@apraxiamom I already visited Savannah before (my family is planning a trip there next Saturday!) So I kinda know what it’s like being there. Now being at SCAD, never been there. I don’t know if my mom would take me to one of their tours and stuff.
And most of my family is kinda poor, except my step grand-dad. idk if he’s willing to help me pay for the tuition though
Another option is to go to a community college, work on your art and your grades, and apply as a transfer student. Two years of an expensive school is better than 4. Take all the basic courses in English and history and math that you need at a bargain price.
@twoinanddone do you think of I go to USC, my credits would be able to transfer? (USC doesnt have an associate degree major, so idk how I would do 2 years at USC and 2 years at SCAD)
What is your GPA? You stated 2 and 3 earlier, but what does that mean? Unweighted, weighted? Is it a typo?
You listed an ACT of 20. Do you plan to take it again after some prep, or stick with that score?
How much can your family afford to pay before your add in the $5500 student loan you can take? What is your EFC? Are you Pell eligible?
Do your GPA and test scores make you competitive for admissions to USC (University of South Carolina)? If not, what affordable schools to your family are you academically competitive for admissions?
It sounds like you would like to attend a stand alone art school (many of which are private, some of which are for-profit, all of which are more expensive than attending a state school as an in-state student, unless you live in a state with a state school that is an art school, or attend a school that offers a scholarship or financial aid to bring the cost down to that of a state school as an in-state student), and your mom would like you to be within a 2-hour drive from home at school with an in-state cost of attendance.
If this is the case, none of the art schools you are naming with be within your price range. Talk with your mom, run NPC on school websites, find out how much your family can afford. Then look for schools where your can study art that are in your academic/ artistic admit, and price range.
There are many knowledgeable posters here, but you need to provide specific information so they can offer ideas and advice.
@milkynova in order to know if you are Pell eligible you need to find out your EFC. You also need to know what, if anything, they can contribute to your college costs. This will help you get a sense of the range or schoold that will be affordable to you.
I terms of GPA and test score for USC, talk to your guidance counselor to see what GPAs and scores are competitive for USC from your HS.
“3. Idk if my family can afford to pay before I add my student loan, my EFC, or if I’m Pell Grant eligible”
Run the NPCs. This is kinda like when the Wizard tells Dorothy she always had the power… Yes, you’ll need to know some family finances. But this is what kids who want college (and aren’t super wealthy) need to do. It’s the mature way to explore. It’s not about dreams and wishing someone will pay.
“USC is more into science, computer, and stuff.” But that’s for STEM kids. There are many other programs and kids who never go near those courses. I think you have much to learn.
I am running the NPCs and most of them ask how much my parent’s make, which I don’t know, And when I asked them about it, thy said “Don’t worry about it, we’ll do it later”
They need to have the financial talk with you. Until then, you could estimate (based on average annual salary). What are your parents’ jobs? You can also estimate the taxes information, but keep in mind estimates may throw off your predicted numbers.
Are your parents aware of the upcoming college and financial aid deadlines? Do they honestly want you to go to college, or were your financial questions to mom just at a bad time tonight? Please ask them. Ask your parents to please make time to discuss all this because it’s clearly important to you. Good luck!
Well, my mom and dad were talking about colleges to me and such. And my mom said she’ll sign the FAFSA soon.
Again, I mentioned several other state options with art programs - Winthrop and CofC being 2 - where you are more likely to get in if you can’t get in USC. And at least Winthrop would be less expensive.
I’ve seen many local kids with B averages and just ok (around 1000 on SAT) not get into USC, but into bridge program that starts you at Midlands Tech. So yes take the ACT again or SAT.
So please look at other options and look more closely (and visit) USC. There are vast numbers of students there who are not STEM. Do the research.
There is a earnings cap to Pell I think (not my area). Someone here that is smarter with FA can chime in. But find out what it is. Then ask parents “Do we make more than X a year”. If the answer is yes, take Pell out of your calculations. I realize this is over-simplifying but it would give you some idea until they are willing to give you real numbers. Or pull up the NPC for USC and ask them to do it without you there if they don’t want to share money stuff with you now. Finding out what you have to spend is important.
SCAD keeps their lights on with the tuition they charge. They do offer merit aid, and do not meet demonstrated need, Most likely it will be an expensive option to consider.
Academically based on what you shared u South Carolina may be a long shot for you.
What are your other target schools that fit you?
Well I was thinking of AI and Ringling, but AI has a bad rep and Ringling is 6 hour away from home
Ringling is perhaps even less affordable than SCAD.
If I knew you, I might suggest you tell your parents you are interested in USC, but there’s concern about whether you’d be admitted. So you’re looking at other SC state (public) colleges. If your parents don’t understand how admissions works, you need to pick up this ball.
But further, I’d say there’s a tool to learn just what costs may be for you (NPC) and what aid you could get.
Then that either they can answer some financial questions for you to run the calculator- or would they please run it themselves. Basically, I think for a FAFSA only school, you/they could do this with a tax return from the required year. All this beats guessing.
Show them you want to be sensible.
Have any family members gone to college before? Are they familiar with the process?
My parents, grandma, and my aunts and uncles went to college.
Are you self-taught or have you been taking art classes? If so, talk to your art teachers about schools with good reputations that you can afford. Do you have a portfolio ready to go for the fall if you end up applying to a school that admits based on portfolio? It’s not too late to visit some schools in-state and talk with actual professors.
My D took 3 years of AP/honors art in HS and had some amazingly talented friends in those classes. At least one was earning money off commissions in HS. Several ended up majoring/minoring in studio art in college - at USC, CofC, Winthrop, Clemson and a few LACs - none went to schools like SCAD. (Not to say it’s not a good school, but NOT the only option and NOT a viable option if you can’t afford it)
@milkynova You can mostly tell if you qualify for the Hope, Life or Palmetto Fellow scholarship about now unless things drastically change on your transcript. Other people have given excellent help. And your mother not wanting to pay for something you can’t afford is certainly not being bickerish. It’s being wise.
All of our instate schools are getting more competive . What year are you in @milkynova ? Your ACT scores and GPA appear low for USC and CofC . Both schools do have bridge programs. CofC is a very good option of you can improve your test scores and GPA ,as is Winthrop .