UhOhOreo
@mymmode.com
| How in the world am I going to get into college?
I am a registered member but I am too ashamed to post using my user name.
I am a senior in high school. My grades and GPA were extremely high (3.8-4.0, kindergarten-high school) until my sophomore year. Some life issues cropped up and now I find myself with a cumulative GPA of 2.1. I know scholarships are probably out of the question as is any sort of state funding...so I will be looking at student loans and paying for college until I am 40. That's fine... I started building my credit early (think age 16 early...) because I knew I'd need student loans...FICO is in the high 700s, 0 debt...so I should be able to get a loan...I work almost 50 hours a week which further kills my schoolwork...
I have an extreme talent with writing and computers. I already have many certifications with computers and my writing was published in a national magazine. ...Maybe there is indeed hope for a scholarship...
I want to go to school to be an English teacher.
I scored a 29 composite on the ACT (perfect score in English) ... Math and science brought my score down.
I'd estimate my math skill to be on an 8th grade level...
How in the world am I going to get into college?
Paying for it is no problem...Getting in is... |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | Go to a good state college - they will give entrance test to see if you need to go into a remedial class for math and the like (I had to start at algebra then continue up).
Also, do not underestimate a GOOD community college to get the first 2 years done cheaply and get your grades up.
Scholarships can be gotten in college based on college grades as well.
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain |
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Gbcue
E.I.T.
Premium
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs:  | reply to UhOhOreo
Go to community college. |
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LittlePiggie
Premium
join:2009-09-11 | reply to UhOhOreo
Keep working and take night courses.
"Pay as you go."
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UhOhOreo
@prserv.net
| reply to UhOhOreo
A community college for what? I want to be a teacher and eventually get a Master's degree.
Are you saying start out and do two years at a community college then transfer to a four-year university?
How do student loans work? The different types confuse me... I DO NOT and CANNOT have a cosigner. (unless FICOs in the 500s qualify...I think not! Yes, my parents have terrible credit) |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | Obviously - the community college would be the first 2 years and then - if the college is good - most if not all of those courses can transfer to a 4 year state college.
The loan you should be after is a federal loan - FAFSA:
»studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/···ndex.jsp
They have subsidized (interest is paid by the govt till you graduate, take less than full time, or drop out - this is based on income, less is better.
Unsubsidized - you pay the interest while in school or you roll it into the loan (causing double interest). Best to pay the interest for this loan.
Schools will have financial aid depts that can help you with what yuo need to look at and getting the forms.
Community college should also be quite a bit less expensive as well.
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain |
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nonymous
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ
1 edit | reply to UhOhOreo
said by UhOhOreo :
A community college for what? I want to be a teacher and eventually get a Master's degree.
Are you saying start out and do two years at a community college then transfer to a four-year university?
How do student loans work? The different types confuse me... I DO NOT and CANNOT have a cosigner. (unless FICOs in the 500s qualify...I think not! Yes, my parents have terrible credit)
Go to community college. At this point it will not set you behind. Any deficiencies you can make up. Any thing you are ready to take you can make sure it transfers. Get a part time job and you may not need loans as community college is usually cheaper than university. Why pay full bore university when making up deficiencies. Heck some just take the first two years at a community college to save money then transfer.
Also, study hard anyways but the competition may be somewhat less. This would make it easier to catch up. Not a university where they do not care if you are there or not. You can usually get more help at a junior college and actually see a professor during office hours for help along with any study help set up like math help centers or writing help centers etc.
Like said at this point will not set you behind and will prepare you for university. Good luck, |
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Omega
Displaced Ohioan
Premium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY
clubs:
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| reply to UhOhOreo
Community College for 1 or 2 years, get good grades then transfer to a state school.
Avoid private schools unless you have a scholarship, the extra money really isn't worth it. (I know from experience).
I have no idea how you can get student loans without a co-signer. Especially in this market. Good luck.
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Mr Neutron
Hopped up on what you mopped up
Premium
join:2005-05-30
Gorham, ME
| reply to UhOhOreo
said by UhOhOreo :
I have an extreme talent with writing and computers. I already have many certifications with computers and my writing was published in a national magazine. ...Maybe there is indeed hope for a scholarship...
I want to go to school to be an English teacher.
I have to ask: have you had experience teaching kids? Even if it has only been tutoring on the weekends or something?
I ask because being a good writer, possessing computer certs and teaching children are three different things. And I've known more than one person go through the time and expense of college to get a degree in X, only to figure out halfway through their education that that X is not what they wanted to do after all. Which cost them time and money.
Before you spend time and money getting teaching credentials, does your local school have some way you can get your feet wet (e.g. internships)? If the internship reinforces your decision, (rather than gets you thinking twice) the memory of the fun you had will help carry you through the tough times ahead.
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JoeG4
join:2001-12-16
945941
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| reply to UhOhOreo
Honestly, where do you want to go to college? That makes all of the difference in the world!
Basically, you'll want to go to a community college near that college. With a 2.1 GPA, you can escape it at some state universities, and if your SAT/ACT was really high, you might be just fine either way, be sure to ask.
Community colleges have transfer agreements with the universities they are by, if you get into one, yes you should be able to have some form of 2 year agreement. Unless you plan on being a math teacher, you won't need to take more than 2 years of math anyway...
When I finished high school I had a 3.8-ish GPA, the only problem was I didn't have enough math - I finished at intermedia algebra (what they called Algebra 2), and wasn't as good as I wanted to be at it, so in college that was the first class I took...
I'm in California with an Engineering major..
2 years later, I'm still at it, doing calculus now, and I have 2 years to go. What can I do about it? Thankfully my grades are great! 
I'm sorry to hear about your problems man, but don't worry about it. Moreso, don't worry about what your friends are doing - many of mine are transferring next year while I stay put another year.
The important thing is to have your goals, and never lose sight of them. Out here, the community colleges really are as hard as the universities in many cases, and in some even better - our chemistry/physics departments at my college are ridiculous and are not just on par with the UC departments, but in many cases actually quite a bit better.
That, and $26 a unit beats the heck out of $500 a unit!
NOW STOP WORRYING AND FIND OUT WHAT SCHOOL YOU WANT TO GO TO, in order to get your masters. From there we can figure out what needs to be done.
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runnoft
Premium
join:2003-10-14
Deerfield, IL
·Comcast
| reply to UhOhOreo
said by UhOhOreo :
A community college for what? I want to be a teacher and eventually get a Master's degree.
Are you saying start out and do two years at a community college then transfer to a four-year university?
Yes, in many places, this would be the best way to go right now. You'll probably qualify to get in, probably (depending on your locale) save a bundle on tuition, probably (depending on your locale) still get a very high level of instruction, and if you work REALLY HARD and get top flight grades and your instructors like you (think references), you will prove to most 4-year colleges that you can do the work there and will make a worthy transfer applicant to replace the junior-would-have-beens that they thought would make it for all four years, but hey, life happened. |
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carp
join:2002-10-30
clubs: | reply to UhOhOreo
Get your foot in the door at any employer that offers tuition re-reimbursement. I did that and only paid 20% the cost of an education. |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
| Problem with that is few school systems will let someone teach without a degree. Few school system will pay for the undergraduate degree as well.
Other employers not involved with what the OP wants to do will rarely reimburse for a degree outside of the 'job' parameters (IE: my company will not pay for classes that involve things outside of IT, unless it related directly to what I do on a daily basis).
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain |
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dropshadow
join:2000-12-17
Plano, TX
clubs:
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| reply to UhOhOreo
said by UhOhOreo :
How do student loans work? The different types confuse me... I DO NOT and CANNOT have a cosigner. (unless FICOs in the 500s qualify...I think not! Yes, my parents have terrible credit) first you have to differentiate between the type of student loans out there. there are going to be government subsidized loans, and then more conventional loans - something you might get from your bank for instance.
all government loans and grants are NEED based. there is very little based upon you or your parents' FICO scores. some examples of this would be like a perkins loan which is strictly based on stated income when you file you FAFSA forms, which most colleges will give you. unless you can claim independent, your need based will be based on the stated income of your parents. PM here on the boards, and i can give you some tips maybe based on your situation that can help you qualify here.
then there are government backed student loans, which again are primarily NEED based. an example of this would be a govt backed STAFFORD loan. this is generally filled out by yourself (the student) and a cosigner (parent, or some other 3rd party). the co-signer is a guarantor, however, this is still primarily based on need, although FICO scores are taken into consideration, but it would be very hard to get disqualified for a something like a govt backed STAFFORD loan, regardless of you or your co-signors FICO scores.
finally, you could go get a pretty standard student loan from the bank. here the FICO score of your guarantor is taken into account, however, disqualification based on poor credit is only in the most extreme cases. most likely, if you have a bad score, your repayment terms will just be at a higher interest rate.
at any rate, i wouldn't worry too much about bad credit for co-signers and getting money for college. i'm sure there are people in much worse situations than you that still get loans for college. PM me privately here and i'll give you some more tips of qualifying. |
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motoracer
join:2003-09-15
Valencia, CA
·VOIPo
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| reply to UhOhOreo
(as previously suggested) Go to a community college. If you do well there, the 4 year school you transfer to won't care much about your high school grades as long as you do well in your community college. You're not in as big of a jam as you think. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to Omega
said by Omega  :I have no idea how you can get student loans without a co-signer. Especially in this market. Good luck. He won't be denied for a subsidized stafford loan. As long as he is in school, he'll get it. Anyone can, even with bad credit.
I echo the others who have suggested starting at a community college. My community college is $35/credit hour but the local university I want to attend starts at $390/credit hour the last time I checked. Since my community college is state funded, they have a boatload of pre-major programs where they guarantee if you make a C or better, the credit will transfer to any state university. So you leave the community college with an Associates and are able to go into the state school as a junior. It's an incredible deal if you can put up with community college for two years.
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silentlooker
join:2009-11-01
1 edit | reply to UhOhOreo
Your only option is probably community college. If you can keep very high gpa you can get scholarship for when you transfer. Remember, your gpa starts from 0.00 when you go to community college. |
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ame101
join:2002-05-02
Southington, CT
| reply to UhOhOreo
Not 100% the same. But, I did good too great in school till grade 9-10. I got tried of the BS and walked away. My GED passed at close to 100%. Moved it Hawaii, about 17 years old, took my SAT's did good but not great. Still got in. Got my BS and later my Masters. Don't downgrade your self till you try. Yes I had to pay a bit, but has so well paid off 20+ years on. |
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Sweet Witch
Be the flame, not the moth.
Premium,MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey
·Comcast
| reply to UhOhOreo
Go to the local community college and head right to the financial aid department. They know about tons of loans and grants that are 'hidden' or not common knowledge and will know about options that are specific to becoming a teacher.
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r81984
Fair and Balanced
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St John'S, NL
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| reply to UhOhOreo
What state are you in?
Why are you even worrying?
You scored a perfect on the english and earned a 29 on your ACT. You should have no problem getting into English at your state school.
Since you want to be a teacher going to your state school is your best choice since it will be the cheapest. You won't make much as a teacher so get your teaching license as cheap as possible and start now making connections in the school system you want to work (if you know).
If your parents are poor and have bad credit you should have no problem getting FAFSA subsidized loans, Apply Now!»www.fafsa.ed.gov/
You need your parents tax info and your tax info. They will have to sign it, but the loan is in your name. It will say at the end of the aplication what your Expected Contribution is (you can get a subsidized loan for anything over that amount)
If you later you decide you don't need them, then you do not have to accept the money and you owe nothing.
The sooner you apply for FAFSA the better.
If for some crazy reason you can't get into your states school (which I doubt) or you do not want to move then find a good community college and if you plan on transfering verify with the school you want to get into that all the credits will transfer with no problems before you enroll.
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