Can anybody help me with a dilemma?

[lcc1011]

I apologize ahead of time for any typos or mistakes, I'm typing this off my phone.

I am currently 18 years old. I didn't know what I wanted to do after high school so I am currently in. A community college. During high school I worked and saved 13k, mostly to be used for college but also as a backup stash.

I really want to major in finance or accounting, however I am only close to one state school, and the admissions for the business programs are extremy competitive and expensive.

I have considered transferring to another state school about 2 hours away... I have already talked to a counselor there and a of my stuff will transfer so that's not a problem.

My main problem is going to be figuring out how to live? I have never lived on my own, especially in Another city. Also, I have no clue how I am going to be able to afford rent etc.
Have any of you gone through a similar situation? Going to this school is my best choice  and I feel it will pay off in theong run. I just would like some advice on  how to survive on my own financially while I'm going to school.

Thank you for reading

[sheepstache]

I'm sorry, I can't even read your post because I'm so excited that you spelled 'dilemma' correctly and had to comment.

(Other spelling nazis who have been reading the forum the past few days know what I'm talking about.)

[arebelspy]

Grants, scholarships, student loans, and/or a part time job are the traditional ways to deal with this if you don't have parental financial support.

[minimalist]

If you don't think you are competitive enough for the business school, you can apply for a different major (I recommend economics) and minor in business/finance/accounting.

[Milspecstache]

Try looking for a 'room-mate wanted post' on Craigslist.  Lots of deals in my area for $500/mo or so.

[phred]

alternative #1: Fill out financial aid form - fafsa, submit (different) financial aid request form to college of choice, live in dorm, work summers as a bookkeeper, work pt-time on campus as clerk, hide most of savings.

alternative #2: finish associate degree in accounting.  Include business computing, statistics, intro finance & public speaking.  Go to placement office for leads on pt-time jobs for junior accountants and work pt-time, look for temporary full-time positions in accounting for summers.  Graduate.  Get job in city with college of choice.  Make sure that college does offer night classes in accounting, etc. Use savings for first, last, security on apartment.

Apply for at least one scholarship each month.

[MDM]

You could pitch a tent in someone's backyard, and find places to hunt and fish and garden for your food in between taking classes and doing homework.  Or you could live in a dorm and subscribe to one of the meal plans offered on campus.  Or something in between.

While the true MMM spirit would push you to the first option above, I'd suggest the second until you are feeling more comfortable about your ability to handle the new situation.  That you are asking for help at all is a good sign - keep it up after you get to college and you will likely do very well indeed.

Talk with the financial aid folks at the school(s) you are considering.  You won't know their answer until you ask.  Good luck.

[Random Hangers]

alternative #2: finish associate degree in accounting.  Include business computing, statistics, intro finance & public speaking.  Go to placement office for leads on pt-time jobs for junior accountants and work pt-time, look for temporary full-time positions in accounting for summers.  Graduate.  Get job in city with college of choice.  Make sure that college does offer night classes in accounting, etc. Use savings for first, last, security on apartment.

Apply for at least one scholarship each month.

Yes to both. This is a great way to get the degree you want but without the huge loans that I hear burden so many college students nowadays. Yes, the standard advice is to jump into a 4-year college, graduate and immediately get a high-paying job (does that work for anyone anymore), but that misses out on the many opportunities to gain experience with the suggestion above.

That being said, everyone has to leave the nest sometime, whether that be now or a few years from now. It can be scary, but as long as you study/work hard, soak up all the information you can (including from this site/forum!) and keep your spending minimal, you should be fine. As a young person on your own for the first time, finances are going to be tight. They're supposed to be; it's the kids that throw money around that isn't theirs (i.e., their parents' or worse, the dreaded loans) that get themselves into trouble. Focus on your plan to achieve your long-term goal and you'll do great. Good luck!

[Jules13]

Definitely start by applying for financial aid.  There are counselors that will help with all of that in the financial aid office.  They usually have listings for on-campus jobs in that same office too.  Often there are work-study type financial aid too, where they find you a job on campus to help pay for your tuition.  I had several friends with those types of jobs. 

If you are going to live in a dorm, I recommend getting one with a kitchen (either communal on the dorm floor or in an apartment style dorm).  You can have a little fridge in your room (if it's a communal kitchen) and start to learn how to cook simple things for when you go more out on your own.  Dorms are more expensive than living off campus, but since you are nervous about that, might be a good start.  Meal plans are a rip off unless you eat a boat load of food.  I got off the meal plan after a semester.  Granted, that was 20 years ago. 

That's all I can think of right now.  It was a long time ago for me.  Best of luck.

[lcc1011]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's not so much the cost of the schooling I'm worried about but the cost of living. I still have another year or so but thanks for the ideas!

[Elaine]

To lower your cost of living:
Live close to school
Have lots of roommates
Learn to cook
Don't blow all your money on booze

[Milspecstache]

Roommates in college went in together to buy a 50lb bag of rice which would last us a semester.  Kept the rice cooker going every night as plan bowls of white rice was cheap eating.  Strange in that I'm doing that same thing now as a weight-loss technique.

[payitoff]

do you have a job? good for you for saving some good stash, you can start with that, maybe budget to only spend 3000 while in transition and make sure to save the other 10k and look for a place where you can share housing costs with, then start looking for an income in this new place close to school, also check the school first coz some hires working students.

[MustachianAccountant]

You could pitch a tent in someone's backyard, and find places to hunt and fish and garden for your food in between taking classes and doing homework.  Or you could live in a dorm and subscribe to one of the meal plans offered on campus.  Or something in between.

While the true MMM spirit would push you to the first option above...

Hmmm... I feel like you're mixing up MMM and Jacob from Early Retirement Extreme...