Missed Application Deadlines, Should I Take A Year Off?

Applying to College
1

Hello everyone,

I am community college student who was supposed to transfer to a university next fall. However, I made a huge mistake by only applying to one school (I was -extremely sure I wanted to go there). I got in, but had to cancel my plans after I found out I could not afford to go there.

Anyway, so this summer I researched a bunch of different universities and found some that might give me a scholarship. However, the admissions deadline has passed for nearly all of them. I am your typical “strong” student with a 4.0, leadership & community service experience, awards etc. The biggest issue for me is affordability. While I am sure I can get into most of the universities I apply to, I am not sure I will be able to afford them.

Would you recommend I take a year off from college to volunteer, maybe take some classes and/or work and then apply to other colleges for fall 2016? Or is that a bad decision? Keep in mind most of the colleges I am applying to are selective private schools. As an international student, I am ineligible for scholarships at public schools. My “safety schools” will be McGill in Canada (assuming I get in, I heard Canadians are very anal about accepting international transfer students) and/or SUNY Genseo.

So yea, any advice for me would be greatly appreciated. Also, I would appreciate any suggestions for universities to apply to! :slight_smile:

2

McGill can’t really be a safety school and is it within budget for you?

If you’re international, are you allowed to stay in the US if you’re not enrolled in school and not on OPT? Would you work while on OPT?
Or do you mean you’re American thus would be international in Canada?

3

Nope, I am international but if I take a year off I will go back to my home country. Yea, I know McGill can’t really be a safety school but I meant it is within my budget.

4

What safety school would you recommend to me? (Good academics and the tuition is less than $20k preferably around <$15k for international students)

5

UMaine Farmington, perhaps?
Would your financial aid problems change within the year?
USF, UMN-Twin Cities, UAlabama, Truman State all have international transfers scholarships. Not sure whether they’d be affordable though.

6

I don’t think they will. I come from a low income family.