Ooooh... kay. Colleges.
UPDATES ON THINGS:
1.) I got into Clarkson! I got a phone call yesterday and a letter today. Credit evaluation and financial aid awards are pending.
2.) RPI still hasn't gotten back to me about financial aid, and I'm still a mess regarding the credit evaluation (having yet to post the course descriptions). They said they had already sent it out "on Friday" when pressed; the Friday in question being June 12.
3.) Even with the rough figures I was given over the 'phone (and therefore do not even remotely trust), my mother is freaking out about the cost of RPI because they give their room and board costs at $12,000 (in addition to $40K in tuition). I have to say that it's a reasonable freakout, but even so, if one were to live off-campus, it would certainly be less expensive.
4.) Sent out thank-you note to Watervliet Arsenal. Still haven't heard from them, either, but I hear that the wheels of government bureaucracy turn slowly, so I'm still (very tentatively) hopeful.
5.) I'm also mildly concerned about money for just textbooks/cell phone/meds, because the jobs I have are part time and won't cover it. On the other hand, though, I do have money in the bank, so it's not a huge stress factor. Worst case scenario: I deplete my savings, which I can handle.
textbooks:
$500 per semester (though this may fluctuate wildly because business/engineering texts are crazy expensive but are sometimes available used)
meds/phone:
$100 per month
Projected bills for the year:
$2,200
So, assuming I'll more-or-less work about 25-30 hours a week (which is reasonable) for six weeks (when the ECEC program is in session) and then roughly 10 hours a week for three additional weeks when ECEC isn't in session, it works out to about $1,500 for the summer, which won't quite cover things over the school year (though this doesn't count working during Thanksgiving or Christmas breaks).
Now, Mom's position is pretty much that I should be working more, but
1.) I don't want to; I'm sick of having no social life because I'm working two jobs in a schedule that isn't compatible with anyone else's (Target's running to weekend evenings and ECEC running to having to be functionally awake at 8:00 AM every weekday morning).
2.) I have stuff to organize, such as lab reports, figuring out where I'm going next year, orientation, packing, figuring out where I'm going to live after I've figured out where I'm going, all sorts of fun stuff.
Plus, Target's cutting hours, and there is no way in pants that I'm going to be able to find and organize a THIRD job, not even a little bit.
6.) HVCC is back on the table as an option.
THOUGHTS ON THINGS:
1.) I'm not sure I even WANT to go to Clarkson, even if they offer me a pretty aid package. It's so far away, and that's a little bit scary for school. (A far-away job that paid enough to cover living expenses would, for reference, be a lot less scary, because it would be year-round without the strain of moving my entire life twice a year, and then MOST of my entire life an additional two times.) Plus, I've mostly got the boy situation situated, and I'm not sure if I want to change that (though this is a mitigating factor, not one that would be part of a decision). I haven't visited and I don't know what they'll be like, so going there would be a pretty scary decision. But, without an aid package, who knows what will happen?
2.) Other than this last-minute stuff, RPI has been super good about keeping in touch with me and has been incredibly helpful throughout the process.
3.) RPI is still terrifyingly expensive, and with tentative aid figures, still runs about $13,000 to $15,000 more than we had hoped to pay, per year. You get what you pay for, I suppose?
4 & 5.) I'm really hoping for the Arsenal thing, because that would alleviate financial pressure a bunch.
6.) I would really like to be at a four-year school next year for a bunch of reasons:
- I might get out of school faster than another (full) three years. If I go to HVCC, it will be at LEAST another three years before I get out of school due to credit requirements.
- I want access to the professors and resources available at four-year schools. I have trouble finding community college professors with both the time and knowledge to answer many of my questions.
- Dealing with the transfer transcript tango the first time was stressful enough. I don't want to repeat it, and after HVCC, I would have to do it again, because my mom will want me to reapply to (at least) SUNYs, and I might have to reapply EVERYWHERE which would suck.
EDIT: Guys, I'm sorry about the crazy long entries. I edited in some cuts to save your friendspage.
1.) I got into Clarkson! I got a phone call yesterday and a letter today. Credit evaluation and financial aid awards are pending.
2.) RPI still hasn't gotten back to me about financial aid, and I'm still a mess regarding the credit evaluation (having yet to post the course descriptions). They said they had already sent it out "on Friday" when pressed; the Friday in question being June 12.
3.) Even with the rough figures I was given over the 'phone (and therefore do not even remotely trust), my mother is freaking out about the cost of RPI because they give their room and board costs at $12,000 (in addition to $40K in tuition). I have to say that it's a reasonable freakout, but even so, if one were to live off-campus, it would certainly be less expensive.
4.) Sent out thank-you note to Watervliet Arsenal. Still haven't heard from them, either, but I hear that the wheels of government bureaucracy turn slowly, so I'm still (very tentatively) hopeful.
5.) I'm also mildly concerned about money for just textbooks/cell phone/meds, because the jobs I have are part time and won't cover it. On the other hand, though, I do have money in the bank, so it's not a huge stress factor. Worst case scenario: I deplete my savings, which I can handle.
textbooks:
$500 per semester (though this may fluctuate wildly because business/engineering texts are crazy expensive but are sometimes available used)
meds/phone:
$100 per month
Projected bills for the year:
$2,200
So, assuming I'll more-or-less work about 25-30 hours a week (which is reasonable) for six weeks (when the ECEC program is in session) and then roughly 10 hours a week for three additional weeks when ECEC isn't in session, it works out to about $1,500 for the summer, which won't quite cover things over the school year (though this doesn't count working during Thanksgiving or Christmas breaks).
Now, Mom's position is pretty much that I should be working more, but
1.) I don't want to; I'm sick of having no social life because I'm working two jobs in a schedule that isn't compatible with anyone else's (Target's running to weekend evenings and ECEC running to having to be functionally awake at 8:00 AM every weekday morning).
2.) I have stuff to organize, such as lab reports, figuring out where I'm going next year, orientation, packing, figuring out where I'm going to live after I've figured out where I'm going, all sorts of fun stuff.
Plus, Target's cutting hours, and there is no way in pants that I'm going to be able to find and organize a THIRD job, not even a little bit.
6.) HVCC is back on the table as an option.
THOUGHTS ON THINGS:
1.) I'm not sure I even WANT to go to Clarkson, even if they offer me a pretty aid package. It's so far away, and that's a little bit scary for school. (A far-away job that paid enough to cover living expenses would, for reference, be a lot less scary, because it would be year-round without the strain of moving my entire life twice a year, and then MOST of my entire life an additional two times.) Plus, I've mostly got the boy situation situated, and I'm not sure if I want to change that (though this is a mitigating factor, not one that would be part of a decision). I haven't visited and I don't know what they'll be like, so going there would be a pretty scary decision. But, without an aid package, who knows what will happen?
2.) Other than this last-minute stuff, RPI has been super good about keeping in touch with me and has been incredibly helpful throughout the process.
3.) RPI is still terrifyingly expensive, and with tentative aid figures, still runs about $13,000 to $15,000 more than we had hoped to pay, per year. You get what you pay for, I suppose?
4 & 5.) I'm really hoping for the Arsenal thing, because that would alleviate financial pressure a bunch.
6.) I would really like to be at a four-year school next year for a bunch of reasons:
- I might get out of school faster than another (full) three years. If I go to HVCC, it will be at LEAST another three years before I get out of school due to credit requirements.
- I want access to the professors and resources available at four-year schools. I have trouble finding community college professors with both the time and knowledge to answer many of my questions.
- Dealing with the transfer transcript tango the first time was stressful enough. I don't want to repeat it, and after HVCC, I would have to do it again, because my mom will want me to reapply to (at least) SUNYs, and I might have to reapply EVERYWHERE which would suck.
EDIT: Guys, I'm sorry about the crazy long entries. I edited in some cuts to save your friendspage.