few loopholes to the dependent student requirement for those under the age of 24 (which is why young people need parent cooperation for the FAFSA).  These are:

-Any military service means you no longer have to report your parents' income even if you are under 24.  

-If you have a dependent yourself (typically a child)

-If you are married

And less known but important for many because it's obviously unwise to have a child or get married just to go to college or to join the military unless you are physically able and willing to be in the military:

-If you are estranged from your parents 

-If you are homeless (common for those estranged from their parents)

One of the volunteer jobs I did at that organization for a number of years was to help students under 24 fill out the forms and get approved for independent financial aid because they were estranged from their parents.  

Under the Obama Administration, the rules about who was eligible for independent student waivers were loosened considerably.  

Edited November 8, 2018 by LucyStoner

[SKL]

21 minutes ago, Quill said:

I guess I dont mean the college itself but the lenders who operate through the college. So, for example, when my kid applied to xyz college, they offered her the maximum student debt Stafford Loan (federally sponsored) and then offer that we could certainly borrow the remaining $32,000 per year as gaurantors. (No thanks.) I dont know what they do if the parents can not/will not guantee that loan. I didnt think the lenders allow the student to assume that debt instead. 

OK, I thought you meant total debt held by the student.  Debt can be racked up over a number of years from multiple vendors.  I don't know what the limits are now, but when I was in law school, I was able to borrow $7,500 GSL + $4,500 SLS + up to $4,000 LAL ("law access loan") + any university loans on my own account each year.  My folks might have had to co-sign some of them, I don't remember.  I ended up graduating with $85,000 student loan debt (part of which was accrued interest on the SLS & LAL).  The details might be fuzzy as that was 27 years ago.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Yeah, DH grew up being basically told that college wasn't for "people like him" as well.  In fact, when he started, his dad basically told him that he was waiting for him to fail.  It's really sad how unsupportive parents can be of their own kids.  

In my case, a big part ofmy parents’ view was because I was a girl. 

[Liz CA]

8 minutes ago, Quill said:

In my case, a big part ofmy parents’ view was because I was a girl. 

 

But, as you know, it's never too late! 

[Scarlett]

15 minutes ago, LucyStoner said:

I used to sit on the board of a program that helped very low-income students, usually, those who had been homeless or in foster care, go to college.  There are a few loopholes to the dependent student requirement for those under the age of 24 (which is why young people need parent cooperation.  These are:

-Any military service means you no longer have to report your parents' income even if you are under 24.  

-If you have a dependent yourself (typically a child)

-If you are married

And less known but important for many:

-If you are estranged from your parents 

-If you are homeless (common for those estranged from their parents)

One of the volunteer jobs I did at that organization for a number of years was to help students under 24 fill out the forms and get approved for independent financial aid because they were estranged from their parents.  

Under the Obama Administration, the rules about who was eligible for independent student waivers were loosened considerably.  

Very interesting . I did not know that about being estranged from your parents . 

[Bootsie]

26 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Yes, for merit scholarships that are provided by the school, most schools do still require FAFSA.  But for OUTSIDE scholarships, that have nothing to do with the school you attend, it's my understanding that you generally aren't going to need FAFSA for that.  The money is being granted by American Legion, or Taco Bell, or Harry's Barber Shop, or whatever, not by the school.  

 

ETA: I had a merit scholarship at my school and yes, I had to fill out FAFSA for it.  

Universities require merit scholarship recipients to fill out FAFSA to make sure that they do not qualify for any federal grant money.  They university wants students to use any free federal money before dipping into university scholarship funds.  But, it does seem like a ridiculous loophole when you know you want qualify for anything to have to go through the motions of filling out the paperwork.

[Sneezyone]

6 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Very interesting . I did not know that about being estranged from your parents . 

 

That is how I qualified as independent.

[LucyStoner]

My dad joined the air force in 1960 because back then he needed his parents' permission to enroll in college until he was 21 and they weren't going to give it unless he majored in Engineering or Business.  He didn't need his parent's permission to enlist though so that's what he did.  

[LucyStoner]

44 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

From my understanding the only ways around it were mentioned earlier. Have a child, get married, be 26.....

 

It's 24, not 26.  It wasn't 24 until the Reagan Administration though.  That change was to prevent affluent students from getting grants meant for low-income students.  

Edited November 8, 2018 by LucyStoner

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Liz CA said:

 

But, as you know, it's never too late! 

Yes, of course! I did attend college for five years PT beginning at 39. Earned my AA. Do want to complete, just on hold while I focus on DS still at home. ?

[GoodGrief]

A young man in our extended family (daughter's bro in law) faced a similar situation this year. In his case, there was an appeal to the university with multiple letters written on his behalf. In the end, he got all the money he needed despite the troubled and complicated family situation.

[LucyStoner]

Frankly, one factor in why my husband and I married at 21 was that it meant he would be able to get financial aid for college and thus no longer be tied by purse strings to his alcoholic abusive but very well off father. 

I hired someone for a client back in 2012 and she was in a situation like you describe @Quill .  She was 23 when I met her and had a master's degree. Her parents didn't think girls should go to college.  She had run away at 17, married a young boy from a similar background and they put themselves all the way through graduate school.   She was happily married but she said that they had married only because they wanted to go to college.  I'm glad it worked out for them.  They are still together and have kids now.  

[gardenmom5]

36 minutes ago, HeighHo said:

 

he changed categories...homeless to nonhomeless. 

  - he changed from living independently to living dependently.  

[Scarlett]

4 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

My grandpa was in his late 30s/early 40s when he got his electrical engineering degree.  He is now 90, and this summer went BACK to work to assist/consult on the dismantling of a particular large pieces of equipment that he originally helped built....he's the only one left who can provide first hand info on it.  

Very cool 

[Farrar]

Quill, I'm sorry you were told that. That really just sucks, pardon my French.

In Tara Westover's case, I think it was clear in the book that she did have some support, it was just extremely uneven and insufficient. Plus, she was gifted enough academically to luck into some very good scholarships. I think being Mormon also helped her a great deal. She was in a religious community where people in the church looked out for her at some critical moments.

Dh's grandfather turned down the GI Bill because "college isn't for people like me." I think it's a mindset with people - because of class, gender, or other things. Nowadays I feel like it cuts the other way sometimes too - middle class kids who aren't cut out for college are pushed in when they should go into good trades.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Quill, I'm sorry you were told that. That really just sucks, pardon my French.

In Tara Westover's case, I think it was clear in the book that she did have some support, it was just extremely uneven and insufficient. Plus, she was gifted enough academically to luck into some very good scholarships. I think being Mormon also helped her a great deal. She was in a religious community where people in the church looked out for her at some critical moments.

Dh's grandfather turned down the GI Bill because "college isn't for people like me." I think it's a mindset with people - because of class, gender, or other things. Nowadays I feel like it cuts the other way sometimes too - middle class kids who aren't cut out for college are pushed in when they should go into good trades.

It’s interesting you say that, though, because I have felt some alarm at the other side of that coin: students who could succeed in college being discouraged from it in favor of trades OR not really given direction at all under the guise of taking a gap year. 

IOW, I have been surprised at the number of college educated parents in recent history who, upon not seeing their kids showing great aptitude for being an Accountant or Engineer or what-not, figure their kid can learn a trade instead, without really understanding what life is like working in a trade. Working in a trade can be a really bad deal for a lot of people but I feel like a lot of kids are being pointed at trades nowadays by parents who do NOT understand the drawbacks of trades work. In other cases, the parents and/or kids latch on to the gap year idea as a solution, but I think GY is a net disadvantage for a lot of people. Many kids who appear like lost puppies when going off to freshman year of college do rise to the occasion once there. 

[Farrar]

5 minutes ago, Quill said:

It’s interesting you say that, though, because I have felt some alarm at the other side of that coin: students who could succeed in college being discouraged from it in favor of trades OR not really given direction at all under the guise of taking a gap year. 

IOW, I have been surprised at the number of college educated parents in recent history who, upon not seeing their kids showing great aptitude for being an Accountant or Engineer or what-not, figure their kid can learn a trade instead, without really understanding what life is like working in a trade. Working in a trade can be a really bad deal for a lot of people but I feel like a lot of kids are being pointed at trades nowadays by parents who do NOT understand the drawbacks of trades work. In other cases, the parents and/or kids latch on to the gap year idea as a solution, but I think GY is a net disadvantage for a lot of people. Many kids who appear like lost puppies when going off to freshman year of college do rise to the occasion once there. 

I may be biased about the college vs. trades thing because it really ruinous to my brother. My parents moaned and threatened and basically cut him off because he wasn't suited for college. He ended up on a bad path for awhile... and now he's a successful commercial electrician. Which should have always been his path (or something like that). 

The gap year thing is a bit of a pendulum swing, I think. Like, when my step-sis wanted to take a very traditional gap year (deferred acceptance to a very selective school for doing a structured program for a year) they freaked out and called her a dropout. It was nuts. Like, she's clearly got a life plan, let her do it. She needed to be able to take that time. And she did and it was very good and they admitted they were wrong. And it wouldn't have ruined her to go right to school, but the fact that parents used to be so against them... I mean, I would have so benefitted from a gap year. I wish I had been encouraged to take one. But now, yeah, the whole "gap years are the norm every kid should take one" thing... I'm sure there are some kids who need to not lose momentum.

Hindsight is... individual and 20/20

 

[Scarlett]

5 minutes ago, Farrar said:

I may be biased about the college vs. trades thing because it really ruinous to my brother. My parents moaned and threatened and basically cut him off because he wasn't suited for college. He ended up on a bad path for awhile... and now he's a successful commercial electrician. Which should have always been his path (or something like that). 

The gap year thing is a bit of a pendulum swing, I think. Like, when my step-sis wanted to take a very traditional gap year (deferred acceptance to a very selective school for doing a structured program for a year) they freaked out and called her a dropout. It was nuts. Like, she's clearly got a life plan, let her do it. She needed to be able to take that time. And she did and it was very good and they admitted they were wrong. And it wouldn't have ruined her to go right to school, but the fact that parents used to be so against them... I mean, I would have so benefitted from a gap year. I wish I had been encouraged to take one. But now, yeah, the whole "gap years are the norm every kid should take one" thing... I'm sure there are some kids who need to not lose momentum.

Hindsight is... individual and 20/20

 

And I think Quill is biased against the trades because her dh has done that kind of work his entire life and it gets difficult when one reaches um, a certain age, which I may or may not be myself.  I do think that if kids go into a trade of some sort, they need help to formulate a long range plan......building up a business basically so you don't have to do the hard physical work until you retire or drop dead.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Farrar said:

I may be biased about the college vs. trades thing because it really ruinous to my brother. My parents moaned and threatened and basically cut him off because he wasn't suited for college. He ended up on a bad path for awhile... and now he's a successful commercial electrician. Which should have always been his path (or something like that). 

The gap year thing is a bit of a pendulum swing, I think. Like, when my step-sis wanted to take a very traditional gap year (deferred acceptance to a very selective school for doing a structured program for a year) they freaked out and called her a dropout. It was nuts. Like, she's clearly got a life plan, let her do it. She needed to be able to take that time. And she did and it was very good and they admitted they were wrong. And it wouldn't have ruined her to go right to school, but the fact that parents used to be so against them... I mean, I would have so benefitted from a gap year. I wish I had been encouraged to take one. But now, yeah, the whole "gap years are the norm every kid should take one" thing... I'm sure there are some kids who need to not lose momentum.

Hindsight is... individual and 20/20

 

Yeah, I think there is something instructive in your last line; sometimes you just dont know how it’s gonna go until it has gone. Even with my own regrets about not attending college until late in life - who knows what would have happened if I had gone directly to college? I still didn’t even recognize myself as being on the smart side then. 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

And I think Quill is biased against the trades because her dh has done that kind of work his entire life and it gets difficult when one reaches um, a certain age, which I may or may not be myself.  I do think that if kids go into a trade of some sort, they need help to formulate a long range plan......building up a business basically so you don't have to do the hard physical work until you retire or drop dead.

Yes, but not even so much because of DH (although definitely a factor) but because of people who have worked for dh now or in the past. Our current plumber has not worked since April because he has a debiliating injury. It’s a bad spot to be in if you get to 50+, have a disabling injury or just plain worn out body parts, have only these skills for work and have not planned for that possibility. 

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Quill said:

Yes, but not even so much because of DH (although definitely a factor) but because of people who have worked for dh now or in the past. Our current plumber has not worked since April because he has a debiliating injury. It’s a bad spot to be in if you get to 50+, have a disabling injury or just plain worn out body parts, have only these skills for work and have not planned for that possibility. 

Yes, I have a friend who is a plumber and he is not even 50 and is having a rough time physically.  Needs a shoulder surgery.

[madteaparty]

Nm 

Edited November 8, 2018 by madteaparty

[maize]

56 minutes ago, Quill said:

Yes, but not even so much because of DH (although definitely a factor) but because of people who have worked for dh now or in the past. Our current plumber has not worked since April because he has a debiliating injury. It’s a bad spot to be in if you get to 50+, have a disabling injury or just plain worn out body parts, have only these skills for work and have not planned for that possibility. 

 

54 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Yes, I have a friend who is a plumber and he is not even 50 and is having a rough time physically.  Needs a shoulder surgery.

 

I have an uncle who was a plumber until he got to about age 50 and couldn't do the work physically anymore. He went back to school and now teaches math.

Age definitely makes a difference.

[Tree Frog]

5 hours ago, jdahlquist said:

Universities require merit scholarship recipients to fill out FAFSA to make sure that they do not qualify for any federal grant money.  They university wants students to use any free federal money before dipping into university scholarship funds.  But, it does seem like a ridiculous loophole when you know you want qualify for anything to have to go through the motions of filling out the paperwork.

Not just for you, jdahlquist, but for general info. My dd was at a private university. The first year, we had to fill out the FAFSA, even though we knew we wouldn't qualify for any need based money. The following three years, the university didn't require us to fill it out, but dd had to follow up and make sure her merit scholarship was processed every year.

[Hoggirl]

Here’s one way debt can balloon like crazy...

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/rehabilitation-gives-student-loan-borrowers-a-second-chance-at-a-cost.html

[KidsHappen]

I started college in 1985 as a grown woman that was married, had two children of her own and lived in Japan and I still had to get my father to sign a paper stating that he was no longer financially responsible for me. It was my understanding that if he had not signed the paper, I would not have been able to go until I was I think 25 at the time. 

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Hoggirl said:

Here’s one way debt can balloon like crazy...

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/rehabilitation-gives-student-loan-borrowers-a-second-chance-at-a-cost.html

That is ghastly!!! I would just shrivel up and die if that happened to me. 

[Upennmama]

The married thing must be new. When I attended college (2002-2005) I was told that my husband I I had to both submit FAFSAs with our parents information, though we were totally independent and had our own child. It was frustrating and humiliating!

[SereneHome]

7 hours ago, Quill said:

This is the second time I have wondered about this while reading a memoir about a person overcoming a severely screwed up background. The book this time is The Distance Between Us by Rayna Grande. I also wondered it with Educated by Tara Westover. 

Of course I know there are scholarships and grants, but a) I don’t think in either case this supported all of the schooling and b) how to they apply for anything as a young person with no parental cooperation? Is there some sort of indigent person loophole? Even if it was loaned money, I thought there were limits to the debt load colleges allow tobe held by the student herself, not a Gaurantor. 

Is this something that was once possible but no longer is? 

In a related question, I have wondered before how a student can acrrue $80,000+ debt in college, because as I said, I didnt think colleges permitted the STUDENT (not a Gaurantor) to hold so much debt. 

Didn't read the thread, sorry, but here is how my friend did it.

She came here when she was about 21-22, supposedly to live with her father.  I think he was her only family and only person she knew here.  Her father's wife didn't like her and she had to move out.  Her English was OK, not great.

She worked, rented a room, started college.  Took loans.  Worked a TON!  I have no idea when she slept, but we did hang out sometime on the weekends, so she did have some free time.

Now, it was about 20 yrs ago, so college costs were very different back then.  But she did it.  Wasn't easy, I can't remember how many years it took her to get her BS degree, but not terribly long.

So, it was possible.  Don't know if it is still possible with today's prices.