Please Help Me, I've Never Felt So Clueless and Lost

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey College Confidential, I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I'm going to be a senior at a school in New Jersey and I feel like I've screwed up every option for college and now it just feels like it's too late. Some serious family issues have pulled me away from schoolwork and just been a burden on my focus in general. Recently I have been trying to get my life together; I know I am intelligent and I want to be able to go to a school that fits me. My plan now is to go to a school where I can learn and apply myself the way I wish I would have during my time in high school, and, ideally, after a couple of years I would like to transfer to a top-tier liberal arts school. I am currently in no honors or APs, and my school is shunning me from taking them due to my grades during my past three years of high school. Please help me find a good match, I'm clueless and the match function on the homepage hasn't really helped me at all.</p>

<p>GPA
2.8</p>

<p>ECs
EMT (11, 12)
Volunteer at a Hospital (9, 10, 11, 12)
Key Club (9, 11, 12)
Gay Straight Alliance member (10)<br>
Science League (9, 12)
Computer Club (11, 12)
Drama (11, 12)
Yearbook (11, 12)
Interact (10, 11, 12)
Venture Crew (11, 12)
Habitat for Humanity (11, 12)
Golf (11, 12)</p>

<p>Thank you in advance, I really, really do appreciate any and all help.</p>

2

<p>What can your family afford? There are some good colleges for students like you in the book Colleges That Change Lives. Another option is two years of community college. If you excel there you will have excellent chances for transfer to a good school.</p>

3

<p>Have you taken the SAT or ACT? That helps determine a lot.</p>

<p>Community college is also a perfectly fine option.</p>

4

<p>The BEST option that you can choose is actually the easiest and cheapest. Do what I did. Go to community college and work your tail off. Then transfer to a good college. That is what I did and I ended up at an outstanding public university that sent me abroad for two years and after graduation, I got into one of the top private MBA programs in the country (globally ranked actually). Basically, I was able to effectively “erase” my poor high school performance and push the restart button. It worked!! Also, no SAT or ACT required for transfers – at least that is the way it is in CA.</p>