<p>I was admitted to the George Washington class of 2014 ED but took a gap year to pursue a scholarship program in Germany. My year in German was really hectic, and I somehow forgot to reapply for FA (my parents sent the FAFSA on time, but weren't aware of the other forms...my fault, not theirs) I got my FA award info last week (after frequently calling and emailing the office) and was only offered federal aid, which was barely even enough to cover housing. The tuition at George Washington is 50k+, and I have no way of getting that much money in a week. My parents aren't willing to cosign such high loans, and we both agree that it's not worth it, as if I had not forgotten to send my FA I would be paying less than a state school. I have talked to the FA office repeatedly and there is no way they can offer me more aid, but they did agree to let me defer another year. </p>
<p>This whole situation has been a nightmare for me. Not only will be I super old when I start college, but I probably won't be able to graduate until I'm at least 24. I have been looking at other options, including a semester in South America where I would get 18 hours of credit, Americorps and other volunteer stints. However, I would really like to start college as soon as possible. Does anyone know of any decent colleges still accepting applicants or have any suggestions of what I should do in the interim? Even suggestions for schools for January/Spring admissions would be helpful. </p>
<p>Some background info about me:
My GPA was 3.5 weighted, 3.0 unweighted (I really messed up my last semester thanks to senioritis and a death in te family.)
28 on the ACT (no writing)
Graduated high school a semester early and took 2 classes at a local college
Worked with an NGO in Germany, and with a graphic design company
5 on the AP German exam
White female from NC</p>
<p>Any help, or advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>If GW will let you defer another year, will they also allow you to go to a local community college and transfer those credits? This will prevent you from losing another year. Will they allow you to apply for full FA consideration again next year? If they won’t allow this then you may have to give up your admissions deferment at GW, go to a local CC and then apply as a transfer student to GW or some other school in the future.</p>
<p>I agree that taking $50K in loans at this point in time is not a wise decision. Your situation is unfortunate but as you said, you caused the problem. Now you have to act fairly quickly or you may lose this fall’s semester and fall further behind. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Defer and move on! Spend the year getting ready for a quick start at GWU. With good planning and efforts during the year, this might work to your advantage.</p>
<p>You need not only a “decent” school, but a school that is going to give substantial FA at this late date.</p>
<p>It sounds to me as if your best bet is to either defer another year, or apply to a state school in your state that will accept you for this fall or the second semester, and is very inexpensive (if your parents can afford the costs w/o FA).</p>
<p>If it comes to starting second semester, I think you had might as well wait for GWU and find something useful to do until then. Big question, though: do you know what your actual award from GWU will be, and are you certain that your parents can afford it?</p>
<p>BTW, I think you are making the right decision about avoiding such huge debt.</p>
<p>If GW will let you take community college classes this year and start there the following fall, that seems like a good idea. </p>
<p>Also, GW accepts CLEP credits (or at least they did when we were looking at GW a couple of years ago.) You may be able to make headway in your GW career by taking some CLEP tests.</p>
<p>The UNC system has 16 campuses- so 16 different options. However, at this date many if not all have started. Tuition at most are in the $1500-$2500 per semester range. The community colleges are $40-$50 per credit unit. Some of the classes have later start dates, it depends on the community college campus.</p>
<p>If you live near by one you could always commute, commuting in NC is nothing like communiting in San Francisco/San Jose/LA/San Diego/DC traffic. I know most of the UNC campuses…NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, NC School of Fine and Performing Arts, Fayatteville State,UNC Wilmington, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, ECU. Western Carolina, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, NC A&T, Central, Pembrooke, are still taking applications for Spring. You could take classes at the local CC and transfer them into one of the 4 years and lose no time. Many are offered online as well, both at the community colleges and the 4 years…search for distance education they offer many, many courses. </p>
<p>You do not need to be an acceped student either, you can take the courses as non-degree studies student for the fall and/or spring. Again tuition and fees are about the same for in-state distance ed.</p>
<p>If you are eligible for federal aid at GW then you would still be eligible for aid at any of the UNC campuses. Of course this is just your public in-state options, you have many in-state privates as well, Elon, Meredith, Peace, Barton, Guilford…the list is long.</p>
<p>You do have options.</p>
<p>Kat
NC resident with kiddos in different NC schools…college and grad school</p>
<p>“Of course this is just your public in-state options, you have many in-state privates as well, Elon, Meredith, Peace, Barton, Guilford…the list is long.”</p>
<p>Yes, but they are unlikely to have much aid left.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your help. I decided I’m going to do a semester program to South America with a state college, where I can use my FAFSA. I’ll get 18 hours of credit, so hopefully I won’t be too behind.</p>
<p>I suggest double checking with GW to make sure that there will be (enough) financial aid for you when you submit your financial aid forms on time. Also, find out if they will accept those credits.</p>
<p>Maybe someone else can chime in if you can use federal aid at an institution that is not granting you your degree. For instance, I’m pretty sure that one can get federal aid for a summer session at one’s current college, but not at a different one.</p>
<p>I technically had to enroll in the college to use my FAFSA for the program, however the college has an agreement with organization arranging the trip. According to the organization representative most students are able to transfer these credits, and they’ve only had a few cases where not all credits successfully transferred. </p>
<p>Last year I was offered a GW guaranteed grant, which I was supposed to get every year, but did not get this year due to the fact that I did not apply for FA on time. I’m looking at applying other places now though. Thanks for your input though, I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>** Call GWU** and let them know your intentions. You need to clear this with GWU because if it is your intent to go to school there, GWU will make the determination as to whether or not they are going to take the credit. </p>
<p>In addition, you need to check with the school to find out how many credits can you take somewhere else and maintain your freshman status. You do not want to lose your freshman status in the event that you have to apply some where else or get the guaranteed aid at GWU (as the aid may not be available as a transfer student).</p>
<p>If you do this you will lose your freshman status at GWU and they can consider you to be a transfer student. Any scholarship that you may have gotten as a freshman student could be lost.</p>
<p>If she already took two classes at a local college since she graduated from high school GWU probably already considers her a transfer applicant. </p>
<p>But OP, everyone here is giving you good advice. You got into this situation by making assumptions about what you needed to do. You need to talk to GWU, not to the program you’re attending in South America (also, I’m confused about how you can afford to go to South America but can’t afford to go to GWU, but I guess that’s none of my business) and make sure that what you’re doing is going to work for them. Otherwise, just go to state school or private school in North Carolina when you get back, there are many excellent options there.</p>
<p>GW does not meet full need and your numbers are too low for merit aid. You should ask GW for an review of what a package might have looked like if you had your docs in on time. You may find that you don’t qualify for much in the way of grants anyway.</p>
<p>I hate to say this…but GW is one of the most EXPENSIVE colleges in the country. At one point it was the MOST expensive. If you don’t have the funds to attend this school…look elsewhere. You missed the deadline for this year.</p>
<p>What does “using your FAFSA” mean? FAFSA does NOT award money. You would need to be a matriculated student at SOME university to get a financial aid package from THAT university. Are you sure that the money you will be getting will fully support a term in South America?</p>
<p>One year my D. missed deadline and it cost us $4k. I have contacted FA, D. missed deadline only for 4 days, she had college GPA=4.0 (eligibility was 3.8). It was no use. </p>
<p>How we can help you? OK, here is my help: do not miss deadline next time.<br>
Everybody is in the same boat, have to be doing the same.</p>