"I don't know why you insist on going to a school so far away. You could go to a state college and live at home to save money on boarding. In fact, I think that's a great idea. You can live at home, do your laundry and eat at home, take public transportation to school." Carmen's mother was very pleased at her own brilliant, money-saving idea.

"I'm not living here for the rest of my life. I need to see something outside of this horrible city. I need to live on my own for once. It is not that far and I won't need a car because everything is right on campus. I don't even know why we are having this conversation anyway…I haven't received my acceptance letter yet," Carmen rolled her eyes, then got butterflies in her stomach as her mom passed her an envelope.

"It just came today. I hope you will be happy there," her mom said as she walked out.

"I got in? I got in. Oh my, gosh! This is so amazing. I have to call everyone," Carmen was beaming with excitement. 

"Wonderful, wonderful. YOU DID IT and I am so proud of you!" her mother shouted excitedly.

But as Carmen continued reading her acceptance letter to the small, Massachusetts private college she had her heart set on since middle school, her bright smile turned to a dark frown.

"Oh, no…well, I guess you will be happy. They aren't giving me financial aid. We could never afford the tuition," she said sadly.

"WHAT ARE THEY, CRAZY?" her mom shouted as she grabbed the letter from her daughter's hand. "No scholarship money, for a student with all A's and a few B's in high school? No financial aid for a girl who got a 1550 on her S.A.T.'s? No money to help me, a single parent holding down two jobs just to make ends meet and give you what nobody else in our family ever had, a college education? This must be a mistake. Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry."

"Just for once I would like to be able to do something without thinking about money." Carmen began to sob. "I'm smart, I've gotten good grades, I've worked hard in school and at whatever after school job I could get just to be able to attend college, but for what? So that some rich kid who's been partying through high school and getting all kinds of tutoring classes for S.A.T.'s can take my place just because his/her family had money? IT'S NOT FAIR. I HATE MY LIFE!!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic and negative. Some people don't even get the chance to attend college…consider yourself lucky," her mom replied.

"Yeah, poor people can't go…and as I struggle to complete my course requirements while having a full-time job, other students will be planning trips to Europe and picking out new cars. I am sooo lucky." Carmen slammed her door and cried some more.

If life were fair, a student as intelligent, as dedicated to learning, and as hard working as Carmen would have been accepted to the college of her choice…money or no money. But the truth of LIFE is that IT IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR. Help is available! There are several choices for those who can’t afford to attend college but desperately wish to. Read on to see what options might work for you.