Transferring Junior - Can I still join a sorority?
 

So I'm a senior in high school right now but I'm making decisions on college related stuff. My mom doesn't have enough money to pay for most of my college and my dad isn't in my life so he can't pay any. My dream college experience would be to go to Old Dominion University for all 4 years and live in a dorm, but that cost is too much for my mom, even with me working too. So, my mom told me I should go to Mary Washington University (I live in VA) and work during college. She said I should do this for two years, then transfer to ODU for my last two and go there for their physical therapy program.

My question is, will I still be able to join a sorority at ODU? I really wanna experience rushing, sorority sisters, the big/little relationship, etc. but I'm afraid transferring won't allow me to. At most, I'll be at ODU in a couple years, but my hope is I'll be there after my freshmen year. I can't go to ODU as a freshmen because I've been homeschooled my whole life & my mom said its best to get used to college and being in a classroom before going to my dream school.

Sorry for rambling lol. So basically, will I still get the same sorority experience if I transfer to ODU as a junior? Thanks a ton!! :)

You are looking WAY WAY too far down the road right now. Finish high school. Work on getting accepted by Mary Washington and get your education. Who knows what will happen in those 2 to 3 years. Guessing
what will happen if and when you transfer to another university is kind of a waste of time and energy.

@thetalady

Yeah, you've got a point. I didn't really look at it that way. Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it. :D

If you're a senior now you should be applying for colleges and worry about the other stuff later. But don't minimize your opportunities for scholarships. If you don't know how to do all that, get with your advisor at school to help you with the long, horrible, but possibly very beneficial process. If you have the academics to get into ODU, or anywhere else for that matter, you might be surprised at how many institutions are willing to help you. But now is really the time. I know AGDee said her son's application deadlines were November 1 for early admission.

In short, you MIGHT be able to go to the 4 year institution of your dreams. Don't give up on that before you try. Unfortunately, sorority membership can be very expensive. Regardless of all other things, paying for sorority dues might not be in the cards. It's not the end of the world, and I hope you can find a way, but do be realistic about the costs as you make your plans.

@dubaisis

Man you're right, I totally didn't think bout sorority costs! I've been saving money for awhile (having a job really helps so I'm lucky), and my hope is that I can set aside some to pay for it. My mom is helping me out with college stuff and I'm gonna have her look into some scholarship and financial aid with me. She didn't think I'd be able to get much aid but I think it can't hurt to at least try. Any little bit helps in this day and age =\

anyway, I'm definitely still keeping the dream alive! I'll do everything I can to try and make it happen as much as possible. But I'm also gonna really be realistic and do what I can afford. :) thank you for replying!

You should apply to your dream school and see if you get in and what sort of financial aid is offered. Then go from there!

@adpiucf That's what I thought to do. I checked on ODU's website and they offer aid. Around 70%-80% get aid, and at the most it could be up to 9k. I'm gonna show that to my mom as a way to convince her it's worth at least applying for aid.

My hope is that I only have to go to the university of Mary Washington a year. Then, hopefully, it's ODU from there <3 thank you so much for the reply! I truly appreciate all of you for helping me out!

Every college student has to get used to college and being in a college classroom. I'm sure you've had activities in your life where you have had to sit still while someone is talking to you. Not that much different! Remember, this is your decision, not mom's!

And even if that were an issue, can't you take a community college class or two in the spring and see what it's like?

@adipiucf honestly, that's what I told her. How hard can it be to listen to someone teach something? But she said the last thing she would want me to do is get overwhelmed and flunk out of my dream school.

I would love to go to ODU as a freshmen that way I can start living in a dorm and get to know other freshmens there too. Plus one of my friends said she would go to ODU as a freshmen so I could start the whole joining a sorority process. She said if I join a sorority as a sophmore or junior I won't get to be a little and will have no big. Not sure if this is true for all sororities or just her sorority (she goes to VCU).

@deltabetababy wouldn't that be the same as joining UMW for a year? I haven't looked into any community colleges in my area lol. All I know is before I could join ODU I would need to take one spanish class at another college (my homeschool program taught me two years of spanish & ODU recommends 3. Thus I assume they wouldn't accept me with only 2)

There is definitely room for compromise here. You could take spring classes this year (and summer for that matter), which would help with future cost and cover some requirements. You could also do community college for 1 year then go to a 4 year university for your sophomore year and beyond. A transferring sophomore is more attractive during rush than a sophomore who didn't rush the year before. You could go to CC this spring, summer and next fall and move into the dorms at the second semester of your freshman year. Your mom might want to keep you at home as long as possible, but this might be a bit more palatable for her.

But back to scholarships and costs. Take the CLEP test! From my experience with homeschooled kids, they are a lot more advanced than people assume. The cost of that test is WAY less than the cost of a college class. And if you can have a few hours of college credit under your belt, you can take the minimum number of hours your first semester (or 2) to help you adapt without getting too overwhelmed or getting too far behind in your progress.

That's a suggestion I have for any incoming freshman, take the minimum number of classes and be easy on yourself. This is not the time to prove to anyone how smart you are. I took 5 of the hardest classes I would ever take in college all in the same semester, first semester of freshman year! Lunacy. Make sure one of your classes is a goofy elective that is more or less just for fun. For me it was voice lessons, but I got around to that my last semester (summer school) in college. My GPA would have been much different if I'd taken that instead of Poli Sci 4 years earlier (which it turned out I didn't even need to take because it's the 1 requirement I got covered through CLEP).

ADVICE FROM ONE WHO WAS MANIPULATED BY MOM:

Please follow your heart and apply to your dream school(s). My mother was one who manipulated every move I made. She managed to keep me from applying to those schools which would have moved me out of her control. The school I chose was still too far for her, but close enough that I would be home often enough for her to continue her manipulations for years to come.

You said you are home schooled. MANY home schooled students have transitioned to a traditional classroom setting with a lot of success. Mom needs to learn to cut the apron strings and allow you to test your own individuality. I gave my children lots of free space (even my special needs son). They both went away to school. My daughter is now the Chief Coordinating Officer for a firm that has been having troubles finding suitable employees because of all the helicopter moms who will not let go of their little snowflakes.

Good luck!

DaffyKD

@dubaisis i REALLY like your idea!! Would it still work if I need to be applying to colleges this fall/winter in preparation for next year (2014, when I would be starting my freshmen year of college)? Sorry, just confused about the timing of it all lol. I like the idea of not throwing myself into a million classes and getting overwhelmed (because that does happen to me too often). Also, I would rather be a sophomore and rush instead of being a junior when I do it. I know sororities tend to prefer freshmen and sophomores over juniors anyway. So I'll start looking into CCs or even online classes to start taking. Hopefully they are cheaper than UMW which will help save money for ODU :) Thank you so much again! You guys are all helping a stressful situation seem much easier to deal with!

@daffykd Oh I will definitely apply to my dream school! My mom knows that no matter what I will find a way to get into ODU. And she wants me to do I too. I think it's just because she has always worried that she has put me and my bro at a disadvantage because we are homeschooled. So she tends to try and do whatever she can to prepare us for college and "real teachers". She told me she will help out trying to pay for ODU & dorms as much as she can, but it will mainly be my money.

Thank you for the advice! And congrats on your daughter's success! Too bad she has deal with all the clingy parents though lol. XD

A few ideas since you don't seem to know much about scholarships and financial aid.

One, if your homeschooling had to be thru and actual school (it is in some places), that school may have a counselor/adviser who can walk you thru the steps.

Two, your local public high has such a person. I don't know if they are required by law to assist you but I feel certain they'd be glad to help in any way they can. They normally really care about students - not just their own.

Third, there are resources - companies, non profits, etc - who help students research scholarship opportunities and other methods of financial aid. You need to locate some of those. The local public high school counselor or your public library should be able to help.

You might check those out.

I would encourage you to try everything possible to go to your dream school all four years and research the heck out of scholarships year. Also, if you do join a sorority, I know many of them have scholarships their members can apply for. I had never heard of this particular school so I looked it up... Seems like a feat place! Good luck to you!

I also encourage you to apply for you dream school.

Also apply for financial aid. Through your FAFSA you can not only be awarded loans but grants as well. Research Scholarships, there are TONS out there.

College is a transition for everyone, not just students who are homeschooled.

Thank you all for the replies! More and more I wanna go to ODU my freshmen year and use financial aid to help pay, but the issue is convincing my mom. She is dead set that I should go somewhere other than ODU to get used to being in a real classroom since I'm so used to doing my school work on a computer, doing as much as I want, doing it at whatever time/pace I want, getting open book tests, etc.

Any ideas on how to convince her? She doesn't know i signed up for this site (shhh my secret lol) so I can't tell her what I've been told. I'm trying to do research about how homeschoolers adjust to college but I don't think that will work against her either. Part of me feels like she is right, but also part of me thinks I would pick up on traditional classroom life real easy too. I've gotta look over aid and stuff with her so I think I'll ask then and see how good she thinks my chances would be. :)

Take a class at your local CC at your earliest convenience. You should be able to register based on your current levels. And then you can see what's involved without interfering with your schedule.

@dubaisis

Good idea! I'll definitely look into that :) thanks!

Call your local community college asap and see what it would take to enroll in a class for spring semester (which will start in January). Research scholarships that you might qualify for. As someone suggested, go to your public library. You should be able to find books that list all sorts of scholarships.

Also, contact the ODU financial aid office and learn about financial aid and scholarship opportunities they might be able to offer.

I assume you're from Virginia. (If you wrote that in here somewhere, my apologies for missing it.) Have you looked into the community colleges that have guaranteed admissions with a lot of Virginia schools, ODU included, when you meet their requirements in the first year or two? That would be a huge money saver.

Hey guys! Mini update :)

Me and my mom are gonna get a college game plan together! Probably gonna do it tomorrow so I'll let you guys know. I'm gonna sign up to take the SAT in Dec (closest date) and we are gonna discuss how I'll pay for college, where I'll go and when, etc.

She's definitely more accepting of what I would like to do. Still gonna be hard to convince her to let me go to ODU as a freshmen, but I may be able to convince her to let me go as a sophomore :) still not telling her I plan on trying to join a sorority because she would probably freak. She has a negative opinion of sororities and thinks they are only for clingy, lonely kids looking for a "clique" to join. Needless to say I don't agree at all lol.

Also, is living in a dorm good for meeting people? She's obsessed with this idea that you don't meet anybody or have a social life at college unless you party. I'm not a partier, and I think I'll make friends just fine. I think she sometimes tries to divert me from ODU because she says I may be dissapointed in living with a roommate, they will steal my stuff, I'll find it hard to keep good grades, etc. Wish she would realize college has changed a ton since she went 25+ years ago -.-

Sorry for the rant lol! Just wanted to update you all :)

@anotherkd

I am from Virginia, although I live in DC :( so ODU is kind of far away lol. That does sound like a good idea, so I'll research some community colleges to show my mom. My older bro goes to community college (he lives with my dad) so I'll even ask him about the cost of his and stuff :3 thanks for the advice!

I met some of my best friends in the dorms. I still am great friends with two of them and we visit each other even though we were only in school together for a year and live in three different states. Some people do have horrible roommates. Some people are horrible roommates even if they were friends before hand.

No offense, but your mom seems a little helicopter ish. Telling you that you won't make friends unless you change your interests (partying), saying if you leave her home that you won't do well in school and talking down something you are interested in. It just is a little overbearing in my opinion. Are you the youngest/only daughter/only child?

Your mom is severely misinformed. Living on campus in school housing also has a host of benefits that are backed by research: more friends, more involvement, better academics, more likely to graduate, etc. Also, partying is a tiny slice of college life. You and your mom would seriously benefit from going on some college visits where you tour the campus, chat with students working as university ambassadors and tour guides, and going to an information session with the admissions office where you can ask questions.

I have friends who live in dorms and have tons of friends in college, so I don't believe her there lol. I do agree that she is a little helicopter-ish (my uncle agrees with me lol) but I assume it's cause she is worried. I am the youngest & her last kid at home lol. I wish she would just let me spread my wings =\ I'm not some crazy partier who doesn't do their homework. I have a 3.5 GPA AND I work. She needs to understand that I'm responsible & basically an adult (18 on November 15! Woohoo!)

I'm gonna talk with her more. I hope to schedule a visit to Norfolk soon cause I wanna see the campus.

I definitely agree with you lol! My hope is that when she talks to the people who are actually there and know what goes on, she will change her mind. :) thanks for your help!

FutureODUGirl, I am confused. If you live in DC, how could going to Mary Washington be different from going to ODU? At first I thought you might be within commuting distance, but Mary Washington is a bit far from DC-it is a bit far from most Northern VA suburbs even. As to classrooms, Mary Washington certainly has those also, along with dorms, so I am not getting it. Costs are not that much different since both are state schools.

For socializing, nothing can beat freshman dorms. They are full of kids in the same situation-away from home for the first time, and ready and open to make new friends. Not all kids are into drinking. You will find kids who are not into drinking, but still enjoy going out and having fun with friends. There will be clubs and activities where you will find friends who are interested in the activities that you are interested in.

Is it that your mom is concerned/uneasy that ODU is in an urban area with an enrollment of 18000, and feels that Mary Washington at 5000 students is "safer" because it is in a somewhat suburban/semi-rural area and smaller? Does she dislike the vibe she gets from ODU, even though you might love the vibe?

As others have said, you need to start putting together your application NOW, if you have not already started to do so. Work on your application essays. Pull together your ACT/SAT scores, and have them sent to the colleges that you want to apply to. Register to take them again if you are not satisfied with your scores. Find out about the FAFSA, as most schools use that to help determine financial aid. Check the info from the schools to determine when you have to have your application in to be considered for financial aid. If I recall correctly, some have a December cutoff for consideration. Good luck!

Check into this. It's the guaranteed admissions program between NOVA and the universities in Virginia. NOVA is close to DC, and I'm Perry sure you can metro/ bus it there.

http://www.nvcc.edu/current-students...Admission.aspx

NOVA (Northern Virginia CC) also offers a PTA (physical therapy assistant) program. That would give you an initial certification and a way to earn a living while you are pursuing the long road to your doctorate in PT. There are a couple of prerequisite courses to the program that you could take this spring.

Be very careful about costs. You want to keep your student loan debt to an absolute minimum. I would definitely look into attending a community college for the first two years, while living at home. But apply wherever you wish, while also applying for financial aid. Take a look at the different offers and compare them. UDC is another option if you want to keep your costs really low.

Worry about going through recruitment once you are headed to your four year institution. You can go through as either a sophomore or a junior.

@southbymidwest

Well technically I live in DC now. My mom bought a smaller house down in Massaponax, which is closer to MWU. The only issue is we don't know when we are moving to it. They found some mold and issues in the house, so they are trying to get rid of it. Best case scenario, we will be there around Jan-Feb. worst case scenario it could be Mar-Apr. My mom said to look at colleges close to DC (I would just go to some community college) or possibly ones near massaponax (hopefully I could go to UMW). Obviously these schools are just steeping stones to my preferred school (ODU). :)

We've walked around the UMW campus, and my mom loves the vibe. Small town, mainly girls, safe, etc. I want her to see ODU before just assuming I should go to UMW. =\

We are getting started on my application. I'm taking the SAT again an we will be lookin into FAFSA & other types of aid too. :) Thanks!

@anotherKD That looks perfect! I'll definitely check it out. Thank you so much! I really appreciate you all helping me :)

@blueskies That would definitely help me down the road job wise. I'm gonna look into some community colleges and find the cheapest. Definitely want low costs my first year!

Yeah, I realized I'm getting ahead of myself thinking about sororities. I'll start thinking about it (hopefully) during my sophomore year. :)

Thanks for the help! =D