<p>@professionalmom Which scholarship at that school do you think the OP and her twin would qualify for?</p>
<p>Obviously, if all else fails, the twins will start at a CC and hope that something works out later (which may mean commuting to a local univ after saving what they can during the first two years).</p>
<p>I am hoping that they can use the Momfromtexas method to find one school where both would get at least full tuition. I am also hoping that with both going to the same school, their parents will soften their hearts and agree to help with some costs…including outfitting a cheap apartment. I am hoping that the parents’ “no” stance is mostly based on fear of paying for most/all costs. Perhaps if the twins come up with most costs, they’ll help with the rest. This student says that they have a good relationship. What non-poor parent doesn’t dig deep for a few bucks when they see that their kids have nearly covered all costs?</p>
<p>Frankly, the parents are likely going to realize that If the twins go away to college, the only way the parents will see them during those years is if THEY fund transportation back home. Why would the twins sacrifice precious funds to travel home? </p>
<p>OP, talk to your counselor at school to get some idea as to what schools have been generous to students from your high school. There are some locally here, that a reasonably good student can get tuition remission, or other award that can bring the costs way down for a commuter. My son had a local private option that would have been less expensive than paying for CC since they gave him a full tuition award, and his ACT wasn’t as high as yours. It’s something they give to locals, and a lot of kids from well to do families take advantage of this. I personally know them. </p>
<p>You and your sister can also look at the other excellent options being listed here, but the truth of the matter is that you are 18, maybe, and this is all new to you. It may be too much to get it together to go to a school away, get an apartment off campus, etc, etc at this point in time. So commuting to a local school, meeting others, getting a part time job, saving some money, learning about other options would be a good way to spend your next two years so that you are poised for the next step. Whether it’s living away from home locally, or finding an affordable transfer option some distance away, you have time to look into what’ s out there. Do well and applying to some school like the UMaine’s with low sticker prices might be possible especially if you have some money saved up at that time. </p>
<p>THe parents may simply not have the extra money. I know famiies who live well, don’t want to cut back and actually would find it very difficult to do so as they are stuck in certain commitments, and have no savings. They really aren’t in the position to borrow either. They simply see no reason why the kids can’t stay at home and get a part time job and go to the local college just as they were going to the local school. Seeing some great successes in some folks who have done just that, I can’t say they are/were wrong in their outlook. The one doctor I know who felt that way has a son who was an ivy league contender with his stats. Stayed home, went to a local school, got his masters as well at same school, all for free, and he’s now doing better than any of the ivy leaguers who graduated with him in high school. I went to an honorarium for a young woman who was a Rhodes scholar from a small local school. Came from a Cornell family, and decided to commute to school. Doing really well these days. Another stayed local due to anorexia/bulemia issues. Oh, how I remember her mother crying when she told me about insisting the girl stay local and commute. Another with some of the most selective school options. She graduated at the top of her class at a local school hardly mentioned here, and went on to an ivy grad program, and is doing exceptionally well these days. </p>
<p>After looking at the options including costs, I know some who are at Baruch for the MBA program, rather than going away to school. You don’t have to go away if there are viable local options. </p>
<p>OP, what local options do you have?</p>
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<p>Reply #16 lists three schools where the OP will get a large scholarship, though the residual amount of $9,000 to $10,000 is still a stretch for a student to self-fund. If the sister has higher stats, she would have more choices. Of course, the two may not have the same academic or other interests, so the “same school” preference may have to be lowered to choose the best affordable choices for both.</p>
<p>I wish we knew where in Michigan the OP lives - I know there are some excellent community colleges in the metro-Detroit area, and the Eastern Michigan idea is also a good one. </p>
<p>I don’t have the qualifications for the full ride Presidential Scholarship competition. I thought it was something like a 3.5 GPA and 27 (?) ACT. But that is only for the opportunity to compete for the scholarship.</p>
<p>Regarding merit scholarships, I have an old postcard that has the following breakdowns:
GPA ACT Emerald scholarship Award
3.5 22 $ 4500/yr
3.0 21 $ 3500/yr
2.8 20 $ 2500/yr
2.7 19 $ 1500/yr</p>
<p>I know they have recently (about 3 weeks ago) increased the value of the scholarships. I know for a fact the $3500/yr was increased to $4000/yr. I’m not sure if they changed any of the requirements, but I provide the old information as a guide since it is no longer posted on their website. It would be best for her to inquire with the EMU admissions or financial aid office.
<a href=“Contact information for Admissions offices at Eastern Michigan”>http://www.emich.edu/admissions/contactus/index.php</a></p>
<p>My best guess is that the girls live in the Grand Rapids metro area with the schools they are naming, so Grand Valley would be an easy commute if I am right. No great merit aid for their current scores so 2 years at Grand Rapids Community College and then the transfer scholarship with loans. The main problem is they have decent scores but not high enough in Michigan to get meaningful aid.</p>
<p>If the twins are later babies to parents who already had college aged kids in the 90s then the parents are probably old enough to be really close to retirement. The twins were born while their siblings were in college or around that time. Funding a journalism degree is not a great way to spend good retirement money. The family didn’t fund the first round of kids so it doesn’t seem as if this would be a surprise, right? Kids of this age must know they need to pick a degree with reasonable payback, maybe the parents feel the twins are not planning for the long term and hence the conservative approach. Can the OP up her ACT to have a better crack at a scholarship at a local school? Or is she already a senior? </p>
<p>Lots of great responses here. A couple of points from me:</p>
<p>1) I do not live in MI, so I do not know the transfer policies from CC to university. As a faculty member in regional univ. in NJ, I can say that many of these universities can act “exclusive” when it comes to transferring credits. Sure, they’ll take the credits - but count some of them as “Free electives”, and then the students are on the hook for more time and money to finish up the bachelor’s degree requirement in their major. If there is a regional univ. within commuting distance, best to start out there as a freshman. If CC is the only option, it is absolutely necessary to ferret out the transfer policies and aim for the four year college to transfer into BEFORE even the first semester at a CC. That’s what my savvy students do so that they can graduate in 4 years with least or no debt.</p>
<p>2) Please rethink the journalism degree - in the Internet era, there are precious few opportunities left in this field. Colleges seem oblivious to the realities of the job market . And a degree in journalism from a directional state university just isn’t going to carry a lot of weight unless OP has good contacts in the business . The OP’s ACT scores are reasonable enough for a business degree, and good writing skills are always in demand in that field.</p>
<p>Grand Valley State has a terrific Honors College and a full tuition scholarship for first gen students.
Both twins but especially OP would need to increase that ACT score -though OP, get to work on the ACT, as your ability to go to a 4-year school (regardless of where) depends on it. each hour you spend studying and reviewing your mistakes is worth a lot more than minimum wage. 
Look at the “Xiggi” or “Silverturtle” method on the Testing Forum (on this website), use sparksnotes online, use number2.com, use question of the day, but raise that ACT score.
Right now, with your GPA and ACT, you can only get $1,000 off tuition at GVS. The higher you score, the higher your automatic award.
Your sister, if she could raise her ACT to 32, would be automatically eligible for 2/3 tuition - residual tuition would be $3,000, but she’d likely be eligible for the full-tuition “first gen” scholarship. She could also participate in the Presidential Competition. Those are automatic, but there are also competitive department scholarships that either one of you could compete for.
If it’s within commutable distance, it’d be a great choice. If not, sharing an apartment off campus may be doable depending on what OP gets on his ACT.
DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 30.
<a href=“myScholarships - Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships - Grand Valley State University”>http://www.gvsu.edu/financialaid/myscholarships-163.htm</a>
<a href=“http://www.gvsu.edu/financialaid/incoming-student-scholarships-freshman-2015-167.htm”>http://www.gvsu.edu/financialaid/incoming-student-scholarships-freshman-2015-167.htm</a>
<a href=“Frederik Meijer Honors College - Grand Valley State University”>http://www.gvsu.edu/honor/</a></p>
<p>Check out Alma and Albion.</p>
<p>A journalism degree from any college except the top ones is money thrown out the window or poured down the drain. If you want a career in journalism, you need to first major in economics and/or political science and/or international relations and/or environmental science and/or digital media (a combination of 2 among those would be ideal), get a 3.7+ (and in college it’s HARD), work for the college newspaper, get internships, then go to grad school at a TOP program.
You could also look at Mizzou, as both of you would likely get in and it’s the top undergrad journalism program, but I don’t know what would happen financially. I know some of their scholarships waive nonresident tuition.
<a href=“http://financialaid.missouri.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/mu-scholarship-application/index.php”>http://financialaid.missouri.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/mu-scholarship-application/index.php</a></p>
<p>You might want to consider what you will be making after college in journalism. I hate to burst the bubble, but being in journalism means that at first, you will live in small towns, working on small papers, living in ■■■■■■ apartments while you make next to nothing. Your first jobs will be in markets that will take advantage of the fact that you are young and can be paid next to nothing in order to get the experience you need to move on (if you are a writer expect to start in the mid to somewhat above mid 20s. As a designer, expect to make low to mid 30s starting out). Now thinking that way, if you make mid-30s (we are giving you the benefit of a high-range of pay, and not freelancing, etc) living in a decently-priced metro area (nothing like NY, etc), expect to be taking home $1000 a paycheck, every two weeks after taxes. </p>
<p>Breakdown of expenses:
Rent: $600 (to be lowish to fair. In the business you probably will be working weird hours, in a strange town, and will therefore live alone)
Food: $150
Gas: $50
Utilities: $100 a month average (cold months and AC accounted for, as an average)
Internet (bare-bones no cable): $50 a month
Cell phone bill: $80</p>
<p>(Already at $1030 for what most people consider absolute expenses)</p>
<p>Clothes, Entertainment, etc: $200 a month (you will need to buy new shoes, have Netflix, buy beer. It is a reality)
Car payment/occasional repairs: $200 a month</p>
<p>So for those things you can budget down a bit, possibly, so you are at $1430 a month. </p>
<p>Let’s say this is what you have. Now, you have $570 a month. Consider that if you take out the amount you need (10K in loans per semester, that will leave you close to a $400-500 payment a month in student loans). </p>
<p>That leaves you $70 a month for pesky things such as medical bills, credit card payments you might have needed to supplement your fees in school. And at the low end of estimates for things. It gives you very little wiggle room at first to save and do anything like vacations and what not. </p>
<p>I am not trying to discourage you, but most magazines these days don’t make a lot of money as start-ups. So be very careful not to overextend yourself in a business that is SO stressful, many people quit the major after the first few years (in school) and if you do stay in the business, you give up holidays and time for yourself at the sacrifice of news. It can be a beautiful field if you leave yourself the freedom to explore within it, but taking out a lot of loans will not make you feel free. Not in the least. You will be tied down to needing a steady salary and might possibly get stuck somewhere not doing exactly what you like. </p>
<p>The numbers at Eastern Michigan looked pretty good (my DD has a 24 and was looking at a $4,000 scholarship. In state tuition at Eastern is about $8000 for the year.) Eastern has had some safety issues so they should definitely room together and be safety aware. Both twins could score a full tuition scholarship at Alcorn State in Mississippi based on stats alone (GPA plus ACT). Or score the diversity scholarship if they are white and attend this HBCU (historically black). Apply for the OOS fee waiver and you are full ride except for spending money. <a href=“http://www.alcorn.edu”>www.alcorn.edu</a></p>
<p>Michigan community college programs are structured to be easily transferable to state universities. They are all very good. </p>
<p>Also consider other HBCUs if you’re open - there are some very good ones out there.</p>
<p>If both twins went to Howard (HBCU) and applied soon, the sister could get full tuition, fees, and room (only board to pay for!) and her brother would get full tuition if his ACT move to a 26. That would make the first year doable for both.</p>
<p>Professionalmom, Eastern didn’t change any of the requirements - they just bumped up the scholarships. DD was bumped up from $3500 to $4000. </p>
<p>The Alcorn State full scholarship = everything but the OOS fee (tuition, room, board, and a book scholarship). Requires a 3.5 to maintain (so be aware). </p>
Live at home, go to a community college, take classes that will transfer, get great grades, work. After that, transfer and take out as little in loans as possible. No one should look down on community colleges. They are a great way for the average person to make college possible. Some even have options to complete four year degrees at their campus through agreements with universities.
Several people here have given you great advice including some specific colleges to dig into. I would just add one more idea: Are any of your older siblings in a position or location where you might be able to live with them while in college? It might give you more choices that you could commute from.