Advice needed - Is it possible?

Parent Cafe
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<p>I've been reading College Confidential for some time now, and I've found the parent boards to be SUCH a wealth of information, even though I'm not a parent myself. I'm asking here, rather than the other forums, because I feel like the moms (and dads) on here may have had more experience with things like this, not to mention it's not as intimidating!</p>

<p>I'm entering into this college world in a slightly (okay, anything but slightly) unique situation. My schooling has been anything but normal, and I was hoping some of you have been through something like this, or maybe could just lend an ear. </p>

<p>I suppose I should start with the basics of the situation (hopeless problem?) and see where I go from there. I'll try to keep it short, I promise!</p>

<p>I'm a resident of California, and I passed the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam) in 2005 when I was 15. I took this because I'm an actor, and there are many benefits to taking and passing the exam (Hollywood likes to hire older to play younger, but in my case I would have been younger to play my age. Working hours and guidelines, things like that).</p>

<p>I stayed in my independent study/charter high school until January of this year. </p>

<p>I'm currently taking one class at a community college. My original intention was to attend the CC for two years and then transfer into a Southern California 4-year college as a junior.</p>

<p>Recently though, I've decided that I really would rather not do that, and I'd like to apply to 4-year colleges as an incoming freshman. </p>

<p>My high school GPA was a 3.75 (taking into account the amount of traveling I did and also the amount of time missed for being on set, I'm pretty happy with that). We didn't have AP classes, but we did have courses that were UC transferrable...I took quite a few of those. My past schooling was a range of public, home school, online/virtual, independent study, and charter school. I've had superb grades throughout the years, even with the very different settings I've worked in. When I was in regular school, I was a part of our gifted and talented programs, but that was only up until middle school when I left. After that, none of the schools I attended had programs for gifted students. </p>

<p>As far as extra-curriculars, we had no clubs, so I wasn't a member of those, but I worked in the entertainment industry and I also pursued the acting full time. No test scores right now, but I'm planning on taking the ACT this June.</p>

<p>I guess what I'm wondering is if it's possible at all to apply and be accepted to any 4-year colleges as a freshman with my current situation. Maybe someone can offer some advice as to the best ways to go about doing all this.</p>

<p>Schools I am considering are mostly in the Pacific Northwest/California (Humboldt State, University of the Pacific, University of Puget Sound, Evergreen State, Lewis & Clark)...so no HYP or any schools like that to worry about. I'm mostly interested in small/medium LACs.</p>

<p>Any help you could offer would be wonderful. And I didn't realize this was so long! Yikes. So if you even read through all that, a double thanks to you! =] Also, I'm sending out a huge congratulations to all the recent acceptances, it's so inspiring to read about everyone's stories and adventures.</p>

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<p>Just to round out the picture, have you taken any standardized tests (SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT)? What were your scores?</p>

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<p>Well, I took the SAT in 7th grade and got a 1100, but I don't think that counts!</p>

<p>Other than that, no standardized tests. I will be taking the ACT in June, and based on how the prep is going, I'll most likely (okay, hopefully) score in the 29-32 range. </p>

<p>The only area on the practice tests that I have trouble with is math, but I'm very confident I can get those skills sharpened by June. I've always been a great test taker, and I've got strong reading/verbal skills. </p>

<p>I suppose that didn't help too much, but I hope it gives a little insight.</p>

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<p>As far as being considered a freshman for applications, were you dual-enrolled (concurrently) at your charter high school while you were taking the one class at the community college?</p>

<p>My oldest did the CHSPE while she was dual-enrolled because for CA CC if you have the CHSPE it allows a student to register before others. The CHSPE did not however preclude her from applying to schools as a freshman applicant. What would have had her apply as a transfer applicant would have been if she stopped attending or graduated from her high school and THEN took a class at the CC.</p>

<p>Some schools have different requirements for defining freshman vs. transfer. For eaxample, some schools will define a transfer as taking a college class (2 yr/4yr) after graduation vs. others will denote transfer status if more than 24 transferable units were completed (or 15, 12 whatever number they pick). Others might define transfer as ATTEMPTING any units (grades resulting in I, W, NP/NC).</p>

<p>I would recommend looking at each school specifically that you are interested in to determine your application status.</p>

<p>Your status can affect your eligibility for certain programs, certain schools, and financial and merit aid. For example UNC-Chapel Hill awards no merit aid to transfers, P'ton does not accept transfers.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>SURE, you can do it; why not?</p>

<h2>I have some ideas here; some cost $, others you can pursue for free:</h2>

<p>PART I - TEST PREP
$- get private tutoring before the ACT's and put aside as much time as you can now to prepare, since they might look more towards your standardized test scores as an indicator of how you'll do academically once in college </p>

<p>free - read CC threads about SAT/ACT prep for pointers</p>

<p>free - read the test center's websites and strategy tips for those tests</p>

<p>free or $ - buy (or ask at a h.s. now if they have old, used copies for free)
test prep booklets and DEVOUR them</p>

<hr>

<p>Part 2: College choice:
idk about West Coast colleges, but my instinct is to put on your list some places that have theater departments, whether or not you want to major in theater. The Adcoms might well appreciate the work-ethic values that a working actor would bring to the academic phase of his/her life, and not just
give that dumb thing about "oh, an actor, how irresponsible..."</p>

<p>Part 3: Letters of Recommendation:
You don't have the h.s. teachers to sing your praises, so check carefully which kinds of letters each school will accept. Must it be from a "core academic subject" or can you also send supplementary LOR's from people like
employers, theatrical agents, directors...to attest to your work ethic, memorization reliability, teamwork on set, etc.
Sometimes the school requires 1 or 2 LOR's but will also read "supplemental recs" and I think you have more strength in your supplemental recs than most people.
Then, cultivate one or two mentors/recommenders from your professional life (not another actor, but someone more like a director or agent) When the time comes, give them a list of what you've done stated in ways so they'll understand how to pitch you to an academic readership. </p>

<p>Part 4: College Essay
Formulate an understanding of yourself that extracts all the values from your
work experience that relate to college campus and college course work, for example: teamwork; research (for parts); people skills; line memorization; coping with schedules/organizing your time; bouncing back from audition rejection as a matter of course/staying positive/ moving always forward; learning from those more experienced than yourself. </p>

<p>Part 5: Interview
If you're like my S (a working actor in NYC) you excel in this area, so look
for colleges that permit in-person interviews. Research, take the tour, recheck the website and THEN get a personal interview, if possible, depending on geography and college tour budget, of course.</p>

<p>Part 6: Break apart the stereotype:
Be the one who turns in the paperwork early; no last-minute deadline for you! Aim for weeks before each deadline. It generates less stress, anyway.</p>

<p>Good luck! Break a leg (or a crack a book :)</p>

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<p>Hi Kat-</p>

<p>I'm taking the class as a CC student, not as dual enrolled.</p>

<p>So far, it looks like for all the schools I'm interested in I would be considered a freshman applicant, since I have less than the minimum number of units for transfer students, just like you said.</p>

<p>Gosh, this is getting complicated! Thanks so much for your help. =]</p>

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<p>paying3tuitions-</p>

<p>Thank you so much for your advice. I'll be sure to print it out so I can remember all those tips! When my parents and I were talking about starting this, they touched upon a few of the same things you mentioned, so hopefully with this info we can get more in depth with planning it all out (and doing it, too!).</p>

<p>I'm starting to see how I can use my background with acting to set myself apart from the crowd, also.</p>

<p>I may not have the typical HS education complete with AP classes and perfect SAT scores, but I do have a wealth of knowledge about other areas of life and academic subjects. </p>

<p>So maybe in this case, it's going to end up to be a blessing, not a curse like I had originally thought. So no more regretting not doing things the "normal" way!</p>

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<p>P.S. The ability to characterize and create a role means you have great flexibility of mind and spirit. College is about being curious, inquisitive, learning new ideas, expanding. You've demonstrated that you can do this. Few can say that with the same demonstrated capability! I'd work that into your essay somehow.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Well, I took the SAT in 7th grade and got a 1100, but I don't think that counts!

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I think you have a very good chance to get into school of your choice. Your SAT at 7th grade is very good. You may still be able to retrieve them. My DS1took SAT in 8th grade and used them in his college application 12 years ago.
But you could certainly try to improve your grade by retaking them.</p>

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<p>P3T- That's an excellent suggestion about the essay. I was trying to come up with some ways to add information about those skills in my essays, so that will definitely help me get started!</p>

<p>Inverse- Thanks, I'll have to look into both the old scores and retaking the test. I've been avoiding doing any research on the SAT since it's so different now (with the SATII and the subject tests), but it sure couldn't hurt!</p>

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<p>One of my Ds gradauted from HS at a young age- 15- not GED, but actually graduated due to a variety of odd circumstances.</p>

<p>She then took classes at the CC, which also allows HS students to enroll concurently.</p>

<p>I spoke with admissions advisors at several PNW schools and they all agreed to look at her as an incoming freshman with units (just like AP and concurrent enrolment kids) This will keep her with her age group and allow her to still apply the units. She should also be looked at for freshman merit aid, not trasnfer. They mainly said DO NOT attain 60 units or they would have no choice but to view her as a transfer.</p>

<p>There should be no problem for you and with acting as an EC, I would think they would see you as having pursued your passion. Good luck & feel free to PM me.</p>

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<p>You don't have to graduate from HS to go to college. I was admitted after my junior year of HS. Lots of kids who were homeschooled go on to college. You sound like a great candidate.</p>

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<p>Retaking your standardized tests can give the admissions departments something recent and comparable to hang their hat onto, so I would definitely take them.</p>

<p>The CA state schools don't require recommendation letters, so that's a plus.</p>

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<p>Evergreen State, which is on your list, takes a lot of kids who took a nontraditional path through high school. D's friend is going there next fall--she's very capable but had some family/emotional challenges and did not finish high school, but got a GED and has been taking community college classes this year (would have been her senior year). </p>

<p>Take the SAT and I think you'd probably get into any of the Cal States and definitely Evergreen. Not so sure about Lewis and Clark--they've picked up a lot of the ubercompetitive students who are using them as a safety.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
One of my Ds gradauted from HS at a young age- 15- not GED, but actually graduated due to a variety of odd circumstances.</p>

<p>She then took classes at the CC, which also allows HS students to enroll concurently.</p>

<p>I spoke with admissions advisors at several PNW schools and they all agreed to look at her as an incoming freshman with units (just like AP and concurrent enrolment kids) This will keep her with her age group and allow her to still apply the units. She should also be looked at for freshman merit aid, not trasnfer. They mainly said DO NOT attain 60 units or they would have no choice but to view her as a transfer.</p>

<p>There should be no problem for you and with acting as an EC, I would think they would see you as having pursued your passion. Good luck & feel free to PM me.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That is exactly what I've been reading/hearing about transferring. As long as you stay below the minimum for transfer you can still apply as a freshman.</p>

<p>So I suppose I could take a few CC classes to get an extra year of math or english, just to strengthen the amount of work I've done in those areas. </p>

<p>Things seems to be looking up! I'll make sure to keep everyone updated, too. =]</p>

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<p>
[quote]
You don't have to graduate from HS to go to college. I was admitted after my junior year of HS. Lots of kids who were homeschooled go on to college. You sound like a great candidate.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Thanks for the encouragement. As I've been talking to people I've been finding just that out. Sounds like it's not as uncommon as I thought!</p>

<hr>

<p>
[quote]
Retaking your standardized tests can give the admissions departments something recent and comparable to hang their hat onto, so I would definitely take them.</p>

<p>The CA state schools don't require recommendation letters, so that's a plus.

[/quote]

I didn't know that about CA state schools. Cool! That way I wouldn't have to worry about contacting older teachers.
So far, I know I'm going to be taking the ACT, since I liked the option of choosing which scores to show schools. So I think depending on how I do on that I'll see about taking the SAT also.</p>

<hr>

<p>
[quote]
Evergreen State, which is on your list, takes a lot of kids who took a nontraditional path through high school. D's friend is going there next fall--she's very capable but had some family/emotional challenges and did not finish high school, but got a GED and has been taking community college classes this year (would have been her senior year). </p>

<p>Take the SAT and I think you'd probably get into any of the Cal States and definitely Evergreen. Not so sure about Lewis and Clark--they've picked up a lot of the ubercompetitive students who are using them as a safety.

[/quote]

That was actually one of the reasons I liked Evergreen State so much. The schools seems to have great capabilities of helping out students who didn't have a traditional schooling past be able to get the most out of attending college. </p>

<p>I agree with you about L&C, the more I read the more I am impressed with the quality of everyone applying. </p>

<hr>

<p>It turns out I'll actually be in the Portland OR/Seattle WA area this weekend for part of my spring break, so I'm looking forward to visiting some of the schools on my list. Maybe I'll be able to talk to some of the admissions offices while I'm there, too. </p>

<p>And once again, thanks to everyone...you're advice and encouragement have been invaluable. =]</p>

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<p>Your situation is similar to a home-schooled student. Non-traditional, but that doesn't mean you didn't get an education. </p>

<p>And a number of actresses have gone to very prestigious colleges--Yale, Columbia...they were in the business from childhood and certainly didn't have traditional HS careers. I would imagine test scores & essays will be more important than HS "coursework" or grades, in your case.</p>