<p>Hi, I was hoping someone could give me some advice on my situation. I have been out of school for 6 years because of an abusive parent forcing me to drop out at 16. I have looked into nontraditional student programs but they all have a minimum age requirement of 24. If I contact the school directly to explain my situation would there be any way I could be considered for admission without a high school transcript?</p>
<p>This year I earned a perfect score on the GED. My SAT score was 2250 and ACT 33. I am registered to take 3 SAT subject tests and I have prepared an art portfolio. Additionally I have been working full time, volunteering with a nonprofit and interning with a member of the state assembly. Is there anything I should do going forward to increase my chances of getting into a decent college? Or is it a hopeless cause with no high school grades/teacher recommendation letters? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I seem to remember Columbia school of general studies, University of Pennsylvania school of general studies, Harvard extension school as being based upon years between(highschool) or straight out of high school.</p>
<p>Your GED replaces a high school transcript, and your supervisors from your paid and volunteer positions can write the letters of recommendation. Contact the admissions offices of the places that you are interested in, and ask them how to proceed. Any reputable institution should be able to figure out how to make it possible for you to apply! If they can’t, well then clearly they aren’t people you want to be associated with anyway.</p>
<p>The Bryn Mawr College McBride program might work for you. [The</a> McBride Scholars Program - Bryn Mawr College](<a href=“http://www.brynmawr.edu/mcbride/]The”>http://www.brynmawr.edu/mcbride/) The other women’s colleges have similar programs. You can find them all through [The</a> Women’s College Coalition](<a href=“http://www.womenscolleges.org/]The”>http://www.womenscolleges.org/)</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I will definitely look into those programs and start contacting schools’ admissions departments. I’ve been having a hard time figuring this all out on my own and had been feeling pretty hopeless. I really appreciate the encouragement.</p>
<p>You also need to find out everything you can about the financial aid options that are available for you. Start by reading through the information at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) </p>
<p>Your situation may be particularly challenging because students are normally considered to be dependent for financial aid purposes until the age of 24, and you will almost certainly be required to provide a parent’s financial information when you file the FAFSA (and the CSS Profile if the college/university requires that form). College financial aid officers are allowed to waive this requirement in certain, limited, extreme circumstances. kelsmom who often posts in the Financial Aid Forum is a college financial aid officer, and can help you determine whether or not you might qualify for that kind of waiver.</p>