In Need of Advice

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>I really could use some advice right now. First off, let me tell you a little bit about my situation. I had to leave middle school halfway through because of a lung ailment. Naturally, I was too ill to face the rigors of high school that fall, so I enrolled in the independent study program through our town’s department of education (Orange County, CA). The move turned out to be a good one. As I was bedridden through a lot of high school, the schedule and due date flexibility was of immense help. I have always been a hard worker and I never take the easy way out. I am graduating this June a whole year ahead of schedule (I’m technically a junior right now). At the same time, I will be transferring 18 college units (6 classes) that I earned in the last three years. My school does not participate in the AP program so they encourage us to go to our local community colleges. I ended up going through the distance learning program.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, last fall I really didn’t have much guidance when it came to college applications and selection. My school wasn’t any help, and I didn’t know about College Confidential. Since I had been sick for most of high school, my extracurricular were rather sparse (though I have done a few). Even though my GPA is 3.92 / 4.0, my SAT score was only 1040 / 1600, so I didn’t think I had much of a chance at any great school. Therefore, I only applied to Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton. I was also attracted to these two because of their low tuition costs. My parents are going through a messy and costly divorce (legal fees are already about $100,000 combined) so money is tight. Since I figured I would be basically paying for my education (my father who has money let me know I’m not getting a dime, and my mother was a housewife), I only applied to those Cal States, where I figured I’d be guaranteed admission based on my grades and residency.</p>

<p>Now as I look back, I wish I knew then what I know now. I want to also add that I applied and was accepted to Concordia University, a very good private college in Irvine, CA. The only downside is the cost: $30,000 with room and board, and financial aid will probably cover no more than 60% - 75% of the cost. Compare that to Cal State Long Beach (also accepted there), which is about $12,000 total, and with financial aid covering the vast majority of the cost. By the way, after I was accepted to CSULB and Concordia, I cancelled my application at Fullerton. It didn’t matter – they lost my file anyway.</p>

<p>Out of the two I’ve been accepted to, I would rather go to Concordia, but I don’t know if that will be financially possible. I also don’t want to go to CSULB very much. It is a last resort. In fact, I really don’t want to go to either at this point. Obviously, it is too late to apply for the fall 2005 term, and with my poor SAT score, my chances would be slight. Also, as the schools I applied to did not require SAT 2’s, I took none of them. So does anyone have any advice? Is there any school I could still apply for? Should I just tough it out at a school I’ve been accepted to for a year and then transfer out? What is needed to be a well-qualified transfer student? I’d love to go to UCLA – what can I do to make that dream become a reality?</p>

<p>STATS
GPA: 3.92 / 4.0
Rank: Top 5% (individual rank not available)
Community College GPA: 3.2 / 4.0
Community College Completed Units: 18 (as of May, 2005)
SAT: 1040 / 1600
Sports: None, due to health
Community Service: worked many, many hours at a soup kitchen, did a field gleaning project, stated a Hereditary Spherocytosis support group through Yahoo, four years in a traveling boys chorus (pre high school), many projects for the poor through my church, attendee at Youth S…
Note: Also, as I go to an independent study school, there are no clubs, ASB, honor roll, or awards.</p>

<p>I thank you for any advice or assistance you can give me.</p>

<p>Sincerely,</p>

<p>Ryan</p>

2

<p>First off, before I give advice...I am so sorry...you really have had it tough and you've done an amazing job with what you've been given...</p>

3

<p>To go to UCLA, your best option is to go to a community college for 2 years and then transfer. It is very hard to transfer from a CSU to a UC, but quite easy from a cc. Good luck!</p>

4

<p>I'm by no means an expert but it looks to me like the only thing you are lacking in is the SAT score. I can tell just by the way you write that you are capable of a higher score than that. How many times have you taken it? If you can raise that, I don't see anything else that would prevent you from being seriously looked at by UCLA. You also have several topics right there that would make for great personal essays (illness, ugly divorce). I don't know much about transferring though, I'll leave that to other people. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>How can ugly divorce be a good topic for an essay when half the kids in Cali have been through one?</p>

6

<p>I don't mean a generic divorce essay...but, I do believe that divorce is a big issue in a child's life, and if he is creative with it, it could be good. I was just throwing out an idea...</p>

7

<p>I took the SAT twice. The first time I was ill and the second time, for some reason, the test seemed much harder than when I took it the previous time. Sure, I did not do well, but that's life, and that's my score.</p>

<p>By no means am I heartset on going to UCLA. Sure, it would be nice, as I've read and heard it is great. but I'm completely open to all possibilities.</p>

<p>Are there any college for which I would qualify that are still accepting applications?</p>

8

<p>Think longer term Ryan. Few good CA schools are still excepting applications. Your SAT scores will keep you out of schools better than the ones you're already in. So consider what your goal for the long term is. If you want to graduate from the best possible college, cc to UC is probably your best bet. Transfering to a private college ususally means they will still look at your SATs. In 2 years a UC won't.</p>

9

<p>So, in your opinion, where should I go to for the fall term: Concordia or Cal State Long Beach?</p>

10

<p>if your father is not the custodial parent, and your mother has no money, you may be eligible for a considerable amount of financial aid. so don't stress too much over tuition. when you transfer out of the less expensive schools, dont shy from more expensive ones, cause once your father is out, you could get a good amount.if your relationship with your mother is equally sticky, file for independency.</p>

11

<p>Thank you all for your kind words. I really do appreciate them. </p>

<p>Zagat, right now, the community college route in California is a poor choice. Even a friend of mine who is a professor at Orange Coast College urges students not to go to a community college. Why? The state has cut funding for community colleges drastically since 2001. Right now the schools are very understaffed and extremely overcrowded. I've been told that it currently takes at least six semesters to complete you standard sixty undergraduate units. </p>

<p>Furthermore, the Cal State system is not doing much better. Although budgets have not been cut as much as at the community college level, there still is a crunch. It is currently taking most students five years to get a bachelors' degree in a liberal arts discipline due to the difficulty in getting into the classes you need.</p>

<p>Hopefully I can get enough financial aid to go to Concordia in the fall. I live with my mother full time, and based of her income, I should qualify for a good sum. I also am not against student loans. I believe that student loan debt is good debt - an investment in myself and my future. However, I don't want to leave school with $100,000 in debt. That's where my worries about tuition costs come into play. I know what it's like to have a lot of money and then not have any at all, and let me tell you, it's not a good feeling.</p>