Is there any way that you could live with your dad starting now? If you can and you live with him 100% of the time, then by the time you submit FAFSA you could use him as the custodial parent assuming you have lived with him more than half of the time in the previous 12 months.
If you can do this and your dad is extremely low income, you could qualify for the Spartan Advantage program. https://finaid.msu.edu/spad.asp
There are a lot of things that have to go right in order to get into MSU & qualify for SPAD but it’s something to think about.
He is not safe to be around for long periods of time. I lived with him from the time I was 12-13.
He would throw my belongings all over the place (breaking my $350 laptop), randomly scream at me, threaten to call the cops, and try to fight me. He has dementia and is an active crack user + hardcore alcoholic.
My mom wants me to use him on my FASFA, but I don’t know.
Don’t use him on FAFSA if you can’t. You can get in trouble and lose (and pay back) any aid fraudulently given (which you would be doing if you used his info while living full time with mom).
Isn’t there a lower cost college in Michigan…Hillsdale I think? I thought they were known to be generous in aid. I don’t know much about it except that it tends to be conservative. You seem like you have a lot of challenges most kids don’t have to deal with. Really sorry about that. I also grew up with a parent with substance abuse issues so I know it is really tough. With your circumstances (both academic and home life) maybe a guidance counselor can help you.
My school’s guidance counselors are useless. They are so out of the loop when it comes to college info, break every confidentiality agreement, and spread bad information (ie. a 21 on the ACT is a great score). My HS sends multiple kids to ivy leagues every year, but most these kids never end up knowing their counselor for this reason.
I don’t know if they would take me. I had hyperthyroidism for years as a child and once I finally got treatment, I had a horrible doctor who mistreated me. I’m okay now and have been for years (new doctor), but all that time being hyper has taken a toll on my heart.
I don’t have a heart condition, but I cannot exercise like I used to be able to. My heart rate SPIKES if I try to do anything beyond a fast walk.
My Endo is aware of this and told me that it would take years of training to correct
I’d love to work for the army–especially as an engineer, but you gotta pass basic training somehow.
What does your guidance counselor say? I would imagine that she is your best resource at this point-- and someone who can also help you with the anxiety issues. Make an appointment as soon as school starts!
I just googled “Michigan Community Colleges with dorms” and came up with these:
Gogebic Community College Ironwood Michigan
Lake Michigan College Benton Harbor Michigan
Southwestern Michigan College Dowagiac Michigan
Jackson College Jackson Michigan
North Central Michigan College Petoskey Michigan
Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City Michigan
Is there any way you would consider that route? I have no idea about any of them. But if they’re loosely like NY schools, I bet at least one would have your major. And, even with room and board, they might be affordable without scholarship money. You could live away from home and all the issues, and see someone in the campus mental health office about your anxiety issues. And you could build up your GPA to the point where you would be a stronger candidate in 2 years.
Community colleges are off the table, but I did look at all those ones you posted. Practically all of them would get automatically scratched off of my list anyway because they are in the lake effect snow belt. I really really do not want to go somewhere that gets double-triple the snow we do in southeast MI, CC or 4 year.
That is why Central Michigan and State are high on my list because they’re both more than an hour from home and outside of the lake effect belt.
You need to think rationally. You don’t have the funds to be picky.
A lot written here about what’s wrong with your parents, how this or that wasn’t allowed, you were stifled, etc.
Now the rubber has to hit the road, so to say. If you want the education and can’t afford much (or can’t afford 4 years,) now’s the time to show your maturity and sense of purpose.
You need to come up with an affordable plan first and foremost. If this involves living away from home, you need to include the costs of housing, food, utilities,etc…in your calculations as well as tuition, fees, books and materials.
So far, you have nixed almost every suggestion made here…except that maybe you will apply to the school @romanigypsyeyes suggested…but it’s your third choice or something even thpugh yourmchances at Aid are better there.
It’s not your school counselors job to deal,with family finances…and in fact, that is NOT allowed at all at many schools.
As @lookingforward noted…younhave to work with what you have, not what you wish you have.
If your best financial bet comes with a lot of snow…would it be better to NOT attend college…or deal with the snow? You need to figure out how to get to the end game…a bachelors degree. And that likely is going to require some compromise and flexibility on YOUR part.
You’re surrounded on 3 sides by the Great Lakes. The overwhelming majority of your state is within spitting distance of Lake Effect Snows lol.
My guess is that your guidance counselor probably presented some of the many many suggestions you’ve seen in the past 3 pages here. When none of them were deemed acceptable, she probably figured that her time would be better spent with other kids.
The reality is that in looking at colleges, as with the rest of life, you have to learn to prioritize and compromise. Those “dream schools” you read about don’t exist.
One of my favorite quotes: “A dream is a wish your heart makes when you’re fast asleep.”
Then you wake up, stop dreaming, and deal with the realities.
Your first priority should be a school you can afford-- without that, nothing else matters. Then one you can get into with your current GPA. Then one that has your major-- not the best department in the country or the world, but one that will enable you to get a degree in the material you want.
Why not compile THAT list, and then come back for input?
I would have to at least pay that full price at least once because I would have to meet people I’d want to rent with.
I’m not a student in DPS–I’m a half hour north of Detroit. It looks like Wade McCree is for DPS students.
And don’t make assumptions. I was told FLAT OUT, that I would figure something out and then told to leave. I even tried asking about ROTC, but was told “Don’t be silly!!!”
I would go to Lansing Community College, but I run into the problem of who to rent with.