<p>My academic situation: I graduated from a public high school in Ohio this year with a 2.8 GPA (my senior year GPA was 3.8). I scored a 26 on my ACT. This fall, I entered into a community college where I have a 3.9 GPA. I've participated in a few extracurricular activities (with a few leadership positions) in both high school and college. And I plan to transfer to another university next fall.
Financial situation: My EFC is $0, so I will need a lot of financial aid. My parents are not willing to take out a parent plus loan for me and I am not eligible for private loans (since I do not have a cosigner). </p>
<p>So, my question is, which schools are generous with need-based financial aid to transfer students? Mostly schools to which I am likely to be accepted (considering my terrible high school record, extracurricular involvement, ACT score, and college GPA). </p>
<p>Preferably, I would like to attend a university with these following characteristics: student body 5,000+, liberal, located in or around a big city (Chicago, Boston, etc.), strong science department (I plan to be a biology or nursing major), diversity, friendly student body, academically challenging... </p>
<p>If you need anymore information that would be helpful in answering this question, just ask me. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>Have you discussed your situation with the transfer coordinators at your community college? If not, you should start with them. They are expert at helping students like yourself find good places to transfer to.</p>
<p>I have. They weren’t very helpful.</p>
<p>If you apply for your junior year of college, your high school record will matter less. Some colleges don’t look at high school records at all if you’ve applying for junior standing. </p>
<p>It’s very hard to to find schools that are need blind/ and or meet full need for students. Your best bet may be in state schools. </p>
<p>The only regular transfer scholarships I know of is from Phi Theta Kappa. Phi Theta Kappa also links to <a href=“http://www.CollegeFish.org/[/url]”>http://www.CollegeFish.org/</a>.</p>
<p>You can’t get federal loans? </p>
<p>In terms of grades and schools, anything is possible…</p>
<p>I had a graduating 2.08 high school GPA
34 creds 3.88 GPA and I just got into NYU for Spring '10</p>
<p>:D</p>
<p>Anything is possible, but I will be up to my ears in debt if it doesn’t go as planned…</p>
<p>I can get federal loans but not enough to cover all of the costs. </p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance to NYU.</p>
<p>Very few schools are need blind for transfers/meet full need. Look at your in-state schools to start.</p>
<p>Some assumptions:
If the community college is good for your intended major(s) then you might be better served by staying put. As others have said, transferring as a junior or with an associates degree would pretty much wipe off high school. You can do your own credit transfer research: [Credit</a> Transfer - Ohio Board of Regents](<a href=“http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/]Credit”>http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/). I’m thinking that in nursing/biology you are heading toward a masters degree so it would be great if you could minimize your debt now. With a good undergrad record you can travel for the masters. If this community college won’t provide four decent semesters for you, then move on, but I’d still keep debt down. Good luck.</p>
<p>I had a very similar situation, and I came in as a science major (finished my bio, calc, chem and physics sequence at my community college). ~2.55 HS GPA and 4.00 college GPA.
Definitely look at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to see if your community college has partnerships with any schools that you may be interested in.</p>
<p>Since you’re a science major, it would be best to stay at your institution in order to finish up your basic math and science sequence (after all, there isn’t supposed to be much of a difference between the material taught for courses like calculus 1 and biology 1).</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me with any questions.</p>