<p>$10,000 will not pay for living expenses in San Francisco. You can’t even rent a spare room for less than $1,000 a month.</p>
<p>Hmmm. It is very hurtful for someone to say you can’t reach that far on the basis of a score on a test that can be retaken.</p>
<p>I asked for advice not a beat down.</p>
<p>I used this site for help not cyber abuse. </p>
<p>College confidential is definitely different from what it seems.</p>
<p>Take a breath and think about it. In a state full of all ranges of colleges, so many that cost so little. you suggested a school in NY that you can’t afford, then a cc in NY, then in SF. It took a string of posts to get to the fact that your mom has employment skills and etc (ie, will likely improve her position, income and credit.) You threw in the dad situation and the suggestion he’s got money (or someone does.) Etc. Somewhere, I’ve got picture of maybe graphics (did you post that somewhere?) Someone else picked up on pre-med. See how it swirls?</p>
<p>Maybe you are thinking some of this out, as you go. Or, maybe you aren’t thinking it out in a way that many veteran CC posters find wise. If mom truly wants you to move on (and this does happen, it can be, eg, cultural,) why pick expensive areas, expensive options? You don’t seem to have anyone stepping up to help meet the costs.</p>
<p>You’re up to 19 posts- maybe you’ve been lurking for a while. That’s ok. But, most of us have been reading ideas from kids, measuring them up against reality for quite some time. We have the perspective of adults, who’ve been through college (or not,) been captive to debt from various choices we made, seen what were wise choices or not- and been through our kids’ searches and our own financial needs to pay for that.</p>
<p>Your ideas, as presented here, fit a sort of pattern we have seen many times before: kid wants the best college opp he can get, wants to do better than other kids who settle for the local cc, wants, in some cases, to prove something to the family, etc. And is willing to enter into debt without seeming to uderstand all the numbers and factors to be added up. And, what those loans will cost you, post-grad, how they will constrain you. Someone says, cc closer to home and then you say, well mom doesn’t want me at home. Someone points out the breadth of costs and you say, well, I’ll find a job. (Or however you respond.)</p>
<p>No one here has been mean. They are saying: from our perspective, you are not seeing this clearly And/or, not making choices that could be most overall reasonable, from what you have described. </p>
<p>No one is trying to defeat you. But, no one understands why, eg, you would consider SF cc, where the cost of living is so high. Is it somehow more exotic to go so far away? It can’t be because the quality is beter than other choices. There are many cc choices closer to home, where the cost of living is reasonable and, more or less, you know the area, can judge where to live, transportation options, security, etc.</p>
<p>Now, you say, well test scores can be improved. Yes, but have you retaken? </p>
<p>If there is some “rest of the story,” only you know it. But, you have presented many “I wants” and we know that’s not always feasible.</p>
<p>Jpansa, We are so waaay of your original post that I don’t even know what your plans are anymore.</p>
<p>You started out with plans to go to NYIT but the financial aid packaged left you with a $30K gap. Your mother was denied PLUS. The general consensus on the board was that for you and her to borrow that much would not be a good idea, especially since your aid package already included loans for you. </p>
<p>You are considering taking a gap year. You are also thinking about going to a community college. You live in the San Diego area, but are thinking of going to a community college in San Francisco. </p>
<p>I don’t know how things work with the California community college system. Is it open enrollment? Do you have to apply? Also, have you done what you need to do to get any of the state funds that may be available to you due to your family income? You indicate that you have to leave your home so that you might as well go to San Francisco. That your mother wants you out.</p>
<p>Well, first of all,if you are moving out of your home, you need to find a place to live. You will need seed money to do that. Unless you have a place to crash in San Fran (and remember, you need money to get there and for some transportation costs and living expenses when you get there) you are going to need money for a temporary residence. Also most places want a security deposit and first month’s rent, even if it’s a room type arrangement. I have no idea what a room share would cost, but San Fran is an expensive city. Where are you getting the money to make this move?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that any money you get from state and federal aid, loans and grants will be paid to your college at the start of the semester, and you are not likely to get any excess after the school takes out its charges for tuition and fees until the semster is well underway, usually past the drop date for courses. Which means you will need money to get started in the term. </p>
<p>It would be a lot simpler and not need as much money if you can live at home and start community or local college from there. You know people and you know the infrastructure. You might be able to car pool or have your mom help you with transportation. You can live at home and just keep things going as they are now. When your money clears, you will then have some funds (if you so qualify) to look for a room and move out. Plus you will have your current job for some money until your loans/grants clear. </p>
<p>It seems that your mother was on board with college plans for you when you started the process since she did fill out FAFSA and try to get a PLUS loan. It would behoove you to sit down and work out some options with her. Room and board is a lot of money for you to foot your self.</p>
<p>IMO, since you don’t seem to really know what you want to do, taking a gap year could be valuable. You can make some money and save it. (Best thing to do is to pay your mom for room and board and have her save it since FAFSA hits students at 20$, parents only at about 5% on assets) Maybe she can put some money away towards your college as well. Whatever you put away will buy you options for next year. You can also research some schools, how financial aid works, and really plan out what is affordable. You can retake some tests and reapply to some affordable programs. Your mother will have another year under her belt and maybe can borrow to supplement. </p>
<p>I think it’s wonderful that you, the student, has been the one trying to come up with the plans. It’s not easy to get how all of this works while you are also living your senior year in high school. So many rumors, so many things people say that are not pertinant to you and sometimes down right false. You can sift through all of the information and work with what YOU can get. Realistic, affordable options and some calculated risks.</p>
<p>I was just trying to set in a post specific to the forum type. I never thought wanted to say more if my plans just for something like this can happen.</p>
<p>I just wanted advice at the beginning and I just made a statement that I will go to a cc. I never asked for more than that. And when people asked question I thought they would respect the boundaries of personal fences. I have more than the necessary intellect to mentally get with life. And thank you all, I suppose.</p>
<p>They didn’t need to elaborate on the possibilities of me not going to college. </p>
<p>That is all and thank you for the contribution.</p>
<p>I’m personally done with this post.</p>