Stuck in Community College

[SxpeRare]

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Hello SDN,

I am a sophomore in community college, and I was accepted to 2 out of 3 schools I applied to this spring. However, the school I planned to attend classified me as an out of state student for tuition purposes although it is the only state I have ever lived in. I filled a petition but it got rejected, so the tuition is $ 30,000 a year, which I won't be able to pay. I am not eligible for financial aid and didn't receive any kind of merit scholarship. In addition, I have nobody to co-sign loans (lost contact with parents who live abroad) and don't have my own credit history or credit card. In conclusion, there is no way I can come up with a $ 30,000. I am really not sure what I should do at this point, I have almost 60 credits and universities won't transfer more than that, which means I can't continue taking classes in community college. I have thought about going to a religious free tuition school, but I am not sure if that's a good alternative. If I leave school, there is a high chance I won't come back for at least 5 years until I save at least $ 100,000 and I know that many medical schools require the pre-requisites to be within 5 years range.

So, I really don't see how I can get out of this situation, what would you do?

Thank you.

 

[wb100]

Can you take a gap year and work and then reapply next year? Are you a US citizen? Do you have a drivers license or some way to prove that you're a resident in the state? This whole situation seems bizarre.. What state is this

 

[holycrap]

Why not go to the other school you got accepted, unless that IS the religious school. Also why don't you want to go there if it's free

 

[HopefulSlav]

Without going into personal detail, what happened? How could they classify you OOS just for kicks and giggles? Contact the VP of the school and you should get some answers.

If you must, take a gap year. Yes, there is a stigma, but you will come out a better person if you play your cards right. I would get a job, save up, apply to some other schools if this particular school doesn't want to play ball. Do you have any other schools in state?

 

[LizzyM]

If you are an international student, you will not qualify for IS tuition in most places and you won't qualify for financial aid that is backed by the US government.
While you want to study medicine in the US, it just might not be in the cards until you can manage to acquire US residency at the very least.

 

[SxpeRare]

I am a legal resident and have the state's driver license. All the public schools in the state have the same policy so I don't qualify for in-state tuition anywhere. The other school I got accepted to is private and gave me a generous merit scholarship, the tuition is still not cheap ($ 14,000) and they don't offer much of a major choice.
Should I just settle down and major in something I have no interest in? Most of the classes are already taken for spring (chemistry) and I don't have a single chemistry class so I can't go another semester without chemistry or I won't be able to graduate on time. I couldn't take chemistry in community college because they required 2 chemistry pre-requisites (fund of chemistry 1 and 2) for general chemistry 1, which is a waste of time and money.

 

[LizzyM]

You can be here as a "legal resident" but not a permanent resident -- that's the difference. Are you on any kind of path to eventually qualifying for a green card? You are just going to continue to hit road blocks as you progress because being admitted to professional school is also very expensive and difficult for students who are not US permanent residents or US citizens.

Major in something that will prepare you for a career that is in demand in the US. Find an employer who will sponsor you for a visa, work, save money and go on to medical school when the timing is right. There is not one single path to medical school and you may need to take a less traveled path that is "non-traditional but there is no harm in that.

 

[SxpeRare]

You can be here as a "legal resident" but not a permanent resident -- that's the difference. Are you on any kind of path to eventually qualifying for a green card? You are just going to continue to hit road blocks as you progress because being admitted to professional school is also very expensive and difficult for students who are not US permanent residents or US citizens.

Major in something that will prepare you for a career that is in demand in the US. Find an employer who will sponsor you for a visa, work, save money and go on to medical school when the timing is right. There is not one single path to medical school and you may need to take a less traveled path that is "non-traditional but there is no harm in that.

I am a legal permenant resident (I have a green card)...

 

[ciestar]

@HopefulSlav is right, mostly.
You may need to take off time from school to work to get your finances sorted out. Unfortunately, there isn't much more to suggest if you have no way to pay tuition anywhere else, you need to find the money somewhere.

But, there is no stigma against taking gap years. That is absurd.

 

[WGSgrad]

I am a legal permenant resident (I have a green card)...

I'm going to be honest, it sounds like you're still leaving something out...which is a shame, because you could have gotten good advice from LizzyM anonymously. Perhaps sending a PM will allow you to be more forthcoming.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[HopefulSlav]

Do you speak any foreign languages in demand by the military? You can get citizenship through them. You'll have to ask a recruiter about it, though.

 

[libertyyne]

I am a legal permenant resident (I have a green card)...

If this is the case, you should be able to get in-state tuition at the state school. Which state is this, could you point to the policy that they used to deny you IS? Could you take a gap year and reapply to obtain IS?

 

[SxpeRare]

If this is the case, you should be able to get in-state tuition at the state school. Which state is this, could you point to the policy that they used to deny you IS? Could you take a gap year and reapply to obtain IS?

They told me I am not eligible because under 24 you are considered dependent, and since my parents dont live here and dont pay state taxes, I am not eligible for in state tuition until I turn 24 (which is 6 years from now since I stared college early...)

 

[libertyyne]

They told me I am not eligible because under 24 you are considered dependent, and since my parents dont live here and dont pay state taxes, I am not eligible for in state tuition until I turn 24 (which is 6 years from now since I stared college early...)

Perhaps file paper work to be independent or work for a year and pay taxes? Which state is this?