Wassup;
I will be glad to inform and help any US Green Card holder how he or she can go back to school, get your Associate Degree, Bachelor or whatever you want.
Don't waste your time in stupid/dirty jobs!! go to school get your degree you can have a high qualified job.
FREE, yes you don't have to pay a dime, all your education will be payed by the government, as permanent resident you are eligible to financial aid as any other citizen.
I would like to share my experience, so feel free to ask me any question.

sorry guys

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I my Hijab and 1 year anniversary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2009 08:40PM by NYorkaise.

That's not true, it's always someone tell me..., according to .... Did you verify these information? how cam your friend can't get job since 2001??? that not serious.
It's free, since you can get a Federal Financing Aid, I'm not talking about Loan that you have to pay pack after you graduate, I'm talking about grant that you are illegible for if you are a Green Card holder.
I posted this thread because most of winners of GC have great profile back in the country but once here they automatically get non qualified jobs!!
Lot off people have this idea that studies in US is expensive and we can't afford it. Yes, it is expensive but as permanent resident with income less than 20K per year you can go to school for nothing!!!
... wa bali kbal mayssali ...

sorry guys

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I my Hijab and 1 year anniversary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2009 08:35PM by NYorkaise.

Chaiba !

I am a green card holder and looking for more info how to get financial aid to go back to school, would appreciate it if you can share your experience.

Thanks a lot.

Well mr chaiba ,

salam3alikom , and i would like to thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us

your fellow Moroccans .

Actually, I do have a bachelor degree in computer science from back home and i have been living in the u.s for about 2 years.

indeed, I do find that studies in the u.s are very expensive and unfordable for a new immigrant like me , and i don't want to apply for a student loan .

Could you tell me what do ? , where to go ? , and maybe from where to start ?

thank very much for your good intentions and time .

khalid

Good decision.
The rule here is the same whether you have a bachelor or master back in your country, you need an equivalence.
How does it work?
An accredited equivalence agency have to evaluate your credential and send you and the school of your choice the equivalence in US system, this equivalence can be translated as hour classes.
I'm gonna give you an example (just an example): let's tell you have a bachelor degree in Morocco:
The equivalence you will have here is:
Algebra: 16 hours
Statistics: 12 hours
Science: 8 hours
Computer programing: 35 hours
Now you want to apply to a university to have a US degree, the registration department will evaluate what you have with what you need. For example, to get a bachelor in computer science here you need:
Algebra: 20 hours
Statistics: 12 hours
Science: 8 hours
Computer programing: 40 hours
English: 12 hours
Law: 6 hours
That's mean that you will need to take: 4 hours of algebra, 5 in computer programing, 12 in English and 6 in law.
That's make sense for you?
Again, this is just an example, my idea is that, what ever you have back in the country you need to have the equivalence with a us hour classes.
For my case, I have an ISTA degree in morocco, and also in an field I don't really like, so I prefer to study all over again, that will help to improve my English, know people and the country very well and quickly than anything else.

Now, this is what I did here in DFW-Texas.

Well, first, try to stay in the same county for at least one year. Why? So you can pay instate tuition, for my example, I pay $50/hour instead of $120.
Try to apply to the community college in your county, community college are cheaper and you will have the same credit as if you are in a university, after you take the maximum you can in a college, then transfer to a university.
For Texas, it's mandatory to take a test before to enroll in college. I don't know if it's the case in other state too. But, don;t worry, it's easy and you can find book for preparation in any public library for free. I took the taste after more than ten years of my high school and I did very well. The test is in Mathematics (algebra), righting and comprehension.
You will need a transcript of your High School diploma, you can send it to any accredited agency to do it.
Now lets talk about money.
You can apply online in the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov) the application is free, but try to apply at time, you can check in your college website to see the deadlines. Deadlines change depend to which session you want to apply to.
You have to be honest when you fill-out the forms.
The FAFSA will give you something anyway:
they can give you a federal pell-grant, it's free money that you don't have to pay back,
they can give you a loan, credit with very low interest that you have to start paying it back 6 months after your graduation.
They can give you school job, you will work in the campus to help you pay your tuition
they can also combine three of them, for example you can have %70 pell-grant and 30%loan or something like this.
But if you really don't have good/stable job, and you depend in your self, they will pay your tuition, give you some extra money and also a school job! this is my case
The FAFSA gives you an answer in two weeks, they inform your college and you have to do is to register, then they will pay your tuition and send you the rest of money to your account.
The FAFSA will give you a certain amount for the whole studies. For example, for two years in college they can give you $14k but they will send you the money before the beginning of each semester, that's make sense!
Also, to get the full financial aid, you have to take a full credit hour which is 4 classes minimum and comparing with our system in Morocco, for classes is nothing, I'm taking six and working in the same time
For the grades, they don't say anything, but you should not drop off classes.

I hope I did not forget something, feel free to ask me any question.

Also keep in mind this:
You are a permanent resident, the difference between you and a citizen is only the passport and the right to presidential vote. Otherwise, you can do what ever you want.
Your are not an International Student.
College is cheaper than university and the quality of education is better, the classes are not dense, so you can understand easily and react with teacher more.
The average salary for an Associate Degree (2year college) in the USA is $45000 per year.
There is no limit in education, you can start working with an association degree, and study for a bachelor in the same time.
Education here is very easy, in English you will do better than native-English speakers
If you think to change your location, come to Texas Marhaba bikoum, khassni ghali ywanassni

Thanks a lot chaiba
But I live in virginia and my income is > 40k the you think that I'll get a federal grant for my studies ?

hi there
thank you chaiba
i dont live in the states but i do admire your gesture

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Khalidus: probably you will not be eligible for grant but at least you will get a loan! something less than 5% interest that you will start paying 6 months after your graduation. It's better than nothing. If now you can make >40K with a degree you will probably make >100K

Salma49: you are welcome sister

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:: chaïba sawfa ya3oud ::

cheeeeeers mate

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hi my name is karim i just moved to the US about 2 years ago and i would like to finish my school now i also have a degree from the ISTA ( electromechanique des system automatise ) what do i have to start with???? i was told that i have to contact this company called WES to get my degree credential and that wes require that the ISTA and the SCHOOL where i got Diplôme du Baccalauréat to send them my grades but i dont think that the school in my contry will do that because you know the system , so what do you think i can do /? i can translate them and submit them .

can you send me and email or phone number where i can contact you it will be verry appreciated

thanks
karim

kmahraz@oh.rr.com

Well ba Karim, I hope our discussion in "private" was helpful. Don't forget to update this post with any new information. Cheers

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:: chaïba sawfa ya3oud ::