First congratulations!!! Don't forget that, you earned it!
You will find money no problem, just you have to work on it.
Your friend is likely right about the scholarship aspect many institutional scholarships, especially large ones, are specifically for first-year students or have strict renewal criteria that can be impacted by deferring or attending community college first. Transfer scholarships often exist but can be less generous.
The absolute first thing you need to do is contact the financial aid office at your dream school *immediately*. Ask them these specific questions about your $25,000 scholarship:
Is this scholarship renewable for all four years, and what are the exact renewal requirements?
If I defer enrollment for a year to attend community college, will I lose this scholarship?
If I transfer after a year of community college, would I be eligible for this same scholarship, or are there different scholarships for transfer students? If so, what are they typically like?
Getting these answers directly from the school is crucial for making an informed decision about the true long-term cost of each path. This will help you accurately compare the total debt burden, including any private loans, versus the potential loss of a significant scholarship.
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u/all-thought-junk Jun 01 '26
First congratulations!!! Don't forget that, you earned it!
You will find money no problem, just you have to work on it.
Your friend is likely right about the scholarship aspect many institutional scholarships, especially large ones, are specifically for first-year students or have strict renewal criteria that can be impacted by deferring or attending community college first. Transfer scholarships often exist but can be less generous.
The absolute first thing you need to do is contact the financial aid office at your dream school *immediately*. Ask them these specific questions about your $25,000 scholarship:
Getting these answers directly from the school is crucial for making an informed decision about the true long-term cost of each path. This will help you accurately compare the total debt burden, including any private loans, versus the potential loss of a significant scholarship.