Hey You,

Yes, you!

Now that I have your attention, it's that time of year to start looking at colleges! Yes, I know some people think it is impossible for them to go to college, maybe even including you, because of their financial situation or maybe life decided to throw a curve ball at you, but it is possible! Let me tell you a little bit about my situation so you know what I mean.

So, my parents decided to get a divorce about two years ago. It was not the average divorce where the kids just go to dad's on the weekends. My parent's had a huge custody battle over my younger sisters that is still going on to this day! While this was going on, our funds started running out. We just had enough to pay bills every month and nothing else. My father would not pay child support, so we lost that income on top of it. We eventually had no choice but to go to the food banks for food. During this time, I still managed to keep my grades up during my last year of high school and everything started to change. Because of my good grades and our low income situation, I had gotten many scholarships and grants. To sum them all up, I have a total of $33,000 of my first year of college paid for and $14,000 yearly! That's almost a full year worth of college tuition, plus more! I am now able to afford college because I worked so hard in high school.

I am telling you this because I want you to understand you are not the only one going through a tough situation but want to better yourself through education. I want you to understand that it is possible. All it takes is a little hard work!

I know sometimes life has surprises and sometimes they are not good. But don't let that stop you from continuing your education! If you cannot be at school full time, try part time school or even online courses! There are so many options to choose from to fit around your busy schedule. I also know sometimes you feel you are just not emotionally able to go to college because of a tragic event or maybe a situation similar to mine. You can do it! You can do anything you put you're mind to! Win that battle against your depression, anxiety, or whatever that is holding you back and prove to yourself you are capable of bettering yourself. If you feel you need some extra encouragement, it's OK to go see a counselor. They are there to help you, so don't feel discouraged!

Now of course you will most likely have to get some sort of loan. Yikes. Being in a low income family, it can sometimes be hard to find someone with good credit to cosign for you. If you can, great! Go with it! Having a cosigner with good credit is the best way to get a loan. Another way to get loans is Federal Loans. These will be included in your FAFSA financial award. Some of these start to pay the interest on your loans while you are in school. If you have absolutely no one to cosign or the federal loans do not cover everything, you will have to establish yourself some sort of credit so you are able to get a loan without a cosigner. This should be your last resort.

I want my experience to inspire you to not give up on your education or anything in general! Nothing is impossible. I really truly hope I have helped you in some sort of way or at least given you something to think about. If you feel you need someone to talk to, please do not feel hesitant to leave a comment down below so I can help you. I am writing this for your benefit. I wish you the best of luck!

Sincerely,

You're #1 Supporter