What college should I go to, UC Davis or a CSU?
Question:
But I chose to accept both UC Davis and a CSU. The only obstacle I am facing is the cost. At UC Davis, is the cost, but I have always wanted to go there and absolutely want to go there. However, my parents want me to go to the CSU that located in my hometown and go there since it's a lot cheaper and I'll be able to live at home.
I don't qualify for financial aid, have no scholarships, and haven't saved up any money for college.
My parents will pretty much pay for everything, or I will be forced to get lots and lots of student loans if I were to go to UC Davis.
What would you do in my circumstance? Would you just go to the CSU instead? (A college that I absolutely do not want to go to, but is much cheaper and closer to home)
And I also really want to move out and go off to college, so what should I do?
Thanks if you can help.
Answer:
First off, it's not actually too late to go the community college route- you can enroll this summer, save up for two years, and transfer to Davis down the line. You would, however, lose the deposits you've put down on both UCD and the CSU school. (Community colleges don't have the same calendar as UC schools for enrollment- you should be able to register this summer for the fall term.)
Second, if cost is a big barrier to attending UCD but you want to end up there, you could also go to the Cal State school for the first two years and try to work on transferring from there (meanwhile, apply for scholarships, save money from work, etc to help with the cost of living away from home at Davis). I know lots of students who transferred after 2 years for various reasons.
And definitely start applying for scholarships. Free money's always better than loans, and scholarships look nice on your resume, too. One of the students I work with won $40,000 last year! It can be done. Try some of the online search services: fastweb.com, schoolsoup.com, scholarshipexperts.com, brokescholar.com. Check scholarship listings in books, ask in your local community, etc.
Good luck!
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