<p>Here are the School I'm considering and award amounts:
Morehouse College
Not in yet</p>
<p>Howard University
University Grant: $2500
Fed Direct Loan (Sub) $3,500
Direct Parent Loan $19,124 </p>
<p>University of Miami
Fed. Subsidized Staff Ln $ 1750.00 $ 1750.00 $ 3500.00<br>
Federal Pell Grant $ 2155.00 $ 2155.00 $ 4310.00<br>
Federal Perkins Loan $ 750.00 $ 750.00 $ 1500.00<br>
Fed Supp Ed Opp Grant $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 1000.00<br>
UM Endowed/Gift Award $ 950.00 $ 950.00 $ 1900.00<br>
Dean's Scholarship $ 8000.00 $ 8000.00 $ 16000.00<br>
Total $ 28210.00 *
Also, my aid was gap @ Miami; their cost of attendance is $44,000</p>
<p>James Madsion University
Have Scholarship meeting Total Cost of attendance expect books</p>
<p>Randolph College
A 10K Scholarship w/ alot of grants and about 7,500 in loans with them and also a 2,900 blance due @ begining of semster</p>
<p>Local Schools</p>
<p>Norfolk State U.
$9,000 in Scholarships before receiveing fin. award letter. </p>
<p>If university of miami gave you a pell grant, you should have the same pell grant at all other schools -- same with stafford loans. Did Howard not give you a Pell?</p>
<p>Yes, it would. But my mother ( the only live parent) don't have the credit to get a loan. That why I tried to call Howard but that was unsuccess.</p>
<p>Let me say it: James Madison looks like a wonderful choice. You need to get out of/away from the situation you're in now, and you don't need to take on a lot of college debt. That's a really good school, at least as good as any of the others in overall quality, and it won't cost you money you don't have.</p>
<p>Absolutely James Madison--from your posts it seems that taking out loans would be a big hardship for your family, and I think it's just as good a school as the others. </p>
<p>Also, if you're really set on Howard, maybe email them a letter (maybe your guidance counselor can help you write it?) explaining that
* it is your first choice
* you got a full tuition/room/board scholarship from JMU
* you have difficult circumstances (go into some detail about your mom, sister, etc) and your parents cannot take out loans
* you would like them to reconsider your financial aid package and replace your parental loans with grants
* if they do so, you will attend. </p>
<p>It is unlikely to work, but it's worth a try. </p>
<p>Good luck--you are quite an inspiration and I wish you well wherever you end up!</p>
<p>Good news about Morehouse. I just interviewed a local chapter of a fraternity which have a connection to Morehouse. The interviewers said they would contact the Dean of Admission about a scholarship for tuition, room and board! </p>
<p>Stacy, thanks for the information about James Madison. I have heard about Morehouse their exchange programs with other Universities. Wow, I didn't know JMU had one in the makings.</p>
<p>You should also aim to get a spot in the JMU Intl Intern program:</p>
<p>
[quote]
JMU International Internship Program
University students in the United States are living in an increasingly interdependent world. In Virginia, we are committed to preparing our graduates to interact professionally and personally in the global community. In an effort to add an international dimension to higher education in Virginia, JMU has established an international internship program for Virginia students. The JMU International Internship Program began in January of 1990 with 10 positions available in Great Britain and France. The program now offers more than 50 internships each summer on an increasingly worldwide basis in the fields of business, the arts, government, communications and social services. After participating in these carefully planned and closely supervised practical studies experiences, students return to the U.S. with a clearer view of their place in the world, a deeper understanding of other cultures and a stronger sense of where their skills and talents can take them.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You can really turn those four years into something AMAZING if they are picking up the tab. If you did all three programs listed above--you'd have a killer CV when you graduated.</p>
<p>Think out of the box--and get your ducks in order to take advantage of all the opportunities....</p>
<p>Hi Oiram:
I am a military brat (20 years of moving around with the AF). Military life can be a great experience and help you feel part of a "family" that is multicultural, open and enterprising. Military life is a confidence builder--I never feel out of place anywhere I go in the world because I learned how to live in a society of Americans from vastly different pasts_-- but first you have to be brought a bit low, treated like a grunt, and you do a lot of unglamorous work in service, and it can be very boring and also dangerous. </p>
<p>We are also at war now, and frankly, you have already been living in a home war zone with your mother's severe issues. You don't need to be in a war zone, young man, you need to get to a peace zone! You need a few years of peace among thoughtful academics and counselors who can offer support and then you may be a fantastic asset to our military. Focus on college as your goal. You need food for your brain and soul to help you sort out things. You can't help your sister if you miss this chance for your own life.
There are plenty of people in the military who had challenges in their home towns or families that they needed to break away from and there are plenty of true success and happiness stories in military families. But it would be a long time before you would be allowed to have any family with you. You would have to hand them these key years of your life solo and you would lose contact with your sister. This does not suit your personality because you are a worrier and you care about your sister.
The services will take some of your best years and likely send you into a very dangerous war zone with focused training. All of your worries would go with you..not good.<br>
I think you would be able to catch up emotionally, socially, academically better in the college you choose. You need some time to be young and you need the chance to simply attend lectures and figure our where you might focus for a college major over the next couple years. </p>
<p>My sister is a graduate of Madison, and I know many students there now and many graduates.
I commend you for so strongly considering your sister's welfare while you are also dealing with choosing a college. All of your colleges will have very good counseling staffs on duty and they expect to get to know their freshmen who have challenging home lives, and you certainly have some serious worries.
I grew up in the Vietnam era. You don't need to be in an organization right now with serious morale problems.<br>
Good luck with your lead on Morehouse, but I will also say James Madison is an excellent institution only two hours or so from your home. Harrisonburg will feel very much like "how did I get to cow country?" but don't be fooled. Madison is big school smack on a major interstate. The school is teeming with students from Northern Virginia and they are sophisticated. Madison has a relaxed atmosphere but is academically challenging. Fun sports scene and music programs are the best in Virginia..all of these things add atmosphere. If they want you, they are going to assign people to you to make sure you can succeed, and they want you. Give them serious attention. </p>
<p>I wish I had a handle on services available to you but I don't. Good for you for arranging to meet with a social worker regarding finding a safe home for your sister away from your mother. Do not "offer" to give up college..you will get stronger every year you complete in college and you will be able to grow into someone who can help. </p>
<p>We want to hear how things are going and hope something golden happens also for your sister.</p>
<p>Whereever you are in August, give your school work serious attention. Use every resource they offer for support/tutoring. (My son had a very cushioned life and and many advantages, and still needed tutors freshman year as he came from a much poorer high school than most kids at Duke, and he was not well prepared. He also dropped a course he failed to grasp freshman year and made a strong B in it sophomore year..this is what it takes, staying in the game, not getting sidetracked, letting your brain and emotions settle in, finding your sea legs, making friends, finding a counselor on campus who has your back.) Go to study groups with Teaching Assistants. Freshman year is full of adjustments but the race goes to those who keep in the game and handle set-backs and keep showing up. Truly the best advice in the world is to just keep showing up in college. Never miss a lecture. A solid record for your first two years in college will mean more choices will be offered to you when you are 20 and 21. Your confidence will be much higher at 20 than at 18.<br>
It is quite possible you could transfer out of Harrisonburg for instance if you preferred Howard or a more urban college like Morehouse after two years. Don't let anyone talk you out of your right to be 18 and to be your own age. We all understand that you are in some ways more mature and more adult than some of the more sheltered 18 year olds that will be in desks next to you with no family problems. But you are also just 18. Have you seen PET scans..photos of male brains? These interest me since I have a 20 year old son. There is tremendous change in your brain still taking shape right now until you are in your early 20s. You may feel out of step for a few weeks in college but you will adapt and you can do it, you and all your classmates are "Works In Progress." Be very very kind to yourself and accept what you cannot control and change. Show up for college with an open heart and buckle in to do the work. Try to have high opinions of everyone you meet and give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and it will be returned to you. This is my advice to my son. Know that you can do it, given time and space appropriate to your years. Don't take on an adult's burdens now, but you will get there, to being a person who can be a true help to your sister. You need friendship and mentors and joy in learning in the classroom and you will find them at college.</p>
<p>That what I like about both schools, they do have a strong reputation of supporting their students. Both do have a wellness center for help. I feel JMU is a little stronger in terms of academic support. (i.e. do have a writing center for paper & don't know if Morehouse have this support set up). But on the other hand, Morehouse professors often do serve as mentors to their students. Doing this decision I do have to weigh every -ly options possible about both campus. I have no problem with going to James Madison for 4 years either. I see that is a fabulous school with a strong commitment to community and helping others as well as Morehouse.</p>