<p>My parents work for the military and my family has lived overseas for the past five years. I'm 17 and am starting to plan for college, but the trouble is that my parents' financial situation isn't all that great and they won't have enough money to send me to college in the States until about two years from now. So right now my options are:</p>
<p>-Take a gap year and wait until my parents can afford the colleges I'm interested in</p>
<p>-Get a bachelors degree from the University of Maryland University College on the military base where I live and go to the States for my Master's degree</p>
<p>My parents say the second option would be best, but I'm not sure. Is UMUC considered a respected school? If I went there for my BA would I stand a good chance of getting accepted to top-tier colleges for grad school?</p>
<p>I feel like I'm being horribly snobby but I don't want to ask my parents to pay for a four year degree if the school I graduate from isn't even respected by colleges & employers :(</p>
<p>Most students who attend UMUC are older, as you know. This means that most of them have work experience that will help them get a job after graduation. Many people in my area do graduate from UMUC, but most start out at one of the MD community colleges first.</p>
<p>What are your grades like? Are you attending a school for military dependants, or are you attending a local school that doesn’t follow a US curriculum? Have you taken the ACT or SAT, or do you plan to take one of them? What can your parents afford to pay (even UMUC is not free)? What is your parents’ state of residence back in the US?</p>
<p>If your grades and exam scores are good enough, you may qualify for a scholarship that makes the college/university affordable. If you attend school on base, surely the guidance office has helped kids with your exact problem in previous years, and will have suggestions for you. If your parents’ state of residence will consider you in-state for tuition and fees, you might have some excellent options.</p>
<p>Do a bit more research. UMUC may still be your best option, but it probably is not your only one.</p>