<p>Okay, plain and simple I'm a senior in a normal public high school in Pa. My parents haven't been to college and they aren't supporting me to go to college. The only one in my entire family who went to college was my brother who went to East Stroudsburg University(one of the state schools). Anyways, I have the best marks at all and I guess I just didn't have the determination or anything. It's not like I'm a bad kid or anything I was just a little lazy I mean we all mature at different ages? I just hope I am not making excuses. My brother has been showing me all the state schools in Pa this summer and its been so fun learning about them and how the campuses are so positive! It's really inspiring! Any enough of my rambling.</p>
<p>I made another thread before this but this is my basic information. My mom and dad don't have the best jobs, like I said and never been to college so they have 0 money to support me if I go to college. Ahh I wish I just tried harder for scholarship money! Anyways, here are my stats!!!!</p>
<p>These are all college prep classes.
Freshman year: 83.6% D+ in Spanish I pathetic and mostly C's in my core classes
Sophmore year: 83.4% 66% average in Algebra II C's in most of my other classes.
Junior year: 86.8% I actually didn't do to bad I guess. I mean I got another D in Trigonometry 68 but all my classes were B's except Chemistry I got a 78 and a couple high As!
Senior Year: Even though its only the third week of school I got all 95 and up and my goal is all A- and up!</p>
<p>SAT CR 510
Math 460
Writing 460</p>
<p>ACT 20</p>
<p>Clubs/Extra Activities:
Marching Band 4 Years
Jazz Band 4 Years
Pit Band 3 years
Basketball 1 Year
Leo Club 2 years</p>
<p>So far I got 8,059 dollars in my bank account, the rest are for paying for my car. I work all summer in a catering business so I work for this money. My parents give me some bucks here and there but its mostly me. Idk how the **** im suppose to pay college with this money. I dont know what to do I have the inspiration to do well now!
My brother even showed me two community colleges in Pa close to where i live.
One has 11,000 enroled and the other one has 11,500 HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO GET INTO ANY CLASSES! I just feel like Im doomed! Thanks for for the feedback.</p>
<p>Most of you guys dont get enough credit but you guys help a lot of people around the world get into classes they went and degrees they want. I believe that if you are passionate about something and ready to work for it, you can achieve it. I hope its just not too late for me</p>
<p>It is tough to start focusing and working toward college during your senior year… but if you are determined and stay on track, you can do it. Have you been to see your high school guidance counselor yet? It is worth a stop into their office.</p>
<p>In general, I think your brother may be right that the community college track could be a good college start for you. 2 years to an associate degree. Live at home, work and save more money. Then apply to one of your state colleges (hopefully with better grades in CC), and spend the last two years there. You may have to take out some loans for those two years, but it will minimize the cost if you do it this way. Good luck!</p>
<p>It’s never to late to make changes. Good for you. Why don’t you apply to a couple colleges in your state. Your GC may have an idea about where your grades and test scores and cost might be workable. Your guidance office will also have information about local scholarships, state money if your state has programs. Also pick a community college if the financial situation doesn’t pan out for you. Community colleges are a very viable solution for you and one most likely some of your friends will be taking. You can make a final decision in the spring. Pay attention to all the college’s financial aid requirements, even the community college. There will be deadlines for turning in the FAFSA (forms to receive federal aid). Good luck! Keep asking questions.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman in HS so im not much help but my dad slacked off 9,10th & 11th grade. (c’s/d’s) then tried hard senior year. He got A’s that year and got into a local (community) college. From that he remained an A student that whole year. Went to state college (a big step up) and struggled but did well. He got into law school and is a successful attorney so I didn’t read all of your ? but basically its never to late to go to college. Loans are possible and if you ever want to have a stable job, you NEED your college degree. Its changed alot since the 60’s which some parents still don’t understand.</p>
<p>You could start at a community college so that you could do your general ed classes and save some money. If you really want to go the four-year route, you have some excellent schools in PA – Kutztown, Millersville, Slippery Rock, just to name a few. Penn State has several campuses. You could apply to a few of them and see if you gain admission. What instrument do you play in the marching/jazz band? If you continue with it in college, you may pick up some scholarship money.</p>
<p>Chiming in to support the notion of 2 years at a community college with lots of effort and good grades. Live at home, save money, avoid distractions, and get set for the next phase, which, if you still want it, is a transfer to a 4 year institution and your degree.</p>
<p>If this is what you want, you can do it. It may not always be easy. But if it is important to you, you will do what it takes.</p>
<p>Best to you!</p>
<p>ETA: My father in law graduated with a prestigious engineering degree. He started at what was the equivalent at that time of a community college (called junior college back then). He retired as a business owner. No one cared how the first 2 years of his college were spent; it was the degree-granting institution that mattered. That is still the case.</p>
<p>Make an appointment with the admissions counselors at one of the community colleges that is close to where you live. Talk with them about your concerns. Our local community college enrolls some 60,000 students in credit and non-credit courses. Classes meet on three different campuses, and at other locations around the county. Students who register as soon as the new schedule is posted on the website get into the classes that they want. Students who pay their tuition and fees before the due date aren’t dropped out of those classes for non-payment. Using this strategy, Happykid and her best friend got into every single one of the classes they wanted for this fall. Their other friends who were slow about registering for classes, ended up with crazy schedules and/or locked out of courses that they had wanted to take.</p>
<p>Nothing to add to the good advice already posted, but I wish you all the best. It is never too late to change your life…you may just need to be a little creative (and very determined) in how you approach it.</p>
<p>A good friend of mine who is now an award winning full professor at Penn who did her first two years at a community college. You’ll find lots and lots and lots of very happy, successful people that got to where they are through community college or all kinds of other interesting paths that don’t line up with the mindset of many students on CC (who think you must do X in 9th grade to get to Y college or else you can never have Z career). Few things are that linear or predictable! Will take hard work and creative problem solving, but it is not at all too late to pursue your dreams! I wish you a lot of luck.</p>
<p>You are getting good advice here – I just want to add a few things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Your brother showed you 2 Community Colleges – check the prices of each carefully. The County sets the cost within certain parameters. Out of County is higher. In my SE area of PA the cost difference is $100/credit higher for out of county. Also, my community college has financial aid for part time students. I do not know the details, but you should explore this at your community college. This could allow more time to earn money.</p></li>
<li><p>A large number of kids in PA state schools need more than 4 years to graduate. Consider this when planning your financing. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>You have a chance of getting into state schools right now. I think your challenge will not be admission, but it will be developing study/organization habits and financing. </p>
<p>Ask your counselor if your school provides GPA on a 4.0. At our school (PA school) 85% is a solid B and converts to a 3.0.</p>
<p>In Pa. some of the state schools end up costing the same amount as Community college. It depends on if the town you live in is a supporting member of CC or not. If you pay extra taxes to support CC then it’s half the price for towns that don’t suport CC. Kids who go to the same high school but live in different townships could pay very different amts.to attend CC.</p>
<p>Also remember that Penn State is not a state school and costs much more to attend than the state schools.</p>
<p>Again, community college in Pa may cost the exact same amt as commuting to a Pa. state college.</p>
<p>In support of Pa. community colleges:</p>
<p>There are also 2 yr. programs at community college that have guaranteed acceptance of all courses to count towards a major at some Pa. state colleges. At that point if you dominate your cc courses and get great grades thay might offer you some sort of scholarship.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I will definitely still apply to state schools! If I do go to community college, probably this one [Northampton</a> Community College](<a href=“http://www.northampton.edu/]Northampton”>http://www.northampton.edu/) if some of the classes I want are full apparent half of their students only do online classes for their degree. Would that not look good if I took online classes from the community college? Anyways thanks for you help I have a meeting with my guidance counselor tomorrow. Unfortunately, I could not make school today because I was diagnosed with the flu on Friday. Thanks for your help! I really think I’m gonna go to community college either way just because its so much cheaper! Hopefully if I do well I can get scholarship opportunities at other schools.</p>
<p>Congratulations on a great decision. I think online classes at a regular community college are respected as a valid route to learning. However, in my experience, the online classes are much more expensive than the regular classes, and I enjoy the classroom experience.</p>
<p>Well guys just letting you know I did not get accepted to Kutztown University but I still got to send my transcripts to the other three colleges. I still think community college is my best route.</p>
<p>Sorry about KU, but glad that you believe Community College is good plan. </p>
<p>I’d discourage you from taking on-line courses unless it is absolutely necessary. Being on-campus comes with a wealth of resources (learning center, career center) and you are more apt to utilize the resources if most of your classes are on-site. These resources go a long way for students who take the initiative to seek them out. Be aware, the career center can be utilized from day 1. They aren’t just limited to job search, they can provide info on career choices too.</p>
<p>Plus Northampton has the distinction of being the only CC in PA with dorms! I would guess this would provide a very nice social environment that you would want to partake in.</p>
<p>Now that you made the decision to attend college, you have to get your parents on board. You said they were not very supportive of the idea, but you will need them to complete the financial aid forms. You won’t be able to get loans otherwise.</p>
<p>The only reason I think online courses are best is because I think I’m not going to be able to get all my classes I want in the criminal Justice Field.</p>
<p>Station –
You need to call the community colleges in your area (or go see your guidance counselor) and ask them about “upward bound” programs that you might be eligible for. The Upward Bound program is a government-sponsored program for first generation college students like yourself. YOu’d be eligible for saturday mentoring programs which would provide you with more info about the college experience and the application process. You are a perfect candidate for participating in a mentoring program like this. Good luck!</p>