<p>Franny, great job doing all that legwork - that’s a survivor! One caveat about CC - the English classes and lower math classes tend to be the worst, as you describe. As one of the posters described it to a ‘T’ CC has two populations - some of them didn’t do well in high school, and others did very well but do not have the wealth to go to a 4-year right away - hopefully for those students there are higher level English classes, such as an Honors level. I think for many CC classes there are Honors options. If not, while annoying to be with students who might not care as much, the student has to keep in mind that what s/he does individually is what really matters. - One way to stand out from the rest, though ;)</p>
<p>Also, the other Florida University options sound very promising.</p>
<p>Franny, have you called New World School of the Arts? I believe their postmark deadline was just a few days ago (March 15) but I would do everything in my power to get an application and portfolio in to them. They are instate to you. I’ve attended performances and know a visual artist who attended – lots of talent there.</p>
<p>Since you said you could live with your mom if you stayed in-state and went to a public in Orlando, I’m guessing that her objection is because she’s thinking you’re going to be having all sorts of fun during a gap year while she’s slaving away. If you go through all the legwork and end up deciding that a gap year would be best, AND you have a good plan for how you’ll occupy your time during that year, I bet she’d be more accepting. But cross that bridge when–or if–you get to it.</p>
<p>@vlines - my mom is kind of clueless about the whole college / fin aid thing. she didn’t understand why i was crying or stressing so much. i talked to her about ucf and such, but she’s never really been helpful/is being helpful, especially now that she’s going through a break up. she has a trip for 3 days starting tomorrow so i’m going to be doing all the leg work for right now, but i’ll try and see if she will get more involved with my future and my education.</p>
<p>@2college - i will call new world tomorrow along with UCF. i’m going to spending all tomorrow working on applications and such.</p>
<p>i have a question, though. i’ve applied to all these scholarships, and a lot of them i don’t hear back from till june. a lot ive already heard back from have declined me. what do i do if i find out i have won some and at that point may have decided i take a gap year but the eligibility requirements state u must be attending college in the fall. or say i do get into UCF, do i call fin aid office and tell them about this new money or? @_@</p>
<p>also, a lot of priority deadlines for the public schools for fin aid and merit aid has passed, do you think i could still get enough money to attend college?</p>
<p>That is the problem you are going to face. The dates.</p>
<p>It really is true you may need to take a gap year, and you will need to show your mother this thread, or something, so she knows you are not making this up as a way to blow off a year, or whatever.</p>
<p>I really think you will have to actually call the schools and talk to them. also, maybe you could get your guidance counselor to help you at school? Maybe make a few calls? It might be useful if you could.</p>
<p>Someone else who knows more about this is going to tell you this, but the outside scholarships you bring in will be used to lower your aid, not your own cost. I read that on here, and I trust what I read on here.</p>
<p>"but the outside scholarships you bring in will be used to lower your aid, not your own cost. I read that on here, and I trust what I read on here. "</p>
<p>Not exactly. Each school decides how they will deal with outside scholarships but, in general, it is first applied to unmet need (remember, need is defined by the school). If a student is going to attend a meets-full-need school or has very little grant need, the outside scholarship may not help. (Many schools let the students replace loans and/or work-study with outside scholarships, though, so it still may help.) In the OP’s case, it doesn’t sound like her need is fully met so there is room for outside scholarships to help.</p>
<p>OP, did any of these schools require financial aid forms in addition to the FAFSA-- like their own forms or College Profile?</p>
<p>All of them just ask for FAFSA from what I gathered from the sites (UCF, USF, UNF, etc.)</p>
<p>I have another question - I have to send in my SAT scores for these schools. I used up all my free score reports for the schools I applied to, does that mean I have to pay the $10.50 for every school I apply to now or would my SAT scores being on my transcripts be enough? @_@ I don’t know how I’m going to scrounge up money to pay for the app fees and SAT score reports.</p>
<p>Shrinkwrap: Your children may have never heard the “don’t let the cost of attending worry you, if you are selected to attend there are ways of attending without great financial worries. If you are selected to attend, Financial Aid will help you find a way.” I am a parent that sat at two Ivy presentations and heard that or similar. I heard it at others as well. It is little wonder many students are surprised when the actual numbers are presented to them.</p>
<p>This is another reason why you may need to take a gap year. Right now you need to stop, take some time to regroup, focus and do some extensive research, have a serious heart to heart talk so you know exactly where your mom stands with how much she is willing to pay or borrow for your education vs. flying by the seat of your pants. It is extremely late in the season and the majority of merit money is probably earmarked to someone else. Your chances for merit money are better if you are applying at the beginning of the cycle and meeting the early deadlines.</p>
<p>Yes, you need time to work, save some money so you can pay application and SAT score fees.</p>
<p>I still don’t believe that NWSA is a financially feasible option given your situation.</p>
<p>While the cost of attendance is $19,827, tuition is $3797. Room,board and utilities fees are going to run about ~13k (unless you are living at home).</p>
<p>in terms of financial aid, they are not offering much; </p>
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<p>You know that you will get ~ 3k from Pell. Even if you should get a full tuition scholarship, there is still going to be a 13k gap. What is your plan for filling to gap as it seems that your mom is really not on board to pay for college? You need a well though out financial plan to make this work.</p>
<p>Slow down for a second. At this juncture is does not make sense to be tossing out money on application fees (money that you don’t have and it sounds as if you are not getting any financial support from your mom) for a really small return and big loans on your investment.</p>
<p>But I have to try something. D: I can’t just give up now. I want to go to college… I was so excited to graduate and move out in the fall… I don’t want to be stuck another year at home doing nothing with my life. I called UCF and they said as long as my SAT scores are on my transcripts, I should be good. So, I’m at least going to apply to UCF.</p>
<p>"Shrinkwrap: Your children may have never heard the "don’t let the cost of attending worry you, if you are selected to attend there are ways of attending without great financial worries. "</p>
<p>They never heard any ivy presentations either. That is part of my point. There are a lot of kids and a lot of communities that are unlike the one op describes.</p>
<p>I don’t believe NWSA has housing. They are estimating shared housing costs at $500/month for housing, $500/ month for food and $100/month for utilities.</p>
<p>This student also has Bright Futures, a fedl loan and the possibility of work-study. He/she may not be able to make it; but they might, especially if some of the outside scholarships come through. If it were my child, I would tell him/'her to call NWSA.</p>
<p>@CTTC: She doesn’t want me freeloading off her another year unless I’m going to school.</p>
<p>Also here is what I got from UM in terms of awards if this can help estimate what I get from the public schools:</p>
<p>Awards Description Fall Spring Total
Est FL Medallion Schlp $ 1140.00 $ 1140.00 $ 2280.00
Est FL Res Access Grant $ 1075.00 $ 1074.00 $ 2149.00
FL Student Asst Grant $ 1118.00 $ 1117.00 $ 2235.00
Federal Pell Grant $ 2775.00 $ 2775.00 $ 5550.00
Fed Supp Ed Opp Grant $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 1000.00
Coral Grant $ 300.00 $ 300.00 $ 600.00
Total $ 13814.00</p>
<p>Franny, how much is your mom willing to contribute? You said she thought $2750 (without flipping back) was what she thought the family was expected to contribute. Does that mean she will contribute $3K? </p>
<p>The simple truth is that your best shot at affording school is any school to which you can commute from home because then tuition, fees, books and transportation will be your only concern. You can cover a good part of that at a public school with your Bright Futures and Pell. You can pick up a student loan to cover some of the rest if you need to. Remember, you are applying late in the season; a lot of $ will already be given out by the time they are doing deciding your application. </p>
<p>I suggested NWSA because the costs are so low. The room and board would still be a challenge, however.</p>
<p>Since Mom says no to living with her, UCF makes more sense now. At least Franny can live in a relatively safe environment and get some of her general education requirements out of the way. Additionally, she could end up paying more at a community college than at UCF if one considers transportation costs, housing and utilities. The Pell amounts are lower at community college and many community colleges such as mine do not offer government loans options (my college does this to prevent student debt).</p>
<p>If she does well, the college may be able to help secure more money. At least at a state university she will be dealing with a financial aid office who have dealt many times with students struggling with circumstances such as hers.</p>
<p>I think it is very important to understand that although Franny is tied to her parents via FAFSA, she is really on her own with no support. I see this time after time with my first generation community college students. They are not eligible for larger amounts of aid due to the parents income and the parents do not understand the college process. For example, many of these parents complain “you are only in school fifteen hours a week, why can’t you work fulltime”. There is no point in judging Franny’s parents. They are probably too busy working and do not have the jobs or time that would allow them to seek out information such as this. Franny will not be considered separately from her parents until she is 24 (unless she has a child, gets married or joins the military before turning 24-none of which I recommend).</p>
<p>I also recommend not applying to art schools. Both of my kids were talented musicians. Both are at liberal arts colleges rather than conservatories. If you are not on the top of the pile talent-wise, you will struggle financially-something a student of Franny’s means cannot afford to do. I started as a BFA studio art printmaking concentration. I quickly realized that there were a lot of talented people out there waiting on tables. Unless one comes from a family that can support the art, the lifestyle can be unpleasant. Fortunately I was at a state school where I was able to double degree. I went to graduate school with my BS degree; I finish the BFA as a source of personal satisfaction. I did not want to teach art so teaching certification was out of the question (but may not be for Franny). Maybe I will take up printmaking again in retirement!</p>
<p>*does that mean I have to pay the $10.50 for every school I apply to now or would my SAT scores being on my transcripts be enough? @_@ I don’t know how I’m going to scrounge up money to pay for the app fees and SAT score reports. *</p>
<p>Time to get a part-time job. If you can’t find $50 to send off SAT scores to a half dozen more colleges, you will REALLY struggle with college costs next year, even at a CC. Often all combined financial aid won’t cover all your tuition, let alone your books and supplies.</p>
<p>You want to be an art major? You will need far more than $50 for supplies each year–and this is unlikely to be covered by whatever loans/grants you do manage to receive.</p>
<p>@2collegewego - yes, my mom is willing to contribute up to probably 3k to my school. now that she’s on her own, her income is only 26k (from her 2011 w-2) so she doesn’t have a lot to offer me.</p>
<p>@hornet - my mom only says no if i don’t go to school. if i need to stay with her WHILST attending college, then i can, but if i take a gap year, it’s a negative. my mom is barely home because she’s always flying, so she hasn’t really looked into the realities of college.</p>
<p>one of my back up plans if i couldn’t make it in the design world was actually be an art or digital design teacher! :D</p>
<p>i got reply from pratt, my appeal is being reviewed and i should receive a response in april. i’m still going to apply to UCF and USF though because i can’t hope for much with pratt, and deposits are due may 1st so i have to act quick.</p>
If you go through all the legwork and end up deciding that a gap year would be best, AND you have a good plan for how you’ll occupy your time during that year, I bet she’d be more accepting. But cross that bridge when–or if–you get to it.</p>
I was so excited to graduate and move out in the fall… I don’t want to be stuck another year at home doing nothing with my life. I called UCF and they said as long as my SAT scores are on my transcripts, I should be good. So, I’m at least going to apply to UCF.</p>