Hmmm.... Have any ideas?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I know what i am looking for in a school and i am sure it exist, i just cant seem to find it.
So, im a quiet girl whos wants to move away from home. I want to study psycology and the arts and would love to be surrounded by art and music. Its important to me to live in a very diverse and cultured area, since i havent grown up in such a place. </p>

<p>I've looked at schools in Ohio and Chicago and California but am honesty mostly open to anywhere. </p>

<p>I would consider myself an average student. GPA: 3.5. I didnt do especialy hot on my SAT's (i got a 1550), and am currently waiting on my ACT score to come in.</p>

<p>Does reading this bring to mind any colleges? Or do you have ANY suggestions of a school i may be intersested in?</p>

<p>thank youuuuuuu!</p>

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<p>anything suggestion could be helpful.</p>

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<p>Where is your home state?
Public or private?
Will you need financial aid? What is your family’s expected financial contribution?
How large or small a school?</p>

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<p>Excellent advice above
Check out the Colleges that Change Lives website and also Drew</p>

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<p>I live in mass.
Either private or public, i could work with either.
I’d prefer a larger school. preferably more than 4,000. Less than 20,000.</p>

<p>and thank you.</p>

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<p>University Of Pittsburgh</p>

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<p>You say public or private…</p>

<p>Does that mean that your parents have said that they will pay the $35-50k per year for you to go out of state? (OOS publics will cost about $32-45k and privates will cost about $40-50k)</p>

<p>If so, I can suggest a few, but first the money issue needs to be settled. :)</p>

<p>Also, keep in mind that your SAT and GPA will limit some choices, but there are some good schools for you! :)</p>

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<p>BTW…You want to study psych and the arts correct? Double major? or minor in arts? And, you want to be at a school with art and music. </p>

<p>what kind of music? classical? Jazz? rock?</p>

<p>Of the top of my head I’m thinking Loyola New Orleans or Loyola Chicago or Loyola Maryland. There are more, but these just came into my head.</p>

<p>BTW…do you mind if the schools are Catholic? Even non-Catholics usually feel comfortable at these schools.</p>

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<p>I would really rather go to a school with religious diversity. And money, well, I plan on getting as much finicanial aid (and others savers) as i can, because, no, i dont have 50k to spend a year. My cousin works in admissions so i know what/where/how much i can save from certain schools. Right now im just trying to find the college with the right personality fit for me, and once i apply we will work out the money details. My parents will only be helping me pay for college, and yes, i am going out of state.</p>

<p>The fact is that there are too many careers out there that i have not been exposed to yet, but have always been attracted to psycology and the arts. I am not musically talented and on no level plan on pursuing it as a career, but it is a passion of mine that i want to be surrounded by. Any and all types of music. </p>

<p>I am not planning on Ivy league or anything close, but as all as i feel challenged and grow i will be content.</p>

<p>I know i am young and have been exposed to so little, but this is why i wish to live in a well-cultured area.</p>

<p>Thank you for your imput. Ill look into the Loyola’s.</p>

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<p>Do NOT think you can just apply and work out money afterward. Many a student’s heart has been crushed by not being able to attend THE SCHOOL they want because it is too expensive. And PLEASE don’t believe you can just get a bunch of loans. Think about the debt (thousands of dollars per month) you will have to pay over 10 years to service that debt. Think about where you can afford first.</p>

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<p>University of Pittsburgh has a program called Pitts Arts which allows students to attend shows and other cultural events downtown for free or a very cheap price.</p>

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<p>Erin’s Dad is exactly right. Very right :)</p>

<p>Every spring we see kids here that are very upset because all of their FA packages include too many loans, or have gaps, or their parents can’t pay their EFC, or some other negative issue. At that point, they feel that they have no choices as to where to go. :(</p>

<p>You shouldn’t just apply to a group of schools that you like, and then hope the money will work out. The reason that isn’t a good idea, is that many schools don’t offer much financial help at all. IF you don’t consider money first, you could end up applying to 8-10 school that won’t offer you any money at all. </p>

<p>We don’t mean to “let the air out of your dreams,” but when money is an issue, you can’t just pick schools that you like and hope the money comes. There isn’t a College Cost Fairy out there that drops loads of money onto kids who really want to go to certain schools. (I sure wish there were :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>You need to do this in a more focused manner…</p>

<p>First…</p>

<p>What are your stats? (to determine which schools might give you scholarships)</p>

<p>HOw much can your parents pay for your education each year? </p>

<p>How high is your parents EFC? IF you don’t know their EFC, how much do they earn each year?</p>

<p>The possible problems are…</p>

<p>IF your parents’ income is highish, their EFC may too high to qualify for much aid.</p>

<p>If your parents’ EFC is high, they may not be able to afford to pay it - which will leave you with a big gap. (Scholarships reduce FA. Scholarships don’t reduce EFC until they exceed FA)</p>

<p>If your chosen schools can’t/won’t meet your financial needs, you’ll have another gap (most schools cannot meet need).</p>

<p>If your chosen schools don’t offer much merit scholarships, then you can’t overcome a low FA package.</p>

<p>Erin’s Dad is right about the dangers of loans. </p>

<p>Please, do not depend on loans to pay for your educations. Even if you borrow only $12k per year ($48k for 4 years), you’ll have a monthly payment of over $550 per month for 10 very long years. That would be a serious burden on your life when you are 23 - 33 years old. And, if you try to borrow more than that, it would be absolutely suffocating for a very long time during important years of your life.</p>

<p>Once we know what your financial situation is, we’ll be able to make some sound choices that will give you happy results that you want. :)</p>

<p>Right now, knowing that you need a lot of FA, I’m no longer comfortable suggesting the Loyolas - especially if your parents have an EFC that they can’t afford.</p>

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<p>All i am looking for is suggestions right now. Once i look into a school and decide if its one i would consider attending i talk it over with my parents and college advisor. From then we (i dont feel comfertable giving this imformation out freely) can consider if its one we will be able to afford or may offer us financial aid or loans. </p>

<p>I do, however, appriciate your concern as well as your imput.</p>

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<p>Most schools in New York City fit the bill - look at some of the CUNY schools, like Hunter College and City College. Also Eugene Lang the New College of Liberal Arts or whatever it’s called, as it’s affiliated with the New School and you might get to take classes at Parsons :smiley: New York is an awesome, cultured, diverse place and you would be surrounded by art and music.</p>

<p>There’s also Columbia College Chicago.</p>

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<p>Thats great! thanks.</p>

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<p>Juillet,</p>

<p>Could you please say why you recommend Columbia In Chicago for this student?</p>

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<p>I have actually looked at Columbia of Chicago before. being in Chicago it is in a really diverse city and is filled with the arts and music and thearter. Columia of Chicago itself is an art school with plenty of liberal art programs. And It is a school i think i would be able to get into with my Gpa and Standorize testing scores.</p>

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<p>Many of the “liberal arts” programs are pretty thin, and there is absolutely nothing even remotely like psychology.</p>