CC is a good route for ANY major.
Santa Monica and Santa Barbara are very good ones and you can also TAG to any UC except Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD. Good luck.
Thanks everyone for the replies!
@onceuponamom I try and be brutally honest at all times and it is entirely my own fault. I fell victim of always having little to no homework and taking the easy way out of everything. I have nobody to blame for myself. Even my own parents don’t believe it when I tell them just how bad I’ve been the last few years at general stuff I never was before. It is more than a struggle to overcome laziness and I’m probably going to see someone about it. I’ve always been shy at first, but I’m always constantly engaging in conversations with classmates and teachers in my favorite classes. As far as depression, I’ve had chronic migraines since I was about 8. I’ve gone through some wicked bad times and I’ve had other problems in the past including me dropping out of 8th grade because of several illnesses and migraines causing me to miss too much school. Long story short, I’ve gotten a lot better, but still have pretty bad migraines. Hopefully colleges will look at my track record and the numerous doctors notes I have on hand.
@stanfordSwag I’ve looked into Santa Monica and Santa Barbara CCs the last few minutes and they both seem very nice! My only problem is the cost of living. Do they have dorms? Are they super expensive? I know the cost of living is obviously a LOT more than a place like Mesa, AZ (Mesa CC --> then transfer to UA or ASU perhaps). I see some of the Cal States accept fairly low GPAs. Are these all athletes from California? Do any non residents get in with sub par GPAs and average-good SATs? I’ve really interested in CSUSB. I love being close to a big city, but far enough away to be close to the beautiful California outdoors and desert.
I can appreciate migraine problems. Sorry to hear about that. Keep looking for answers, you may just come across a better approach to help you!
@onceuponamom Thanks. I’m on Maxalt currently and it seems to only work about half the time. Also I do really bad with high humidity which was a reason I wanted to go to So Cal or Arizona. Somewhere with low humidity. I don’t mind the heat and LOVE the wildlife & outdoors there.
Okay, I’m not a doctor and you’re not asking, but Maxalt isn’t usually helpful for people with bad migraines. Just saying you could ask your doctor to try something else…
@onceuponamom I agree. I’ve always done really bad with medication and he recently wanted me to try Maxalt. My next appointment is this Friday and my parents planned on asking him for something different anyway.
I take one type of med for “normal” migraines and have a backup med in case that doesn’t work. You want to make sure you sense when one is coming on (if you haven’t already figured this out) and take your med immediately. Good luck.
My whole family knows my “triggers” and senses haha. I always get bombarded with texts at school when a storm is going to be coming in an hour or 2. Thanks for the help!
Since tmiller mentioned CSU Pueblo, I will add that you could get into many Colorado State Colleges.
My DS was a C student and he attends Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO and even got a bit of a merit scholarship.
So you could definitely get in. Many western states have tuition reciprocity, but coming from the east coast I think you would have to pay oos tuition.
SMCC or SBCC are excellent colleges and you could attend a UC, the problem is that a UC costs 55K out of state and you would not be a resident (check the rules for residency but they’re pretty strict and unlikely to happen).
Check the cost of public universities OOS (not for instate costs) as you may end up stuck when you try to transfer out to the university.
Speak to your guidance counselor.
You are NOT the first student to come across her desk who took until Junior year to come to the realization that his grades are important. She will have a list of schools you can consider.
There are any number of schools in the US that work with that particular type of student. (Yep, you’re a “type.” You’re not alone. I’ve taught lots of kids who realize when they turn 16 that grades matter, and who have gone on to attend a variety of colleges.)
@bjkmom Thanks for the advise. I’m meeting with my mom and my guidance counselor next week. Hopefully I’ll be able to get into a non private school somewhere. Their prices are very high and I’m in no position to get a scholarship.
@Myos1634 How much would it be to live near the campus of either? I’d love either option, but fear that the cost of living will be very high. Do either of those CCs have dorms? I tried one of their websites and couldn’t find anything. Is the work there harder than any other typical CC? Thanks.
@nw2this I also like Colorado. One of my friends wants to go there as well. Obviously I’m not going to be too picky given my situation, but I’d PREFER warmer weather and a place with an abundance of reptiles. Obviously not everything I want will happen, but I’d aim for that first.
Thanks for replying everyone. I really appreciate it!
No, they don’t have dorms, and you’re right, cost of living is astronomical.
In general, I wouldn’t recommend CC+UC as a path for an OOS student who can’t afford to be full pay, simply because OOS UC costs are so high.
What about SUNYs? Or a university like Longwood, CNU, or ODU in Virginia? The costs even OOS are okay, and these have transfer agreements with virginia community colleges. Richard Bland is a VA community college with dorms but I don’t know if it’s totally open enrollment. These would be cheaper than California.
I bet your Catholic high school has relationships with Catholic colleges and universities who would accept you.
What about Evergreen State, in Olympia, WA?You might also try public universities in Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana. Southern Utah University is located in a beautiful area, near the Bryce and Zion national parks.
^and it’s very easy to claim residency in Utah, after a year I think.
@myos1634 I have looked into the SUNYs and was pretty impressed. A few of my older friends told me to not bother applying to them because they’re not that good, but I’ve read otherwise. I’m probably going to apply to at least 1 or 2 of the SUNYs for kicks and see where it goes from there. Would being a Connecticut resident make tuition less than other OOS students? I know the west coast has something where bordering states’ residents can go to a public university for a cheaper price than other, farther away states.
@schmohawk I’d prefer not to be in a religious affiliated college. I know schools such as Fairfield U and Sacred Heart have connections with my school. I’m not really a fan of paying an absurd amount of money for a mediocre school that is very close by. Not saying SHU or Ffld U are bad by any means, but definitely not for me. I honestly wouldn’t mind attending a Catholic school IF the location and situation was right for me. They are all very expensive though.
@woogzmama Would any of those schools accept me with a lower GPA or would I need to attend a CC first and then transfer in? I’m honestly considering going to an Arizona CC and getting a part time job. The expenses there are far less than California and for the reasons I said in my very first post, I love Arizona! After 2 years at a CC there would I be able to transfer into a lower tier UC? Obviously not UCLA, UCSD or Berkeley, but maybe Riverside or Irving? Maybe a Cal State like CSUSB or CSLA?
You are asking me for a lot of “maybes,” which I am incapable of answering for you. I suggested Evergreen State because they have near-open admissions, and the others on account of very high acceptance rates. You should research them on your own, though, to see whether you fulfill their basic curricular requirements.
I’ve noticed several schools in the southern Midwest and some states in the south have much lower requirements.
Bump
Wichita State University in Kansas is pretty easy to get into, if you can get your GPA over 2.0-2.5ish, you should be able to get in. Their business school is ranked 11th in the nation. No clue if they offer zoology though.