June 3rd, 2005
baby steps, baby steps, baby steps
So law school is something like 2-1/2 months away and we’ll be moving in about two months and yet many things are still up in the air. True, we’re going up to find our apartment in two weeks, but finding a place to live is pretty low on my list of things to worry about. What things are high on that list?
Well, for one, I haven’t received paperwork for my “financial aid package” (student loans). Law School said they’d send that stuff in early June. Hey! It’s early June! Mr. Angst is already filling out his promissory notes and doing his entrance interviews for his federal loans. Me, though? Just sitting here, waiting for information. Argh! I guess I could be trying to secure my private loans, you know, for that remainder that my federal loans and “need-based” loans won’t cover (I guess they call that the “estimated family contribution”) but I don’t even know who my school’s preferred lenders are. I like using preferred lenders. They’re preferred for a reason, after all. Truth be told, I’m starting to feel a little nervous about the loans and their procurement and whatnot.
What else am I worried about? Well, I’m not really worried about it, but I haven’t gotten any information on Orientation yet. I think a list of fun stuff Law School has planned for me in the last week of August might brighten my spirits a bit, during this dry, waiting period.
Update: Welcome, JD2B readers! Wander about and stay awhile.
comments
My law school has been about two weeks behind on the schedule they sent me of when they would be sending things out. I haven’t done the loan thing or received any orientation info yet either. And I’m still waiting on the housing packet or roomate list or whatever. I’m not worried, but when I have been concerned, I just call and they are pretty helpful.
Oh, whew! I keep seeing (on the boards, which I said I wasn’t going to visit any more, but I still swing by every now and then) people talking about the rates they’re getting on their loans and I feel very behind.
I did get my credit report yesterday, just in case, and it’s still fine.
I think some of the people on the boards are giving out terrible credit advice, but I have been looking at the rates they are posting so I can negotiate or shop around or at least know if I’m getting screwed.
I have accepted my first $18k, but beyond that I don’t really know what I can get/what I need/how to get it. I have an idea, but my plan is to figure it all out later this month when I know more about where I’ll be living and how much rent is.
enjoy being ttt
The rates aren’t going to differ much among lenders - what you want to look for is the origination fees; try to find someone that won’t take out money.
I didn’t get my funding all put together until the day after classes started, so don’t sweat it. It’s frightening how easy it is to get your money. The law school will send you the crap you need for your federal loans, and the private lenders will let you do it online. You can’t apply for private loans until after you know how much you’ll need, because your law school has to certify the amount before the lender will release private loans. (At least, that’s how it works at my school.)
Thanks, Anonymous. It’s the same at my school; I can’t apply for any loans until I get that paperwork—which I remembered about 20 minutes after posting this morning.
I guess I’m just a little unnerved by all the people out there talking about the rates and terms they’re getting now, when I haven’t even gotten my official financial aid award. Just something to bitch about on Friday.
I still haven’t received my initial financial aid award information either. Irritating since they keep sending me info about applying for the unsubd stafford loan. But the catch is, you have to specify the amount for the unsubd loan on the app…and in order to figure that out, you need to know what you are getting that is subsidized. Sigh. Welcome to the next three years of our lives, right?
You people are hillarious. Worrying about rates and how much to of a stafford loan to apply for. Accept it all people. $18,500 in Stafford loans covered about 2/3 of my tuition. My school also took their sweet time with everything. I attended the orientation session with every other law student, two days before classes were to begin and I knew almost nothing. Don’t worry, have a great summer, and breath. No one is in a better position. Remember the summer part though. It’s probably the last one you’ll have for a long time.