Don't bury yourself in debt to pay for college

Question: My daughter is a sophomore at a very expensive college, and federal loans cover only $6,500 of her costs. She has taken out two private student loans with me as a cosigner, one at 6.5% interest and the second at 9.9%. I need $15,000 more for this semester's tuition. I am an unemployed single mother but cannot get much financial aid. She is an above-average student but cannot find any awards or scholarships.
Answer: Your daughter may need to look for a less expensive education, since it appears neither of you can really afford the one she's getting.
Unlike federal student loans, private student loans tend to be expensive, with variable rates and less flexible repayment options. Borrowers can easily find themselves taking on far more debt than they will be able to repay after graduation, yet this debt typically can't be discharged in bankruptcy -- it can follow your daughter for life.
A better option, if you must borrow, is for you to take out PLUS loans. These are federal loans for parents and graduate students that allow you to borrow the difference between your daughter's college costs and any financial aid, including federal student loans, she gets. The rates are fixed at 8.5% or less.
PLUS loans do require a credit check. If you don't pass -- you're 90 days or more overdue on a bill or you've had a bankruptcy in the last five years, for example -- your daughter's eligibility for student loans would be increased somewhat to help compensate.
But both of you should be thinking about alternatives. You really shouldn't borrow money if you don't have a way to pay it back. When you're unemployed, taking on $15,000 a semester in debt is pretty foolish.
If her school won't reconsider her aid package in light of your unemployment, she should be researching less expensive schools to which she could transfer her credits.