CC Blues

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Long time creeper, first time poster. (Sort of)
After coasting through high school on god-given talent (I honestly never studied for anything) I ended up at a local CC, and since then have decided to take things a little more seriously. I have been looking at potential transfer schools for a few months now, but it is too much to try to figure out on my own in my head, so I am interested in hearing the opinions of others. I will be applying to transfer fall/winter of next year. </p>

<p>Graduated HS with a 3.3ish GPA
Took AP, IB, and Honors courses in English, History, Photography, Government, and Economics
SAT: 670 CR 630 M 570 W (not sure why my writing score was so low)
EC's: Second Degree Black Belt - Tae Kwan Do, First Degree Black Belt, Outdoor Ed. Counselor</p>

<p>Have a 3.3 currently at a California CC after a rough first semester dealing with the Community College Blues. I have since then dealt with my motivational issues and am getting straight A's.
I work for an engineering firm doing data entry for the Safety Department, 8-16 hrs per week. </p>

<p>I am interested in studying History or Political Science, and I am exploring the possibility of graduate study. As a result I am concerned with schools that have approachable faculty and undergraduate research opportunities. </p>

<p>Schools I am considering:
UCLA
UCSD
U of Washington
U of Puget Sound
Lewis and Clark
Whitman College
College of Wooster (this one especially)
William and Mary
Boston University</p>

<p>I am fascinated by St. John's College in Maryland, but am not sure if it would put me at a disadvantage if I decide upon going to grad school, or how I feel about starting as a Freshman, or how great the merit aid is. </p>

<p>Merit aid would be nice, since I will most likely not qualify for need based aid. I live in an affluent area, my parents are divorced and remarried, and my dad makes six figures. The only things I have going for me is that, in addition to one brother, I have six stepsiblings and two of them are currently in college. </p>

<p>Any suggestions for schools to consider or insights you would like to provide would be greatly appreciated. This post is ridiculously long.</p>

2

<p>It’s very hard to get decent merit aid as a transfer student since generous merit is typically for incoming freshmen. </p>

<p>Your best bests are UCs because they will be the cheapest for you. The other schools will be too expensive. The UCs won’t consider your dad’s income, but will consider your mom and step dad’s income.</p>

<p>How much will your parents contribute towards your education?</p>

3

<p>I have enough money between what my mom and I have saved up, and what my grandma is contributing, to cover the cost of any UC, U of Washington, and probably most of William and Mary. </p>

<p>The UC’s are great schools and all, but there are a couple of things that I don’t like about them:

  • the 20k + student body (this applies to Washington as well)
  • the horror stories about the administration “treating you like a number”
  • how close they are to home (I live less than an hour away from LA and Santa Barbara)</p>

<p>Are my fears unfounded?</p>