[BROKENheaven]

Sorry i might be posting in the wrong section since this is still kind of 'pre college' but i had a feeling id get better response here.

So heres the problem, im family isnt very well offed and the first thing my dad told me when i started applying for colleges was, "Dont even think about going out of states or out of town". I guess the main reason would be because we don't have the money for it. Even if i get scholarships, i probably wont have enough to survive (food, living, etc.) and second, im not a very independent person. I've always been over protected and sort of lived in this 'cave' (not that i dont have a social life, im just not independent) so i guess my parents don't trust me living on my own at all. But anyway, im planning to go an art college but the only choice i have is the one in my state. It's not a bad school its just that i think i have the potential to go further. People have been telling me that i'd just wasting my time there and my art teachers have been convincing me to try for schools like Parsons, RISD, etc. I've been telling myself i would go out of states for my MFA (a way to make myself feel more hopeful i guess) but alot of schools like Parsons don't offer MFA for my major. If you were to ask me, yes i do want to go to Parsons but my current situation doesnt allows it. Is there even anything i can do about this situation? Am i making the right decision to stay in states and follow my parents decisions?

[sfwong445]

I think you should go for your dream college if you can find a way to afford it. I believe it will pay off more than going to an "average" cheaper state college. I decided to stay in-state because the out-of-state one was really expensive and I didn't want to.. I am kind of regretting that choice right now. So, based on my experiences I think you should go for your dream college instead of staying in the states.

[ronmexico]

Most schools will offer need-based aid, and some will even waive tuition altogether if your parents' income is below a certain level. I don't know of any art schools that do this, but admittedly I don't know much about art schools. You can always take out loans to pay for school, though you need to seriously consider whether it's prudent to do so, especially if you're taking out private loans. In any case, you should at least apply to the schools you want to, even if you don't know beforehand what kind of aid they might offer.

[distorted-daytime]

I can relate to your situation. I was not able to attend my dream school even if I got accepted because we didn't have money for it. Even if I can get financial aid, we still didn't have enough money for other expenses (living, books, food, etc.). So I just settled for a more affordable school even if it wasn't exactly my dream school. I guess it's better than not going to school at all.

I think it's better for you to follow your parents' choice since you're not yet in the position to decide for yourself. Even if you get accepted in your dream school, it would be very difficult for you and your family to keep up with the expenses. You can still apply and try to get financial aid but keep in mind if you can handle the future expenses. I'm not trying to discourage you, but that's what I've learned from experience.

[ronmexico]

You can use financial aid to pay for living expenses, too. Although, again, if you're going to be taking out loans, you need to think about whether it's worth it, and whether a more expensive school is really any better. But there's no reason not to at least apply.

[echoism]

If you're paying for it, then I think you can decide which schools are worth it for you to go to. But if your parents are paying for it, of course you're going to most likely follow what they say. I wanted to go to NYU but there was no way I was paying $50,000 a year in loans if my parents weren't going pay so I decided on a cheaper school. And it actually ended up much better for me in the long run.

If you're really serious, put together your reasons for wanting to apply to different schools and a detailed plan on how you plan to go about it (what scholarships can you get, how will you pay for your living costs, study plans, etc.). If you show you are very serious about it and pretty responsible, maybe they will open up some options for you.

Another thought is to go to a state/community college to cheaply get your basic requirement classes done, and then transfer to a "better" school.

[lettuce]

I have to tell you to go for your dream school.
My parents were very overprotective too, and at first they told me not to even think of going out of state.
But i showed how much I wanted to go to my dream school and they knew that would be the school I was so passionate for.
So eventually they let me go...
Just tell them that you want to your dream school, and that you would do your very best there.
That you're going to aim to be the best in the world hehe
and financial aid... you can worry about that later! There is always loans and scholarships that you can find!
Plus, Parsons is very generous when it gets to scholarships. (: as long as you have a good portfolio and transcript for them, it should be fine! (:

[WitchGoddess]

If you're paying for it, then I think you can decide which schools are worth it for you to go to. But if your parents are paying for it, of course you're going to most likely follow what they say. I wanted to go to NYU but there was no way I was paying $50,000 a year in loans if my parents weren't going pay so I decided on a cheaper school. And it actually ended up much better for me in the long run.

If you're really serious, put together your reasons for wanting to apply to different schools and a detailed plan on how you plan to go about it (what scholarships can you get, how will you pay for your living costs, study plans, etc.). If you show you are very serious about it and pretty responsible, maybe they will open up some options for you.

Another thought is to go to a state/community college to cheaply get your basic requirement classes done, and then transfer to a "better" school.

I'm like on the other side of that. I am at NYU right now. It is expensive, but I got a lot of fin aid to meet my EFC.
But if you did not get much fin aid, then I would tell you to stay where you are. The whole "follow your dream thing" is subjective, because most schools give you the same education. Its just the name and the title on your graduation sheet that makes people spend a lot more in a year. Right now I'm kind of regretting my choice. I love this city, but the cost of it per year is more than overwhelming even though it met my efc.

[janelleski]

i think it would be best to get a scholarship or a financial backer first before telling your parents. once they know that, it will be easier to convince them.

go for it. good luck!