How do I help my brilliant - but broke - friend go to school? [more inside]
posted by laughinglikemad on Dec 27, 2007 - 23 answers

I have almost certainly won an eighteen thousand dollar award to do my Master's degree, but every day I find myself semi-wishing that I don't win it so that I don't have to do my Master's. Do I suck it up and advance my career, or turn down more money than I make in two years and end up working at the mall? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 1, 2007 - 21 answers

Any advice on the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program application? I'm applying in Social Science.
posted by k8t on Oct 6, 2006 - 12 answers

Okay, this is probably going to come off as kinda pretentious, but has anyone ever dealt with winning TOO much scholarship money? [more inside]
posted by stray on May 25, 2005 - 10 answers

I'm a full-time college sophomore. I'm working full time, 35 hours a week, to try and make ends meet but I'm having a hard time. I know there was another thread on loans earlier, but my situation is different.

The disbursement I get from the federal student loan programs is not enough to cover my tuition itself, and the extra cost of room, board, books and other necessities is eating in and I'm beginning to run up serious credit card debt. My parents make enough money to keep me from getting grants or financial need scholarships, but they will not help me with school, nor will they co-sign a 3rd party loan. I live in a very cheap apartment and take the bus to school, and I've cut food and entertainment expenses to the minimums. I talked to the financial aid office and they said that there was nothing they could do except offer me a position on campus (for less hours and the same money as my current job) or give me a list of 3rd party loan providers. I called the providers, but they all rejected me because I'm too young (21), single and don't have a cosigner.

What do I do? I feel like I'm being punished for trying to go to school.
posted by anonymous on Jan 27, 2005 - 59 answers

I have a serious problem. I've managed to screw up rather badly, and have lost a $10,000 scholarship. I don't have a job and my rent/food/everything money is from student loans and is carefully budgeted to run out with the end of the spring semester. I need a job but I live in a city where the largest employer is the post office. I have 5/8ths of a BA in English. My resume is none-existent. The last paying job I had was almost two years ago. I worked at a McDonald's for the federal minimum wage. Between now and the end of August I need to either earn $13,000 ($3k to live on, the rest for school), or find a career that has long-term security. I'm quite frightened, actually. I have several skills but no evidence—references, resume, awards, etc.—to prove it. Short of committing a crime, which I will not do, does anyone have any practical advice? A brief list of skills I possess are inside. [more inside]
posted by Grod on May 25, 2004 - 30 answers