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HImom
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 11:34 pm |
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My D has had a very rocky HS career due to chronic health issues, which caused her to miss 1/3-1/2 of the HS days at her very competitve HS. Ultimately, the HS told her they would NOT allow her to return for her senior year and basically that she was on her own. With our full support, she elected to study for and pass the GED (she got 100%--everything on the GED exam correct) over the summer and forgo her senior year of HS, beginning community college this fall instead.
She has finally gotten effective treatment for her chronic health issues after only 6 years and has only missed a handful of days since the treatment began in July (though her stamina is still not what it was before she had her chronic health issues 6 years ago).
The only community colleges available at such short notice are commuter campuses, where she does not fit in well and feels absolutely no sense of community. She completed fall semester with 4 As, a B+. She's taking 19 credits this term and expects that she should be able to get all As. She really wants to go away for school but it's unlikley we'll qualify for any need-based aid and I have no knowledge of merit-based aid that she might qualify for, especially given her rocky academics in HS.
She's not sure what she wants to major in and is working hard to complete her application for USC (where brother attends & which I know is extremely expensive), since their transfer application deadline in 2/1. Any thoughts?
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ChicosBailBonds
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:50 am |
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HIMom:
Check USC's website. They have merit aid for transfer students. The deadline for the Presidential Scholarship, which is 1/4 tuition, has already past. The deadline for the general transfer merit scholarship, in an amount that varies, is February 1, so your daughter had better start cracking on that. The website says that the average GPA for recipients is 3.7 with 30 transferable credits.
Is she really interested in transferring to USC at this point? Perhaps she can complete 2 years of CC and submit transfer applications in a less rushed manner.
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HImom
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 01:05 am |
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Thanks for the tip--yes, she does recognize that it is not as common to transfer after just one year of college, but she has had a hard time developing rapport at the commuter, community college. She still mostly is bonded to her HS friends that are all seniors & all are planning to fly off to their respective colleges next fall.
She does recognize that if she doesn't get in at the schools she's applying to and/or doesn't get some merit $$, it may be that she will have to have another year of community and/or local college before she transfers. She's also applying to the local flagship U & may try a term or year away under that program as well.
Thanks again for your thoughts. I'm trying to let her figure this out without getting TOO involved, except when she asks me.
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scoop
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:22 pm |
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| I am so happy to hear that your D has found effective treatment and is feeling better. I know from experience how hard it is on us as parents. It sounds like you have found the balance between worry and support. I'm still finding it!
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HImom
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 04:48 pm |
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It's a tough balance--have been through it with both kids, since both have had chronic health issues. It is not an easy or comfortable time for anyone in the family. Tough NOT to hover, but I'm blessed that both of my kids are VERY strong and remnd me to "back off."
D is delighted to be doing very well along the path she is making for herself and thinking of trying intramurals -- golf and indoor soccer. She's also signed up to be teaching assistant & monitor in her economics class. Her art teacher last term LOVED her and asked if she could write a letter in support of her application for anywhere (D loves art but hadn't taken a course since a survey of art class in 9th grade).
One of the tough things about the "balance" is that it shifts over time as our kids get healthier and we & they want to do more. Always concerned about the crash but wanting them to do as much as they can and want to--challenging balancing for all of us. We are encourage because her older brother has been VERY healthy in college, even tho he also missed 1/3-1/2 of his HS career due to similar health issues. He hasn't missed ANY school in college due to health.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 12:51 am |
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Could you give us a better idea of what your daughter is looking for? Does she want to focus mainly on the west coast or is she open to other areas as well? Does she have strong preferences on size? Any idea of major? Would she consider a single sex college? Will she need accomodations in college? What is her personality like?
Without this sort of information, it's difficult to really make suggestions. However, there are actually quite a few kids who transfer in their freshman year. It does complicate things a bit at some colleges, however. Some have specific requirements for the number of credits transfers must have completed, and usually colleges will take a closer look at high school grades and test scores for first year transfers than they will for students with more college under their belt. Another issue for your daughter to consider is whether she has professors at the CC who she would feel comfortable asking for recommendations. Most colleges ask transfers for rec's from college professors, not high school teachers.
Finally, the deadlines for transfer applications are all over the place. They begin in late February, but there are some colleges that take transfer applications right into May, which may work in her favor in terms of having an extra semester of grades to send.
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HImom
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 03:02 am |
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Hi, Carolyn! You're right--sorry not to be more informative. My D is very ecclectic. She loves classical music and European musicals, especially "Elisabeth." She loves to read, including biographies, European history, manga, anime, and is constantly doodling and sketching, but has only taken very few formal art courses in her life, including one last semester in digital art which included making an original animation as their final project. She loves animals, but doesn't think she could work with them.
She has only ever spent extended time in warm weather--HI & CA, so we're not sure how she'd fare in colder weather. She's never spent much time in ice or snow at all.
She only recently has begun overcoming the chronic health issues that dogged her for the past 6 years with a prolonged course of anti-viral treatment for the past 6+ months.
She really wants a co-ed school, as she really enjoys having male "buddies," and has all her life. She would probably prefer a school that doesn't emphasize religion, since none of us are very religous in the family, though she was officially raised a Catholic. She thinks she likes science, but it has been challenging since absences are harder to make up in science than in many other subjects. She took two years of Mandarin (also especially challenging with the absences) but isn't sure what language she wants to study & thinks she may wish to study German.
She LOVES watching CSI & Scrubbs & Star Trek but doesn't envision herself in any of the depicted fields (doesn't like blood or needles). She is trying to figure out what she wants to major in & thinks business with some art--maybe advertising or marketing? Maybe law school? She loves to make arguments and debate but only on topics she's passionate about. She is somewhat interested in art but doesn't have a portfolio of work and is afraid it would become too consuming, since she can always think of ways to make her work better.
Would love any help and suggestions. So far, she's most interested in USC, as she really enjoyed it when we moved brother in last fall, more than any of the other schools we visited.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 03:31 am |
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You left out some important information: her grades (high school AND college), test scores, etc.
That said, I'd check out some of the Texas schools. I know, for example, that Southwestern College, which is just outside of Austin, has some good scholarships for transfer students. They have very strong science programs and a wonderful art program as well. Also check out: Southern Methodist U (Which in some ways reminds me of USC), Trinity U, and perhaps Austin College. Tulane and U of Miami would be other good choices to investigate for scholarships.
Last edited on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 03:33 am by CarolynLawrence
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HImom
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 05:19 am |
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OK--test scores in her junior year for the SAT were 670 CR, 610 M, 680 W, Biology-E 660, AP English 4. She got everything right on the GED (100%). For community college in Fall 07, she recieved an A in English Composition, Sociology, Political Science and Digital Art. She got a B+ in Algebra 2. She anticipates joining the honor society. This term, she's taking trig, chem, econ, western civ, anthro and a lit & writing course. She's also the econ lab teaching assistant and plans to do intramural indoor soccer and golfing. She's done some volunteer work with a non-profit as well.
In HS, her grades probably averaged a bit over a 2.0, due to her health-related prolonged absences & she ranked very low in her ultra-competitive HS. Her teachers in HS & college have all really enjoyed her and have offered to write glowing letters, as has her allergist who has been treating her through her chronic health issues. She played violin in the orchestra through her junior year. She was the steersman in the outrigger canoe from the time she was 10 until she was forced to stop because of health at 16; she got her team to 3 state championships at ages 10, 11 and 12.
She knows she has a better chance of getting in if she applies next fall & has more community college work behind her, but she wants to try.
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HImom
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Posted: Mon Feb 11th, 2008 05:03 pm |
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Her 1st semester community college grades were a B in Algebra II and As in everything else--media art (electronic design course), freshman english composition, sociology and political science.
This semester, she's taking microeconomics, anthropology, trigonometry, chemistry, world literature and history.
She's thinking of business, but isn't really sure what she wants.
Any thoughts, anyone? Her HS guidance counselor suggested she try larger privates like USC, LMU, Seattle U. So far, she's sent her application in to USC. She's only had the semester system and isn't sure how she'd fare in the more condensed quarter or trimester systems (like Seattle U's).
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jocelynDAD
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Posted: Mon Feb 11th, 2008 06:10 pm |
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If you are onlying looking on the West Coast, the offering are limited for provate schools (compared to midwest, east coast), however I suggest you look at:
California Lutheran in Thousand Oaks (just north of LA) Your D's test stats and current CC grades should overcome the prior GPA at HS. Possible merit aid.
It is in a beautiful location, nice town,etc.
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HImom
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Posted: Mon Feb 11th, 2008 06:38 pm |
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| Thanks--have never heard of that school. We're concerned about her adjusting to a dramatic climate change, as she already has had a lot of health issues & think the Western states are probably safer, healthwise.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Tue Feb 12th, 2008 03:49 am |
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I will second JD's suggestion of Cal Lutheran. It is a really nice school, and they can be exceedingly generous with merit money for freshmen (double check about transfer money, though). The admissions team there is one of the nicest in the business as well. Cal Lutheran offers solid academics, and a friendly, welcoming campus.
The other school I would recommend is U of Redlands. It is one school that consistently impresses me with the caring attitude of its administration, especially when it comes to students who have health issues. WestrnMom and Lynda have sons there - PM them for their insights. It is the only college in Southern California that my daughter seriously considered (and applied to).
Last edited on Tue Feb 12th, 2008 03:51 am by CarolynLawrence
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HImom
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Posted: Tue Feb 12th, 2008 04:45 am |
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| Thanks--I've mentioned both to my daughter & she promised she'll consider both schools. It is unfortunate that most of their HS all want to attend a very small range of colleges & Us, but that is part of her reality. <sigh> I've also heard very positive things about Redlands.
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mominva
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Posted: Tue Feb 12th, 2008 12:31 pm |
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Although it didn't click with my D, I was quite impressed with Redlands as well.
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