<p>I agree, in this case the OP would be better off doing week for 2 years at a community college and then transferring. The father can’t afford a 4 year private so that plan is out the window anyway. If the OP does well in the first two years there will also be a better shot at a more selective college. A 21 ACT if about the minimum for what is considered “college ready” and was most likely a factor in the original applicaton/acceptance cycle. There are some state public schools that will take 18-20 ACT scores, but that would require a gap year and a reapplication cycle, but the OP can get there using a community college system.</p>
<p>Well…your thread TITLE certainly doesn’t go with your question at the bottom of your OP…but folks HAVE addressed that.</p>
<p>You will not get more aid from these two colleges that accepted you. Simply put, your GPA and SAT scores are NOT in the top quartile of a accepted students at the schools. In terms of need based aid…these schools don’t guarantee to meet full need, and they didn’t.</p>
<p>Your list of colleges did not put you in good stead in terms of merit aid…or cost.</p>
<p>And again I ask…what would have been wrong with one of the MANY in state public universities in VA where you would easily have gained acceptance…with a cost of attendance much less than the privates to which you applied.</p>
<p>Seriously…what is your issue with the public universities in VA?</p>
<p>It appears that OP limited herself to women’s colleges, for whatever reason. I assume there’s no such college in the Virginia public system, so the real question is why she put such a narrow parameter on her college search.</p>
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<p>Just speculating, but the OP has mentioned several times that she’ll be playing soccer. Perhaps she was looking for Division III schools where she could do that.</p>
<p>MommaJ, the OP also applied to American U, Howard U, and Goucher College, which are all co-ed institutions. </p>
<p>I’m thinking the OP and her father did not research these school’s or review the CDS for them, either, because if they did, they would see that most meet between 50-74% of COA. Additionally, the websites, CDS, and the College Board’s College Handbook would have shown this family that all of the schools on the OPs list were all reaches based on GPA and ACT scores. </p>
<p>Another point is that many, many African American families think just because their child is “black” a college will take pity on them and throw lots of money at the student to attend. This is not so, and AA students must not rest on their laurels and assume matriculation and huge financial assistance is automatic, because it is not, as the OP discovered. I tell my relatives, friends, and associates this all the time. Some listen, but many do not, and end up in similar situations as the OP.</p>
<p>Perhaps she should play less soccer and do more studying.</p>
<p>OP states:</p>
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<p>She is going to be DOA when she takes college math, bio, physics and chem. But hey I hear this every day from kids who tell me “miss, don’t worry, I’ve got this.”</p>
<p>I think that Op has in her head that “private is better”, no matter how mediocre the school is. With all of the well educated people that she says that she has in her family, it seems that they are lacking on common sense. OP needs to take off the blinders and see that her plan is just setting her up for a lot of heartache, failure and insurmountable debt for both herself and her dad.</p>
<p>Bunheadmom, your point in post 85 is spot on. In addition many young African American students bringing their A games to the table with scores and grades comprable to their non-AA counterparts (these are the kids that are going to get the $$).</p>
<p>My original list of colleges was 20. I needed to narrow it down. I started a GMU app, never finished it. VCU was out, i am from southside richmond, why would I go to VCU? VSU or VUU, besides that VSU an VUU are two terrible schools. VSU is in my hometown. I moved to williamsburg at the begining of my tenth grade year. Bad mistake, i had a 3.5 at my old high school. My grandfather passed away that same year I lost my house, my mom went to jail, and more. My grades plumeted because the grading scale was completely different as well as the fact of my math. I had a B in Algebra 1. But I did terrible in the rest of my math classes throughout high school. William and Mary is 5 minutes from my house. I hate this area, and because I hate this area and the people in it, I do not wish to go to William and Mary, let alone a CC that is terrible in this area.</p>
<p>The list includes some coeds, two HBCUs, all small private sleep away. At least 1 with no soccer team (Spelman). No financial safeties. It’s a list for a full pay student with average stats.</p>
<p>@Appaloosa. the OP may have applied to these schools for their soccer teams, but without the GPA/ACT stats to matriculate or receive enough aid to make the 2 schools affordable, playing soccer was the least of the OP’s worries. She should have looked at state schools with club soccer teams since she cannot get athletic scholarships at DIII schools per NCAA rules. </p>
<p>I have empathy for the OP, but it is what it is. she should have applied at state schools that would be affordable considering her stats whether she desired to play soccer while at college or not.</p>
<p>It seems clear that your mind is mad up about the upcoming school year. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Not all of these schools are DIII, Converse was DII, some were DI. Converse’s coach actually spoke with me, he was wishy washy.</p>
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<p>Your grades did not plummet because of the grading scale as your grades are indicative of the the what you do in class day in-day out. Perhaps the school that you transferred to was more rigorous than your previous school.</p>
<p>paintgirl, I hope you will sleep on the results of this thread, where highly knowledgeable posters have overwhelmingly concluded that your plan is badly misguided.
I also hope Allentown is not a disappointment to you. My D turned down Muhlenberg after visiting and realizing the area was unappealing to her.</p>
<p>Best of luck in all your endeavors.</p>
<p>Dear Paintgirl,
I get the rant but, when you’re through, realise that life is not fair for anyone. You must work hard for what you want and even then, you might not get it. Bad things happen to good people all the time and vice versa. You grow through adversity or you buckle under the weight. Still, there’ll be adversity.</p>
<p>Have you considered taking a gap year, prep and retest making and apply to a new list of schools more in line with your grades, scores and what your family can afford to pay? </p>
<p>It seems that your were either poorly advised or if this thread is an indication of how you are IRL, you received advice, did not like the advice you heard and went your own way.</p>
<p>OP, you keep saying how both you and your family want you to attend a private institution, how you don’t like the area you live in, how CC is looked at as inferior in your family, and how your local CC has a bad reputation. These would all be good factors to think about in making your decision.</p>
<p>Except you don’t have that luxury, and I think both you and your family need to grow up and realize that. It’s unfortunate that you have found yourself in this situation, but that doesn’t change the reality. The preferences of you and your family simply don’t matter at this point. You do not have the finances to make decisions according to your preferences. You have to do what is practical. Furthermore, with your high school record and qualifications, it would really be better for you to take a step back instead of jumping into a 4 year college. </p>
<p>Stop treating these 2 or 4 years as if they are the rest of your life. CC is the best route for you right now. There are many people who go to CC and end up at good colleges with good degrees. You may not like the area, and I’m sorry for that, I know what it’s like to live somewhere you hate, but it would really be best if you put up with it for two more years. Why is your family so reluctant to let you go to CC if you’ll still graduate from a 4 year college in the same amount of time?</p>
<p>I considered tht before I even applied to colleges. That was my llan since my junior year. I had money to go to china for 3 months and teach english as well as take Mandarin. I was then to come back and get two jobs to save for school and for another trip to the Netherlands to visit my family for a month an take a course at the University of Amsterdam. My mom and older sister did not like that idea and told me to go to school because apparently “people dont go to school after they take a year off”. I had already researched a gap year and had already decided. I had $5000 i had already paid towards my first trip and needed $2000 more to pay it off. As a matter of fact I wouldnt even be having this conversation with anyone right now because I would be in China right had I done my gap year as planned.</p>
<p>I suspect getting into the AP class or two is special, at the high school. That OP got that far and never did comprehend what a C+in AP bio and the D+ in Anat mean to the rest of the world. </p>
<p>It’s all about blame. Dad’s mistakes, school’s grading, town, wrong advice from mom and sis, who wants what and constrains her. Is it really ALL someone else’s or something else’s fault? As if she wasn’t there? Reality check needed.</p>
<p>We have so many kids out there in challenged circumstances who don’t settle for talk. </p>
<p>Bunheadmom, congrats to your D and best wishes. She did a great turnaround. Hope the GC understands and will support her.</p>
<p>There is no point in discussing if’s and what-could-have-been’s.</p>
<p>Those grades were mid term. I dont blame anyone. But the fact of the matter is I had guidance from trusted adults. How do you go about fixing thing your family says? If anyone tells you something in my household you do it. No questions asked.</p>