<p>I already had Stetson University send me a giant list of scholarships that Stetson students had received in the past. I went through the 40+ page PDF and pulled out the ~30 scholarships that I’m eligible for and bookmarked them all with the deadlines. My high school constantly tells us that nobody applies for local scholarships, so if I just look for them and write a decent essay, I have a pretty good chance of winning.</p>
<p>My step-dad is in the Air Force, so that adds extra opportunities as well. They have some kind of essay scholarship with 50 winners every year for $1,500. Definitely worth a couple hours of my time to do that one.</p>
<p>I’m just trying to apply for as many scholarships as I can because eventually $300, $700, and $1,500 small awards all add up. I haven’t completely ruled out the idea of working while in school, but I really don’t want to. I work right now during high school and I hate it. My work isn’t doing anything to help further me in my career goals except help pay to get through life. I know it’s a requirement and I just have to suck it up. If I can work 5-7 days a week during the summer and save up $2,500 or so, that would help a lot when I’m trying to afford my freshman year.</p>
<p>I’m determined to make New College work. I had no idea how bad my situation was until I posted this thread. I was under the impression that I would get tons of aid, and I could take out loans for everything aid didn’t cover. That’s essentially the role of PLUS loans. My parents know how bad I want to go to New College and I think they’d take out a PLUS loan for $1,500 or so if that’s all I end up being short for in the end.</p>
<p>My brother and I have different career goals. He’s majoring in Information Technology at UWF with eyes on employment after his four years at UWF, and I’m planning on going through an economics Master’s and a Doctorate program. Possibly a dual PhD-JD program if I can find a university that will let me do that. New College fits into my life program because I love school and want to be surrounded by other students who love school for the purpose of learning instead of gaining employment (80% of New College grads to go graduate school). I know I can be equally successful if I go to USF or UWF, but I really don’t want finances dictating which school I need to go to when the school that’s truly the best fit for me academically is New College.</p>
<p>I want to thank everyone here for being extremely helpful. As a result of this thread, I have now calculated my GPA more times than necessary, and stressed more than a seventeen-year-old should about finances… Two months before New College’s application deadline, too (but I applied in mid-August to make sure I was extra early). I am going to continue applying for as many scholarships as I can find, and looking at CC threads to find additional scholarship when my list becomes exhausted.</p>
<p>Thank you, everyone. If I end up at New College in August 2015 it’s because everyone here showed my big ego how bad my financial situation really is.</p>