Advice for HIGH SCHOOL senior (sticky situation)

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

does anyone have any suggestions?

COMMUNITY COLLEGE. He can get a start on college classes, without having to pay application fees, AND he can work on bringing his grades up.

[Still BLUTANG]

i don't think he'd do too well in our local community college, he'll be around ALL the same people, doing the same thing.

sadly, a majority of the community college students at THIS PARTICULAR school are playing catch-up. they graduate high school but they still need more math, science, or english courses to be admitted to a 4-year school... so they use CC as an excuse to extend their high school experience, not focusing on working hard there so they can get somewhere else.

[AlphaFrog]

Does he have family he could stay with and go to a community college in another location?? Or, would the mom be will to pay/help pay for an apartment for him to go to community college in another location? From what you've described, this boy is not yet 4-year institution material yet.

[33girl]

SB:

My school had the EOP program, which basically gives students who need it a little extra support. They go to a 6 week precollege program the summer before their freshman year. Here's a link, maybe you can see if the colleges he wants to go to have anything similar.

http://www.clarion.edu/admin/academicsupport/eop/

[jubilance1922]

Ditto what everyone else has said, he needs to be at a community college in another location.

Can he attend a junior college that has housing for students?

Also, some colleges have a way for students who aren't as "prepared" as other students to still enter and get up to speed, and then transfer to their major within the school. At Univ. of Minnesota, this was called General College, and it allowed entrance for people who might have otherwise been rejected). Minnesota just phased this college out, but I'm sure other schools have similar arrangements.

[Still BLUTANG]

thank you guys, these are REALLY good suggestions.

i think i'm going to sit down with the assistant and just give her some straight talk. She has 3 younger children so there is still time to prevent the mistakes THIS kid has made. i'll show her the admission criteria for a few schools (different types) and then SHE can sit down with the son to discuss his options.

i personally am worried about finding a school that not only admits him but works with him so he can remain in good standing and GRADUATE.

thanks for your suggestions!

[adpiucf]

Straight talk is key. It will be up to him and his mom to take the good info you give to him and make something of it. The USNews web site is a good place to begin. For only $15 you can access their colleges report. He can see for himself the grades and scores he would need to get into certain schools, and also look at different geographic locations, and programs he hasn't considered.

I'd also look online and make him take the Myers-Briggs test so he can gague what kinds of jobs he might enjoy-- to give him a direction to pursue in college.

I agree that if he can't get into a 4-year school, a community college in another location far away from the temptations of his "home boys" is a good way to begin. In Florida, successfully completing an AA guarantees you admission to any 4 year public school in the state to finish up your BA/BS. So, for example, let's say he moves to Orlando and attends Valencia Community College. After getting his AA, he could move on to UCF, USF, FAU, UF, etc., to get his 4-year degree.

Sounds like the boy could use a change of scenery and a heart-to-heart with some straight up facts -- maybe a get together with his guidance counselor, too.

ETA: It's possible to go to college without scholarships or a trust fund. Although I had very good grades in HS in everything except for math, I was shut out of the high yield scholarships b/c of my poor math scores. I got by with student loans. Merit scholarships came later when I was in college. It is possible to make it all happen, and college debt, while debt, is a good kind of debt-- he will have greater earning potential with a college degree.

ETA: Another ETA... Is he a racial minority? I hate to sound un-PC, but coming from a diverse background, or being an under-represented minority can win you some scholarships and college acceptances. Use every advantage you've got.

[Drolefille]

I'd recommend then that he attend a community college in the town of a good four year university. Around here, if you can't get into the U of Illinois, you go to Parkland CC in champaign. This way he's out of town and working towards school.