Yes, but I don’t think that it is a requirement
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Mt San Antonio community college (Mt Sac) is connected to Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) and Mt Sac students seem to get an admission boost to CPP.
It looks like Mt Sac has programs for low income students.
CPP is a great school — I got my masters there a few years ago.
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Thank you soo much, I will look into it 
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You can also take the federal loan, which is $5500 the first year, and goes up a bit after that. So that would close the gap. Plus you can work part time this year, and full time (even more) next summer, and earn some money.
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I get the sense that going to college isn’t just about studying more but it’s about being able to leave home and be independent. Which I totally get. I felt that way.
If being financially independent is the main motivation, you might consider certain career paths that don’t require a 4 year degree. Some 4 year degrees (esp. those in the humanities) … it’s hard to find a job even with a bachelor’s degree!
One example is a 2 year nursing degree at a community college. You could make a six-figure salary after 2 years. Just a thought.
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It’s conflicting for me because the careers that are guaranteed to have high salaries tend to be the ones I don’t want/like to do. My parents are always pressuring me about going into healthcare for an example, but I just never liked or felt a passion for moneymaking in that sense. If I do a career that is guaranteed to make me financially independent and stable like healthcare, business, or STEM I feel like it would be contrary to myself.
What do you hope to do with a degree in psychology?
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If you decide to take a gap year, keep in mind Americorp’s City Year program. It places young people in urban settings where they work in community programs.
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It’s true that public colleges and universities tend to reserve their need-based financial aid for residents of their own states. So that means that California is probably the only state where its public schools will give you a tuition break based on your family’s low income. But there is still a possible way to get out of state, at least for some of your education-- you could look into National Student Exchange. NSE is a program that has about 200 schools that are members. If you attend one of the member schools, you can do up to a year of exchange at any of the other schools paying no more in tuition than what you are paying at your home school. The schools in California that participate are Cal Poly SLO, UCLA extension, Sonoma State, Monterey Bay, Chico, Northridge, East Bay and Stanislaus. And there are a bunch of LGBTQ+ friendly urban schools in other states that participate including UMN Twin Cities, UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, Stony Brook, CUNY Queens, Montclair State.
And a school that belongs to NSE that you might want to apply directly to is Augsburg in Minneapolis. It is super LGBTQ+ friendly. Maybe apply and see how much financial aid you get. You never know. I also agree with the idea of trying for Agnes Scott if you are willing/able to attend a women’s college. It is very LGBTQ+ friendly and Atlanta is cool.
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There’s historical basis but there’s no such guarantee.
I mean, you can sell cars for a living and make big bucks (some make $400K+ or consult on software or be a diesel mechanic. There’s lots of jobs that pay high - today. Tomorrow - who knows. You can be an assistant manager at a QT Gas Station for $75K or more and grow into a GM at Bucees gas station for $250K plus. You can start working at Publix and grow into a millionaire over time - all for choosing the right employer.
Lots of things could pay well - but there’s no assurance on any specific job - but yes, some have higher likelihoods.
Given you are 17, you probably don’t know a lot of what even exists in the world - but that’s part of college - exploring, learning.
You don’t need to know at 17 or even 21 how your career will look. Careers are long. No need to map it out now.
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Shouldn’t people reasonably expect today to go through at least five careers in a lifetime, spanning 40 and perhaps even 50 years!
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That’s good self-awareness. I say go to college, study, grow and see how your feelings and values evolve. You have time.
However… I wouldn’t go as far as to say you don’t have to think about it. Especially if you’re not wealthy and/or you’re spending your family’s resources to go to college. You don’t have to map out a clear plan right now but it’s good to think about it and develop a plan as you go.
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Life is full of tradeoffs. You need to weigh the importance of financial independence (and moving out of your parent’s house) to studying the major of your choice.
I knew I would have to earn a living after college so chose a practical/employable major and minored in my liberal arts area of interest. Over time, I found my way to jobs I really enjoyed. I do get that this is an individual choice.
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At this point, your primary jobs are to continue to do the best you can in your HS courses, and seek some college options that will work for you.
In terms of careers…there are jobs that will exist in five years when you graduate undergrad that aren’t even a glimmer in anyone’s eye at this time. Also, you don’t know what might pique your interest during college that will completely change your mind about the future.
I can send you a message about an example of this if you would like.
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“If I do a career that is guaranteed to make me financially independent and stable… I feel like it would be contrary to myself.” I get it that you’re not drawn towards any career that you know of, that would make you a living wage. But if you feel that there is something wrong with college being about preparing yourself to earn a decent living, so that you can become financially independent, then you should not borrow a red cent to attend college (because you’ll probably never be able to pay it back), maybe not even go at all.
The reality is that you don’t want to live at home. You see a college dorm as a way to get out of your parents’ home. But you will have to borrow the federal loan (and more, if you can get a co-signer) in order to do this, and you don’t seem to be interested in any major that leads to work that pays enough for you to live independently.
It’s hard to get a decent paying job with a psychology BA. It would be different if you were sure that you wanted to go on to professional school (and had a track record that implied being able to earn the grades and test scores needed to do this), but as of now, all I’ve really heard is that you want to get out of your parents’ home, and you see living in a college dorm as a way of doing this.
And by the way, college dorms aren’t always that comfortable or pleasant to live in. You can get assigned problematic roommates. Dorms can be extremely noisy. And cafeteria food can be a lot worse than the food at home.
If your goal is getting out of your parents’ home, I suggest that you go get a part time job now, and go see the school counselor to talk about career training options for after graduation. Also, take a look on the internet for how much it will cost to move into a shared apartment/house with other young adults. That might give you a reality check about the cost of living in your area.
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This seems a bit harsh to me. Lots of students go to college not having a clear philosophy about the purpose and goals, and lots of student do not know which career path they’ll seek, let alone their major. I think it’s OK for OP to use college as a way to move out and grow their independence, and figure out what they want to do. But I agree that OP should keep their eyes wide open about the debt they’re accruing and that job prospects for those w/ psych degrees aren’t particularly hot.
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I get what you are saying fully, I did make this forum to focus specifically on the issue you are describing and I know I have been pretty vague but that is definitely not the case. I’m not thinking of going to college solely because it is a guaranteed path away from home, although it is definitely part of it. Like @cc88288 said, I do want to go so that I can have that time for myself, without any expectations, to really think about what works and what doesn’t. I may double major in psychology and a probable/employable major like @happy1 has suggested.
Different majors lead to different jobs and different outcomes within a major.
If you want to pursue an education, that’s great.
Of course, people need to earn more than it costs to live - but many degrees are versatile but it’s often up to the person and not just the degree. Yes, some have higher employment rates than others.
In the end, you have an affordability and admissibility issue. The community college handles that.
If you can find a way to afford, then great - but you can’t 100% find a job.
Many people can’t afford to go away to school - and live home.
You also need a place to go in the summer and more.
Whatever you decide - just make sure you don’t get in over your head financially. That’s most important.
No one needs to know what they want to do or study at 17 - assuming you do want to be in school.
I worry that you took courses that appeared to be rigorous and they were too hard - so step back and take entry courses.
Whether you move on from home or stay - just make sure you 100% have a way to pay - or it’s not worth it - as badly as you think you want to be away.
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Many think they do and then they fix it with a midlife crisis 30 years later.
Anyway, a psych degree doesn’t mean you’ll have no choice but to work at the local Dollar Tree. You’ll have to work at it a bit, but you’ll have options. Thousands of people get BA in psych every year and figure it out. This page has some good stats on various fields and salaries that psych majors wind up in:
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Okay so I am deciding to apply to these 4 CSUs(free waivers) for psychology: Sacramento, Fresno, Chico, and Humbeldt. I’m also going to apply to Whitman and Stanford(excuse me,why are you laughing, very rude). If any of these don’t meet my financial “budget” of less than 10K per year than I will have the SBVC → CSUSB route, and if that doesn’t work out, I will attend a local community college, commute, and then transfer to whatever I like. This thread is long… Thank you all for your support and advice, I will take it all with me
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