sheila022

Hey my AD peeps <3

PFH and Jiro were talking to me about getting my local Vocational Rehabilitation as a way to pay for my college tuition...preferably for MIT.

They said they will be tough on me, and make it harder to get them to pay for MIT....

PFH had said about that if there is something MIT offers that the other schools in MA/CT doesn't offer, then it is likely that VR will pay for my tuition....but the thing is...you know MIT is a smaller school and bit more specialized than other local schools in my areas such as University of Connecticut....But I love MIT a lot....I really can't imagine myself at anywhere else.

I know I'm sure that other people here on AD, such as matajan had their VR to pay for their college education out of state...but they are deaf-dominant schools such as RIT and Galludet. Am I right?

But despite this odds, I am still willing to take the time and fight for MIT, if it will result in them paying up for MIT...so...do you have have any suggestions or anything you want to share in addition to what PFH and Jiro said? Such as "how to talk to the VR people and say the right words". (I still kinda suck in that department...talking to people like that >.<)

Deafness

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Tousi

Well, I guess, if it were me, I'd start off by visiting the Boston VR office website and read up on what's available for you, etc.....

sheila022

I'm actually in Connecticut right now, and I live in New London area. The nearest VR office is in New London.

AlleyCat

You mentioned out-of-state. What state do you actually reside in?

I live in MN and I went to RIT. I didn't have any problems with getting VR support for there.

If you are out-of-state and envision running into problems with VR support, is considering changing your state of residence an option for you?

Tousi

Ooops, then peruse the New London VR website. I don't know how much time you have but if there's a better chance with the Mass. VR, then you most probably will have to meet their residency requirements.

sheila022

I actually live in Connecticut, but you know that I go to school in MA.

Well, the thing is, RIT is a school dominantly for the deaf, and likely to be on the list of "approved schools to fund for"...but I don't think anyone deaf in my area went to MIT in decades. VR might be more willing to pay for schools like RIT and Galludet, but not for expensive out of state private schools (maybe regardless of its caliber).

I don't know if changing residency will help or not, especially if MA VR will pay for my tuition?

sheila022

Been looking at it carefully..but New London doesn't seem to say much...I'll look into Boston VR.

Tousi

I wonder if you could establish email communiques with a VR case worker who is familiar with deafness....in the New London office? This way you could glean information and if it pans out to be a good possibility that they'd help, then have someone drive you to an appointment there?

jillio

They have specific criteria that has to be met in order for them to do tuition assistance, and the schools to which they will reimburse is also limited to a few schools. Basically, you will need to show them that schooling is necessary for you to maintain employment and become gainfully employed. The criteria are not set by the local VR offices, but are federal standards.

jillio

They should have a counselor that handles the deaf clients. They are willing to use email for contact in my experience.

sheila022

So, the rules are the same across USA, no matter what states? Is there any online version listing out those rules that I can look at?

sheila022

can't I say that if I get rich in the future, I"ll donate $$$ to CT VR for helping me out now? xD xD xD

Tousi

No, you will just baffle the heck outta them!

Reba

+1

deafgal001

My VRS never paid for my tutions but they did pay for tty and alarm clock for me, as well as gas money to to and from college. You need to apply for grant. That's how I got my college paid for .

But on the other hand, I heard AGbell offer scholarships somewhere unless I'm very mistaken. you seem like a good candidate for it.

deafgal001

Grants & Contracts - ED.gov <---- explore around, you might find what you are looking for.

sheila022

So you went to that website and found grants to pay for your college, right? I'll poke around the website and let you guys know what I find.

Well, I did win the AGBell scholarship last year for my freshman year. I won the $10,000 scholarship, and I can't apply for it now, but I will next year...

I think they gave me the $$$$ last year because in their letter to me, they said they were specifically impressed that I did some audiology research with a MIT professor the summer before at this teaching hospital and co-authored a research poster with him. My other deaf MIT friend got lesser amount of $$$ from AGBell, so I doubt I'll get that lucky again.

deafgal001

no, My community college had a financial aid dept. That's where I applied for financial grants. My older deaf sister, and my younger hearing sister did the same thing. But I think it only pay for 2 years, but I am not sure. you have to ask.

DDU

i always thought vr support was also dependent on your parents income? most grants and financial assistant are dependent on the parents income.

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sheila022

Then that makes the problem worse =/ Can you please confirm this info?

deafgal001

Student Aid on the Web <---- eligibility for pell grants (and other finanical aids)

sheila022

my parents never filed FAFSA and refuse to =/

I'm in the toughest financial situation possible, which is why I'm looking into VR. =/

deafgal001

Yes, Go to your local VRS and confirm it yourself Each state are different and laws changes over time so you can't depend on one person's opinion anyway

deafgal001

you file it yourself and ask your parents for information along the way when needed

sheila022

But what about what Jillio said about federal standards in her post? I'm confused =/

deafgal001

I don't think that would be problem for you.

for example How well you hear on the phone... If it is not too grea, then it is because you are deaf and you can't just get any jobs you want. You need a job that suit well for the ability you have.

sheila022

It is unfortunately =/ Stepmom makes too much $$$$ for financial aid and she won't pay for me. =/

deafgal001

claim independent. I had to; because I already graduated and went ahead and made my own living after graduation before I applied for college few years later.. I could not get my parents to provide me informations about their finanical nor get them to pay, so I had to claim independent.

Because she is your stepmom and do not want to help you, You may have to do the same thing.

AlleyCat

Okay .. first, I do believe residency can help. That is why I was asking what state you actually reside in (not just where you go to school, but where you are considered an actual resident of.) Others over the years have told me that state residency really makes a difference. Keep in mind, Sheila, that I'm nearly 20 years older than you so times and policies may have changed. I can only write of what I knew of back then.

Secondly, RIT is not predominately deaf school. NTID is (in addition to Gally and CSUN.) RIT is one of many (at my time, 9 -- it may be more now) colleges that consist of the Colleges of Business, Engineering, Fine Arts, and so on. NTID, while on the same campus, is a separate entity. RIT colleges are the only ones that carry BA or MA programs, NTID does not. When I enrolled right after high school, I went to RIT. So that was not a factor in VR support -- meaning that I did not attend NTID. In that regard, RIT would not be any different than MIT. But I'm sure it's still on the list of "approved schools" because of it's association with NTID. My choice in that school was the lack of deaf environment I had growing up, and I knew I would "get" that by going to RIT versus a state university here in MN where I would be one of a few deaf students out of many thousands -- hence no difference than what I had growing up. NTID provides all deaf RIT students the same services - interpreters, notetakers, whatever you need.

(In the late 80's when I enrolled at RIT, the hearing student population was 14,000 and deaf student population was 3,000. A far cry from me being 1 of maybe 25 deaf out of 10,000 at my state university. I'm sharing these numbers so you understand that RIT is a predominantly hearing college.)

DDU

it has been my understanding that vr has turned down students at ntid because of parents income level. your age is also a factor since you would be classified as a dependent on your parents tax filings. there are a ton of other federal and state grants out there though. could help to talk to the schools financial office. they usually can dig up a few hundred dollars in grants.

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