Candidly, it is the most realistic path. I fear you would otherwise spend a lot of time on applications and have no affordable choices. Research the local community colleges, the transfer programs they have, and pell grants ( which you seem to qualify for) to attend.
I would also suggest you get a part-time job. While the summer programs you will attend are fun, they are at best modestly selective,and more “pay to play” for upper middle class and wealthier kids. A job will provide both needed income, and possibly health care coverage and full tuition at local schools if you find the right employer.
Thank you :> I appreciate it, and I appreciate the kind words. The most difficult part of it all is the finances, and the resources you have. I agree, and while I know some people frown upon humanities degrees, I just wouldn’t be as happy or successful with a STEM degree. It’s just not my cup of tea.
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I am planning on a PTO next semester! My summer is pretty booked so I think it’s fair to wait until after it is over to start a job.
I was a humanities major as well, back in the stone age. Very interesting degree, but it is very important that you consider the likely salary you will get upon graduation, and do not take loans that can’t be paid on that salary if you will have to support yourself immediately. It sounds like you have no family safety net. Hence my suggestion on the job as well, for free tuition and health insurance.
That’s a fair comment too - Starbucks, Target, I think Amazon are now offering full tuition to employees…these will be online schools - not saying they are right for you -but another thing to put on the list.
PS - @Carina_M - forgetting the major, a student (by filling out fafsa) does not qualify for significant loans ($5500 year one) and if the family has no $$ then they won’t qualify for additional.
Glad you made it happen and hopefully the OP can as well - but there has to be realism.
Someone with a 4.0 and 36, etc. or at some schools with lower #s - can get full tuition or tuition and room and board - but not with these #s. For example, this student could earn a full ride to Prarie View (HBCU) if a Texas resident but for OOS, it allows just an OOS waiver.
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Define PTO? Paid Time Off?
Oops, meant to say PTJ. Part time job. My apologies.
No, your thread is too new to conclude this.
If you would like a writing tip, a consensus by its nature is general, so these two words should not appear together.
So what are you doing this summer and what is it costing you?
If you want colleges to reward you financially, you have to show them you can reward yourself.
A job, short of a free elite summer program (not paid), should be your priority. You can seek out things to reward yourself personally but these should be secondary (IMHO).
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I will post more later on, but I do not think that community college will be your only options. You’ve been given some great advice (look into QuestBridge, and possibly POSSE as well). You’re going to need to look for schools that meet full-need. You have some great options at Florida publics. There are also residential community colleges which can be an option to consider. And there are some employers where even part-time employees are eligible for scholarships or just get $ for college (usually about $5,000 or so/year). When looking for a job, I would definitely look more closely at some of those organizations, especially since there is a labor crunch and employers are looking for employees. They also may well work around your summer schedule in terms of the summer experiences you’ve been given grants for. Don’t give up hope!
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I admire your ability to finance your own education, but times were different then. College was much cheaper; there were far more journalism jobs in the past than now. Realistically, it is harder for a poor kid from a non-elite school to get started than it used to be.
Thank you! Yes, I have been looking into some local, flexible jobs. I also have the issue of transportation as I ride the bus and walk when my transportation is shaky. I don’t want to frustrate my coworkers or employer, and I try to be responsible so I want to make sure the location is accessible if I have to walk.
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I am attending The School of The New York Times and Yale Young Global Scholars - online. It will cost me nothing as I was awarded scholarships, grants, and help. I’m very excited and extremely lucky!
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I have humanities kids. I’m not talking solely about my own experience. And English majors are not just journalists, they are needed literally everywhere. In fact, with the competition for STEM spots, I would argue that English majors will be in even higher demand.
My daughter is at UCLA and her STEM friends cannot write AT ALL. And I suppose they won’t really need to. But someone will.
I agree 100% that the OP needs to have a realistic approach. But the assumption that an English degree won’t have an ROI on loans I find to be stereotypical and wrong. A STEM degree isn’t the only path worthy of investment.
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I also want to say that my mom is a lovely, supportive person and wants me to put academics first. A job is something I have to push her to understand I want and need along with academic focus. She really wants me to get the best education possible and work hard as that has always been her goal for me and I want to make her proud :> So yes, PTJ, but that is something I’ll have to wait on until my Senior year.
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You can get a first rate education at many, many places. You goal is to find one affordable. Many students seek full-rides, and very few get them. While it is fine to try, you do need to accept that it is highly unlikely, and start finding plan B.
Major employers may differ in their tuition programs, so start investigating. There is nothing wrong with taking a public bus to work.
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50 out of 630 is the first decile - not just top “quartile” (if by that you mean the top 25%).
That’s a huge difference in ranking, and important in your applications.
You have gotten plenty of good advice about finances.
Let me just mention Emerson College in Boston to you. It was the dream school for a friend, who had been passionate about writing since she was a child. Literally always asking for new notebooks as gifts - because she would write stories, then books, in every free moment.
She found Emerson, the faculty, the programs - and the city everything she was hoping it to be. However, I cannot speak for Emerson’s financial aid packages. Our friend ended up taking out loans and also worked morning, nights and weekends in a steady restaurant job to supplement money - while maintaining good grades.
Which is why everyone’s advice about being pragmatic and going for the sparrow in the hand is worth considering. If you’re thinking about attending grad school later, then your choice of “brand name” college will matter very little.
With a masters (or after the first post-college job) no one will care much what college you had once attended. It will be your work ethics, passion, previous accomplishments that become the deciding factors in your future.
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Emerson is a fine school that doesnt meet financial need
hey there !! obligatory still a HS student but definitely look into QuestBridge. please please please apply for the QuestBridge College Prep Scholars program – open now and due March 24th. This is really basically an award if you’re interested in boosting that area, the biggest benefits I got from it were a low-income community and the National College Admissions Conference. I think it’s a great litmus test for if you’re eligible / up to par for QuestBridge National College Match (which is what the people above are referring to).
it seems like you have extenuating circumstances especially with your health. DO INCLUDE THAT!!! especially if you consider QB. you really need to contextualize your situation, and that IS an excuse. I think if you contextualize your situation well enough, you could be a competitive applicant. people up-thread are jumping to community college which I think is quite alarming – it’s not as if you’re an absolutely dismal applicant. I’m a prospective journalist and know someone from the QuestBridge community who are creative writing majors: one matched to UChicago through QB and one recently got into Wesleyan ED2.
I am advocating QB quite a bit but it’s a lot more nuanced than this. feel free to ask for any points of clarification :]] best of luck!! so glad to see the juniors growing up :,)
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Thank you for the advice and kind words. You’re right- I have a lot of extenuating circumstances that have impacted me as a student and perhaps that will impact admissions.
I will apply to QBCPS!! What a great idea :> Thank you again!
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