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Another
Student
Story
College Mom
Shares inspiration
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Good News:
You should check out the University
of Virginia, where I did my undergrad (I enrolled when my daughter
was
four months old). Not only were their facilities (including childcare)
for non-traditional students
excellent, but they automatically assigned me independent status,
something few schools were willing to do. Therefore my financial
aid was calculated based
on mine and my husband's information, not my parents' (who weren't
paying for any of it anyway). A year later, they allowed me in-state
status, which knocked $10,000 per *semester* off my tuition,
because I was a
dependent of my husband, who met the residency requirements and
was not a student. The housing is definitely post-WWII, but there
have been expansions
as the population grows, and they give first priority to single
parents, second to undergraduate parents,
and third to graduate parents.
Most notably, Virginia has just joined
the schools who
are offering full-ride financial aid, primarily in
grants, to students whose families' income is up to
120% (I think) of the poverty level.
Throughout my years at Virginia, I met
nothing but
encouragement from faculty, deans, and my fellow
students. The school's family support groups were an
incalculable asset, as was our proximity to other
student families.
Thank you for encouraging other student
parents, and
teenage mothers in particular. You will change many
women's lives with your work.
Sincerely,
A Student
UVA BSE '99
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