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I've always qualified for some sort of financial aid. That being said, when I attended OLLU (private university) 100% of my aid went to school.
Now that I am non-trad, have a wife, 7 year old, and a little boy on the way, I am finding it hard to deal with finances.
I work full time as a RT/RPSGT, which brings in roughly around 2400 every month (took a cut form doing regular RT rounds and opted to stick to a sleep lab setting to get studying done at work), and keeps us medically insured. I have the option to accept financial aid loans up to the cost of attendance at my school, which they set at 16,000. I also got the pell grant (2500 a year).
Is it wise, or infact normal to use the rest of the aid money on rent per say? We like to live a somewhat nice lifestyle, and I have a feelings that once medical school becomes a reality, I will have to somewhat settle for below par living. My wife works as a pharmacy tech, so she can bring in around 1400 a month on that, working normal hours. She also gets child support for her 1st child, and we use about 30% of that for living expenses, about 50% gets used on baby sitting, clothes, and the occasional toy "daddy bought her". It pains me to see his money going into our rent, and while we are saving 20% of that money in a savings account for college, I want to figure out a way to make ends meet without touching that money for things that help me out.
The reason we use it is because before my wife and I got together, they used it at 50% for rent. My wife insists that the way we are using this money is fair, but something bugs me about it. I was an only child to a single mother, so I really understand the significance of the $. (we didn't get any)
So, lets say I take out the max in unsub and sub loans, which in my case would be ~5-6k per semester. $10,000 can easily pay for an $800 apartment for a year. The school I want to transfer to (TAMUSA) is in the south side of San Antonio, and if I were to move to a safer area, possibly in the outskirts of the southside, closer to a small town south of SA, I could even get a house for slightly higher than that price. If I can handle school, books, and travel, and the occasional treat for the family (park, zoo, movies, eat out) on my salary alone at the moment, would it be financially bad to take the loans for college and use it for living?
On a slighly different note:
I was planning on majoring in Bio/chem
I just found out TAMUSA doesnt have an established chem program yet. They do have a Kino program, and their might be a chance to either double major in Kino/Bio or Bio, with minor in Kino.
Should I avoid this, and just go to UTSA?
UTSA, is affiliated with UTHSCSA, but in a way, TAMUSA is affiliated with TAMU, which has a medical school as well.
Thanks in advance,
RRT
Now that I am non-trad, have a wife, 7 year old, and a little boy on the way, I am finding it hard to deal with finances.
I work full time as a RT/RPSGT, which brings in roughly around 2400 every month (took a cut form doing regular RT rounds and opted to stick to a sleep lab setting to get studying done at work), and keeps us medically insured. I have the option to accept financial aid loans up to the cost of attendance at my school, which they set at 16,000. I also got the pell grant (2500 a year).
Is it wise, or infact normal to use the rest of the aid money on rent per say? We like to live a somewhat nice lifestyle, and I have a feelings that once medical school becomes a reality, I will have to somewhat settle for below par living. My wife works as a pharmacy tech, so she can bring in around 1400 a month on that, working normal hours. She also gets child support for her 1st child, and we use about 30% of that for living expenses, about 50% gets used on baby sitting, clothes, and the occasional toy "daddy bought her". It pains me to see his money going into our rent, and while we are saving 20% of that money in a savings account for college, I want to figure out a way to make ends meet without touching that money for things that help me out.
The reason we use it is because before my wife and I got together, they used it at 50% for rent. My wife insists that the way we are using this money is fair, but something bugs me about it. I was an only child to a single mother, so I really understand the significance of the $. (we didn't get any)
So, lets say I take out the max in unsub and sub loans, which in my case would be ~5-6k per semester. $10,000 can easily pay for an $800 apartment for a year. The school I want to transfer to (TAMUSA) is in the south side of San Antonio, and if I were to move to a safer area, possibly in the outskirts of the southside, closer to a small town south of SA, I could even get a house for slightly higher than that price. If I can handle school, books, and travel, and the occasional treat for the family (park, zoo, movies, eat out) on my salary alone at the moment, would it be financially bad to take the loans for college and use it for living?
On a slighly different note:
I was planning on majoring in Bio/chem
I just found out TAMUSA doesnt have an established chem program yet. They do have a Kino program, and their might be a chance to either double major in Kino/Bio or Bio, with minor in Kino.
Should I avoid this, and just go to UTSA?
UTSA, is affiliated with UTHSCSA, but in a way, TAMUSA is affiliated with TAMU, which has a medical school as well.
Thanks in advance,
RRT
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