R.J.
Here's what I did:
I started school (cc, with direct transfer agreement ) part time, when my son was 2 months old. Worked out great because I only had to have 4-6 hours a week covered (which is noooothing). Sometimes my classes coincided with naptime...sometimes they started after bedtime (night classes)...but most of the time they were in the daytime.
Here's the good news about financial aid: between grants, scholarships, and loans I brought home about a thousand dollars a month (3500 per quarter, including summer quarter). That was enough that I didn't have to work...but you can also get student jobs for more money, if what you're granted in the whole business, isn't enough.
Here's the bad news:
- you have to get your FAFSA off the previous year, or after the (march?) deadline you're in a waiting list. You get GREATLY REDUCED sums if ANY.
- Financial aid through the school is a PITA. (CC's that is...Universities have laws they have to follow, CC's get to KEEP any money they don't distribute...instead of pay it back to the govt./scholarship board/etc. like universities have to, so they have noooooo incentive in making sure you get your money at all, much less in a timely manner.) I honestly believe that a person who graduates while recieving financial aid should get an extra certification. Perhaps entitled "Expert at jumping through hoops, hoops of fire, and petty politicking". After two years I actually switched to entirely private aid (through banks & organizations).
- Professors will USUALLY let you take a class unregistered (if the class isn't full) if your financial aid is late dispersing, and then sign you into the class if it disperses after the deadline.
- A BIG trick is to open an acct with whatever bnk the college disperses the check with. That way YOUR bank doesn't hold the check for up to 10 days. Bloody idiocy.
When my so was 3 and in preschool I started working part time while going to school.
Good Luck
