Last ditch effort to afford enough scholarship money for tuition?

Paying for College Scholarships
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I am a rising high school senior.

I can only apply to schools in a certain vicinity due to personal circumstances.

Based on recent events, I have found that not living with relatives during the first two-ish years of university would probably be more stable/safe.

Only some of the schools that I wish to apply to can likely help me with ADA accommodations, in terms of dorms. (Single Bedroom/Private Bathroom, I assume this based on what type of living arrangements they provide. I.E 2 bedrooms, 1 bath = two students)

I really cannot see myself in off campus housing due to me not currently having a job (after applying to 10+ places with no experience) and no credit by the time I will have to. Plus, figuring out the logistics of that on my own, on top of college costs seems to be overly difficult.

After contacting public universities in the area, I have been told that I am not eligible for in-state tuition because of custody changes this year… so even though the public schools might be cheaper, they are not currently.

Private schools that I would like to apply to, and even have a silver of a chance to be accepted into require the CSS with the non-custodial parent. That parent has refused, and they make too much anyway… so it is redundant.

The waiver for the schools require more extreme circumstances that restrict the student from being able to extract financial information out of that specific parent.

Rock in a hard place.

I have heard some advice on scholarships, get specific (hobby, extracurricular, identity wise), go for the smaller ones, etc, etc.

But I have had trouble finding smaller legitimate scholarships, that will be announcing winners soon, match my rather bland and below average high school career, and with minimal outside involvement required. (like LoRs.)

Most engines I’ve found ignore a lot of the indicators that I have provided, making the search practically the same as searching up “scholarships for university” on Google.

I know winning scholarships in general is a small chance (much more for the larger ones), but still in general. I know it’s somewhat of a time sink… but it is the only active way I can think of to actively improve my situation. I will only be eligible for a certain amount of loans on my own anyway…

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Have you explored community college?

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Not an ideal solution, but consider free online courses and certificates/certifications such as those offered by Microsoft. These courses may help you to qualify for certain types of jobs that will enable you to have more options financially.

Community college, as noted above, is another option. In addition to purely academic courses, community colleges offer lots of practical courses that are, essentially, job training.

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Smaller scholarships will not fully fund your college costs for four years. Many are one time awards, and most are smaller.

Would taking a gap year make you eligible assuming you stay put?

Don’t assume. Even though this is what is typically offered to students, the vast majority of colleges have options that can be accessed through the disability office with the proper documentation that this is essential, and not just a choice. Do you have a good reason and a disability that require a single? If so, reach out to the disability offices at the the colleges. That’s where you find this answer.

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In order to be considered for ADA accommodations of any kind you will need a recent (probably within last 2-3 years) formal evaluation and recommendation from a licensed professional (MD, neuropsych, etc.). Do you have that in place? The Office of Disability Services at any college you consider can give you details on their required documentation.

Agree with exploring community college. If you have very high grades and standardized tests from HS look for nearby colleges with generous merit aid.

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I believe that every college in America that accepts federal funding is required to have ADA compliant living spaces. So other than Hillsdale (and I’m sure posters here know which other colleges are on that very, very short list) every college is going to have dorm space which is compliant. It may not fit any of your other criteria (might be in a dorm with a mix of freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors; could be substance free/quiet living space; might not be on the quad where the other freshman live) but there will be appropriate dorm space.

Agree with Thumper. Reach out to the disability offices and they can educate you (or direct you to a website which shows the dorm options). One year at college I ended up in “special housing” (I had a lousy lottery number so my options were limited, but I needed to be close to an off-campus job). It was fantastic. The dorm was much nicer than the popular spaces. I didn’t need accommodations, but by the time I had to choose a room, the “best” spaces on campus were already taken. It was actually a terrific outcome!

Good luck to you. And as Thumper suggests, make sure your documentation is up to date.

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Thinking back to your previous thread (Chance and match a low stat [3.3 GPA], rising HS senior for JHU [chemistry or East Asian studies, pre-med] and for schools in MD [resident], VA, and DE [no contribution from divorced parents]):

  • When did you move to Maryland (month/year)?
  • What is the geographic radius that you feel yourself limited to?
  • What state did you move from?
  • In which state is the parent who is refusing to complete financial info living in?

Right now, we need to get clear on residency status and what the options are.

Keep on applying. Finding the first job is the hardest. There are some people who applied to more than 100 jobs before finding one. Don’t just apply to the “nice” jobs, but apply for any job (i.e. don’t turn your nose up at McDonald’s because you’d prefer Chipotle). Apply to every possible company you can that’s within an appropriate distance (walking/biking/public transportation/car if you have access to one).

Right now it sounds as though there are some safety concerns. Do you think it is safe for you to complete high school where you are living? If not, do you think it is safe for you to go back to the other parent (even if it’s not enjoyable, safety is the key here)? Do you need to speak to a social worker or the Department of Children’s and Family Services (or whatever it’s called where you are) about temporary living arrangements?

Right now it might also be good for you to start thinking about options that are not a 4-year college right after high school graduation.

One option could be Americorps which provides housing and a stipend as well as making you eligible for additional funds that can be applied to college. It could also boost your resume if you apply for any big scholarships that are community service-based.

It is not recommended for everyone, but joining the military can be a way of getting training and a job as well as money for school. If being a full-time member of the armed forces is not right for you (and it’s not the right thing for everybody), then you might want to consider the National Guard which used to be something like 2 weeks per year plus a weekend a month and then it would cover in-state tuition plus a stipend (investigate to see what it is now).

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If you have credible worries wrt your safety and are a minor, talk to a social worker ASAP.
This will also be factored into your residency situation for public colleges.

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@resplendissant, I am thinking of you and hoping that you’re doing well.

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