<p>How am I going to afford it? </p>
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<p>I am looking to apply for Fall 2009-2010. The school itself it about 52k overall. I only have a 3.198 GPA now, but I think I can get it to a 3.4ish GPA. I know I prob. won't get full AEP, but I need scholarships and don't want too much loans. It's also harder to find outside scholarships, since I won't be a junior nor senior in high school. I just wanted advice, how can I get these outside scholarships and don't see how I'll afford it? I'm still going to apply and see what happens though. My family is middle class, but my parents have my two siblings (one whom will be a junior and the other not much younger) and plus my mom is due to have a baby around XMAS time. I really want to go there, but don't see how it's going to happen. </p>
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<p>I posted this in another section, but someone said I should post it here. Can you help me with my orignal question and what should be the max. of loans I should get a year? I want to be a print journalist, film actor or screenwriter. I won't be making as much as a doctor or lawyer either. I don't know how much my parents can pay, especially since my mom is pregnant. My brothers are also very close in age. I think the money my parents could pay now, will def. change. I am looking to go Fall 2009-2010. I think I have a good chance at admission, but can't expect a full scholarship. Are there any scholarships out there for younger kids? This is an early college and I would be a sophomore in high school when I apply to it. I can't find any scholarships which I'm qualified for. There all for seniors or juniors. Can you help me or have feedback? Thanks so much, I appreciate it A LOT! :)</p>
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<p>If you don’t have a way to pay for Simon’s Rock, you will not be able to attend. They have limited financial aid. They do not meet full need.</p>
<p>You need to discuss this plan with your family to find out if and how much they can contribute to your schooling at Simons Rock. If they can’t contribute to this, you may need to consider different options. Someone has to pay the bills. </p>
<p>It is getting VERY late to apply for substantial scholarships for this coming fall.</p>
<p>Oh, sorry I meant 2010- 2011. Is there any scholarship which I should look at? I would have about a year to come up with the money.</p>
<p>Contact Simons Rock and see what kinds of scholarships they have. They might also know of some scholarships for students such as you, as the school is FOR young early college enrollees. </p>
<p>AND you really MUST discuss this with your parents. The reality is that you have to know whether attending this school is financially possible…or what financial limits your family has. It may be that they are able to help you out in some way. It may be that they cannot. </p>
<p>You have to be realistic about going to any college…and as I said…someone has to pay the bills. You are picking a VERY expensive college with not so great financial aid funding (from what I know…maybe someone else here knows something different). This may not end up being financially possible and you should have an alternate plan if it’s not. EVERY student (regardless of age) should have a school on their list that they would like to attend AND that they can afford to attend. </p>
<p>I would love to own a Lexus. I can’t afford a Lexus, and no one else is paying my bills for me…so I can’t buy one. So…I drive a less expensive car. But it gets me where I need to go.</p>
<p>You need to come up with multiple options.</p>
<p>Why do you want to go to college early?</p>
<p>They have scholarships and I’m applying for the AEP one. I’m going to connect with admissions later this summer. My parents still aren’t thrilled on the idea and are telling me I’m prob. going to get loans for college. They really don’t want me to leave early, but I’m still discussing it with them. I told them I want to apply and see what happens. I could get full AEP and just pay for room and board which is 10k. I also have a back up plan, but all other schools I like are in the same price rage. I could possibly go to UGA for free, but don’t like it. It’s not great for what I want to do. </p>
<p>I want to go to Simon’s Rock for a head start, I’m over high school. It’s not too hard, but Simon’s Rock seems perfect for me.</p>
<p>You would be better off staying in high school a bit longer and trying to get your GPA up to a level where you might be more competitive for merit scholarships. Your GPA is well below the average for this school. Merit scholarships usually go to students in the top few % points of the applicant pool, not those who are below the average for the school.</p>
<p>Actually, the school isn’t hard to get into. I have actually talked to some students. I also am going to get that GPA to a 3.4 by time I apply. They look at more stuff than just GPA and that’s what I like!</p>
<p>You won’t like to hear this, but I think thumper is absolutely right. Ask almost any HS senior or college student and they will tell you that the best college for them was the one they liked and could afford. Barring the proverbial rich uncle, this doesn’t seem feasible for your family at this time. </p>
<p>If you were my child, I would also have reservations about this plan. First, not to beat a dead horse, but it does not seem that you have performed exceptionally well in HS so far. That’s not to say that you won’t - freshman year can be a difficult transition, socially and academically - but then, so is freshman year in college! Also, I don’t know your travel/EC/life experience quotient, but my feeling would be that the HS experience cannot be fully explored in just 1-2 years and it is an important, although sometimes painful, time, developmentally. Maybe this can occur at the college level as well, but there aren’t the same “safety nets” built into the college experience. A big part of growing up is being able to make mistakes, and learning from them, hopefully without permanent consequences! </p>
<p>Finally, parents have to consider what’s best for the family as a whole. If they’re still in the process of building a college fund for you and your older brother, and it sounds like they are, they may be reluctant to limit HIS choices by committing to early college for you. And they may feel that you’re limiting your own choices with this plan as well. Most kids change their minds about schools and/or careers several times (at least!) within the relatively short search/selection process. </p>
<p>As you all prepare to add a new family member, this may be a time for keeping options open and maintaining flexibility. I know, as a much older sibling, that my family needed and appreciated my help and cooperation when I was a teenager and my youngest sisters arrived. In return, it helped pull my head out of the sand and realize that my desires were not always paramount, and that many roads lead to the same place. I’m not sure from your post exactly what your motivation is for going to college early, but I’m sure some options exist. Perhaps a magnet school or a program where you could explore your writing/acting interests, or even an exchange program would be some alternatives.</p>
<p>Thanks sk8rmom. I did agree with thumper too, I never said I didn’t. I could get full AEP or half and then maybe we could afford it. That’s why I said it depends on how much scholarship money I get. If I don’t get enough, I am def. not going. I just wanted to apply and see what happens. The AEP can give me a lot of money and it depends on how much I get. Is 5k in loans a year that much? I do know that my parents do not have any college fund for us. They do have money to pay though. My brother actually can limit MY options since he is a year older and his school is 30k. I may have to get more loans, since he would go first. He wants to be a chef. </p>
<p>Also, I really don’t think our situation will change in 2-3 years. It may for all I know, but who knows. I will tell you that all other schools I’m interested in our in the same price rage, but they give good fin aid. I also would prob. go to Simon’s Rock for two years, then most people transfer to places like Yale, U of Chicago, NYU, etc. I also could try and find outside scholarships, but I was asking if you guys knew of any others? I have looked and I’m only a sophomore next year, lol. </p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback and I know it’s a stretch money wise. But it depends on how much money they give me. Also, there is no magnet schools by me and I’ve looked at boarding schools which some are more money than Simon’s Rock. :)</p>
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<p>Only you and your family can answer that question. For some, it would be too much. For others, it would be fine. Remember, it’s the grand total that matters. $20,000 for four years is what you’d be looking at at $5k per year. Is that too much for you?</p>
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<p>Transfer admissions to Yale are VERY competitive. But at least they give need based aid (only…no merit) to those accepted. I do not know the policies for U Chi or NYU regarding their finaid and transfer students. NYU is notoriously known for not meeting full nedd of students and having significant gaps between their aid, EFC and cost of attendance. You might want to consider this as well. You could be out of pocket significantly MORE than $5k per year at that school.</p>
<p>Some schools do not award financial aid to transfers at all, and some have very limited financial aid for transfer students.</p>
<p>You need to get these questions answered as well.</p>
<p>To be honest, and I am not saying this to be mean but to be realistic, I think your chances of major scholarship money are very low. Scholarships within a school are generally given to students that are above the average for that school. The major scholarships are given to those that are in the very top % wise for that school. Even if you raise your GPA to a 3.4 that just brings you in at around the *average *for Simon’s Rock. The criteria for the AEP is
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<p>Although the average for the school may be a 3.4 GPA they will be offering the major scholarships to students with much higher GPAs. For instance at my daughters school the required ACT is a 25. The 3rd from best scholarships reguires a 32 ACT (my daughter has that one), the next a 33+, and the best is for national merit finalists. Students whose statistics put them at or below the average for the school are not eligible for merit scholarships. </p>
<p>I think you are being totally unrealistic. You need to spend more time in HS and prove you can be an ‘outstanding student’ if you want to earn good scholarships. the same applies for outside scholarships. The large ones are extremely competitive and are being sought after by students with perfect GPAs and even then they can not all win the scholarships. One of the first ‘weed out’ factors for many scholarships will be the GPA.</p>
<p>Thanks thumper! It’s hard for me to explain to you because Simon’s Rock is NOT like other schools. They look at the individual for AEP, not just GPA! SATS/ACTS are not even required for admission, lol. I know people who have gotten 30k in scholarships with a 2.8GPA!!! They look at more things than just GPA, for goodness sake. The lady even told me this herself. I probably won’t get full AEP, but students said I should get some and most do. There is nothing wrong with me applying and to see what happens. The application is free for AEP. It absolutely depends on how much they give me. I’m also in all honors and one AP class, so my GPA will be lower. When I was naming schools which kids transfer to I was just giving examples of where some have gone to.</p>
<p>AEP seems to be only for tuition ($40K), so a half-tuition scholarship would leave you $30K short of full price. Do you know what your EFC is (from Fafsa4caster and collegeboard)and how much need-based aid you would qualify for? Most federal aid, including loans, require a HS diploma. It doesn’t sound like you’ve skipped a grade…will you have a GED or diploma by then?</p>
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<p>Culinary arts is usually a much shorter program, even at the best schools. There is a significant difference between $30K and $50K per year. There are alot of great schools out there that don’t cost $50K a year. If you don’t go to Simon’s Rock and you’re not in the top 20% academically, I would suggest adding a few to your college list. I don’t know what your parents income range is, but with no college funds, it’s likely their annual contribution will not run as high as you’d like.</p>
<p>Here is a problem though. My father just started his own business, so wouldn’t the need change? We have no idea what he is going to make this year, you can’t guess. My mom wants to stay at home when the baby is born though. I could get a GED when I’m at SR. Some high schools will give the kid a honorary diploma after the 2 years. The bigger schools tend to not give the honorary diploma. I go to a big school and the rank doesn’t go by what classes your in. I would have a higher rank if I was in easier classes. My brother wants to go to Johnson and Wales in Charlotte. My parents will soon then have 4 kids too. I have a younger brother who is 3 years younger than I too. Here is my college list:</p>
<p>UGA, Marlboro, West Georgia, Flagler, Point Park, Purchase, IU- Bloomington, Mizzou,
Sarah Lawrence, Bennington, Hampshire, Ithaca, American, Loyola Marymount, George Washington, Lehigh, Chapman, Susquehanna, Muhlenberg, Boston College, Villanova, NYU, USC, Kenyon, Sryacuse Newhouse, Wesleyan, Reed, Lewis and Clark, Northwestern, UNC- Chapel Hill, Yale and Bard.</p>
<p>This is just a list incase I don’t go to Simon’s Rock.</p>
<p>And you are planning to apply to all of these schools after your sophomore year in high school? I am very confused. Your range of schools is HUGE from Yale to some state schools (assuming you are instate for something on the list). At this point, you need to assess realistically the schools to which you plan to apply. I will stick my neck out by saying that a 3.1 or even a 3.4 GPA is probably not going to get you into Yale.</p>
<p>Thumper- Those are schools in case Bard College at Simon Rock does NOT work out. There my back up schools for sure. If I do stay in high school, I will def. get my GPA up before applying to Yale. I would have two years to do it, lol. And yes some of the schools are instate.</p>
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<p>Getting a GED when you’re already there might be possible, but it’s not going to pay the first semester’s bill if you can’t get federal loans/aid before you attend. I’d be really surprised if your state awarded you any degree without meeting their standard HS diploma/GED requirements. It sounds like you’re from Georgia, here’s a link to their state ed diploma requirements. You might ask your GC about it, if you’re still in session.</p>
<p>[Graduating</a> from High School](<a href=“http://www.gcic.peachnet.edu/IPCU/gradfromhsTEXT.htm]Graduating”>http://www.gcic.peachnet.edu/IPCU/gradfromhsTEXT.htm)</p>
<p>As far as financial need and your parents’ career changes go, you would have to initially file the FAFSA and Profile (for 2010/11) based on this year’s income and taxes.</p>
<p>There are some kids who get the GED when they are there. Yes, I am from Georgia. I bet you were wondering why West Georgia was on the list, lol. I really would like to get out of GA, but would go there if we couldn’t afford anywhere else. I will make an appointment with guidance counselor once school starts again. My old guidance counselor was on board and liked my plans. I get a new one though next year, there is a guidance counselor just for freshman. I will look at FAFSA also.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t I have to drop out of high school to get a GED? I couldn’t drop out until I am 16 though. Why couldn’t I apply for FAFSA as a sophomore? I</p>