<p>Tyler, you are being WAY too picky and short sighted. First…the fact is, you have NOT applied yourself. So get cracking! The SAT score you are projecting…is that for two or three sections?</p>
<p>California has a wealth of more affordable and reachable In terms of acceptance schools for you. As noted, there are some in northern CA that certainly are very similar to those further north in different states.</p>
<p>Your mom has a point…you keep talking about what you coulda, shoulda, woulda do…but those things haven’t happened…yet.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest you have a realistic talk with your mom about what she WILL pay for college each year. As a CA resident, if your income is below $80,000 a year, you are eligible for the Calgrant to some degree. I would strongly suggest you include at least two instate public universities on your list.</p>
<p>Head on over to the financial aid section of this forum…and read the thread about GUARANTEED merit scholarships. You will get a sense of what it takes to earn those…and see if one fits you.</p>
<p>Broaden your search to include schools that include at least two where you are definitely going to be accepted AND that you can afford AND that you would be willing to attend. Sure…include a reach, but be advised that what your mom says about the money needs to be listened to…if she can’t pay…you can’t go.</p>
<p>Talk to your school counselor…if the school has Naviance, that GC will be able to give you a ballpark on your chances of acceptance. With what you are posting right now, your two colleges are not sure admits for you…and likely are reaches.</p>
<p>Above all…do NOT believe that only one or two colleges are the ONLY possibilities for you. That is simply not true if you open your mind and really look.</p>
<p>I think you probably could benefit from a school that provides support for autistic students. I agree with Thumper above that you are not being realistic. I also see that you are very impatient, as evidenced by your frequent bumps of this thread at intervals of as small as 9 minutes. </p>
<p>Work on your grades and SAT scores, then please choose a school closer to home. You do not seem emotionally ready to go so far away.</p>
<p>Naviance is an online tool that your school guidance counselor likely has. You will be able to look at schools and the acceptances (not the specific student) criteria that worked. For example, you will be able to see a plotted scattergram for a college. It will have little marks on it that denote acceptances and rejections…along with the SAT/GPA that those students had. It can serve as a guideline for choosing colleges to which you have a chance of acceptance.</p>
<p>ETA…if you have a disability, you want to be sure that the college you choose has a good disability’s center.</p>
<p>Tyler perhaps you could consider some Oregon schools also? Portland has excellent public transportation and LOTS of rain too if that is a plus. I agree that UofW is very very competitive and it seems like a stretch.</p>
<p>AS to how bad off you may be…failure to plan for financial and acadamic safety may be the differnce between going to university that year and staying home at a cc.</p>
<p>Tyler…will the Oregon schools be affordable for your family as an out of state student? Please take the time to consider that finances are important. The college bills need to be paid.</p>
<p>California is a big state, with great schools. You are making overly general statements. That said, if you are intent on going out of state, perhaps you might check into colleges that have specialized support for students on the autism spectrum. Rochester Institute of Technology is one. </p>
<p>Here is a link to a thread discussing this very topic:</p>
<p>You are going in circles even with good advice, try listening to it. Realistically, UW and Gonzaga are huge reaches with your stats. Autistic for real? There are schools with great programs for you, the one I know of is at U of Arizona. Unless money is no object you should be looking at Cal schools or WUE schools you are eligible for. Talk to your parents and school counselor.</p>
<p>I just don’t find Cal schools as good and I want to go somewhere new</p>
<p>What do you mean by that? What are your qualifications for determining that Calif schools aren’t as good? Many Calif schools are “just as good” or “ever better” than UWash and Gonzaga.</p>
<p>Well, since you’ve never been to college, any campus will be “something new”. </p>
<p>You’re being rather stubborn, so if you’re not going to listen to common sense advice, go wherever you want. However, I won’t be surprised if you’re back home after the first semester because of various adjustment issues and/or your mom decides these schools aren’t affordable or worth the money since more affordable schools are in your backyard.</p>
<p>Tyler, please quit bumping and listen to some of this advice. I am done contributing to this thread. You are clearly not emotionally ready to go out of state and maybe not even ready to live away from home. Listen to your mother, and your therapist if you have one, and reread these very helpful posts.</p>