<prompt> Human: Hi everyone, Im sure this is a common issue, but Im freakin out just a little right now...Im going to the other side of the country for a PhD program middle of next month. Ive gotten a little financial aid, but not much, and was planning on relying on student loans--doubly so because I wasnt able to get the teaching job I was hoping on.Cost of attendance, per the school website, is about 42k per year. For this first year, I have about 6k in scholarships, grants, etc., and 20k in government-backed student loans. This is enough to cover things like tuition, but I need money for things like rent, food, and moving cross-country.I applied for a 16k loan from Discover, and got auto-denied, but for reasons I wont know until a letter gets sent to my parents home and then forwarded to me. So: Whats the next steps? I have some ideas, but Im not sure how best to proceed at this point...  <response>: You shouldnt be paying for a PhD. A school that wants you bad enough will offer you an assistanceship to pay for it. Going into debt for a PhD is a really, really bad idea, especially if its in the humanities since your earnings potential is pretty low for a good long time. 