College On The Cheap

by larc 5 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  larc

  I am writing this for those of you who want to go to college or who have children that you want to go to college.

  FREE EDUCATION: That's right, there is a college that does not charge any tuition. It is Berea College in Berea Kentucky, which is about 15 miles south of Lexington, just off I-75. The requirements are as follows: you must be poor, in the top 30% of your high school class, and 80% of the students must be from Appalachia.

  If you don't qualify, what other opportunities do you know of? I don't know if they are still avialable, but Pell Grants were a wonderful opportunity to get an education.

  So, my information may help someone and others may have ideas about furthering an education.
• 

  metatron

  Try Charter Oak or Excelsior College in New England.

  Very nice folks. Very inexpensive - if you use CLEP tests or internet courses.

  Also, look at Brigham Young U. yep, the Mormons! They have college credit courses vis internet/correspondence

  for about $300 (plus books) each.

  Check it out

  metatron
• 

  waiting

  Howdy fellas,

  My son goes to Charleston College with his girlfriend - and they work, got scholarships, got loans that'll follow them for a long time.

  Anyway..........some of their funding got screwed up. They both called & visited the different counselors & women in the office. Not only didn't they get help - they were rebuffed. Guess the lower levels are tired of students?

  His girfriend went to speak with a higher guy (he wasn't a counselor - but someone in management), and he helped her in another area of information. She, while thanking him, said offhandedly, "Wish I could have found you when my boyfriend's scholarship screwed up." He asked - she said there was nothing that could be done about it. He raised his eyebrows, looked up my son's grades, and said "Give me till this afternoon." Voila & accomplished.

  When all else fails.....keep going up the proverbial ladder of management. A smile and politeness helps too.

  School is school.....but it's still big business and all KINDS of personalities.

  waiting
• 

  outnfree

  larc,

  I heard of this college and went to visit on a return trip from Florida once. We stayed at Boone's Tavern Inn (I think that's the name) which is staffed by students from the college. Students DO have to work off their tuition in various jobs around the university. Some of the students get to work at weaving, woodcraft, soap-making, etc. to keep Appalachian crafts alive. (I bought a baby blanket, a chinese checkers set, and a Longaberger type woven wastebasket with cherry wood trim at their gift shop. (www.bereacollegecrafts.com) Others work as waitstaff or tour guides. It's a lovely campus and a wonderful idea for providing low-income students with a fine education. Also, you'd be surprised at what constitutes "Appalachia" -- it's not just WVA, KY and TN! For their purposes, it comprises 15 states or parts of states.

  Well worth checking out at www.berea.edu

  And, yes, there are still PELL Grants! [;)} at other colleges.

  out
• 

  larc

  Outnfree,

  Yep, you know the place. We stayed at the Boone Inn as well. It is a delightful place. While there, I sat in the lobby and got into a conversation with an alumnus. He as about 80 years old. He told me that if it wasn't for the school, he would either be dead or very poor.

  He became a high level manager in the Social Security Administration. When he retired, he and his wife took a six month tour around the world. Now, that is quite a step up from poverty.

  Now, what are some methods of getting a college education, if you are of limited means?
• 

  cellomould

  Well, getting durned good grades surely doesn't hurt...use what resources you have wisely. Take advantage of contacts. While the wealthy may seem to have an advantage here, it is not necessarily so.

  SAT and GRE (or GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc) prep can be done on your own, without the need for those expensive classes. Buy a book (or 2 or 3) and start practicing soon!

  I think that you still will have to save your pennies to apply to colleges. There isn't really a way around this. Application fees are high. If you are of limited means, start early. Talk with entrance counselors from lots of universities. Don't be afraid to ask what they can do for you.

  On the average, state universities will provide the best education. Some really good public universities are in California (10 UC and 23 CSU campuses), Oregon, Ohio, Michigan, New York (64 campuses!), etc...

  UC Berkeley and Los Angeles have oodles of programs that are very highly ranked nationally. They compete very well with Ivy League and other private schools, especially in graduate studies. Considering that the costs are so much smaller, you can't go wrong...

  While public institutions have low costs, many private insitutions will give full scholarships to deserving students. So do not overlook the private university. I had a friend who was denied admission to UCLA and UC Berkeley, but was awarded a full scholarship at Boston University. You may find that there is less competition for admission to private universities.

  When I was applying for college, the internet was a fledgling, with maybe a few message servers and a few webpages. The amount of information on the net now is staggering...USE IT! Access is also improved now, as you can log on at public libraries and many other places (i.e. internet cafes, which are relatively cheap). Do your homework!

  cellmould