Alfredo Said:

Some questions about colleges and scholarships?

We Answered:

Try reading this article about getting a free ride to college:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article…

Jamie Said:

Which college should I go to?

We Answered:

Shannon, it sounds to me that you have two good choices. I happen to know someone that is a senior at JCU and he has really found the experience there to be great. The other school I have no knowledge about.

All that being said the main decision is to go to school and choose to excel in your academic studies. It really does not matter where you do your first two years of school because the course work is pretty much the same where ever you are going. That is why it is often said that the first two years gets the "generals" out of the way.

The absolute critical aspect of the first two years is getting the best grades that you possibly can get. Having a good GPA going into your last two years really makes those years less stressful. Later, when you decide to continue your education with a graduate or professional degree, you will be very glad that you worked hard to get good grades.

Another reason that it more to go to college for the first two years than where you go is that at 18+ years old and coming out of HS, you have your whole life ahead of you and you will see things and learn things in your college experience that will direct you to the right career path for your long term fulfillment. Stated more simply - you don't need to pick a school that you think is the best Pharmacy school for your first two years. Get into college and let your heart lead to the path of your degree. Hey, it may continue to be pharmacy and that's fine. Having some college under your belt you will be better prepared to research different schools to go to finish your chosen academic path.

Finally, a word from experience, you might choose to start at a community college and get through the "generals". There is one significant benefit and that is the costs are lower for CC's than regular colleges. You get the stuff that most of us really don't care for like English, foreign language, math, chem, history and the like out of the way and save money so that when you go to the college that specializes in the area you decide on you can just focus on that area.

Conclusion: Go where you feel most comfortable and feel is the most likely to foster your success academically. Remember that no decision at this point of your education chiseled in stone, you can always change your mind after a semester or the end of the year and go some where else.

Best wishes for your decision and God Bless you.

David

Valerie Said:

How do I tell my parents that instead of staying the U.S. to attend college,I want to go to Scotland to study?

We Answered:

Tell them:

"Och, a dinnae ken whit tae do aboot ma studies but a dae ken a want tae move tae Scotland tae study tha creative writin ay tha bard Rabbie Burns an alike. Am no a wee we'an nae mere an a should decide fer miself"

LOL.

And if you can understand that you'll get along fine anywhere here. Nah, seriously, studying in Scotland is a great idea and if you think that you can get the scholarships then I say go for it. Its better than doing what most school leavers do and take a year out to travel the world. You'd be travelling and earning your degree. Tell your folks that.

Maybe you could collect all the information first (scholorships/loan info etc) and then present it as a whole to your parents to show you've done your research.

Good luck

Sheila Said:

What are my chances of getting into Princeton?

We Answered:

You are very competitive.

Becky Said:

What's your opinion on Bard College at Simon's Rock?

We Answered:

I've heard of Bard at Simon's Rock, but don't know anything specific about the school. If you're fairly sure about what you want to do, you feel prepared for college, and your high school courses are unchallenging, you might benefit from early college.

Here are some things I would worry about though,

1. There are cheaper ways for high school students to get college credit.
a. You can take AP courses for free.
b. Some high schools allow students to take courses at a local college for free or at a reduced rate.
c. You could prepare for AP courses on your own, and just arrange
to take the test.

2. Many people your age change their minds about what they want to do. If you need more time to decide a major, it might be better to stay in high school and give yourself some time to decide rather than paying for college while you decide.

3. Simon's Rock is a small school. It is probably a good small school, but it is not amongst the best in the country in any area. If you know what you want to do, would you rather go to a school that has a highly ranked program in your major? If you decided you were interested in a business, engineering, or other program not offered at Bard, you would need to transfer.

4. If you transfer from Simon's Rock to another school, the credits should transfer, but some may not fulfill certain general ed or major requirements at the new school. So, transferring may cause some minor issues.

Mario Said:

Do you think I could get into A&M college station?

We Answered:

The extra community service, extra curricular activities, and the courses taken at a community college are quality indicators for your application to a four-year college. Your SAT if it is total for the three tests if it was 1770 is fine for admission to Texas A&M. However, if you only took two of the test,. math and critical reading and that total was 1160, those barely meet the minimum average scores for first year freshmen at that university. Fortunately, what the admissions center secretary told you is correct. The ACT score you earned would make you more than competitive. It would make you fully qualified for admission to the university.

There are two routes you may consider in your question. If all the rest of your application, the rigor of your high school, the essay, the transcripts, personality, character, were done well. you could apply to Texas A&M, and you may have a 65:35 chance of being admitted. If that risk made you uncomfortable, you could prepare for the SAT by self-study using the Kaplan book or you could take a class in Preparation for the SAT. Taking the SAT a second time may improve your chances of be admitted by only about five percentage points to 70:30.

You may also pick two backup universities in the event that you are overlooked by Texas A&M. That may make you feel better should the worse happen and your application was set aside. On the other hand, you may be willing to accept the risk that I and some other responders have suggested in our answers to your questions. The choice is yours. Good luck.