<p>I think I’m just going to do the private loan option. I’m going to apply for as many scholarships as possible and try to work something out. Moving to a new state and transferring is going to cost way more than just finishing my degree here. Also, working full time and going part time is going to incur tuition penalties that are equally as a bad. I really have no other options here and I’m really mad that I worked so hard in high school only to have it screw me over in the end.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry that so many at your school are giving you the runaround…it may be time to appeal to the Dean of Students for help. I have never heard of a school awarding duplicate credits for the same class but several others have posted similar problems with excess AP/IB credits affecting their aid. Since this is a state school within your voting district, you might also appeal to your state legislators offices for help and advice as they can sometimes help cut through a lot of red tape and connect their constituents with real decision makers. </p>
<p>Won’t you still need a grad degree in your new major in order to make enough to pay loans? I know that you don’t want to transfer again, but ending up with very high loans can really make a bad situation turn into a living hell. Please consider this as an alternative and perhaps someone here can suggest schools that would not cost a fortune to relocate to and graduate from. What state are you in now and how many years til you’re 24 and considered independent?</p>
<p>I’m already a resident in this state and I even if I transfer my GPA is not good enough to get a good merit based scholarship. </p>
<p>I know high loans will suck but I really have no other choice. I never knew that this would impact me so much. I have no money to move to another state and I would have to take off a year of school, which would set me back even further because my classes are mainly math/science classes that require sequences of courses i.e. Physics 1 & 2, organic chem 1 & 2, etc. If I take that long of a break I will lose everything I have worked for. And even if I could transfer I’m still not going to get any more government loans. I am in florida and my school is much less expensive than most. I have no money for relocation. I think I have a better chance of appealing here than transferring to another school. There is no guarantee that I would even be able to improve my situation at another school and my GPA is not competitive enough to be accepted to good schools in florida. </p>
<p>If I graduate with a good GPA I can try to find a job with a company that will help to fund my education. I also plan on looking into research as a means of funding…most schools offer stipends to grad students.</p>
<p>Oh I’m 21 now, but I don’t know if waiting 3 years is that great of an idea either.</p>
<p>Agree - thought that perhaps you were a bit older and could work for just a year and them be able to omit your folk’s data or establish residency on your own in a state like NY with uber-cheap tuition rates. So you weren’t eligible for Bright Futures or isn’t it enough? Sounds as if your major is a radical change from your previous two - my science major kids took physics, o-chem, etc. as sophomores - so I can see why it’s taking you longer to finish. I wish we could warn kids taking all these IB/AP credits what a pitfall it can become later on…as I said, you’re not the first to run out of time because of them but we don’t usually hear what happens after the appeal process.</p>
<p>Are you going to submit an appeal? You really have nothing to lose at this point and the school’s policy is set below the federal standard of 150% of the credit hour requirement for graduation.</p>
<p>I had the full bright futures scholarship but I reinstated it once I transferred from a private college out of state to a state school. Then I had one bad semester that brought my GPA down below a 3.0 to a 2.8. I have worked to get it back up since then but because I already had it reinstated one time, I couldn’t do that a second time. I know, I wish I would have known about these credits before I got to college.</p>
<p>I am definitely going to appeal. You’re right I have nothing to lose. Also, my department when I transferred schools transferred my 4 classes from those schools as 4 credit classes when the equivalent would be a 3 credit class at my new school. Should I try to appeal that too? That would be another 4 credits that are being eaten up unnecessarily.</p>
<p>The worst part is half of these credits are independent study credits which contribute nothing towards a gen ed program or towards my degree. Its frustrating.</p>
<p>I really appreciate all of your help and input. Its so hard to get answers out of anyone at my school. No one is willing to even give me the time of day to help. I’m just gonna keep fighting though. I deserve to be there and earn a degree. I know I can find a way.</p>