Hey guys, I’ll be graduating with my AA in spring I estimate my GPA will be around a 3.85 or so. I’m in my colleges honor program (it’s a CC btw). I’m a member of PTK. And do some volunteer work for a local elementary school. I’m a first generation college student. I’m white and a Florida native. My major is Mechanical Engineering. I’m lower income (less than 30k). Can you guys please help me come up with some good match/reach schools outside of Florida. My interest are in Robotics/Mechatronics. I do plan on grad school too. Thanks guys. Where can I reasonably expect to attend that has a good Engineering Program? I plan to find some more EC’s to do to become more competitive for transfer. Thanks guys.
As far as I remember, Rutgers gives pretty generous scholarships for cc transfers that have an AA and are members of PTK, might be worth looking into Rutgers New Brunswick.
What sort of budget have your parents given you.
@philbegas my parents didn’t give me anything. On the bright side I am an independent student so I usually max out financial aid
My problem is more so affording college not so much getting into them. I would like to go out of Florida for college but out of state tuition is killer when you don’t have a budget to work with
How old are you? Whether or not you are independent depends on whether a school considers you independent, not your financial status.
@philbegas My financial has nothing to do with it. Technically I’m considered a veteran it’s a long story but yeah I have a DD214 and it automatically makes me independent for colleges. But I’m 19 and I’m in college already I know that I’m considered independent I’d be even without the veteran status as I have no financial ties whatsoever to my parents and I pay for more than 50% of my cost of leaving.
IDK your full story, or much about GI bill/veteran stuff but maybe your eligible for some money?
https://www.dd214.com/gibill_determining_benefits
In any case, what’s the maximum student loans you’d want to take out? In-state would probably be some of your cheapest options.
Look at UNC asheville. They have mechatronics.
From “technically I’m considered a veteran, it’s a long story” combined with 19 years old, it’s doubtful he qualifies for GI Bill.
OP, as @philbegas points out, colleges have a different standard for independent. Since you have a DD214, you may be OK but at 19, most colleges would not consider you independent for financial aid even if you pay 100% of your expenses.
@Sportsman88 Every college I have spoken with to date has considered me independent especially since the FAFSA classifies me as independent because of it. Age does not matter when dealing with veteran status. I have yet to find a college who has said “sorry, but you’re only 19 so we can’t consider you independent even with vet status” But anyways my mother has 4 children including me and makes less than 25,000 a year so independent or not doesn’t really matter.
https://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/veterans-status-for-student-aid-purposes
First sentence of this article.
Anyways my independent status wasnt the point of this thread guys.
@Herokid11 I agreed you were independent with a DD214. My point was you said you would be independent regardless. That is where I differ. Colleges would then care about 19.
Your best value will be 4 year universities in FL.