My-Friend-In-Need was mentioned today in an article on the Michigan news aggregator site mlive.com. In a section dedicated to higher education, the following article by Beata Mostafavil outlines a Kettering University student’s attempt to raise tuition money online. We’ll keep you posted on how he does… meanwhile, enjoy the article!
March 26, 2009 — Flint, Michigan. Anyone at Kettering will tell you that senior Marc Alexander is one of the university’s stars.
He worked hard to get accepted there, is a good student and has even started a youth mentoring non-profit group.
But Alexander is in a bind. After co-signer requirements went up in the private loan industry because of the credit crisis — he can’t get the rest of the loans he needs to finish college.
He comes from a family who struggles financially and has been rejected for a loan seven times.
So here was one back-up plan — to build a Web site called “help Marc Alexander go to college” with hopes that family, friends, maybe even strangers will spare him some change.
Cyber-begging is nothing new. The first widely publicized case was in 2002 when Karyn Bosnak, a twenty-something woman from New York started the Web site “savekaryn.com.” She wanted to raise $20,000 to pay off her credit card debts — and guess what? She did.
There have been other examples. There is now a site for women who raise online donations for breast implants. Others have raised thousands of dollars to save their homes from foreclosures.
Web sites have even cropped up to help the desperate-for-money peeps promote their cause.
Alexander is just a 23-year-old guy trying to finish his degree. It’s not quite the same as asking strangers to help drag you out of a mountain of debt from spending too much on shoes.
But in a bad economy, what’s the etiquette for cyber-help?
September 10th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
i am 52 year old and going school for lpn school. i have loan of 20,000 for my school . some i borrow and some9500 i have loan. i need 5200 need in january to pay fee school. i need gas money also.
November 14th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
I am 22 year old and am joining Kenyapoly university next year.I am requisting for good person who will help me paying school fees.Hope to here from you
December 13th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
I am a Psychology student finishing my undergrad and hoping to go for a PhD in Counselling. These get quite expensive and I get no loans as an international student. There is nothing to support a student coming from an economically unstable European country thrive.
So I am hoping to be seen as an individual, not a name on a screen by someone who can realize how much of a difference finding this money would do to my life. There are probably many other people who can afford to become doctors, but I am definitely one of those who deserves it!
December 31st, 2011 at 8:38 am
I am currently attending San Francisco State University. All I want is enough money just to pay for tuition so I can graduate. I do not mind working to pay for my books and other expenses. Paying for tuition will be enough. I am an only child and my parents are older that usual parents. We do not have enough money to pay for the rising tuition costs. Please, I am in desperate need for extra money.
January 21st, 2012 at 8:01 pm
i am a 17 year old incoming freshman for the Fall of 2012. My family has never had to pay for anyone to go to college so they really do not know where to start. I am an AP student and has already been accepted into college with a 20 on the ACT and a 3.2 GPA. I can say I have a nice head on my shoulders and is heading in the correct direction. I’ve never begged for anything no matter how bad I may have wanted it, but this is worth begging. I want to major in Clinical Psychology.
Please help me…
January 31st, 2012 at 10:47 am
My name is blessing am 18 years old female student without parent. Am trying to see myself through school with the help of scholarship. I need $600 for food and clothing . Please help me. May God bless you all aboundantly as you help me. thanks
April 6th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Can anyone help me? I want $45,000 to pay off my debt. I foolishly loaned my fiancé $20,000 to help pay off his back taxes. We broke up and now he refuses to pay it back because he says he doesn’t have the money. The other $25,000 was debt we acquired together. I’ve been carrying this debt for 3 years and it has become a huge financial and emotional burden. I want to collapse with fatigue, grief, guilt and sadness every night. Please help me.