Hi, I firstly want to start by saying I am American but live abroad, so I don’t have an idea on many things.
My parents told me a couple of days ago that they can’t afford the university that was decided in May and basically I can’t go. There was no issue on communication, they always told me they were paying and could pay and have now decided to tell me they cannot any longer. My father also lost his job at the start of this year and they have enough money to pay the tuition for the first year but not after that. So now I’m in a position of not knowing whether I should take a gap year and apply again next year, while applying for private scholarships and hopefully getting more aid from a university. I currently only got $6000 as a grant and $2750 in loans which I now realise is very little for someone in my position.
In the gap year I would be working day in and day out saving money, and I might go abroad somewhere to also do paid work for a few months granted the pay is enough so that I can save it aside from my living expenses.
Second option is community college, my only issue is that I dread the thought of it and I know I won’t be happy. Going to college isn’t just going to college for me, I am also moving to America where I know no one apart from my extended family. I would need to make friends and I don’t think I would make any good friends in CC and would have to live with my aunt in her house. Going to a CC wouldn’t be as much of a big deal if I was already living there, however I feel like it would be difficult for me now since I won’t know anyone or anything. I would also like to transfer from a CC to a university in a year, I know most universities would want transfers after an associates degree which would be two years and I’ve also heard that transfers don’t get that much aid, I think especially after transferring after a year i would be pulling my chances down even lower.
I’m in a very tricky situation right now and any input would be great.
What is the college that admitted you? Have you contacted their financial aid office to discuss the change in your family’s financial situation?
Temple, and yes I did, I contacted them in early April for an appeal and they are still trying to verify documents for my appeal to even go through, I spoke to someone else going to temple in a similar position who also appealed and they did not give them anything more so I don’t think anything is going to happen.
Is your father likely to get another job like his old one and be able to pay after all if you take a year off? Or do you have the stats for schools that meet need if you take a gap year? I don’t think you should assume until you hear back from Temple.
I’m sorry this is happening. I do think you’re better off with a gap year where you can earn and save money (and hopefully do some cool things that you enjoy too!) and applying again. This is because I think you will be in better position for need based financial aid as a first year student. Your parents need to have their financials together for the financial aid forms including documenting this year’s drop off in income. Focus on on colleges that are strong match for you and also generous with meeting need.
Good luck!!
Many people pick a community college because it is close to their home and they get instate rates and can live at home, so it saves a lot of money. Students also pick cc’s because they don’t really have a strong sense of their major or what they want to do, so they take the core classes that will transfer to many different schools and majors.
That doesn’t seem to apply to you. You can’t live at home or get instate tuition to save money.
Do the gap year and reassess where you want to go and what you can afford.
@twoinanddone @AlmostThere2018 thank you so much for your kind replies. Personally I’m leaning towards a gap year myself but I think my parents want me to go to a CC, do you know what the chances are of getting a scholarship or aid after going to a CC and transferring after getting an associates? My parents have been told that you tend to get very good scholarships so they think that’s the best route for me, which I really don’t want to do.
Yes, definitely a gap year to work out your financial situation. You’re absolutely correct about the downsides to a CC.
If you’re going to defer admission to temple (vs withdraw SIR) make sure there’s no policy restricting you to apply elsewhere.
@intparent no he’s not likely unfortunately. We don’t really know what’s going to happen for my parents to get an earning from somewhere. I also haven’t had time yet to look at unis which meet needs so that’s something I will do now
@OhWhatsHerName thank you! I did try to defer admission which would have been a good route to take but was told I can’t which I was really surprised with
The ‘good’ scholarships from cc to 4 year schools are usually within a state system. Since you don’t have a resident state, probably won’t apply to you.
There are a few scholarships available to community college grads but they are usually of the $2000 variety. Some schools give merit scholarships to transfers, but they are usually much lower than those given to freshman. For example, at D’s college the freshman merit awards range from $15k-25k, but the transfer scholarship is about $13k.
What community college system are you thinking of? Some are really strong (California) but others aren’t.
City Year now has multiple application dates and a site in Philly (or one of their other sites https://www.cityyear.org/choosing-where-apply) if that would interest you.
https://www.cityyear.org/join-the-corps/how-to-apply/application-process
@twoinanddone north Virginia, and the only thing I’m worried with is that my grades have been pretty average, not amazing for me to get a merit based scholarship if I take a gap year. And I’m not sure how difficult private scholarships are to get
Though I still think just attending a generic community college might not meet your goals, it occurs to me there are some community colleges with very strong transfer agreements that might be a option if you know that financial aid from the 4-year university is offered after you transfer. These schools tend to attract high quality students looking for an affordable path a degree and you benefit from small classes.
For example, NOVA (Northern VA CC) outside of DC has new transfer agreements with George Mason, Mary Washington, and possibly James Madison, all in Virginia. But yes I think you have to get the Associate’s degree b4 you transfer but you should check… You could look into details and see what guarantees there are in terms of financial aid and qualifying for in-state tuition.
Similarly there are 10 community colleges in central North Carolina with a guaranteed transfer path to UNC-Chapel Hill. It’s called C-STEP and you can google that. Wake Tech in Raleigh would be the strongest community college to attend out of the 10. Again, not sure about qualifying for in-state tuition when you transfer, so you’d have to check that out, but I’m pretty sure they meet need for C-STEP transfers through the Carolina Covenant.
Finally, you can enroll in community colleges into August so you’d still have time to get started this Fall.
Just giving options to explore!
@kbsuoe – do you have family in Northern VA that you can live with? That might make going to NOVA CC and then transferring to a VA state 4-year school to which you can continue to commute may be doable. It shoulds like you may have a Pell Grant (the $6000 grant you mention in OP), and can take a direct loan for $5500 (it sounds like $2750 you mention in the OP may be 1/2 or the subsidized portion), and the loan amount will go up slightly each year. Which would mean if you can live with family the costs might be more affordable. However, since your parents live abroad you likely will not be eligible for in-state tuition, so your costs will be higher.
If you take a gap year and you have the test scores and GPA for significant merit (full tuition). You may be able to cover most of room and board with loan, pell grant, and a job at certain schools. There may also be some schools that offer a full ride for your GPA and test scores. People on the financial aid forum on this site may be able to steer you towards those if you list your GPA and test scores.
Take the gap year.
If you have a place to live in the US, move here, get a job, get readjusted to life in the US, retake your SAT/ACT to try to raise the score, and apply to a new set of colleges and universities that are affordable. Do not take any classes for credit so as to protect your freshman applicant status.
Go read through the thread on Automatic Full Tuition and Full Ride scholarships that is at the top if the financial aid forum. Some of those will change for next year, but many won’t. If your grades and test score match any of those scholarships, you will get that money.
Hang in there.
@AlmostThere2018 I had a look through NOVA agreements and the universities you listed don’t offer Architcture which is the major I wished to pursue, and Virginia tech and UVA have agreements for two or three years in CC. :-S
@KatMT yes I have my aunt I would live with in the beginning and then my parents will move back soon as well.
@kbsuoe – did you look at all these? http://www.nvcc.edu/apps/1/transfersearch/gaasearch.aspx
If you can’t find a solid transfer plan with guaranteed admission then I think gap year might be the way to go.
Hang in there!.
If your parents are moving back to the US, then it is even a better idea to take that gap year. Depending on when they get here, and where they end up living, you might be a ble to have in-state status at a public U for at least part of your time in college.