Headhunter

Wow.

migamoo

the guy is a full time student and has 4 jobs? wow. well, at least he's in a dorm now. i can't even imagine what that must have been like for him.

Headhunter

This will sound really heartless, but I wish he hadn't gotten the dorm entirely for free. Maybe he could do some speaking on behalf of NYU with students, to entice them to come forward if they are in a situation similar to his, etc...

By giving him a dorm entirely for free, what kind of message does that send to students who are suffering to pay for residence, but don't have the publicity that he did?

migamoo

Oh, I get your point, and I don't think it's heartless at all. You're right though, he shouldn't have had to get it completely free. Maybe they could've cut him a deal, maybe let him pay some and in return he, like you said, gave some lectures or speaches on what happened to him. It probably would have worked to get others to speak up about their similiar situations.

Headhunter

Right; not a huge commitment from the student (and still free!), plus it benefits the school both publicly and internally.

It's these simple to execute, beneficial to all activities that schools consistently ignore, for one reason or another...

Katis

Yikes, combinations of being really sad and kind of darkly humorous.

I would think the state and the school would offer some kind of scholarships or grants for him. I mean I am not nearly that poor, being forced to live in a library but I still get quite a bit of financial aid like the Pell grant and various stuff from my college.

mh67511

Was going to NYU THAT important that he sleep in a library? Why didn't he just consider going to one of the more affordable thousands of schools that are out there?

I never quite understood the financial aid thing either. I am not poor either, but I still got quite a bit of aid.

Doesn't the school offer any scholarships? Could he have taken out a loan?

Cail

My thoughts exactly. Although it's an unfortunate situation, I side with the NYU spokesperson. It doesn't sound like this student did much of anything to get financial help. He just assumed this was his only option. If he had put as much time into finding financial help as he did in his website complaining about a choice he made to live in the library, I doubt this would have happened.

[ 04-30-2004: Message edited Cail ]

Elegantly Wasted

Not everyone gets a scholarship there aren't enough to go to everyone. It's unafir that only those that get scholarships and can afford it should just be able to go to NYC. And he does have student loans already.

He must have looked for all the financial assitance he could get I men he bothered to work four jobs so how could he not be bothered to look for more financial help.

Working four jobs too [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]. I'm not sure how I feel about him getting the free room. I mean he obviously needs asistance and he suffered to get the education he wanted by working so hard and living in the library....

The whole system of futher education is so unfair financially.

[ 05-01-2004: Message edited Elegantly Wasted ]

Timeo

I believe that pursuing your dreams no matter what the personal costs is eventually worth it if you're that willful and committed to follow through on your hopes and wishes. I think it must be something like that for this guy too.

Enigma, I.C.

I wonder if he has "book lung" from inhaling all the dust in the library [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]

idork

NYU was my dream school for a very long time until I realized there would be no way I could ever afford it. I'd live in the library just to go there though, it's amazing. :p

GrhmLz

[img]smilies/wave.gif[/img]

Well, here's the thing. When you talk about these types of schools and other Ivy league schools such as Harvard, Yale, or Columbia you are talking thousands of dollars.

Scholarships are very helpful but they are not a guaranteed source of aid. You can apply for them but the thing is you may not get them because someone is always just a little bit more qualified than you are.

I'm poor and I would't have gotten through school without financial aid. My parents had five kids and they could never afford to put us all through college on their own. My father suffered job layoffs which in turn effected credit when there was no money to pay bills.

There is need-based financial aid that the federal government awards in both subsidized (the govt. pays the interst on the loan while you are in school) and unsubsidized (the interest accrues while you are in school) loans. However, there is a limit. I think a freshman/sophmore undergraduate is only eligible to receive $2500.00 or so and upperclassman undergrad's can receive around $5,000.00 subsidized and something like $5,500.00 in unsubsidized. That really isn't a whole lot and would never cover an education at like Harvard, Yale, or NYU.

And here is another problem? If you don't qualify for my other scholarships, that only leaves private loans. But what if you are a poor student with bad credit and your parents have bad credit? Where is the money suppose to come from?

It isn't an easy answer and I don't know what the answer would be. But obviously going to NYU was a dream he didn't want to let go of and I admire him for that! It doesn't bother me that he got a free dorm room. Maybe it will open up some eyes for other students who can barely make it. I mean, if they aren't going to give this kid anymore money to be able to pay for the dorm room what is he expected to do? It sounds as if he is maxed out on loans and he already works four jobs! Unless, people think these schools should only be kept for the rich?

*Kaylee*

That must have been uncoftable sleeping on chair.. ouch.

CrabbyCancer69

4 jobs!! Holy hot dog....