First time here so be nice about formatting ;-;
Some info
- 23 almost 24
- High school diploma
- No SAT / ACT scores
- Working on retrieving transcripts, but if i remember i was around 2.5 - 3.0 in high school
What I want to do
- Go to school in a metro area, with plenty of opportunities
- Live on campus or off with cheap rent
- I want a computer science / business marketing degree
- Eventual job goal of working in game / computer design and backend of esports
Currently I’m living in Montana, but I have been traveling quite a lot in the past few years (CA,WA,NV,MT,OR) because i have no clue what i wanted to do with my life. I have been a chef for most of my life and I dont see myself being in that field forever. I know I am not the smartest person around, but i am willing to do anything to get my life in a forward direction. That is why I want to live on site and get to a metro area so i can settle down and just focus on moving forward instead of floating.
I know that at 24 I will be able to file independently which is what has stopped me actively searching for an education option due to no qualifications for financial aid. I understand that going into debt isnt the best idea in the world. But I’m tired of working shit jobs for low pay when i can invest a few years of my life to bettering the end goal.
So my real questions is. Where do i start?
I have filed a fafsa form for a community college here in Montana but would much rather decide on something different due to the school having low pretty much everything, and not offering a degree in computer science.
What schools offer room and board?
How much will i have to go into debt?
Is it even possible to acquire the finances to go to school?
What school would have the best access to resources / contacts that would put me closer to my end goal of working in esports / game design.
Can I be in a school by the end of the year?
Sorry if i rambled a bit but I look forward to your responses.
Regarding the how much debt question: make sure you apply to schools in Montana where you get in-state tuition. Because you’re a Montana resident you can look into: http://www.wiche.edu/wue it’s a program that gets you money off tuition costs in other states. SAT/ACT scores will be necessary for some schools, or you can limit your list to schools that don’t require it.
Have you taken any community college classes yet? If so, how many units.
If you don’t want to live in high cost areas then cross places like NYC, Boston, SF, Berkeley, etc off your list.
Not sure if being 24 by itself can be independent, are you being claimed by your parents as dependent? Does your parents still giving you support? If so, you are not qualified apply as an independent.
No college will give you a full ride(tuition+R&B) if you do not take SAT/ACT and have a good GPA. Check for the “Automatic scholarship universities” thread on CC. Check out the schools in the following thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1651944-very-low-cost-oos-coa-universities-less-than-25k-coa-for-everything.html#latest
You are allowed to borrow $5500 per year on your signature. Whether you can borrow more depends on your credit rating even if you are qualified as an independent.
Further more, you do not have to go to college to become a successful game design programmer.
Forgot to see that you have a HS 2.5-3.0 GPA.
At that rate, you are not going to get in any good CS programs, CS majors are competitive.
Better off to go to the CC now and work hard to get 4.0 grade then transfer into a good college with good CS program. You need to pull yourself up from the bottom, otherwise, you will stay in the bottom.
Again, you can be a game programmer without going to college, but the chances are not high in your case.
Just to cheer you up with my own story.
My HS was a failure, I graduated with 2.0 GPA barely pass the minimum for graduation, that was after remedial examinations. After graduation, I was drafted into the military, upon discharge, I entered a college at the age of 22. I did work hard in the college and was fully employed after graduation. I had my ups and downs in my life.
But fast forward to year 2017, I am getting social security benefit right now, in a semi-retirement state and I am paying full COA of my D’s Ivy quality college and medical school in the tune of around $500K in total. I am not relying on the social security benefits and have plenty to have a retirement live. I am not rich, but am better off than a lot of people that I know who went to an Ivy league.
There are schools in Montana that offer CS- Montana Tech, Helena College of Tech
For an urban but more expensive option, check out the Auraria campus in Denver. It has Community College of Denver, Metro State College and UC Denver all in one campus. There is on-campus housing shared by all three plus lots of off campus options. All 3 are WUE, but your FA would only cover tuition. You would still have to work for living expenses, but you could easily find restaurant jobs.
Other options:
See the entire list of WUE schools and pick one that is in an area that appeals to you (http://wiche.edu/info/wue/WUEsavingsChart.pdf)
Have you considered the military?
When you are 24, you will be considered independent for the FAFSA. Don’t worry about that. You will be able to borrow up to the limit for independent students each year, and depending on your income, you may qualify for some Pell Grant money and for work-study. Print out the FAFSA formula and run your numbers through it to get a notion of what you are likely to be eligible for. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/2017-18-efc-formula.pdf
However, all of that combined still isn’t going to come to a whole lot. Your most affordable option almost certainly is to continue working part-time to support yourself while you study at a community college, then transfer to a public U.
Look in your state for a community college that has a formal articulation agreement for the major that you want at one of the public Us. That way all of the classes you take will definitely count toward that final degree, and you will be guaranteed admission provided you meet any GPA requirements.