<p>thanks again for all your help.
AmicusPeregrini - Even though I don't know what your name means :P I'll be coming back on your offer. I think I'm going to have to file for a reentry permit and I'll probably have some questions when it comes to that. </p>
<p>Otherwise another question I have - May seem lame to you guys but.... How do I get my stuff from Germany to the US? Just go suitcase wise or actually get a moving company to send just the necessary stuff over?? </p>
<p>Over the past days and weeks I've been thinking about whether I should just go to a community college for my first year and then apply to "normal" colleges. Any downsides or upsides to that?</p>
<p>Once again sorry that I was gone for so long. Had a lot of exams at school to study for.</p>
<p>"I think I'm going to have to file for a reentry permit"</p>
<p>You need to be IN the US in order to file for a reentry permit. If you have been out of the US for more than a year already you need to contact an immigration lawyer now. If you have been out of the US for less than a year, you need to get back here before that year is up. Preferably before six months are up.</p>
<p>happymomof1 makes a very good point. Permanent residents usually lose their immigrant status once they leave the US for more than one year. It might be possible to recuperate your permanent resident status, but you will need the help of an immigration lawyer.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Otherwise another question I have - May seem lame to you guys but.... How do I get my stuff from Germany to the US? Just go suitcase wise or actually get a moving company to send just the necessary stuff over??
[/quote]
I brought two suitcases and bought the rest in the US. Asking a moving company to move your stuff would probably be more expensive than buying it again. You don't have to move an entire household after all; we are talking about pillows and trash cans and cloth hangers. Electric appliances from Germany won't work in the US anyway because of the different voltages. If you live in the dorms, you will get a furnished room; if you don't live in the dorms, you can probably find a furnished room off-campus as well.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Otherwise another question I have - May seem lame to you guys but.... How do I get my stuff from Germany to the US? Just go suitcase wise or actually get a moving company to send just the necessary stuff over??
<p>
[quote]
Over the past days and weeks I've been thinking about whether I should just go to a community college for my first year and then apply to "normal" colleges. Any downsides or upsides to that?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This depends in part on where you want to end up. At a great many schools, transfer admissions are significantly harder than regular admissions.</p>
<p>talha_adnan, that's a perfectly fine question for the International Student forum because moving across continents is something that many international students have to deal with.</p>
<p>Let's say I go to California. I go to the community college in San Diego. After 1 year I apply to UC San Diego or San Diego State(SDSU) would I have any chance of getting accepted with passable/average grades?</p>
<p>The first thing you need to do is enter your information into the financial calculators on this site or the College Board site to see what schools will be realistic. For most people, they are surprised by what they will be expected to pay. So if your parents make a decent living, their expected contribution could be a shock. </p>
<p>The US doesn't care whether they will help pay or not. So if that number is big and you can't count on help, you need to look at schools that give merit scholarships so state schools in California may be out of reach as they give few. And for out of state you're looking at $25K for CSU schools like SDSU and $46K for UC schools like UCSD. It's also hard to graduate in the typical 4 years at these schools so you could be looking at over $200K for 5 years at a UC!</p>
<p>Unfortunately the search for most Americans needs to start by determining what you can afford. Then you need to have a realistic idea of SAT scores to see if merit scholarships are in the cards.</p>
<p>If you want to complete your degree in California, the easiest route would be for you to move there, and get a job for a year (this of course is assuming that your Permanent Resident status is still valid). This would establish your in-state residence. Then enroll at one of the community colleges and complete the transfer sequence with the required grades for the UC program that you want. You will probably need to be at the community college for the full two years in order to take advantage of this. But that also would mean that you would pay that dirt cheap community college tuition for two years as well.</p>
<p>Please note that following this plan would probably take five years. It also requires that you live pretty much on your own for at least the first year - maybe even longer. Not all community colleges have residence halls, and the university you end up at might not have space in a residence for you either.</p>
<p>I just don't know when I should apply for financial aid..</p>
<p>I have been looking into international student loans since there is only a slim to no chance I'll get a scholarship. Are there any student loans that you would recommend for someone like me? I found this: Loans</a> for international students studying in the United States </p>
<p>All these international student loans firms and offers are they legit? Am I 100% sure to get a loan for college in the US if I apply for one? </p>
<p>Someone also said,i think b@r!um, that I'm eligible for FAFSA aid with my green card. When should I apply for that? Can I do it now or do I have to wait? And until when?</p>
<p>No, you don't automatically gain in-state residency after a year of college. If that were so, no one would have to pay out-of-state tuition after their first year. Since your parents will be staying abroad, it is most likely that you would need to actually pick a state and then live there for a year before going to college full time. If your parents own property in the USA, you may qualify for in-state residence in that state, but again each state makes up its own rules so you need to do more research.</p>
<p>Permanent residents, and certain other immigrants, are eligible for federally determined financial aid. Yes, you should file the FAFSA. As permanent residents, your parents should be filing US federal tax returns every year which will give them the data that you need. If they aren't filing US federal tax returns, they can lose their resident status. Read all about it at Internal</a> Revenue Service</p>
<p>Actually, what Happymom suggests does not work in CA unless you're 24. While it works in some states, CA makes it virtually impossible to be a resident if your parents are not residents untuil you are 24, married or have a child.</p>
<p>You can fill out FAFSA in January of the year you will start college. Many schools also use Profile for giving out financial aid. Beig a PR will allow you to get Stafford loans which would be better than private loans.</p>
<p>If ratboy90 is a legal US resident alien residing and working in CA, it is hard for me to believe that the state would deny him in-state residence just because of his age. Do they really do that? Or, does CA require more than one year of residence there to become a state resident for tuition purposes no matter what your age is? Does it depend on whether you are attending a community college or one of the Cal States or U Cs?</p>
<p>On the issue of residency -
I once contacted CSU Long Beach about this. They told me </p>
<p>"...
To claim California residency you have to live in California for one calendar year. The only exception would be if your parents home is here in California and you are their dependent.
..."</p>
<p>This is with them knowing that I'm 18.</p>
<p>Anybody have info on the aid thing? That's my biggest issue at the moment.</p>
<p>ok after not having had any questions for a while I’m back lol. my question is when and how should I apply for a social security number and card?</p>
<p>You also might want to ask the Citizens Services office at your closest consulate. I’m sure they’ve had this question before.</p>
<p>By the way, I recently learned that Maryland will give you in-state status for community colleges after only 3 months of residence. For public universities, you have to have 12 months of residence.</p>