College (Springfield, Columbia: credit card, student loan, dorms)

[Avengerfire]

You are very welcome.

Try UIC,DePaul,Loyola, or Columbia. Good luck getting into DePaul, UIC, or Loyola with a 19 on your ACT however. I hope you have access to gobs of money if you expect to go to UIC and live in a dorm or Columbia even if you do not live in a dorm.

[eevee]

well, good luck anyways, but just realize that you may have issues w/ a spring admission. Columbia has very little finaid to begin w/, most of it merit based, and all of it gone by now (as is most finaid). finaid in general is hard to get now (private loans are sparse due to the economy). I have no clue how dorms would work for spring admission (may be full, probably not, but you'd have to check that yourself). and you'd best apply now for classes since registration started a while ago. honestly, I'm not even 100% sure you can apply now for the spring semester! other than using the option you've already stated you don't want to use, I don't think any 4 year school will admit you for the spring semester now- you may have to wait till Fall 09 to attend if you apply now

yes, Columbia is pricey, and I'm lucky I got some good finaid, but I applied for finaid for the '08-'09 school year in Febuary of '08- all of these grants are spent by now and you'd have to rely on gov't loans and hard-to-find private loans

just think it out carefully and don't let a scum ex chase you into a bad financial decision that can have lifelong repercussions

[Frank the Tank]

Originally Posted by eevee

just think it out carefully and don't let a scum ex chase you into a bad financial decision that can have lifelong repercussions

eevee's advice here is something that you really need to take to heart. I don't want to sound curt here, but if this ex-boyfriend is as much of a scumbag as you think he is, don't make the mistake of thinking that living in a dorm means that you live in an airtight secured fortress - it's NOT. I know from firsthand experience, as I lived in a dorm in Champaign a couple of floors away from this guy:

Benjamin Nathaniel Smith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are plenty of apartment buildings, particularly in downtown Chicago, that provide just as much or more security as any dorm. Plus, you seem to want a dorm for completely wrong reasons. It's one thing if what you want is a particular type of college atmosphere in order to meet new friends and don't want to be at a commuter school - that's perfectly understandable. However, you seem to want a dorm since you think that it will somehow provide more protection. Frankly, that's unrealistic - if anything, the constant flow of people coming in and out of them makes it pretty easy for anyone to get into them compared to an apartment building. This is not to try to scare you, but I just hope that you'll think rationally about your situation.

Also, your first priority in choosing a college should be your education - end of discussion. If you aren't able to get into the college that you want right away because of your GPA and test scores, then you're better off going to community college and work your tail off to get better grades. Unless there's a program at Columbia where you would actually want to get your degree from there, I wouldn't recommend spending the large amount of tuition to just have 1 or 2 years there and then transferring when you would have filled the same general education requirements for a whole lot less money.

Do what's best for your educational and professional goals. These next 4 years are going to have a disproportionate impact on what you're going to be able to do for the rest of your life, so don't muck it up by worrying about some guy that you're not going to be with. I'm not downplaying the seriousness of this guy - if he's really going to stalk you, then you need to get a protective order and be aware of your surroundings at all times. However, making an important college decision based on whether there are dorms available strictly because it will be providing you some false sense of security means that he's controlling your life, and the best way to take back control of your life is empowering yourself by putting together a educational plan that is realistic and gives you the best chance for success.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by celestial4you

Okay, that's not the help I am asking for =/

No apartments, no community colleges. Period.

End of story.

Northeastern would most likely be the cheapest. I'm not sure what their admission standards are. That said, most schools are not going to be too impressed with a 2.5 and a 19 on the ACT. I'm not judging, I had a pretty weak GPA and only a 22 on the ACT. I had to do the JUCO thing for a year and then transfer to a good four year school.

Other schools that might accept you:

North Park
UIC (Although im guessing they are more selective)
St. Xavier is a possibility.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

eevee's advice here is something that you really need to take to heart. I don't want to sound curt here, but if this ex-boyfriend is as much of a scumbag as you think he is, don't make the mistake of thinking that living in a dorm means that you live in an airtight secured fortress - it's NOT. I know from firsthand experience, as I lived in a dorm in Champaign a couple of floors away from this guy:

Benjamin Nathaniel Smith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are plenty of apartment buildings, particularly in downtown Chicago, that provide just as much or more security as any dorm. Plus, you seem to want a dorm for completely wrong reasons. It's one thing if what you want is a particular type of college atmosphere in order to meet new friends and don't want to be at a commuter school - that's perfectly understandable. However, you seem to want a dorm since you think that it will somehow provide more protection. Frankly, that's unrealistic - if anything, the constant flow of people coming in and out of them makes it pretty easy for anyone to get into them compared to an apartment building. This is not to try to scare you, but I just hope that you'll think rationally about your situation.

Also, your first priority in choosing a college should be your education - end of discussion. If you aren't able to get into the college that you want right away because of your GPA and test scores, then you're better off going to community college and work your tail off to get better grades. Unless there's a program at Columbia where you would actually want to get your degree from there, I wouldn't recommend spending the large amount of tuition to just have 1 or 2 years there and then transferring when you would have filled the same general education requirements for a whole lot less money.

Do what's best for your educational and professional goals. These next 4 years are going to have a disproportionate impact on what you're going to be able to do for the rest of your life, so don't muck it up by worrying about some guy that you're not going to be with. I'm not downplaying the seriousness of this guy - if he's really going to stalk you, then you need to get a protective order and be aware of your surroundings at all times. However, making an important college decision based on whether there are dorms available strictly because it will be providing you some false sense of security means that he's controlling your life, and the best way to take back control of your life is empowering yourself by putting together a educational plan that is realistic and gives you the best chance for success.

True, I actually had a girl get kidnapped by an Ex-boyfriend in my dorm my sophomore year.

[jessiegirl_98]

I understand your problems with your ex, but as others suggested, if you are really concerned, then you need an order of protection. Dorms vs. no dorms is not going to make a difference. I also understand that you don't want a community college, but with a 19 ACT and low GPA, that may be your only option. I would really reassess that. You can say no CC and no place without a dorm period, but I don't know what your other options may be. Otherwise, just try and apply to places that interest you and see what happens.

[celestial4you]

I really do want the college dorm experience, which is the main reason I want a dorm. Yes another reason is because of my situation with my boyfriend.
He isn't a scum bag, he just really loves me and will follow me to talk to me about the situation and make me come back to him.
Last time I left him he threatened to kill himself if I didn't get back with him, and I realized after I agreed, that he wouldn't really do it.
I'm just sick of wasting both of our time, and would like to get out in the best way for me. Living in an apartment would drive me crazy because I would have to work long hours and go to school full time. I can't do that.

I feel as if Roosevelt is a really good school for me, and that is why I am pursuing it so much.
I got a letter in the mail telling me that I can get a $2k RU Award for each year I am enrolled full time based on my G.P.A. and ACT. Sounds like good news to me =p

Thank you all for the advice! Now I just have to wait for the acceptance or denial letter O.o

[ToriaT]

Columbia college is expensive. Consider that. They do have a dorm they share with DePaul and other downtown colleges that is very nice at the corner of Congress and State. The dorm itself will cost about 8-9k per school year, not including summers. You will need to take loans out. I think you can follow your dreams if you are willing to take out or can get loans. At the end of four years you will be 60-100k in debt probably.

P.S. I think Roosevelt students are also housed in that dorm.

[eevee]

OP, were you still looking to go Spring of 09?? or are you looking for Fall of 09?

looking at the Roosevelt website, that school is actually MORE expensive than Columbia (though not really by much). yes, Roosevelt shares the University Center w/ Columbia and Depaul, and they're nice dorms, but pricey (looks like it's $11k/academic year for a private bedroom in an apartment dorm).

I absolutely do NOT want to discourage the OP and hope she gets in, but a bit of realism is needed here. not sure what your income levels are like, but you'll find funding an education w/o a job will be very, very, hard, especially in these times. first off, you make no mention of parents, so not sure if they will be helping you out w/ the money, but regardless if they or aren't, unless you're an orphan or ward of the court, you'll be considered a dependent student, and won't get as much in gov't loans (though, if your parents are involved, they can get the PLUS loan). private loans are disappearing w/ the banks doing so badly, and, unless you have stellar credit (which would be unlikely at 19), will be hard to get (I gave up looking for private loans to fully cover my tuition and just work PT instead. plus, the interest rates of those private loans are brutal!). it doesn't look like you'll be eligible for many merit scholarships or grants either, but apply for them anyways, you may luck out. w/ tuition, room and board, and all the fees included, it'll be at least $30k per year. even if only half of this amount is in loans, $60k is a huge amount for a new teacher to have to pay back the first year out of school. heck, $30K in loans would be tough to pay back, assuming 75% of your costs are covered by grants and scholarships

not trying to rain on your parade, just hope these are points you have/will address and weigh carefully when looking at schools and on campus living

[celestial4you]

Yeah, DePaul, Columbia, Roosevelt, and I believe one other school are housed at the University Center.
I know that Financial Aid wont cover everything, and I am prepared mentally for student loans lol