<p>So. I'm in the first quarter of my senior year here in Panama, and I have a very vague idea of where I want to go for college. I moved here from the U.S. about a year ago, and I'm not planning on staying here another year. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to study. I currently am working as a graphic designer/logo artist and I want to either study graphic design or marketing.</p>
<p>One of the main factors I'm considering is language. I'm a native English speaker, I can speak decent Spanish, and I know a little French. I'd prefer to go to an English-speaking school, but everywhere that speaks English is expensive for international/out-of-state students.</p>
<p>All I have it narrowed down to now is: Anywhere but Panama.</p>
<p>So please help me out here:
What can I do to start choosing where I want to go?
Would you guys discourage going to a country where I don't speak the native language fluently? Should I even consider it?</p>
<p>If you have any suggestions or similar stories, please share.</p>
<p>You may want to take your question to the International Students Forum. Click on “Discussion Home” in the upper-left of this screen, and scroll down to find it.</p>
<p>Are you International, or a U.S. citizen who lives in Panama? How much money will you have available to pay for your education?</p>
<p>I’m a U.S. citizen living in Panama. I was born in California, lived there for 10 years, then I lived in Florida for 6 years.</p>
<p>As for money, I’m not entirely sure yet.</p>
<p>okay, for money, I’m thinking like 5,000-10,000 per year for tuition.</p>
<p>U.S. citizenship means that you can file the FAFSA and apply for federally determined financial aid. Check the policies on in-state residence in the state where you last lived. You may be able to re-establish residence there if you have not lost it. If your family will be moving back to the US, you may be able to acquire a new state of residence once they arrive. BUT remember the rules vary significantly from one state to another (and even from one public institution to another within a given state).</p>
<p>You need to consider the full Cost of Attendance (COA), not just tuition and fees. This would include tuition, fees, meals, housing, transportation twice a year to wherever your family lives, local transportation while in school, books, lab supplies, snacks, personal expenses, winter wardrobe, etc. etc. You also need to consider how much money you can make working full-time during school vacations, and part-time during the school year. To get an idea of what the colleges and universities will expect your family to be able to pay, run the FAFSA calculators at [College</a> Calculators - savings calculators - college costs, loans](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Calculate Your Cost – BigFuture | College Board) and [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org)</p>
<p>The collegeboard website also has a decent search engine [College</a> MatchMaker - Type of School](<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board) that you can use to look for institutions that fall into your tuition range and offer the major(s) you are interested in.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>