I need serious advice...

FiveKey
Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:16:42 +0000

I am an AB540 student. I do not have a social security number, but I am a California resident. I hope someone who knows about AB540 students can give me some personal and heartfelt advice.

I used to attend a 4 year private university in the east coast. However, I had to drop out due to my father disappearing with another woman. My mother was a housewife, so nothing could be done. I spent a year solely working to make some money, and then I spent two years at a CCC.

I was left with huge debt and I am still paying it off; my university was kind enough to put me on a payment plan of $200 per month without any interest until I finish paying it off. However, I am really far from finishing paying it off (at a rate of $200). Since I receive instate tuition, UCLA will be affordable to me (I’m from LA). It is also an affordable school for me and my family. My sister just graduated from UCLA too, so there is more leeway.

Anyways, my old school will not release my transcript unless I finish paying… I need this transcript to transfer… The thing is that I didn’t really take any important courses at my previous university. I asked my CCC counselors and College Confidential what I should do in my situation before, and both have mentioned just hiding the fact that I went to another 4 year OOS university but warned me about getting caught…

I’m at a real dilemma… I have a strong conscience, but I don’t think I can afford to pay my past university in one big sum. I may have to work for a year; it makes me sad that I may have to put a year to waste.

My GPA at my previous university was a 2.77; I was a student by day and a worker by night 6 days a week in a town that was new to me. My GPA is a 3.9 at my CCC. In total, it’s around 3.4 if you factor both together.



Please give thoughtful, realistic responses… I noticed that a lot of people on this forum have become very tense ever since my last visit. ):