Help me get into a four year college?

Applying to College
1

Hello,

My name is Lucas and I am 22 years old, and I desperately want to attend a four year college starting preferably in Fall '11.

Now here is what makes me think this will be a challenge, possibly impossible; I did not do well in high school, Test scores were off the hook, but I rarely did my homework. I also opted to get my GED at the age of 16. I am a very bright guy, I have always had high test results, but the homework bored me. (A symptom of already knowing the material they were trying to teach me)

I only attended high-school for two years, so that coupled with my homework issues, I assume I have a near non-existent GPA.

I took two college classes at my local Community College right after getting my GED, so I would be considered a transfer student.

My GED scores are pretty great, but I have yet to take the SAT/ACT because I am waiting to learn if a four year institution is even a possibility. I know I can get excellent scores on the SAT/ACT tests.

I do have some pretty good real life experience (Ex. I got a skate park built in my town while going through HS, A process that started when I pitched the idea to the city council at the age of 11, I was on the news and in newspapers for it, even the front page once. Johnny Carson even pitched in 75 grand, yes, THE Johnny Carson, We even got an award from the Governor for bettering our community.)

After the two classes I took at the Comm. College, I decided to focus on making money and have been working ever since… and recently have decided that college is the right path for me, if it is a possibility.

I want to go to a four year institution, my top 3 schools being:

<li>University of Iowa</li>
<li>Iowa State University</li>
<li>CU-Boulder</li>

I know of the 2+2 programs but would only consider it at UI because of the colleges I am looking at, only UI has a community college in the same town.

I have talked to some admissions people which have been zero help, as they just read off of a piece of paper in front of them and regurgitate it too me, not considering me as an individual with my own circumstances.

If I scored high on the SAT/ACT tests, would those scores coupled with my already great GED scores and life experience be enough to possibly counteract my short, poor HS career?

Thanks in advance, Lucas

2

check ave maria university

3

Looks ok, but it is really out of my price range, the tuition is about 3 times that of the colleges I listed.

4

If you think you can do well, I’d definitely take them. I took them on a whim after I got my ged and am so happy I did. Just make sure you study and use those test prep books. You don’t want to put the time and effort in and then not do well.

What you could do if you don’t want to do a full 2+2 program is just take a semester or two at a community college and then transfer if you get good grades. Of course it depends on the university you want to go to. Many of the state schools in my state(FL) will take transfers with less than 60 credits only if you send SAT or ACT scores. I’d research it first though. If I had realized I could transfer from a community college before getting an AA I would have taken totally different classes.

The true hard part is getting used to living with less money. Working fulltime and doing well in college is hard.

5

As of right now, you can’t get into the University of Iowa. But, you have an excellent shot at getting in as a transfer student from Kirkwood Community College, if you play your cards right.

Just enroll in Kirkwood Community College and tell your academic counselor that your goal is to transfer to UI. The Kirkwood CC website says it has articulation agreements (guaranteed admission agreements) with all of Iowa’s Regents universities.

If you know what you want to ultimately get your degree in at UI, the academic counselor should have a check sheet for that major, listing all the courses you need to take, and the GPA you need to have, to be accepted at UI. Follow that sheet, stay on track, and get the required GPA, and you’ll be a shoe-in for UI.

If you don’t know what you want to ultimately get your degree in, just follow the check sheet for the generic Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees at Kirkwood. Again, stay on track and get the required GPA and you’ll be a shoe-in for UI.

Do NOT enroll in the Associate of Applied Art or Associate of Applied Science programs!! These are not “college transfer” programs, and the courses are not on the same academic level as a university course. These degrees are intended for people who want to go directly into the workforce with an associate degree in a trade.

If you want to go to a 4-year college right away, then you need to pick a college that basically has open admissions. They will accept your GED and admit you, but will probably require you to take the SAT, because they will (most likely) need a score on record for placement purposes, so they know what math and English classes to enroll you in.

I say why go through that when you can bypass the SAT/ACT and enroll in Kirkwood (or any community college). Get awesome grades at your local CC and you can transfer to just about anywhere your heart desires.

6

I agree with HoneyBrown I think a CC first and then stay on track for a 4 year degree. Keep in mind some CC require a SAT/ACT score, I know mine did require a certain minimum score to get in.

and please don’t even listen to moneyp about the Ave Maria crap, its a school that started this year, private, overpriced, and built in a new catholic town where they believe condoms and contraceptives are the devil and it is extremely conservative, there are very few jobs within the Ave Maria town and Naples (the city next to it) can get very very expensive to live, also its on Southwest Florida, while you are obviously looking for something in Iowa /near to.

I think its really disrespectful that someone would make such bad recommendations to a person seeking advice to better their lives, it seems he did not even read your post.