<p>First, don’t beat yourself up for not being selected for McIntire. The stats are deceiving as the applicant pool is an exceptionally qualified group of students. It’s easy to look back now and see what you’d have done differently, very few adults haven’t done it. We also realize that life is rarely a straight path and if we had stayed straight instead of turning we would have missed out on some of the best parts of our lives (like meeting spouses, making influential professional connections, etc.).</p>
<p>On practical matters you alone can’t take on the debt to attend UVa. You’d need a parent to cosign. I’m one of the biggest UVa supporters you’ll find, and I sympathize with how you’re feeling, but I’m also debt averse even if it were an option.</p>
<p>If you are really against starting back to school right away in FL maybe a gap year would help. Take a year and work, volunteer, recenter, and make sure you’re ready to be a student again. Holding a grudge against your father, no matter how justified you may feel it is, could be very destructive to your academic success and your health. Best of luck.</p>