<p>I’m taking my GED test December 12 2013 (which I’m confident I’ll pass) but unfortunately spring semester is starting very soon as well. There are two community colleges close to me I’m looking at, one starting January 6, 2014 and the other February 10 2014. After searching online, I’m seeing an average of 2-6 weeks to get the GED results.</p>
<p>Here’s the thing, I’m 23 and just now starting college. After many years wasted, I would really like to start as soon as possible. I know with my GED test in December it’s cutting it real close with spring semester but is there hope? If there is hope what are the chances of getting any classes if I register with a month or less till the semester starts? I’ll add that I am looking to go fulltime, apply for fasfa, with the end goal of transferring to a 4 year. </p>
<p>Also if spring semester is impossible, would you advise summer semester instead? Would starting summer adversely effect the pell grant or prolong the time it would take to get my bachelors? Will starting summer make things weird when it comes time to transfer to a 4 year?</p>
<p>Talk to admissions counselors at the community colleges next week. Many colleges will enroll students without a GED or diploma. They may be willing to enroll you–at least provisionally. </p>
<p>And here is some encouraging news, I hope. My daughter didn’t wait anything like 6 weeks for GED results in Maryland. More like 1; had her diploma in the mail within 2.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply! It is encouraging news indeed! I could only hope so!</p>
<p>In regards to admission without GED or diploma, would that mean I’d have to pay out of pocket that semester? Since I’m pretty broke that is a concern. I recall GED or diploma needed for fafsa. If i got my GED before the semester starts and accepted for fafsa, I am a little worried I wouldn’t get any financial help regardless since my college application would have me under no GED/diploma.</p>
<p>Though Sikorsky you are probably right in regards to speaking with a counselors, I actually tried today at one of the colleges but their counselor didn’t seem to be for prospective students… I’m going to try the other college, hopefully I can talk to someone there.</p>
<p>Well, regardless if anyone is able to answer any of my probably difficult questions or just have some advice I’d welcome it :)</p>
I don’t really know, sorry. I think your eligibility for Pell and other kinds of federal financial aid has nothing to do with your having a diploma as long as you’ve been admitted to a post-secondary educational institution, but I don’t actually know. People at the college would know, of course. In the mean time, you could take that question to the financial aid forum on College Confidential. There are posters there who know a ton about this stuff.
I am surprised. My recent-GED-recipient daughter started studying at our community college without a diploma. And my experience was that they really wanted to get students into the college. I hope you’ll have an experience like that at at least one of these colleges.</p>