mouthynaut:

mouthynaut:

As a single mother of two, coming up with the finances to attend university is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It is especially more difficult to do so after you already have a degree. Scholarships, grants, low-interest federal student loans, and other financial aid is much more limited to students who have already obtained a degree from a four-year university (whether they want to obtain an additional undergraduate degree or any graduate degree). 

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing, which I obtained in 2010. Since I graduated I have been struggling to go back to school mainly for financial reasons. I’ve been stuck at the same part-time job since shortly after I graduated, despite spending time looking for work several days a week since I graduated. Every job I have applied for has either a) not contacted me or called me back when I have tried to contact them after I applied, b) told me that I am overqualified because of my degree and they can’t afford to pay me what I should have, c) told me that I do not have the qualifications due to lack of experience. Any other job that wants to hire me wants to pay me less than I am making now and won’t hire me as a full-time employee. I’m struggling to make ends meet as it is and am barely getting by only because of help from my family.

Recently I have decided that I am going to work harder to get the funding to go back to school. In addition to applying for federal financial aid (I don’t know that I will receive any) and private scholarships, I am adding a donate button to my blog for anyone who is compelled to help out. Any amount you are able to give is much appreciated. If you can’t donate, all I ask is that you please spread this around so that it gets to someone who maybe can donate. If you feel moved at all by what I am going through I ask that you please just reblog this or direct anyone who might be able to help to my donate button.

Ultimately I want to teach college/university students. Even more than that I want to start a collective co-op where a fundamental part of it will be free educational resources and instruction for anyone who needs either of those things, particularly those that are low-income. Going back to school is a step in the direction of becoming more financially stable for the sake of my children, and will also prepare me further to contribute something to those in the community who genuinely need help or want to learn something when they can’t afford to pay for the outrageous cost of higher education.

I thank and appreciate all of you who have taken the time to read or reblog this, and thank you in advance to anyone who donates. If you have any questions, please direct them here.

-R

I can’t believe what an overwhelmingly positive response I have received from the tumblr community in the past 24 hours. I am so grateful to each and every one of you for reading and reblogging this. For everyone who has donated to me: You are gems and I could hug and kiss you. You have no idea how much you are helping me. Also thanks to ourben for fixing my donation link. :)

People who I don’t know and who have never even heard of me are reblogging this post and some have even donated. I am so grateful to have the friends on tumblr that I do who reblogged the heck out of the original post for me, from which I received a huge immediate response. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

A little bit more general info about the donations because I have received some questions:

• Every penny will go toward school fees, whether they be books, tuition, parking fees, other random fees that schools usually impose, etc.
• I don’t have a specific dollar amount goal in mind. I know I may have to take out some student loans, but between donations, scholarships, and some other ways of making extra money, I’m hoping it won’t be much (I’m paying on some loans from my first degree still).
• In addition to this and scholarships, I am going to take on some freelance writing assignments like I did when I was in college when I was low on cash. I will also be making jewelry (I already do this for fun and for my friends and family) and selling it, so look for a link to my etsy shop sometime in the near future!
• I don’t have a specific date in mind for when I will stop accepting donations. I was initially going to apply to go back to school for the Spring 2013 semester, but a lot of the programs I am looking into only take Fall applicants. In order to raise more money to lessen the burden of student loans I am planning on just applying for Fall 2013.

Thanks again. You guys are the best.

Also, here is the fixed donation link. :)

Or you could find it under the navigation tool on my blog page.

Much love.

-R