Is there a veteran’s liason in your town, do they know of some very veteran friendly colleges?
@shellz if he wants small I highly recommend the Honors College at Valparaiso University. They will help your son find new dreams. Hugs to you all.
Did your son have other schools he was interested in before deciding on AFA? Any hope of relighting any of those? Can his high school counselors help?
Thanks all! I am replying on my phone, so bear with my typos and such. We are in CA, and we’ve looked at all the schools he was accepted at before…a couple totally snubbed him. One is still a potential, but in the year he was away I think he grew out of that idea. As for size, it doesn’t really matter…I think he’d do ok either way. My preference is small-ish, with good student support. But again, beggars can’t be choosers. I am so mad that my kid is being looked at as sub par…he did get into one of the most selective colleges in the country, and he is still the same smart kid. Some schools forget that these 17 year old kids sometimes make mistakes… Sigh.
I do wish he could start over, but once you take any college classes anywhere, they follow you going forward. A mulligan would have been so nice.
We’ve been busy calling and speaking to the veteran services departments at various schools, with some positive results. The thing is, he has no idea what schools are even out there…despite my years on CC, I’ve gotta admit that all three of my kids were hyper focused on very specific schools. Our working knowledge is limited to two service academies and one tippy top school. His high school counselor was pretty useless, so no hope there. I am hesitant to post on the “big” pages…this is all so personal and I fear he may be recognized by the biographical data I already shared.
Will be checking out Valparaiso…thank you for the suggestion! Keep em coming. My search history on my iPad looks like an ADD nightmare…big school, little school, religious school…Arrrrgh! I thought we were done. But I am grateful that he is healthy, and the same amazing kid he was before he went to USAFA. I know good things lie ahead for him. Just trying to help him find the path from the weeds we’ve wandered in yo.
Thanks again all. (And sorry I didn’t reply to each specific post, as they were all so helpful. Typing on my phone is rough!)
See if he could do some CLEP tests to regain missed credits. Many colleges will accept CLEP. He probably already has AP scores that might also deliver credits.
@shellz I’m sorry I don’t have much knowledge that could help, but I just wanted to wish your son good luck. It’s tough, but just a detour on the road to a place he will be happy and do great things. What about staying in CC until completing 2 years of credits and then transferring to a UC?
@insanedreamer, thanks. He will be done with his lower division coursework in the Spring. Hence the urgency for a plan. Or, at the very least, a general direction. Plus, he enjoyed living independently, so coming home has been a challenge for him.
@shellz feel free to pm me with specific questions. VU is accessible from both Chicago airports and is very supportive.
You are in CA, so do you have reciprocal tuition with some State of Washington schools? I have heard good things about WWU. @eandesmom has some knowledge of that area. You can PM her maybe.
What is a major your son is pursuing? Budget? So many things go into a search like this.
The goal is to find a new school where your son can thrive and reach his goal.
And I don’t think your son made a mistake. I thought that service academies are demanding but never anything like you described. It obviously was not the right thing for him. But it’s out there.
You might want to visit the University of Arizona, Tucson. Some great programs, lots of kids but individual majors can be small. Easy to change majors, and lots of kids do, as they find their passion. Friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Great infrastructure, welcoming to transfer students–there is an out-of-state scholarship for transfer students from community colleges, but don’t know the rules. Talk to admissions, there may be veterans’ tuition help, but again, I’m not sure. And yes, lots of CA students because of various scholarships offered, and they can get the classes needed to graduate in 4 years, unlike with some of the UC’s.
@shellz, I second what @Maystarmom says about UofAZ, I have a transfer student there now. I don’t think your S would have a problem getting in if he has about a 2.7 at the end of the year.
Focusing just on schools in CA: With his interest in political science and criminal justice he should consider Sac State. As for private schools, I suggest University of the Pacific, University of San Francisco, and Redlands; he’d be below their typical transfer admit in terms of GPA but they are all holistic and he has a compelling back story.
@shellz I would definitely look at Western Washington University. I am not sure how WUE would work on a transfer but it’s very much worth looking into and I think solid in his areas of interest. They have an EA of 11/1 and while not officially rolling for RD out experience is that it is. Feel free to PM me.
No advice from me, but I am very sorry that your S is going through this @shellz. My S17 toured WWU and really liked it. The size (15K) is not too bug, not too small, and the location in Bellingham WA is awesome. I believe transfers can get the WUE.
You all are GREAT. I am adding WWU, and UofA to my shortlist. Will do some research and hopefully have more to report later. Redlands was one of the schools he got into (and with a hefty scholarship), but somehow he has lost a little enthusiasm for it. I think as things become clearer in the coming months, Redlands may be back on the table.
Thank you a million times! So appreciate it.
Thanks for the WWU idea! I just finished up browsing the website…and it looks wonderful. And, because he gets veteran status, his tuition is charged at the instate rate! And they have a club team for crew. This is a school that was not even on my radar…so thank you again!!
I read on here and file things away in my mind for to maybe help others in the future. When @eandesmom posted her visit report of WWU it just really sounded like a great school.
YAY! Such a supportive group. @shellz - I hope things work out for you and your DS. Sounds like you have some positive momentum with WWU. Best of luck!
Yes…so, so supportive. I am beyond grateful for this board…and humbled by the caring posts. The last few months have been so uncertain. When he came home, priority one was making sure he made the transition in the healthiest way possible. Now that that has happened, we look to the future. Thanks to you all, I am encouraged!
Shellz hugs to you…My D is at USF (university of south Florida) the university biggest brag that the love to promote is there large population of military service students (GI). It is a large in size though …but may I,suggest that you take a look at some Quaker Affiliation schools they seem to be very holistic i.e. Earlham College comes to mind…good luck