Help picking colleges for a special situation student

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this, so please redirect me if it isn’t. </p>

<p>I have a friend who needs help choosing colleges to apply to. He is a very nice young man who has endured many unfortunate hardships in his life. Here is his story: </p>

<p>He grew up with a single mom who is severely disabled and therefore unable to work. They lived off welfare until he entered high school (no money from the father), when he was old enough to pick up an early morning paper route before he headed off to school every day. The stress and lack of sleep made him very ill so that he missed too many days of school until he was expelled during his sophomore or junior year. </p>

<p>He had always done well academically, so he went on to earn his GED before the rest of his class graduated. He earned one of the top GED scores in his state and received some sort of special reward for that. </p>

<p>Now he is 21; he has been working a factory management job for the past few years. He earns $26,000 a year for him and his mother (who is dependent on him). He’d like to apply to colleges for F’12. </p>

<p>Can anyone recommend schools for him that he could get into and would give him decent financial aid? His ACT score is a 26 and I imagine his high school transcript is all over the place. Extracurricular-wise, he was involved in academic decathlons in high school before he was expelled. He is in Pennsylvania, if that matters. He doesn’t have a preference for in-state or out-of-state. </p>

<p>Thank you all so much.</p>

2

<p>This young man will probably have to start at a CC or local state school. Commuting is probably his best option. With a spotty high school record and a 26 ACT, he won’t get meaningful aid other than Federal and state which will cover a CC and maybe a local state.</p>

3

<p>Community college followed by transfer as a junior to a state university (perhaps the flagship if he does well at the community college) is a well-worn path of redemption for many students whose high school record is too spotty for any reputable college or university to admit them as freshmen.</p>

4

<p>The good news about taking community college classes is that he could start with one or two in January 2012.
What is his plan for his mother’s care once he goes to college?</p>