I live in Las Vegas, NV, and I really want to go out of state for college. My original plan was to go to Arizona State University and major in their Global Management program at their West Campus. (I know it’s a party school, but I’ve been born and raised in Vegas I’m used to all that)
But I’ve been thinking about it and Arizona is a lot like Nevada, maybe I should go somewhere totally different? I’ve been looking up colleges in Hawaii and I would love to go to Pacific Hawaii University and major in their International Affairs program.
The only concern I have is that ASU’s program is like a mix of International Affairs and Business management, and you are required to get an internship or go get education in another country, which sounds awesome to me. Pacific Hawaii U’s International Relation’s program sounds cool but it doesn’t have the business management part, which I want as well. Hawaii has study abroad opportunities but it’s not required or guaranteed.
Also I’m doing this all by myself, my parents barely make enough to pay their own bills, so if I don’t have money to fly in for Holiday’s and vacations I’m out of luck. (Tickets for a round trip between Las Vegas and Hawaii during Christmas time is around $700 which I most llikely will not be able to afford, though there is a small chance if I work hard. My mom most likely won’t be able to help me, or may refuse to even if she could because she doesn’t want me to go to school in the first place.) Hawaii’s tuition rate is also about $10,000 more and the cost of living is just all around more expensive.
But I think going to Hawaii would be a great experience and totally out of my comfort zone as well which I think would be good for me. But I think Arizona would be decent as well and their program might be more of what I am looking for, and it’s 4/5 hours from home so if I want to go visit for a weekend or Holidays I can just drive.
Anyone who know’s anything about these schools or going away for college from home have any advice and/or opinions for me?
In that case, why are you even considering out-of-state public universities?
Typically they charge a significant price premium for OOS students, and grant them little or no financial aid.
HPU is private but on average only meets 56% of demonstrated financial need.
It’s great that you have some plans and dreams, but you are in a tough situation. I am wondering if you have looked at out of state tuition rates at the colleges you are interested in.
No idea of your grades and test scores. If you are a top student, there are colleges outside Nevada where you might be eligible for a full ride with the right stats. But if you are a regular student, you need to look at your instate options. College is expensive. I suspect that your state universities are probably about $30k a year if you plan on living on campus. You can take away maybe half that number if you commute. Take away more if you attend community college for the first two years. You will only be allowed to borrow $5000 a year from the government, but much depends on your finances of course.
Look at your options through the WUE. Go to their web site and read about the program. The go into the search by major function (Int’l Relations is listed within the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies category), which will give you more than a dozen options. Although there are no Hawaiian options, there are several other schools within the contiguous states that should meet your needs http://www.wiche.edu/wue
Note that ASU’s west campus is not the same as ASU’s main Tempe campus. Only some majors on the west campus offer WUE discount ( http://wue.wiche.edu/profile.jsp?id=203 ); none on the main Tempe campus do.
Hawaii Pacific is private. University of Hawaii is public and does offer the WUE discount.
International relations may be under political science in many colleges.
I just have a lot of problems with my mom and apparently if I move out and stay in the same city I’ll never see my siblings again, so I think an out of state option I could keep a good distant far relationship with my family and get a good education. Also I’ve lived in Vegas my whole life and though I like it here I have never planned to stay in the same city my whole life I’m itching to get away.
You need to do your part to keep the peace since you will need your mother’s cooperation to complete the financial aid forms. Please consider the advice above regarding expanding your list of schools to consider based on your stats and finances.
You won’t get to scratch that itch without a financing strategy.
Basically, there are 3 strategies:
Find a school where your family is able and willing to pay the full cost of attendance out of pocket (or the balance of what you can’t cover from “self help”). Private schools, or OOS public schools, may be too expensive for this to work in your case without financial aid.
Get a merit scholarship(s). If your GPA is >= 3.5 (unweighted) and your scores are >= 1400 (SAT) / 30 (ACT), then you may have a good shot at at a full tuition merit scholarship … but not necessarily in Arizona or HI. Lower stats may qualify for some merit aid at some schools.
Get enough need-based financial aid that you (or your parents) can cover the balance. The most selective schools tend to offer the most generous n-b aid.
The money stuff you should really start figuring out as it is a deal breaker for lots of folks. NAU in Flagstaff AZ is on WUE and has 4 seasons including the snowy one.
Consider working hard, studying and doing a term on the National Student Exchange. Out of state private Us generally do NOT offer much in the way of merit or FAid unless you have the stats they really want. You can’t afford an OOS U at all.
(Tickets for a round trip between Las Vegas and Hawaii during Christmas time is around $700 which I most llikely will not be able to afford, though there is a small chance if I work hard. My mom most likely won’t be able to help me, or may refuse to even if she could because she doesn’t want me to go to school in the first place.) Hawaii’s tuition rate is also about $10,000 more and the cost of living is just all around more expensive.