Deanna wrote to me through the GetOutOfDebt.org site and asked the following question. If you have a credit or debt question you’d like to ask just use the online form. I’m happy to help you totally for free.
Income from the GetOutOfDebt.org site advertising is used to help alleviate poverty. If you would like to help me to help others, there are easy and free things you can do, click here to learn how you can help.
“Dear Steve,
I am a single mother of 2. I graduate with a BSN in nursing but of student loans far outway what I make. Sallie Mae is now threatening to take legal action or start garnishing my wages. I either pay rent or pay sallie mae.
What can I do to either pay them off or get some type of assistance. I know there grants and other monies out there. HELP!!!!
Deanna”
The Answer:
Dear Deanna,
SallieMae is one of the worst to owe. They offer little help or consideration to those struggling to make their loan payments.
Congratulations on becoming a nurse.
As far as some “grant” program that will pay off 100% of your debt with no strings, there is no such program. It is a myth.
But here are some programs that can provide you with some relief.
Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program – NELRP is a competitive program that repays 60 percent of the qualifying nursing educational loan balance of Registered Nurses (RNs) selected for funding in exchange for 2 years of service at a critical shortage facility. Participants may be eligible to work a third year and receive an additional 25 percent of the qualifying nursing educational loan balance. More Information
Federal Pell Grant – A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded usually only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree. (In some cases, however, a student enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Pell Grant.) Pell Grants are considered a foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added. More Information
Association of American Medical Colleges – The AAMC has an excellent database of medical loan forgiveness programs that you can review. Some are state dependent. More Information
Michigan State University Libraries Nursing Grants – The MSUL has a excellent list of grants and scholarships that are available for nursing students in all parts of the country. More Information
