Questions About College?

1. Can you get your bachelors degree in one area of study, and then continue to get your masters in a different area? Or do your bachelors and masters have to match?
   
   You definitely can study one major in undergraduate school and get a masters degree in another. However, if you do decide to do so, please keep a few things in mind. It’s important that you plan ahead before you study one thing in your undergraduate studies and consider another program for your masters. Consult with the graduate school that you are interested in before completing your undergraduate program. Also keep in mind that you may have to take some undergraduate prerequisites before starting your master's degree.
   
   For example, you decide to receive an undergraduate degree in history. But decide you want a Master's degree in business administration. The Business School will probably make you take some undergraduate courses before starting your master's degree.
    
2. I am going to be a senior this year in high school. I was wondering how early I should apply for the colleges of my choice so I can hopefully attend in the fall of next year.
   
   Hopefully by now, you have selected at least 3-5 colleges that you are planning on applying to this fall. What I would do right now is make sure you are staying in contact with admission counselors at the schools you are going to be applying to. If you haven’t spoken to anyone from those admissions offices then I would e-mail or call and let them know you will be applying. See if there is any advice they can offer you when submitting your application.
   
   Most deadlines range from February 1st to May 1st, so make sure you know the deadlines for the applications along with letters of recommendation and transcripts. Also, please try to visit the colleges you are interested in. This summer is a great opportunity to do so and while you're there visiting, see if you can schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor.
    
3. I've recently enrolled in a graduate school program to pursue my MSW in New York City. I am half Latina and half Greek but because my mother is Latina my last name is not. I feel like people doubt my Hispanic heritage simply because I have a Greek last name. I was raised in a predominantly-Hispanic neighborhood, went to public school, hung out with Spanish kids and studied Spanish abroad. I guess my question is, could I still qualify for Hispanic scholarships when my last name doesn't represent anything Spanish to begin with.
   
   If you are of Hispanic descent, regardless of your last name, you would still qualify for targeted Hispanic scholarships. I would encourage you to look into our scholarship program next year. If you have any questions regarding our scholarship program, please do not hesitate to contact me. Good luck in your graduate studies and I look forward to hearing from you
   soon.
    
4. Will colleges care if I take 2 periods off from school next year? Every period that I'm at school I will be taking a core class and I have already exceeded the credits I need. If I don’t take periods off I will be taking useless electives, so does it really make a difference?
   
   One of the first things colleges look at is your senior year on your high school transcript. They not only look at how you did that year but they also look at what courses you took. Regardless of finishing your core credits early your first three years in high school, they will not look very highly on our application if you've only signed up for 2 or 3 classes your senior year. Colleges want students that go above and beyond what a student is expected to do. They do not want students that have just accomplish the bare minimum.
   
   As a former admissions counselor, I would highly recommend you take another science or another math course. Maybe even take another foreign language if possible. By taking extra classes that aren't required, you show colleges that you enjoy challenging yourself and that you go above and beyond what is expected of you.
   
   
5. I recently chose the college I wanted to go to, and unlike the rest of my friends I am not that excited about it. I question whether I’ve made the right decision. If I wanted to change my decision is there a way to get my scholarship money transferred to the new school without having to attend the one I have recently chosen or should I just stick it out and see what happens.
   
   Normally most schools will allow you to withdraw from a college without a monetary penalty by a certain deadline. Contact the school you originally submitted your scholarship money and have them release your scholarship award to the school you intend on enrolling in. If you do change your decision, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. It is important to be happy and content with your college choice.
    
6. How long does it take to get a degree in photography?
   
   Thank you very much for your question. It all depends on what school you decide to attend to get a photography degree. They do offer photography under the major of journalism at colleges and universities. For that type of study it would probably take you at least 4 years to graduate with a bachelor's degree in photography. Another option for you would be to attend a community college and get an associates degree in photography. That would take approximately 2 years to complete that program.
   
   I think you have to ask yourself a couple of things. What kind of college experience do you want to have? If you sole purpose is to just study photography and get out of school, then you may want to find a fast and efficient program like those offered at a community college. But if you are looking for a larger experience and possibly want to learn a little bit about journalism, then maybe a bachelors degree is something you check out.
    
7. I pretty much messed up during my freshman and sophomore year in high school 2.6 G.P.A. Now I realize just how important going to a good university is to me. I started working hard with a 3.6 G.P.A. the past semester. However, I know it's not going to be enough to put me into a great university right away. That is why I’m deciding to go to a community college first. My question is I’m going to be a senior in high school next year. Is there any thing I can do next year to help my community college life better in the future? Are there any classes I should take, or clubs that I should join?
   
   I think it's great that you are trying to prepare for community college. I also think community college is a great way to begin your college life. It can be very cost effective and make the transition from high school to college a lot easier.
   
   I would recommend that during your senior year, go and visit the community college you plan on attending and see if there are courses you can take in the summer. By doing this you get a little bit of a head start on your classes and it makes it easier getting into that college feel before the fall semester begins. Also, visit some of the universities you plan on attending after community college and see what courses transfer from the community college to that particular university.
    
8. I have a few questions. First off, I graduated in May of 2005, and I decided to take a year off and just work and just take a break. I need to know what exactly I need to do in order to get back in the swing of things to start college. How do I go about getting financial aid? Is online school a good choice? And how do I narrow down my choices of what to go to school for? I feel very lost in all of this and would greatly appreciate it if somebody from your company could e-mail me back with some feedback. Thank you.
   
   Well, I think it's great that you want to start college even after taking a break from school. What I would recommend is since you're still a little unsure of what direction you want to take, begin by attending community college for at least one year. It's affordable and it will allow you a little time to make a solid transition into the college atmosphere.
   
   As far as financial aid is concerned, you can pick up FAFSA application at either your old high school or at the community college you plan on attending. This is the application you will need to fill out to see if you qualify for any free money or loans for school. Again, I think its great you're going to college. Don't let anything stand in your way.
    
9. What age do you need to be to go to college?
   
   Thanks for the question. There really isn’t a particular age that you have to be to go to college. What is required is that you have completed a high school diploma or a GED certificate. Once you have done that then you can attend college. Good luck!
    

10. I am in transition from my undergraduate university to graduate school. Which school should I have fill-out the financial aid section of the application form?
    
    The institution to which you have been accepted, in this case, the graduate school. If you have not been accepted, apply after acceptance. Most schools will confirm acceptance prior to September 15.
     

11. I'm interested in applying for scholarships, but I have never applied for any, so I don't have experience in writing essays on why the scholarship should be given to me. Are there any web sites or people that might be able to help me?
    
    I suggest you re-visit our student web site, www.chciyouth.org, to review the scholarship section. It contains a lot of great information. Also, you should visit http://fastweb.monster.com, which contains a lot of great articles on applying for scholarships. Good luck!
     

12. I want to attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year university, how do I prepare myself?
    
    Once you have selected a community college, you should make an appointment to see an admission counselor to discuss the application process, your educational goals and how to finance your education. When you meet with an admission counselor at the community college, make sure you let her/him know that after completing your two years at the college you plan to transfer to a university. Also meet with an admissions counselor at the university you want to transfer to and discuss their application process, your educational goals and which class credits from the community college will transfer to the university. Always keep in contact with the counselors to make your college life a smooth one.
     

13. Does a charter school look better on a college application?
    
    A charter high school does not look better or worse than a regular high school on a college application. Although it is true that many colleges take into account the high school you attended, they look much more at how well you do at that school. You should strive to be in the top 10 percent of your class. However, since all schools are different, I suggest you contact the college you want to attend and speak with an admissions officer to verify their particular criteria.
     

14. What should you do when you apply to a university and you get put on a waiting list?
    
    The first thing you should do is congratulate yourself for being put on the waiting list. Why? Because by not denying you admission, you still have a shot. I recommend calling the college’s admissions office and pleading your case. Colleges like students with initiative, and by calling the school you are showing them that you have plenty of it. Ask them if there is anything you can do to gain acceptance into the college. Convince them that you will significantly contribute to the college’s diversity, talent, and campus life. Express your enthusiasm for attending that school. Because they placed you on the waiting list, they know you have the academic talent it takes to succeed at that school. Now it is time to show them the other parts of you that did not come across on the application.
     

15. I’m in twelfth grade right now and I'm planning to move out of my parents' house. I want to find a job and study at the same time. Would becoming independent affect my chances of getting into a college or receiving financial aid?
    
    No. Although it is difficult for some of us to move out of our parents’ house, it will not affect your chances of getting accepted into a college or university. College admissions is generally based on your high school academic performance, essays, letters of recommendation, entrance exams, and involvement in extracurricular activities. Similarly, becoming independent from your parents will not affect your chances of receiving financial aid from the school, state, or federal government. In fact, it may increase the amount of money you are awarded. In general the amount of financial aid a student is given depends on the financial information he or she provides. If you do not provide any information for your parents, your need will automatically be greater since you will not be counting on their financial support to pay for college. Be sure to clearly explain your situation to the school and on any financial aid forms you are filling out.
     

16. I dropped out of school in 1996 because of a low GPA. Can I return to another college and start over as a freshman instead of as a transfer student?
    
    Yes. In general, you can apply to any school you want without disclosing your past college experience. If accepted, you will start school as a freshman, not as a transfer student. When applying to any university, you only have to provide your old college transcript if you want to get credit from your new school for the classes you took at the previous college you attended. However, please note that colleges’ policies do vary, so I suggest checking with an admissions officer at the school you are applying to.
     

17. I don't have a very high SAT score. Would that seriously affect my chances of getting into college?
    
    It depends on what type of college you are applying to and on the rest of your application. Most, if not all, two-year community colleges do not require that students take the SAT or any other college entrance exam. However, most four-year universities do require the SAT or ACT for admissions. The good thing is that the score you get on the SAT does not alone determine whether a student will get accepted or rejected from a college. Generally, college admissions is also based on your high school academic performance, essays, letters of recommendation, and involvement in extracurricular activities. If your SAT score is bad, you should focus on strengthen the other parts of your college application. Make sure you are getting the best grades you can in high school, that your application and essays do not have grammatical errors or mistakes in them, and that your letters of recommendation are coming from people who really know you very well.
     

18. My high school counselor isn't much help in encouraging students to apply for colleges and scholarships. Because there are only a few Hispanic students in my school I sometimes feel overlooked, as I am Hispanic. What scholarships are there out there that I am able to apply to? I've been searching a lot but tend to run into "For Residents of (a certain state)". It seems to me like there are only a few scholarships for Oregon. Help!!!
    
    
    Unfortunately, many counselors throughout America’s high schools are not doing their job. To assist Latino students pay college CHCI offers a $5,000 scholarship awards program. In addition, we put together the 2002 National Directory of Scholarships, Internships, and Fellowships for Latino Youth to assist students find other resources. To request a scholarship application or a free copy or the directory, call 1 (800) EXCEL-DC or download it from our web site. For additional listings of scholarships for Latinos, I suggest you visit the Hispanic Scholarship Funds’ web site at www.hsf.net, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s web site at www.maldef.org.

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