<p>My parents are ready to kill me! I convinced them I should go 1200 miles away to an expensive school, now I want to stay closer to home. I lost my National Merit scholarship bc I missed deadlines to the University nearest my home. They said they would let me in in spring, but no scholarship and no dorm. My parents say no to living off-campus, I'm trying to convince them.
Am I crazy? The other school gave me a full tuition scholarship, but room and board is 16,000 a year. My parents don't have the money and I've been working all summer and have only saved 6,000 of it.. Even with out scholarship the other school UF is half the price. I really don't want to graduate owing all that money. My parents had originally advised me of this, now I get it , a little late. I'm really having a hard time leaving friends too, I didn't think I would feel this way. I'm considering a community college near UF now and my parents think I'm nuts!</p>
<p>why would you give up full tuition to a better school........ now your lookin at a community college.... why????</p>
<p>Yes: crazy. (IMO)</p>
<p>I think you were stupid and made a bad mistake, but why exactly do you not want to go to this expensive school? If it's because of friends...stupid stupid stupid. Don't get me wrong I'm going to UF next month and I think the world of it..but going to a community college because you want to be close to your friends? Might be normal I don't know, but it sure as hell is crazy.</p>
<p>First of all, it's definitely normal to shun your parents' advice and then later realize they were right - even if we don't want to admit it, it happens ALL the time. To everyone. </p>
<p>That said I'm a /little/ confused and wondering how you got all this scholarship money when you can barely articulate this story. LOL. This is what I understand: You want to go to UF because it is closer to home. It's half the price without the scholarship. That means you could pay for most of it by working all summer. You would graduate with very little debt. However, you would have no housing and are only a spring admit, so you would go to a CC for the Fall semester. </p>
<p>Your second option is farther from home. You don't want to leave your friends and family. Your parents cannot afford the 16,000 dollar a year tuition, so you will have to work every summer to graduate with about 40,000 dollars worth of debt, considering your parents can't pay ANY of it. Let's say they match what you earn and contribute 6,000 a year, which is the most likely scenario. Then you graduate with about 16,000 dollars worth of debt. For starters, 16,000 is NOT that much debt! My mom's college debt was about half of her starting salary. She said is was VERY easy to pay off. You really should NOT worry about it if you plan to have a starting salary double your debt or more.</p>
<p>Second of all, I know right now you are getting anxious about college, but I really think you will get the best experience entering in the Fall with the other freshmen and dorming. At first you might be lonely away from home, but give it a year to see how things work out. If stuff doesn't work out, financially and emotionally, then you can transfer to UF.</p>
<p>Give your far-off, private school a chance. What you're feeling isn't crazy, it's normal...it's how everyone feels before they go off to college. But they don't decide to just drop out and work at McDonald's. Which is kinda akin to what you're doing - making a crazy decision! I'm sure you'll feel fine once you get settled at your OOS school.</p>
<p>Are most of your friends staying around home? Cause i have to wonder how many would be around if you did go to the CC.</p>