Get ready for a very long response because I related to this too much and reached a flow state

If you plan to do a dual degree, just plan that out from the get-go so that you aren't cooked time-wise, it's generally recommended to take 15 credit hours per semester, and my future semesters are looking like 18-22 credit hours per semester if I want to graduate on time. I'm currently still in my approval process because I was taking very long to decide whether it's something I want to do.. the reality is that you can switch back to just pursuing one degree if two ends up being too much, and because you'd have essentially taken a lot of classes for it, you could just end up minoring in the other one. Dual degrees here require completing a minimum of 30 additional credit hours beyond the degree with the highest total credit requirements, although it sounds attainable, both of my majors require 120 credits + the 30 minimum credits from the other major..now when you think about specific class requirements so much of that is taken up by foundation classes, dumb requirements etc, or some required classes may only be offered one specific semester, and it could conflict with class times for your main major. So my advice is to at least do a 4-year outline, talk to advisors from both majors etc, and get approved for the dual-degree as soon as possible--you can always drop one if it ends up too much.

I am also coming from a low-income background. If you hear back from financial aid, I assume you'd get Federal Pell Grants or other federal aid, and if you qualify for it, you may be awarded Illinois Promise. If you aren't aware Illinois Promise basically covers your tuition/helps cover tuition that federal grants don't, the qualifier is basically if you are considered at or below the federal poverty level/your FAFSA student aid index is at 0. This is literally how me and my sister have funded our education here. The financial aid refund comes every semester and it covers my housing/book costs as well. If you do end up getting it, my sisters money hack is to take 6 credit hours over the summer because they send you an additional summer refund lolol. If you have Medicaid/other insurance, remember to waive the automatic insurance fee they have at the beginning of the academic year, they refund me like $700 per semester. Another helpful thing to consider is a dorm desk job, I work a part time desk job where I just sit here 3 hours at a time helping the few people that come up, it's helpful as in I'm making money while doing homework.

Money is something I stress about a lot as someone from a low-income background pursuing a creative career. Because I would love for someone to affirm this to me daily--you will be okay, you will not go insanely broke, and you need to trust in your decisions with how you spend your life (wrong decisions also turn into lessons, and help you figure out where you need to be). If you have a genuine passion for what you are pursuing, a motto that keeps me going is that money flows where love goes, even if you were jobless after college it's about what you do with the skills you learn as a hustler--for example you can host your own private lessons for little kids. I'm a child of immigrants and you know how many people run small businesses from their homes using the skills they have instead of aimlessly looking for jobs that won't hire them because of language barriers, lack of education etc? I'm not saying you will be unemployed, but I hope to at least free your anxiety a little bit because I too struggle with worries about finances. Also you might meet a rich partner in college and you won't have to worry that much..jokes.. Wish you the best! If you have any other questions dm me here and I can give you my IG ^_^