As mentioned, I’m the first to apply to college in my family and so I barely have any knowledge on how to go about the process.
I’m 22(I feel 53 on a good day) and although that’s still a bit young compared to you 30-80 y/o applying(good on you!), I have been out of high school since I was 15. Due to family and financial issues, I left in March of the school year and didn’t settle down long enough to enroll in school.
Got my GED in 2008, took the SAT this year and am re-taking it but there are a lot of issues so I’ll just list them all so I won’t get any TLDR’s.
<li>Low GED Score (I believe…): 2850</li>
<li>Official GED Transcripts were given to me with a letter to attach for any verifications. Frankly, I don’t think that will fly for colleges.</li>
<li>HS Transcripts error no 10th year even though I clearly remember being in 10th before I moved as I took French for 4 years(1 y in MS)</li>
<li>Low GPA based on the grades shown there around 2.8</li>
<li>SAT scores not up to snuff: R-590 M-410 W-520</li>
<li>SEVERE test anxiety</li>
I know a lot of replies will say go to CC and I’m applying but it’s more of a very last resort. I’m completely terrible at math(I forgot what exponents were) and science so I think CC would make me look a lot worse.
Due to lack of car, money and the recession I’ve only done small freelance work online and have nobody for recommendations.
I just know applying for financial aid will be a nightmare considering my situation. Any tips on that would be great.
Colleges I’m applying to:
* RISD (My reach school)
* Art Inst. Boston
* Mass Art Design
* Montserrat Art
* CC (safety)
I’ve been lurking the forums and have found some helpful things but I still feel like I’m leaping without looking.
When do I call my old HS to get transcripts going out?(after it’s fixed)
How would I apply for any fee waivers?
Do I take a CLEP test once admitted to CC or before?
Where to find scholarships?
Do I just send my GED transcripts myself since I have them?
Any advice out there? It would be greatly appreciated.
to get you started i’ll answer these questions first.
btw congrats on your decision to apply to college! i am on the same boat as you!
When do I call my old HS to get transcripts going out?(after it’s fixed)
When is your deadline? Make sure you do this 2.5 weeks prior to just to be on the safe side ;]
How would I apply for any fee waivers?
On the common app, there should be an option to apply for a fee waiver which you will fill out at a later time. I’m sure the college will be sure to notify you and send the proper forms via e-mail.
Do I take a CLEP test once admitted to CC or before?
As a transfer you don’t need to! =D
Where to find scholarships?
try [FastWeb</a> : Scholarships, Financial Aid, Student Loans and Colleges](<a href=“http://www.fastweb.com%5DFastWeb”>http://www.fastweb.com)
and [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.gov%5DFAFSA”>http://www.fafsa.gov) <–not sure if that is the correct web address but if it doesn’t work try to type : ‘fafsa’ into google and it’ll pop up for sure. government grants! financial aid! and fast web has a lot personalized scholarship contests which are tailored for you!
Do I just send my GED transcripts myself since I have them?
I’m not too sure about this… you should call the registrar’s office at the school’s you plan to apply to and ask.
Any advice out there? It would be greatly appreciated.
Are you doing this with common app?
I can help you! and help you proof read your personal statement. pm me if you want
My gf went to RISD for undergrad and grad and loved it. Don’t expect to have a life if you want the real art school experience–according to her–she worked on projects from dawn to near dawn (next day). Best of luck to you! Work on building an awesome portfolio and expect to have something “special” above average applicants…if you want I can ask my gf if you can ask her questions on applying-- she’s a college professor now and is always helpful in getting her students into design schools.
Art IS my life so I’m definitely ready to be submerged in it. I can’t wait for the challenge.
I’m not using the common app because I need my essays to really make me shine, considering my grades/scores. I keep drawing blanks for them but I’m sure it’ll all pour out once I get over my jitters.
Congratulations on going back to school. I hope it works out for you.
Don’t be disappointed if you are rejected by all of those schools. Since you have been out of school for a while and have, based on your post above, a somewhat poor high school record most or all of those schools are just not going to want to take a chance on you. In fact, I would be willing to say that a school that would take you now is probably not the best school for you (since it would probably a for-profit rip off type of school).
Any legit school is going to need to see proof that you can handle being a college student. So, really, cc IS you best option. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Being at a community college gives you a chance to get back into the right mindset in a much safer and comfortable environment. You will meet a lot of people in similar situations, which can really help boost your confidence. You will also save LOADS of money, and if you do well you may earn scholarships when you transfer that will save you loads more. (ie. I have $11,000 in scholarships that are only available to students who transferred in from community colleges).
Don’t discount math so quickly. It’s a myth that artists and creative types can’t be good at math. I’m an award winning writer and artist and I kick ass at math. Higher level maths tend to be more visual and it may surprise you how well you can do once you get past basic algebra.
Oh, I do accept the possibility of being rejected by all of the art schools. I figure I’ll just attend CC for a year or two and try to transfer but I don’t really see how math and science courses are going to help me with art history. Architecture doesn’t interest me in the slightest.
I hold a desperate love for writing and I’m a total vocab nerd. Discuss or debate topics pertaining to art, pop culture, psychology, socialism, etc. and I’m in the thick of it. Learning is something I yearn for and I regret my years in high school weren’t in the right environment. When it comes to art, I’m like a fish doing loop-de-loops in water. It’s my severe test taking anxiety that betrays me. I can only hope my envelope of creative application requirements will show them who I really am in the here and now without the overwhelming jitters outshining me.
I don’t believe being creative makes you terrible at math. I’m just naturally terrible at it! I have a different way of thinking and a lot of times came up with the right answers the wrong way(my math teachers hated it) which would be great for the SATs as you don’t have to do it out but the little knowledge I had of it looks like a foreign language to me in symbols I can’t decipher. Some of the SAT math I had just started up on as they had me in basic MCAS math before I had to leave. With my anxiety I just say ‘screw it’, eyeball the graphics and apply common sense to get an answer.
I won’t give up and am practicing. Thanks for the reply.
I agree that going to a CC would be something to think about. In my area anyway, if you are a transfer from a CC they doesn’ even look at the SAT and high school stuff. You could finish all the Gen. Ed stuff and have a good GPA to get you into a good university, not to mention save some money. The GE classes I’ve taken include the English, history, psychology, art and music classes you sound like you’d enjoy. Me, I love science, so those were not my favorites, but I did enjoy all of them to some degree. Good luck.
I have a different way of thinking and a lot of times came up with the right answers the wrong way(my math teachers hated it) which would be great for the SATs as you don’t have to do it out but the little knowledge I had of it looks like a foreign language to me in symbols I can’t decipher. Some of the SAT math I had just started up on as they had me in basic MCAS math before I had to leave. With my anxiety I just say ‘screw it’, eyeball the graphics and apply common sense to get an answer.