Are you limited to Florida? Would you be willing to go to other states?
If you’re willing to venture farther than Florida, look into Elmhurst (right outside Chicago), Guilford, UNC-Charlotte, and UNC-Greensboro (all in cities in North Carolina), Millsaps (in Jackson), VCU, CNU, and ODU in cities in Virginia, Hamline or Augsburg (in the Twin Cities), St Edward’s (Austin), Trinity University (San Antonio), Lesley (Boston), Clark and WPI (right outside Boston), USciences in Philadelphia, Towson, Goucher, and Ursinus right outside of Baltimore, Carroll of Montana (in Helena, the state capital), Capital (right outside Columbus), UPortland and Lewis&Clark (in Portland, Oregon)…
If you’re a girl, Simmons (Boston), St Catherine (Minneapolis), Agnes Scott (Atlanta), Chatham (Pittsburgh).
There’s really no shortage of colleges that will be accessible to you if you keep up your grades now on, “repair” the ones that you did poorly in, and keep your focus.
Lynn is in Boca Raton, Barry is in Miami Shores, Flagler is in St Augustine, Eckerd is in St Petersburg, FIU is in Miami, Stetson is in Central Florida (DeLand).
At the very least, you could do the Community College and then transfer thing. I think though that for someone who MIGHT get a 2000-2150 on the SAT (hasn’t happened yet) with a GPA below 3.0, you might want to do some soul searching to discover why it is you aren’t doing better in your classes. College, especially if not Community College, won’t be any easier. Good luck.
@MYOS1634 I actually think I’d prefer to go to other states at this point. Or at least other cities. I really dislike the city I live in so I’d like to get away from here.
@stepay I had a really bad freshman year since I took all my classes online. It was really confusing without any teachers. Also, my mom never went to high school and my dad went to high school in a different country so they didn’t even know what a GPA was let alone that it was cumulative. And thanks!
Also, thank you everyone for replying to this thread! You’ve helped out a lot.
OP - Will you need a significant amount of financial aid? I think you mentioned the possibility of enlisting in the military elsewhere; is that still a consideration? Have you received any actual SAT or ACT scores? What are you interested in studying? All of these questions are critical to your college search.
@woogzmama I don’t think so. I’d be able to cosign a loan with my parents for college.
I’m not sure. I don’t think it’d be a good decision to only join the military so I don’t have to pay much for college. I’m taking the SAT in June. And I want to double major in Graphic Design and History.
I suggest Florida Southern in Lakeland, FL. It is a beautiful school build by one of the best architectural minds in the world. It’s a relatively small school, but it is growing exponentially. My guess is that you would be VERY happy there.
My sister goes there and absolutely loves it. Good luck!
Do dual enrollment with a community college. Take several courses over the summer, and then your GPA will be boosted. With a 3.0 and a 2000, there are 4 year universities that will accept you.
Fact is, you could “not graduate” and attend CC for free as a high school student (FLorida makes it very easy to do, and entirely free save for the cost of books). Boost your GPA. Prep for the SAT or the ACT. Apply as a freshman :).
Yes it’s possible to attend a CC (Broward?) then transfer to FIU, but why not try for FIU right away? If you boost your GPA to a 3.0 (or even a 2.8) and can get a high SAT score (for FIU, 1800 will do) you could be choosing your Living Learning Community (residence hall) this time next year.
I think I’ll only be able to boost my GPA up to a 2.7 but I definitely think I’ll be able to get an 1800 on the SATs. I honestly don’t want to stay in this city longer than I have to so I definitely want to get in somewhere and live somewhere else. I’ve taken all regular classes for the past 3 years and haven’t participated in any ECs until this year though. But I’ve also been made fun of throughout school and I don’t have particularly emotionally supportive parents who barely know anything about American education (though they’re very good at being physically and financially supportive and aren’t abusive).
Do you have relatives in another FL town (or elsewhere) that could “take you in” for a year while you enroll in HS near their house and take dual-enrollment classes at the local CC? This way you’d prepare better for University yet get to live in another town…
@MYOS1634 Nope, the only relative I have here is stuck in an unhealthy relationship with her husband, and she and my mom aren’t really close. Actually, it’s senior year right now and I’ve decided that I’m not going to go to college until I’m 24 so I can qualify as an independent. Throughout the years, I’ve realized that my emotional health is the most important thing along with being as good of a person I can be and maintaining my bubble of happiness. Living here is not good for me at all, and I’m going to move to a different state as soon as I graduate high school. I think that would truly be best for me. Thank you and everyone for helping SO MUCH though! I’ve really appreciated it! <3
Some states have laws that allow you to be considered in state if you move and work there for a year or more. Some also have inexpensive universities or excellent universities. Such states include New York ( but beware of high costs of living areas), Minnesota (you would have to have worked there for a year before application deadlines, so starting work November 2016 to apply for Fall 2017 ), Utah, Missouri. In these states you wouldn’t have to wait until you’re 21. You’d be allowed to take 1-2 community college classes too.
However I don’t know if moving and living alone is the best choice for you. It’s pretty difficult to be away from family and work, sharing an apartment.
I think I could go to community college before I’m 24 if I save up enough money and get time. I actually want to move to California! I love the people and events in certain cities. I also love the volunteering opportunities!
The reason I’m moving is to be as far from my family as possible. I’ll be SOOO happy being away from them even if I’ll be working and sharing an apartment with other people.
California alas has very strict residency rules so indeed you may well have to wait till you’re 24 before you can start college.
What do you like about California and how first hand is that knowledge?
You could move to a residency-friendly state, get your degree, THEN move to California. Since I’m.guessing you don’t want to live inland in a farming community, having a degree will insulate you better against the VERY high cost of living. And you’d still be 23 or 24…
Ohh, then I guess I could try to wait.
I LOVE the diversity and variety of volunteering programs and NGOs. I also how liberal some of the cities are. I’ve never been there, but I have a few friends who live there.
Wouldn’t that take a long time though?
