<p>Private or Community College?
I would like to go to a small school, and do not want to be paying 80,000$ in debt by the end of my undergraduate degree + I want to get my graduate degree in International Relations or International Business and specialize in a language. Even though my grades are good enough for top colleges such as Vtech, JMU, GMU, GW, American etc. I can't afford these- and they will give me little fin aid and near zero scholarships/merit.</p>
<p>I am instate Va, so I am lookin at colleges in Virginia mostly.
My guidance counselor recommended me a couple private colleges and a couple public-but private would give me better merit or scholarships. If I got a full scholarship? would I get a complete full ride, if I am well over the applicant pool, (such as the average is 3.02 accepted, and I am a 3.6)</p>
<p>Or is it better to go to CC for two years or less, then transfer to a top notch college, and possibly afford it better somehow-jobs, maybe more aid. </p>
<p>Or is it easier to transfer from a lower private college to a better public/private university? </p>
<p>My grades are near a 4.0 for the past two years (10th and 11th grade), but my freshman and middle school gpa brings me down. So its an improving trend.</p>
<p>Many schools award less scholarships to transfer students than freshman students. You should run the NPC from the schools that you’re interested.</p>
<p>In VA the universities have articulation agreements with the CCs… If you attended a CC close to home for the first two years would you be able to save up to transfer to one of the in-state public colleges as a junior to complete your degree?</p>
<p>“If I got a full scholarship? would I get a complete full ride, if I am well over the applicant pool, (such as the average is 3.02 accepted, and I am a 3.6)”</p>
<p>This will depend on the scholarship and the school. You would need to look for the details for each of the schools on your list.</p>
<p>Have you run NPC on the college websites? How much can your family afford to pay per year for your schooling? Are there any four year college within commuting distance from your home?</p>
<p>All of the public schools in VA according to college board say they expect me to pay the full tuition and room/board cost. But my parents can only afford 5,000 max, if even that much for college annually-i think we refinanced and have a large mortgage which is why- </p>
<p>Private schools are probably the same, unless if I get somekind of scholarships or merit somehow</p>
<p>You have your answer. At this point, you need to either shoot for high merit awards, or affordable schools. What is your SAT/ACT score? </p>
<p>Also, for merit scholarship consideration at many places, your application for admission MUST be submitted by December 1.</p>
<p>If your parents can pay $5000 a year, and you take the Direct Loan ($5500 as a freshman), and earn money by working NOW and during college (10 hours a week), AND you were able to garner a full tuition scholarship someplace, you could probably swing the costs. Your $10,500 would come close to paying for room and board at some colleges.</p>
<p>Also, some of the less competitive VA colleges might be worth checking…Old Dominion, for example. Would you qualify for merit aid there?</p>
<p>As a freshman you are eligible to take out $5500 student loan… so, if your parents can afford $5000 a year, that gives you a budget of $10,500 to start with. If you can work and save some money you may be able to cover an additional $2500 - $5000 per year. </p>
<p>At JMU full time in-state student tuition and fees is approximately $9200 for the year… GMU is approximately $9900 for the year… Tech is approximately $11,500 for the year. Can you live at home and commute to any of these schools… or any of the state schools in VA? As Thumper suggests, might your qualify for merit at any of the less competitive VA schools… are any of them close enough that you can commute from home?</p>
<p>You mention that your GPA is 3.6. What are your test scores? </p>
<p>Look for some schools that will offer GUARANTEED merit for your stats. The merit would need to be high enough that along with your family contribution and direct loan you could cover the cost of tuition, room, and board. or schools where the merit was high enough and where close enough to your home to be able to commute. </p>
<p>Look for a few schools that may offer COMPETITIVE merit for your stats, where the merit amount combined with your family contribution can cover the cost of tuition, room, and board. </p>
<p>Look for a few schools that you know you could afford with your family’s/ your contribution, and the $5500 direct loan. These could be the schools that offer guaranteed merit to make up the difference… they could be schools that you could commute to from home where the cost of tuition and fees is less than the amount your family can contribute when combined with the $5500 student loan. </p>
<p>A CC could be a good option to explore. In this case you could save money on your first two years, and then transfer to a VA state 4 year school with an articulation agreement for your second two years. </p>
<p>Depending on your stats and/ or what schools are close to you, you hopefully will be able to find a combination of different kinds of schools that will be affordable to you.</p>
<p>My son got a full tuition scholarships with modest test scores, good grades from a local private college. So, it would have been less expensive for him to commute there than to the least expensive community college. The college is located close to our house for even more of a cost bonus for commuting, around a lot of part time job opportunities as well wherase the closest CC to us would have been more in travel costs. </p>
<p>A SUNY, a 4 year one, in fact several 4 year state schools are within commutable distance from us and the travel to them are also more convenient and less costly. Some of them might have offered awards, had he applied to them. Also possible any number of area schools and out of area privates have done the same, whereas the chances of any merit money from our CC is just about zilch. THey don’t give out much at all. </p>
<p>So YMMV. If you have good stats, some private schools might be willing to come up with scholarship money, maybe even substantial amounts, whereas the local CC just doesn’t have much in that area.</p>
<p>I cannot tell from the wording on the website whether these are guaranteed or not … BUT, it looks like at Marymount University in Arlington you would qualify for the Presidential Scholarship. It looks like you would also qualify for the Honors Program, and if awarded an Honors Program scholarship those scholarships could possibly be stacked. It also appears that if you submit the VTAG Application early you would qualify for a small VA state grant. </p>
<p>If you are commuting distance from Arlington this could be a very affordable choice. You could possibly qualify for enough aid to live on campus if you also take loans and your family can contribute.</p>
<p>In other threads you’ve said your gpa is weighted.
Colleges are probably going to use unweighted gpa as will scholarships.
What is your unweighted gpa?
Its great that you are in an upward trend.</p>
<p>OK so yes there is marymount private college which is close to me, CC, and GMU. GMU i wont get any aid or scholarships but will get some or all for marymount most probably.
I have a 1600 on SAT and just learned that I have ADHD and OCD and a lack of Serotnin in my body, which is why I did poorly on it- plus numerous other things in my life. Like for the SAT- i got easily distracted and stressed that I couldn’t think properly, for all the three times I took it. </p>
<p>Anyways, my gpa is weighted, but my school only sends out weighted and treats my weighted as unweighted. So i have no unweighted gpa and most va and out of state colleges accept that.</p>
<p>OK…parent advice here. I would suggest you start off at the community college. This will give you an inexpensive option for completing your general education courses. PLUS…it sounds like you have a few other things to reconcile before you head off to college away. You will need to concentrate and manage your own time for everything at a residential college. And you will also be responsible for handling any health concerns. </p>
<p>If you were my child, I would want to be confident that your ADD and OCD were managed well before I sent you away.</p>
<p>If you do choose a residential college, be certain you choose one with good learning support services that ALL students can access. You may need this type of assistance (many students without any learning issues do) and you want them to be available to you.</p>