When I first applied to be an undergraduate I was in a unique situation. My parents did not have the money to even pay for my books at college, and my father in a lot of debt due to tax leans, credit, and recent bankruptcy. Therefore I was making money on my own and attempting to get loans for myself. However because I was not married, under 25, and not veteran everyone I would contact (from finical aid counselors to the people in the Department of Education) treated me like crap and or played “dumb”.

Even though I received NO finical support during the entire time I was an undergraduate, I still could not apply for loans, scholarships, and student aid on my own. My father be grudgingly file taxes and give up his W2s and my mother did not work (if she did it was temporary.)

Every year it was a waiting game, I would go to school, apply for student aid, the School’s finical aid office would sit on it, then the student accounts office would bombard me with letters and phones demanding their money. At the last minute my father would give up his W2s or file taxes, apply for loans (only to have them rejected)and then I would have to go right behind him and apply. On more than one occasion the university locked my accounts and held my transcripts only to release them after I was approved for ridiculously high rate loans, or the left over student aid/grant money (which was slim to none). I had to do this “dance” every year for four years. The “expected family contribution” is what I had to pay out of pocket or either via another loan.

Eventually I graduated after four years, with a gpa well over 3.0, and consecutive Dean’s list during my last three semesters.

However now, because I lack a “graduate/professional” degree employers in my field (especially on the Federal side) refuse to hire me or even consider me as a candidate.