Hi Everyone:

I am hoping I can go back to school to retrain in January. However, I will need to get a student loan to cover fees and tuition. I don't qualify for a FAFSA Pell grant as I already have a degree which means I need to look for other resources. I did go to a college yesterday, a private college, but the fee for the 1.5 year course is $45,000! Ouch!!!!!

I don't know much about how financial aid for education works in this country except I know the ball starts rolling with the FAFSA application.

I also don't know the difference in fees between community colleges and private institutions, or at least I didn't until yesterday.

I have no idea where to look for a student loan. I have no family and my friends are all in dire straits, as am I, so I daren't ask for a co-signer. My credit is pathetic because of the pickle I got myself into in this economy and I have no cash!

Am I doomed?

With your resourses or lack of them, you want to be looking at a community college or state school.

What are you retraining for? What field?

Web and Digital Arts/Graphic Design

I have some training in this but not complete. My degree is in Business so this is a career change - has to be in this economy.

What is a state school?

State school is a public school...state run. Much cheaper than private.

sorry - this was a duplicate.

Okay. I am still confused. I know what a community college is but am at a loss to know how to find a state/public school for my field in my state. Are you able to advise?

Also, how do I know if a school is private or state run?

(I was educated in Europe so I am not familiar with trying to find the right school here.)

I must do this so I can maximize my chances of success in the future. I have been doing web and graphics on the side for 12 years but need the formal certificates/degrees behind me if I make the career change. (Just wish I could get some work right now!)

Community colleges do not offer degrees, only 2 year program certificates. (I do not consider what they call in this country an Associates Degree, a degree. It is a certificate.)

State universities offer degrees, BA, BS and so on.

Sorry. I misunderstood. I thought when you spoke of community colleges and state schools they were two different educational institutions. I believe you meant that they are one and the same.