cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) So DS only applied to two colleges. One didn't come through with enough financial aid and the other he was waitlisted. I knew they were both reaches but was unable to impart the necessity of applying to others to DS (to be fair, in the critical 6 month window of visiting/applying colleges, my grandmother died, we had to clean out her estate, my father had 3 brain surgeries and a few other personal issues, I was simply too overwhelmed to guide him properly and he didn't understand what was at stake). So right now a 4 year college is not in the picture for next year. So I'm trying to brainstorm options for next year so he can decide what he wants to do. Here is what I've thought of but would love to hear more ideas: 5th year of high school - I'm not really sure how we do this. Do we just change his graduation date? What if he's already had a very advanced courseload? He's more than ready for college level material. Do we need to explain why he spent fives years in high school? Can I have him take all the classes at the local CC and call him duel enrolled? Enroll as a freshman at the local CC - it has a guarantee transfer to the university after two years (although not guaranteed admission to school of choice). DS is really really opposed to attending this university so not a popular idea with him but this would be the cheapest option for an education barring a massive scholarship when applying again this fall. Gap year/wait year spend a year working and focusing on college visits/applications this fall so he has better options. However he won't have anything really exciting to explain why he chose this options (since it's a result of poor planning on our part to begin with). Do colleges question why you took a year off between high school and college? I'm assuming he would still be eligible for all the freshman scholarships right? Also I know there are no college/AP classes allowed, what about working with a private tutor? DS takes math classes with a small group in a tutoring/mentoring situation. These are college level material (Past Calc BC so no testing options available) but taught by a private teacher. They are classes that would mostly be repeated for credit in college (although one school would let DS test out if he so chose). Reason for taking them is teacher is very engaging and helps students to get a good grasp on advanced math topics so they will hopefully have a better foundation when taking them in college. So I guess I would say they would be for personal enrichment. There are no grades, no tests, no credits. So if anyone could weigh in on these options, help me "see" what that would look like (especially the 5th year stuff), or offer other options suggestions. I know there are some school that do rolling admissions but since he needs substantial financial aid and it seems most of those types of deadlines have passed, I'm thinking we have to wait until fall and try again. Thanks so much, the collective wisdom of this group always helps me find options I never would have thought of. Edited March 20, 2016 by cjzimmer1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Why doesn't he apply to other colleges NOW? There are still plenty of schools whose application deadlines have not passed. Edited March 20, 2016 by regentrude 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Why doesn't he apply to other colleges NOW? There are still plenty of schools whose application deadlines have not passed. He is looking at Engineering which doesn't offer quite as many choices as say an English degree. And the ones that we've looked at that having rolling admissions, the scholarship deadlines for the fall have passed. He needs substantial aid to go to school at all so without even having a shot at the partial and full tuition and/or room and board type of scholarships, we don't have the money to send him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 So DS only applied to two colleges. One didn't come through with enough financial aid and the other he was waitlisted... What have you done about the waitlisted school? Have you contacted them to see if there's a chance your son could still get in, and if so, how? I would make sure they know that your son is still interested in the school. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Have you calculated your EFC? (Both FAFSA and Profile?) Can you afford the EFC, or do you need merit on top of that? If you need merit on top of the EFC, then well-known, selective engineering schools (which won't give full-ride or full-tuition merit aid in most cases) will probably not work out for you. If you can afford your FAFSA EFC, I would go back to the school that accepted him and see if you can get a financial aid offer that meets your EFC, if you haven't tried appealing already. In-state public universities are usually best for affordable engineering majors, but you can also check your regional compact schools. Once you have a list of acceptable to DS and affordable for you schools, you can look into what it takes to get scholarships and if any of them will take students last-minute or welcome applications to start second semester. I would also look at where he can go with a basic federal student loan, if your financial situation will not support your EFC. Sometimes it's the only way to get a degree. I would not add another year of high school just for the sake of killing time until he can apply again. Can he look for a job or internship? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebbS Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 First of all, I wouldn't do another year of high school because I doubt that would be helpful. My son took a gap year and worked to earn money for college. Colleges looked on this in a positive way so it was not at all detrimental. In addition, he was more mature when he started and much more confident in his dealings with other adults and he was much more focused on his chosen major. So, from my experience, I think a gap year is a good plan B. You might inquire about how many college courses a student can take and still be considered an incoming freshman rather than a transfer student. Some colleges allow up to 9 hours of post high school credits. That may vary from college to college, so find this out by calling the admissions department. Then, your son could take a few transferable courses at the CC during his gap year and still qualify for freshman scholarships. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I'd vote for gap year and focusing on college apps. IMO, he does have a very worthwhile reason for this considering all that was going on in your family this past year. Colleges will understand that too. Math mentor/tutoring like you mentioned won't be a problem. Taking ANY college classes post graduation could be. I'd be very wary of that option. I also agree with checking with School A that accepted him and seeing if they can offer any more financially now. The worst they can do is say no. Edited March 20, 2016 by creekland 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Gap year. Make focus now on securing an internship related to possible careers. Think about companies and government agencies in your area. Think about all the working adults you know and help ds network. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 It depends a good deal on your son's personality. A young man, from my limited experience, at 17-18, is ready to hit the world running and, especially a very academically prepared young man, would feel stalled or postponed in his plans. How is the engineering program at your state U? There are states that reciprocate with surrounding states for in state tuition. I would check into that. JanetC's post was very helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 First of all, I wouldn't do another year of high school because I doubt that would be helpful. My son took a gap year and worked to earn money for college. Colleges looked on this in a positive way so it was not at all detrimental. In addition, he was more mature when he started and much more confident in his dealings with other adults and he was much more focused on his chosen major. So, from my experience, I think a gap year is a good plan B. I agree if he is ready for Engineering school now a 5th year of HS will not help. Plan B - CC full time - transfer after first or second year (depending on grades) Plan C - take transferable courses (especially gen-eds and math/science) at CC and work a part-time job Plan D - find another college or two to apply to ASAP - include affordable state U 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Gap year and i would fight like the dickens to get an internship/project on which he could write an essay on next year when he applies. In our case, I would send my ds overseas to work on one of his languages or for a volunteer gig like the ones he has been doing in middle school, but I know the overseas thing is not always an option for everyone. Eta I would not make him do the CC then transfer to local school option if he is adamant about not wanting to go there Edited March 20, 2016 by madteaparty 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would try to find a state U he could still get into and afford. At least assess that possibility. A gap year is not awful BUT it depends on what happens the next year. If his sights are set on expensive/selective schools I would make very sure that he has applied to solid financial and academic safeties. The disappointment of waiting a year and then still not being in any better position would be very discouraging to a young man. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I would make sure to double check requirements at any school Ds is thinking of to see whether college accepts any transfer credits for courses in major or whether they all have to be done at the school. It might influence your decision of gap year vs cc. I read a policy statement put together by top colleges on admission procedures. They recommended putting a significant emphasis on helping family and community. That could work in your favor if he helped during your family crises. I will try to find link. Thank goodness I saved in Notability and found the title! http://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/files/gse-mcc/files/20160120_mcc_ttt_execsummary_interactive.pdf?m=1453303460 Edited March 20, 2016 by Alessandra 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 What have you done about the waitlisted school? Have you contacted them to see if there's a chance your son could still get in, and if so, how? I would make sure they know that your son is still interested in the school. The waitlist decisions just came out a few days ago. We haven't done anything yet other than say he will accept a place on the waitlist. However, this school is known for putting THOUSANDS of kids on the waitlist and many years take NONE from the waitlist. The most they have taken in any single year is 150 and that is only a small percentage of their possibilities. They actively encourage the waitlist kids to look somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Have you calculated your EFC? (Both FAFSA and Profile?) Can you afford the EFC, or do you need merit on top of that? If you need merit on top of the EFC, then well-known, selective engineering schools (which won't give full-ride or full-tuition merit aid in most cases) will probably not work out for you. If you can afford your FAFSA EFC, I would go back to the school that accepted him and see if you can get a financial aid offer that meets your EFC, if you haven't tried appealing already. In-state public universities are usually best for affordable engineering majors, but you can also check your regional compact schools. Once you have a list of acceptable to DS and affordable for you schools, you can look into what it takes to get scholarships and if any of them will take students last-minute or welcome applications to start second semester. I would also look at where he can go with a basic federal student loan, if your financial situation will not support your EFC. Sometimes it's the only way to get a degree. I would not add another year of high school just for the sake of killing time until he can apply again. Can he look for a job or internship? Our EFC is around 10K(which is already a stretch but we think we could find a way to do that), the school he was accepted at offered some school grants, workstudy, $5500 in federal loans (expected), and then wanted us to take $28,000 is parent loans just for the first year. We have 6 kids, there is no way we can afford to take loans of over $100K just to get the first kid through college. The school is known for not having a lot of money, DS did apply for the few full tuition scholarships they had but wasn't chosen. So while we could try for more money, I just don't see them more than doubling the aid they have already offered. He doesn't care about selectively of the school as much as he is concerned about size. He really wants to go to a smaller school. I think he is intimidated by being around all those people. After visiting the local university, he pretty much refused to even consider any of the universities on the list. And from what I've seen of the small engineering schools, either they don't have a lot of money or they are very selective and hard to get in. I very much like the idea of him getting a job, I know an extra year of maturity would help him survive the college environment better. Do you have any more thoughts on how to obtain an internship or what kind of places might hire a kid whose extremely strong in math? Right now our only job thoughts have been to work at Walmart or one of the other local retailers. But something a bit more intellectually stimulating would be a much better choice. I just have no clue how to go about even looking for something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 He is looking at Engineering which doesn't offer quite as many choices as say an English degree. And the ones that we've looked at that having rolling admissions, the scholarship deadlines for the fall have passed. He needs substantial aid to go to school at all so without even having a shot at the partial and full tuition and/or room and board type of scholarships, we don't have the money to send him. I would look again - many public universities award automatic merit aid upon acceptance without a specific scholarship application. Even if it says differently on the school's website, I'd contact admissions an ask specifically about his situation. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 It depends a good deal on your son's personality. A young man, from my limited experience, at 17-18, is ready to hit the world running and, especially a very academically prepared young man, would feel stalled or postponed in his plans. How is the engineering program at your state U? There are states that reciprocate with surrounding states for in state tuition. I would check into that. JanetC's post was very helpful. As parents one of the things we've always struggled with for this kid is knowing when he's ready for something. Academically he has been ready for YEARS, emotionally, he is only just starting to get there. I'm still not totally sure if he's ready or not but I do feel better about it than 6 months ago so I'm still hopeful he could be ready by fall. But the biggest drawback about a gap year is having him stagnate in learning. Not being able to take classes for a year, I could see as really causing problems. The local university Engineering is one of the top 10 in the nation and highly competitive to get in. They do favor in state students which is a bonus in our favor but DS was overwhelmed just visiting there because it's huge and hearing that small specialized classes have 40-50 students (as opposed to large general classes of 300+ students) was just more than he was comfortable with. I do agree with him that a smaller school would be a better choice for him. There is only two other of the in state universities that offer Engineering, one is almost as big as the local and the city it is in is not safe. We didn't really look at the other one much as there is no church of our faith within an hours drive and it's too far away to commute from home (plus DS doesn't have a driver's license). I didn't really look into the states around us as DS said he didn't want to go to a university but I will look around, he may not have a choice if he wants a college degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Gap year and i would fight like the dickens to get an internship/project on which he could write an essay on next year when he applies. In our case, I would send my ds overseas to work on one of his languages or for a volunteer gig like the ones he has been doing in middle school, but I know the overseas thing is not always an option for everyone. Eta I would not make him do the CC then transfer to local school option if he is adamant about not wanting to go there Do you have any names of overseas programs that we could look into? Or suggestions about how to obtain an internships? I just don't have any clue where to look or how to go about such things so any pointers to get started would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Is it too late to try for a ROTC scholarship? I'm not sure of the deadlines but there might be some money available for college that way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would try to find a state U he could still get into and afford. At least assess that possibility. A gap year is not awful BUT it depends on what happens the next year. If his sights are set on expensive/selective schools I would make very sure that he has applied to solid financial and academic safeties. The disappointment of waiting a year and then still not being in any better position would be very discouraging to a young man. Hi goal isn't selective/expensive. He's not concerned with status as much as he would like a small school. However, small.private schools do seem to indirectly translates to expensive or selective, so we are a bit stuck on that front. But yes, I can see if we don't get this right of being stuck in this position for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) The local university Engineering is one of the top 10 in the nation and highly competitive to get in. They do favor in state students which is a bonus in our favor but DS was overwhelmed just visiting there because it's huge and hearing that small specialized classes have 40-50 students (as opposed to large general classes of 300+ students) was just more than he was comfortable with. I do agree with him that a smaller school would be a better choice for him. There is only two other of the in state universities that offer Engineering, one is almost as big as the local and the city it is in is not safe. We didn't really look at the other one much as there is no church of our faith within an hours drive and it's too far away to commute from home (plus DS doesn't have a driver's license). I didn't really look into the states around us as DS said he didn't want to go to a university but I will look around, he may not have a choice if he wants a college degree. Any good CCs in your state (even if he had to rent to live there) that offer the Engineering transfer or associates program with much smaller classes? Make sure ABET recognizes the school. In his Junior year he would be taking smaller classes at the local university Engineering school. IMHO Don't do a year off - big mistake for STEM folks! I don't even let my DS' brain to idle over the summer let alone a whole year. What state do you live in? It may help folks here give you more specific advice. (Not sure why board folks hide that particular information. I am a privacy person by nature) Edited March 20, 2016 by MarkT 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I'd probably either apply to more schools now, or go to a CC that has decent transfer agreements. The CC option is probably not as fun, but with decent transfer agreements it can make getting a degree a lot more affordable. Why waste time taking a year off? I'd see that as an option for a kid who doesn't know what they want to do or is burnt out or has some special thing in mind that they'd like to do prior to going to college. Doing another year of high school seems even more pointless to me. If you don't have many CCs around, or they don't have good transfer agreements, you could try to find something on-line. Edited March 20, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Hi goal isn't selective/expensive. He's not concerned with status as much as he would like a small school. However, small.private schools do seem to indirectly translates to expensive or selective, so we are a bit stuck on that front. But yes, I can see if we don't get this right of being stuck in this position for next year. I understand. My ds wanted the small school too so we really had to search for an affordable option. He was not STEM though so it was easier. He also applied to the big state U in case finances didn't work out anywhere and he was actively trying to figure out how he could make it feel smaller to him. But he was not as adamant about it as yours seems to be. Lots of good ideas on this thread. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 It can't hurt to go ahead and apply to a few more schools. You don't know for sure what will happen or not, although I agree that getting aid at this point is going to be an issue. I would also definitely look at getting a job, especially if he can find something that will keep his math skills up. If he can't get a full-time job that will keep his math skills up, then he should sign up with a tutoring firm (if you have one nearby) so he can tutor high school math and science in addition to whatever other job he has. I say in addition because tutoring is not likely to get him more than 15-20 hours/week. I was working through a great tutoring agency and they managed to book me for most of the evening hours I made available to them, but they rarely got me students for the weekend aside from the mornings. I was generally tutoring high school math and science from 5-9pm Monday-Thursday and 9-11am on Saturdays and Sundays. All tutoring was done at the facility, so they were able to schedule me back-to-back. I hardly got any hours during the summer. He should not take any classes that are for credit because those will knock him out of freshman status and he needs freshman scholarships. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Do you have any names of overseas programs that we could look into? Or suggestions about how to obtain an internships? I just don't have any clue where to look or how to go about such things so any pointers to get started would be appreciated.We volunteer independently, at an orphanage on one occasion and on the refugee Balkan route on two other occasions. These are self directed and you have to take care of your own arrangements. In terms of languages, there's many many immersion programs you could look into. As a middle schooler, my son did one with En Famille and I know Adolesco is another very similar one. I don't know how suitable these are for a gap year but look into them if your child is willing. Edited March 20, 2016 by madteaparty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Academically he has been ready for YEARS, emotionally, he is only just starting to get there. I'm still not totally sure if he's ready or not but I do feel better about it than 6 months ago so I'm still hopeful he could be ready by fall. I wanted to comment because your description here matches my DD exactly. She had the stats to get some nice automatic scholarships (like at the University of Alabama) but wasn't ready to be so far away from home at a large school with potentially huge classes. Instead, she is going just down the road to the local CC. The classes are small, especially compared to large state universities, and the instructors are dedicated teachers (no grad students, no professors who would rather be doing research, etc.). Most importantly, it is giving DD time to mature and develop emotionally/socially. She has made HUGE strides in these areas just this academic year. By the time she transfers (probably to the flagship state university) in spring of next year, she'll be taking junior level classes (much smaller than freshmen courses, generally) and be ready for the challenges of a large campus. Just something to consider! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I vote for gap year, and find something unique/meaningful to do with the time rather than simply working. Employment could be part of it too, of course, but something that stands out would be helpful. It sounds like he is in a decent position to qualify for merit aid if he broadens his search. Get thee to College Confidential for ideas! lol My current senior is engineering too, fwiw. There really are a lot of unique options out there for schools if he can put in the work on apps this next year, and get together a plan for using his year "off" well. Edited March 20, 2016 by Gr8lander 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 He should not take any classes that are for credit because those will knock him out of freshman status and he needs freshman scholarships. somewhat Disagree - most schools have a limited number of credit hours that can be used (think DE and AP for example) and still retain freshman status - one would have to look at the specific colleges. Don't enroll full-time at CC if freshman status is needed! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 somewhat Disagree - most schools have a limited number of credit hours that can be used (think DE and AP for example) and still retain freshman status - one would have to look at the specific colleges. Don't enroll full-time at CC if freshman status is needed! There is a distinction between credits earned before hs graduation (AP and DE) and those taken post graduation. Be careful with this if you are trying to keep options open at several schools. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I guess my perspective is that at 17 or 18, it needs to be his decision, and that he might need to compromise on his criteria in order to find something that works. If he really wants to go to a 4 year university, then he needs to consider that maybe it's bigger than he'd like. He can always transfer somewhere else after a couple of years. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anne1456 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 If he wants a small school and doesn't care about prestige I'd suggest checking out some the non-flagship state schools that have engineering. U of Alabama Huntsville has lots of scholarships, and they have very specific requirements for test scores/gpa posted, so you'd know where he stands. They might still have scholarships available for this year too. I'd probably call them and ask if it is too late for this year on Monday if your son is willing to consider the school and the website shows he will get enough merit aid. And look at schools like U of Md Baltimore Country, Michigan tech, Northern Illinois, these schools will be smaller and it might be easier to get scholarships. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 You really need to categorize needs versus wants, because small, engineering, generous with aid, close to home and available faith community, and open to someone who was a reach at the selective schools he tried first -- it sounds like he is just not flexible enough to build a long enough college list to make sure he has enough choices. I like the ProPublica college lists for finding schools that are generous with need-based aid. https://projects.propublica.org/colleges/ Collegedata.com will give you stats on how many parents needed PLUS loans to afford a school. The college peers tool will help with "what are schools similar to school X" http://chronicle.com/interactives/peers-network? This tool is a little strange to use. You enter your school in the text search box, then click on the big numbers on the right side of the tool to find the "peer network" (close competitor) schools. You can pretty much ignore all the bubbles. NACAC will publish a "space available survey" sometime after May 1 (it usually takes a few days to build their list). If you'd like to try again this year, that might have some names on it, too. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 If nothing pans out, he should be doing hands on in his intended field.maybe thats via the National Guard The Guard would give him money for college. http://www.nationalguard.com/tools/gi-bill Some states give tuition discounts or waivers for Guardsmen: http://www.nationalguard.com/education-programs/state-tuition-assistance 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I don't know if he would be interested, but many LACs offer 3-2 engineering programs. Students spend three years at the LAC taking engineering prerequisites and liberal arts classes and then the last two years at an engineering school. So he could have a small campus and small classes for the first three years. I knew several kids at my undergrad who did this and went on to the highly regarded state U engineering program and did very well. And many LACs give excellent merit aid for strong students. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I think to save money overall the CC options is your best bet. He can finish a lot of classes at a fraction of the cost (hopefully), get a job at a tutoring center or something else and learn time and money management. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I'm not positive, but I think you might run into some issues with a 5th year if you have already sent out applications with a graduation date of this May. It's just a projected date, though, so -? Maybe you can start another thread with that specific question in the title. If he could do that and DE, that might be ideal, assuming there are worthwhile classes for him to take. It would also be a good way for him to ease into college expectations - not academically, but socially and logistically. I don't think my dd would be ready to go away in the fall if she hadn't had the two years of DE at our local university. And that's another thing to check if you haven't yet; CCs are not the only way to go for DE. It's not always advertised well - we had no idea that some local unis offered DE and we barely met the deadline. Double-check even if you think you know the answer. Not only did we not know that this uni offered DE, they used to be quite hostile to homeschoolers even for regular applications. Just a couple of years later, we discover they have DE and they now love homeschoolers, lol. Before deciding on CC or any type of DE, make sure that the credits will both transfer and prepare him well. Our local CC credits transfer to any state college, but many transferring students get a nasty surprise when they find out how much harder university is (which I know is not the case everywhere). Long-term, I think your son may have to adjust his expectations. As you noted, small engineering schools (and small schools in general) tend to be expensive. Anne1456 has a great suggestion about U of A Huntsville; it is a medium sized school known for engineering and STEM, and you can look at their scholarship matrix and know exactly how much $$ you will get. It's late in the year, so you would have to make sure there is money left, but it's worth an application. dd is starting there in the fall, so I can answer questions if needed, but not about engineering specifically. If you do a 5th year, there is no need to explain why in the application/transcript. I'd have an answer ready in case it comes up in interviews, but I seriously doubt it will. Most schools only care about how well-prepared you are; 5 years will not ding you, and 3 years will not benefit you. Edited March 20, 2016 by katilac 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Not sure if you mentioned what geographic area you are in but if you did I bet people here would have some suggestions. You might not be comfortable with that but feel free to pm me if you happen to be in the southeast. Many schools are still taking applications and some will still award automatic scholarships. My personal experience leaves me biased in favor of keeping them going and progressing. 4 years of school seems like forever to some young people and delaying can make it harder to finish especially if your ds really does want to go to school. I would try to see if there is any possibility to go to school. Obviously, just one opinion :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Do you have any names of overseas programs that we could look into? Or suggestions about how to obtain an internships? I just don't have any clue where to look or how to go about such things so any pointers to get started would be appreciated. Check out this thread from October: "Revisiting the gap year concept" -- in post #4, I listed all of the gap year resources and links that I had accumulated for my homeschool group -- a number of international volunteer groups, plus links with information about "doing" a gap year. Not doing it as a gap year, but DS#2 (age 22) JUST applied and shipped off to the 6-month AmeriCorps project he applied for and will earn an educational credit of $2865 at competition of his project. AmeriCorps is the US domestic peace corps program with loads of different types of programs, and different length of projects you apply for (typically 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months). You get room & board and/or a stipend for living expenses, and a federal educational credit that is applied to tuition (or, student debt if you have already attended college). It looks like some of the projects are more group-oriented, and some more solo, so you'd want to carefully sort through and figure out not only what type of project would be a good fit for your DS, but also how will he handle the living situation, as the more solo projects you really are on your own for getting around, getting/preparing food, even lining up your own housing. Right now is the time to be looking at projects and applying, as there is an April 1 or April 30 deadline on projects that start in May or June. Here is the webpage that allows you to search by project area/type, and by state, so you can apply fairly close to home if there is a project that fits you. Do take into consideration whether your DS is going to be able to handle the living on his own AND living overseas in a foreign country simultaneously -- you mentioned he is a "late bloomer" emotionally/maturity wise, and he may do better with a gentler "stepping stone" of doing something domestic first before going overseas, unless your family has done international travel and he feels comfortable with that. Just a thought! You know him best. :) BEST of luck with a possibly exciting change in plans for next year! Sometimes these unexpected hiccups in our carefully made plans turn out to be fantastic opportunities! Hoping that is exactly the case for your DS! Warmest regards, Lori D. Edited March 20, 2016 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I don't have time to read all the replies (I have a paper due tomorrow myself LOL) but I thought I'd give my thoughts. How motivated is _he_? I would seriously consider going to the local community college with the intent of earning an AS in Science (I saw where you said he is headed to Engineering). Transferring is less of an issue, if he earns the AS. Why is this a good/better option? First, he can still apply to other universities for this year (late enrollment) and for next year. If he gets in and they accept his transfer credits (ENG 101 is ENG 101 everywhere with little difference), then he moves on. However, if he doesn't get in. Then he shows his intent and determination, his seriousness, in gathering the credits for an AS. Take that AS to earn his BS. Hope that makes sense, Kris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 There is a distinction between credits earned before hs graduation (AP and DE) and those taken post graduation. Be careful with this if you are trying to keep options open at several schools. from my local state U: How do I know if I am a transfer student? Students are considered transfer applicants if they have completed a minimum of 24 or more transferable college semester credits/units by the time of application and are a high school graduate (or equivalent). Applicants with fewer than 24 units, are still eligible to apply; however, their admission decision will be based on Freshman application guidelines and comprehensive review. I would assume this would include the HS AP and DE credits as well but of course ask. So bottom line please research a particular college requirements before moving forward with post HS plans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I haven't read all the responses, so forgive me if this is redundant, but here is a list of colleges with late or rolling admissions: http://time.com/money/3652370/best-colleges-late-application-deadline/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 The waitlist decisions just came out a few days ago. We haven't done anything yet other than say he will accept a place on the waitlist. However, this school is known for putting THOUSANDS of kids on the waitlist and many years take NONE from the waitlist. The most they have taken in any single year is 150 and that is only a small percentage of their possibilities. They actively encourage the waitlist kids to look somewhere else. Nonetheless, if you can afford this school, it is worth putting some effort in trying to get in. I know a kid who got in to a good engineering school after being waitlisted. This school rarely admits anyone from the waitlist. His family called the admissions office and made it clear that, if offered admission, the student would attend. They talked to admissions about what the student needed to do to be, at the very least, top of the waitlist. I don't remember the details, though I believe the family visited the school, called several times, and wrote a detailed letter expressing the student's interest in attending. They may also have re-iterated and updated the student's qualifications. The effort paid off, and the student attended (and recently graduated from) the school. I wouldn't put all your eggs in the waitlist basket, but it may be worth some effort to show the school that you are very serious about your ds attending there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoanHomeEd Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Just yesterday (3/19/2016), University of Oklahoma still sent an email to DC. It says, Apply to OU. Even though our application deadline has passed, we can work with our admissions office to extend the deadline for you.It's engineering programs are ABET accredited http://www.ou.edu/coe/academics.html and OU is one of those that offers great scholarships. I can forward you the email if you are interested. Edited March 20, 2016 by JoanHomeEd 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (ENG 101 is ENG 101 everywhere with little difference) Couldn't let this slip by as it's so NOT TRUE. Chances are, for an Engineer, if he gets an English credit, it won't affect his future in his major regardless of how deep that English class is. However, I can't say the same about Calculus. If you opt for the CC or transfer route, you definitely need to check the depth of the classes offered, not just whether credits will transfer or you can stick with classes that won't matter, BUT this latter option won't help him finish in 4 years as Engineering is a very course heavy major with specifics of what needs to be taken in what order. But seriously folks, the whole idea that Course A is identical to Course A just because the names are the same is very, very untrue. One need only sit in on some classes at different places - or check tests - to see this fact. We had a Bio teacher who often told his students in his CC DE class this myth. I took him the first test middle son had in his Bio 101 class at URoc and it took him less than 30 seconds to see he hadn't been telling the truth. (He no longer tells his students the myth!) He was awed and mentioned that some of the things being tested he didn't come across until grad school classes. But URoc is a Research University where undergrads DO research. They need to have more than basic info to step into what they are getting into. They expect more. At some schools, they honestly expect kids to have an AP or DE level of knowledge coming in to Bio 101. Those who don't will have far more work to do to do well in their classes. Youngest son took our school's DE Bio class and sat in on a class with middle son. He called his DE class Bio-Lite after that experience. Calc is the same way. English too. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 (edited) I wonder if it would work to look north? Canadian university application deadlines are typically later than many American ones; the University of Windsor has an engineering school and they appear to have some special financial arrangements for American students. I only mention it because it's quite close to the school where your son was accepted, so I hoped it might still be close enough to home to be an interesting option for you. https://www.uwindsor.ca/engineering/ http://www1.uwindsor.ca/awards/us-federal-funding http://www1.uwindsor.ca/future-students/us-students Good luck--you have had a lot on your plate this year, it sounds like. I hope you will find something that will work well for your son. Edited to add an additional link. Edited March 21, 2016 by Emerald Stoker 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Haven't read all of the responses, but wanted to say that two of my children applied for colleges in April or May, and ended up getting very good scholarships for the year beginning in September. These were private LAC's with rolling admissions. Even as late as the first week of school, one of the colleges was coming up with new scholarships to help out (after we had already accepted). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugs Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 A gap year doesn't have to be spectacular. My daughter applied in the fall of her gap year for colleges the following year and was admitted to all. During that year she worked then went on a trip to Europe over the summer (but this was obviously not on her applications). Just another point. Though lower level classes at big U's tend to be very large, engineering (junior & senior level) classes really are not. Sorry if I repeated what someone else may have pointed out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.W Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 I feel a little awkward responding because I haven't posted in these forums in many years, but it's still my go-to place for reading up on various homeschool topics. I have a daughter who also loves the small STEM schools and wanted to encourage you to look at Missouri S&T. I just checked their website and it looks like there is no deadline for scholarships (I'd call to confirm) and they have pretty reasonable OOS tuition compared to most other small STEM schools. We know a few kids who have gone there (including one who applied late) and they all love it there; my DD went to their engineering camp and loved it too. She visited places like Colorado Mines, Illinois Tech, and Rose Hulman and felt like S&T had the same feel and potential, despite not being as selective as the other schools. I have a cousin who works for Raytheon and he says the S&T grads are very well respected. Just a thought! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 Thank you to all for the suggestions and ideas both on list and off. I had DS read through them as well. He is starting to see things a bit more clearly. We are working on a application for Missouri S&T. It had been on our list of considerations at one point and then got dropped but even DS doesn't know why it wasn't on the list anymore (he thinks he may have just forgotten it). He is also considering the local CC. There are a few classes he could take there and some of them he could do online from home (which greatly appeals to him). Even though he doesn't want to transfer to the local university, our CC is quite good and has agreements with many schools both in and out of state so hopefully he would still have some options down the road. We are still working our way through some of the other links so thanks for those as well. We at least have more things to consider and will hopefully find the right choice for DS. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 (edited) I had a few friends who did gap years and it was worthwhile, even though they were very different. One lived for a year with a family in Africa - there was a little volunteer work but it was largely meant to be kind of a cultural experience. The other worked for a year in his dad's hardware store - less exciting but he saved some money and really felt like that year of working was a big help. I remember chatting with the first friend and the president of our college, and he felt that students who took a gap year were far better off in terms of maturity, perspective, and sense of how to work effectivly. Edited March 21, 2016 by Bluegoat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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