Does any one have some financial Aid Info?

I have recently signed u for Wright Business School for my Medical Assistant Certificate. I qualified for the Pell Grant and it only covered $4000 something. The total cost of the certificate is going to be $14000 something. Does this sound right? I am going to have close to $10000 in loans also that they signed me u for.
On the other hand I spoke with another school and they told me that the Pell would help me with the full cost or close to an associates degree in the same field plus housing and all. Can anyone help. I don't want to make a mistake and have to pay back loans for a half way career.

That "business school" is a for-profit business designed for one thing in mind. To take your money. 14,000 is ludicrous for you have to pay just to get a certificate that won't even be recognized when you go to get a job. Go to the real school and get your associates degree and let Pell cover the cost of all of it. Don't make the mistake of thinking that 14,000 is normal.

EDIT: NotAnyoneYouKnow:
Your answers are well thought out and very inormative, but usually WAY WAY WAY too long.

One thing that people are notorious for is making up sh*t based on their own perceptions. I would trust the word of nobody. How many times has someone told you info and you found it out to be wrong?? Do your own research. If the certificate is close to 14K, and you know what school you are attending, then pick up their Catalog or look it up online and see what the cost per credit is. Then multiply that by the number required for the degree. You will have your answer. With the economy we are in, I very seriously doubt you will get a full ride on a Pell alone. They are cutting back on dispersements for degree seeking students for one!. If you are in the medical field there is such a thing as loan forgiveness. You will have to work with certain targeted populations and agree to work X amount of years, but you will have one less burden.

It looks like the tuition that you're quoting for the Wright Business School is about right - the information that I found looks to be a year or two old, and at that point, annual tuition was a little over $12,000.

It also appears that the Wright programs take less than a year to complete - I think that's the key for you in terms of cost. Your total cost to earn the medical assistant certificate should be one year's tuition.

The tuition at Wright Business School seems to be pretty much standard for the one-year programs at these types of technical institutes, where students earn a medical assistant certificate in a year or less. The other option would be to get the training at a junior or community college, where the program would probably take 2 years.

The difference is that a 2 year community college program would allow you to earn an associate of arts degree, which MAY qualify you for better (more?) job opportunties.

As far as you question about the Pell grant. The maximum Pell grant that a student can receive for the 2008-2009 school year is $4731, so anyone who tells you that you can get a bigger Pell grant at another school is leading you astray.

Because Wright Business School is an accredited institution, you are eligible for the full range of federal educational aid programs, including the Pell Grant. Unfortunately, other than work-study, there aren't many other free money options for higher education students - in fact, most students don't even qualify for a Pell Grant, so at least you have that to get you started!

Your next best source of money for education is the federal government-backed Stafford Loan program - which I'm assuming is the loan money that you're referring to. If you don't have the money to pay for school on your own, then your only other option is to borrow the money you need - consider that loan as an investment in your future - and pay it back later - hopefully with the income that you'll be earning from the great new job that you're now qualified for.

If you DO choose to borrow for educational purposes, the Stafford loan program is the best available student loan. The interest rates are low and fixed (they'll stay the same from now until you finish paying the loan back), and good credit (or any credit at all) is not required. Other forms of non-government lending may have lower initial interest rates, but the loans are variable rate loans, and it's almost certain that the rates will eventually rise well above the rates that you'll pay on the Staffords. (AND, most private loans are based on creditworthiness, and may require a cosigner!)

I've attached a government publication that explains the federal financial aid system - it's easy to read and very informative. I think it'll help you a lot.

Good luck!

P.S. JUST FOR ONCE, maybe someone (hint, hint) could do a little research and not make a grand pronouncement that isn't true. The Wright Business School is a tax-exempt NOT FOR PROFIT corporation, based in Overland Park, Kansas. This doesn't mean that they're any good (I have no idea about that one way or the other), but they are a state-registered non-profit eduacational instituation.