<p>Ok I'm at the point where I have to decide which colleges to visit and which ones to completely mark off.</p>
<p>I got into:</p>
<p>UC Davis
UC Santa Barbara
NYU
Loyola Marymount University (private college in LA)
SMC (CCC)</p>
<p>My goal is to study political science with an emphasis/minor in public service and possible a theoretical economics double major. After that I'm going to grad school for law and will eventually teach as a professor as a part time job and work in public service as a lawyer (my gov debt gets forgiven too, big plus). I would finally like to get involved in politics.</p>
<p>I also want to stay in california, specifically in LA. I have a life here that I am unwilling to let go of. I know that makes UCD and NYU go off, but I don't want to entirely cross them off. I'm not big on the whole college life thing and would prefer not to dorm (only possible with LMU) and go bat**** crazy partying or smoking on the weekends. However, I would be interested in getting involved with student gov and getting a good internship (Davis would be best for that). I also enjoy the LA weather, so NYU becomes an even harder choice. </p>
<p>Finally, my mom is unemployed and has been for a long time (and before that we weren't well off). So cost is a big factor, NYU wants 100k in loans. However, I am shaving off almost an entire year due to AP exams.</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know the rules about transferring between UCs? I would love to transfer to UCLA eventually.</p>
<p>SMC is a big choice because it has strong academics, a high transfer rate to UCLA/USC, I don't have to dorm, I don't have to see or hear any "college experience" and it has a decent student government program.
Any advice and comments? Much appreciated</p>
<p>glido, UCSB is practically my top choice since its close to LA if I ever need to go and visit anytime and its far enough to do some new things apart from my friends at home (all older almost of college).</p>
<p>But do you know anything about UC transfers, their website is not a good resource? I know going to UCSB I’ll be a sophomore after 1 quarter, so I could possibly transfer to UCLA if I load up and be a junior at the end of year 1.</p>
<p>“So cost is a big factor, NYU wants 100k in loans.”</p>
<p>This is way too much in loans. Even half that much would be way too much in loans. Forget NYU.</p>
<p>It looks to me like SMC is your best option, unless one of the other universities in California has offered you a better financial aid package. Talk to the people at SMC about how much credit they will give you for your AP credits, and ask them specifically about their experience in helping students with your major transfer into UCLA. They will be able to tell you exactly the process you will need to follow, and the GPA you will need to achieve and maintain.</p>
<p>Ok got the aid numbers, UCSB will be cheaper than Davis. LMU will require 7k in loans for my mom a year and a bit more personally. Most of those are unsubsidized, which are not feasible since my mom is unemployed.</p>
<p>SB and Davis can have the cal grant take the place of the loans, so they will be nicer. NYU is pretty much out of the picture. Visiting SB tomorrow, but I hear that SMC has better chances of transferring to UCLA and I wouldn’t have to dorm (I really don’t want to).</p>