Recently, Stressed Out Nurse columnist Heather Grondin, RN, met with Sara Martinez Tucker, the U.S. undersecretary of education, to discuss how to make college a reality. Tucker was touring the country to visit with students and recent graduates to talk about higher education. Today, with knowledge from the session, Grondin will provide some tips and tools to help you finance your dream of attending college and becoming a nurse. Or, for those of you past that stage, you can use these strategies to further your nursing education:

I don’t think I can afford to go to school!
Many potential students do not realize the financial resources available. One tool that Sara pointed out was the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) Forecaster (www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/). Just click on the link (make sure to have your tax return and, if applicable, your parent’s tax return) and fill out the worksheet. This will show approximately how much financial aid you will be awarded to attend school.

The school that I am interested in exceeds what I was forecasted.
Relax. Take a deep breath. The more expensive schools have more resources. Many have grants and scholarships to apply for beyond FAFSA. Also, FAFSA takes into account the cost of the college or university you plan on attending and will award you more money to help offset the difference.

I have exhausted all grants, scholarships, and financial aid. Now what?

• You can apply for a loan. Or, if your parents are filling out the FAFSA, they can apply for a PLUS loan. PLUS loans will only be awarded in the amount that you are short on your tuition bill. For example, let’s say tuition is $6,000 and you were awarded $4,000. Your PLUS loan would be for no more than $2,000. For more information about PLUS loans, click here.

• When you fill out your FAFSA, make sure you check that you are interested in work-study. This is a great way to supplement your income while being able to focus on your studies. You can even tailor the work to your larger career goals. For example, if you want to learn more about the human body, apply for a lab assistant position.

• Another great thing about the nursing community is that most hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory centers, etc., have tuition reimbursement or forgivable loans available to their employees. It’s yet another reason to work as a nurse’s assistant while attending nursing school.

• Last, but not least, check to see if you are eligible for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/loanrepay.htm). The program will pay for up to 60% of your student loan balance in exchange for working in a critical shortage facility.

Now that you have the tools to finance your education, start applying to the nursing schools of your choice!

Editor’s note: To read more of Heather’s articles, click here.
Interested in becoming a Stressed Out columnist? Give us a shout at mbriddon@hcpro.com.