<p>Hi, I'm going to be a freshmen at University of Washington this upcoming fall, but now I've been thinking if I've made the right choice? Basically I received zero scholarships and grants from UW besides loans. I've worked really hard on outside scholarships and I only got about $8,000 non renewable scholarships. So I would end up paying around $17,000 for my freshmen year. With tuition continuing to rise, I am wondering if I should attend a community college first, then transfer to UW after two years. I want to know if that it is not too late to do so?</p>
<p>I believe you can still register with a community college. Summer is not over yet. You can look up their start date online or call them to find that out.</p>
<p>You should be able to register at your local community college. Pick up the phone, call them, and set up an appointment with a counselor so that you can learn about your options.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>If you do decide to go the CC route, make sure you leave the door open at the 4-year college for a later transfer application. Call them and explain your situation. Don’t just fail to show up for the beginning of the semester.</p>
<p>You may want to check whether it is easier to get into UW later under each condition:</p>
<p>A. Attend one quarter at UW, withdraw, apply for readmission later.</p>
<p>B. Don’t attend UW, apply as a regular junior transfer to UW later.</p>
<p>In some universities, getting readmitted after attending and withdrawing while in good academic standing is easier than getting admitted as a transfer student who has never attended before. Check whether this is true at UW and consider that in your decision.</p>
<p>“Basically I received zero scholarships and grants from UW besides loans.”</p>
<p>Who is helping you pay for your education, and how much are they chipping in? If you have to cover all of the costs yourself, you probably can’t afford even one semester at UW because the Stafford Loan limit for dependent students is $5,500 for freshman year. That would be only $2,750 for the first semester.</p>
<p>When you visit the CC, do make a stop at the financial aid office, and talk with them about how you can put together the money you need for your education.</p>
<p>I have only about $15k in my bank, my mom said that she would help me, but I don’t really want to use her hard earn money when I can afford two years at a CC with my scholarship money.</p>
<p>I would think you could apply to a community college and defer your application to UW, or apply after you completed community college.</p>
<p>Although the money is better, I’d consider how much you want the full “college experience”, because personally, I don’t think you get that an a community college.</p>