Transferring Junior - Can I still join a sorority? - Page 2

Titchou · #16 10-31-2013, 05:49 PM

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.

MTSUGURL · #17 10-31-2013, 06:49 PM

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!

ASUADPi · #18 10-31-2013, 09:23 PM

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.

FutureODUGirl · #19 10-31-2013, 10:00 PM

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.

DubaiSis · #20 10-31-2013, 10:05 PM

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.

FutureODUGirl · #21 11-01-2013, 09:19 AM

@dubaisis

Good idea! I'll definitely look into that

thanks!

FSUZeta · #22 11-01-2013, 04:45 PM

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.

AnotherKD · #23 11-01-2013, 07:39 PM

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.

FutureODUGirl · #24 11-01-2013, 07:42 PM

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

FutureODUGirl · #25 11-01-2013, 07:45 PM

@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!

WCsweet<3 · #26 11-01-2013, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureODUGirl

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

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?

Xidelt · #27 11-01-2013, 08:12 PM

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.

FutureODUGirl · #28 11-01-2013, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

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?

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.

FutureODUGirl · #29 11-01-2013, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xidelt

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 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!

southbymidwest · #30 11-01-2013, 11:56 PM

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!