I found out this year that I can no longer get federal grants. I can deal with only depending on student loans. The grants were bound to run out at some point. I wish I only would’ve gotten this advice sooner. I swore this would never happen to me, but here I am…

I am a college graduate with an Associates Degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. When I first majored in my program, it was with the understanding that it was blended with a social work degree. I graduated and I was offered my first job. However, I couldn’t sit for the test because I did not have my degree in Social Work.

If you want to take courses that aren’t in your graduate program, do it as an undergraduate because once you have your degree then you cannot get student loans for non-degree seeking licenses.

For instance, I figured out after I got my Bachelor’s Degree that I wanted to become a Licensed Addiction’s Counselor. I was approved to take the courses, but to my dismay when I spoke with financial aid I found out that I could not get student loans because the only non-degree seeking license that is funded is teaching.

Now, I am sitting here thinking… Well, I should’ve figured it out sooner.

I am largely in student debt. I cannot do a whole heck of a lot with what I have and now I am trying to figure out how to pay for the classes to do what I really want to do in life.

Hands down. I wanted to give up. I wanted to throw in the towel and be done with school. However, I am not. I am striving on and picking up the pieces. I am hoping to pay off my car soon enough to use it as a lean against another loan (but this time through a bank locally) to take out a loan for school.

If all else fails… I will create a “Go Fund Me” page. I will, however, not give up.