> > I have had a job since freshman year, saved up $7000 (also from scholarships/awards and other general saving). That only pays for the cheapest colleges.
> > I was planning to attend UCLA or Berkeley, I have a pretty good academic record (1500 SAT, ranked 3/216 in my grade, 4.0 GPA, good ecs), I worked really hard for it. They're $28,000 a year (the cheapest first tier college I think), so pretty much out of the question. I don't want to attend my community/two year college, I guess I'll have to though. le sigh. BTW my mom and dad and I didn't fight, I've known this since freshman year but I always thought I'd manage save up more money. *fool*
>
> One of the first lessons that you learn in college is that life isn't fair and sometimes it doesn't go the way you want it to. Congratulations, you're learning it early.
>
> Community colleges are better than you imagine. I didn't want to go to one either, but when I did, I was much happier than I was at a larger college. Smaller class sizes allow you to get used to the work load while still being able to access professors for help and guidance (not always easy at a large school). This was incredibly helpful to me.
>
> Still there's been some good advice here too. Taking a few years off to work full time and save will give you an experience that most college students just don't have. Or applying for student loans with the help of a guidance counsellor should do.
>
> You're only wasting time if you're sitting around moping about how sad your situation is, a lot of people have it worse. There are definitely ways to go to the school you want to. You just have to find one of them and run with it.

Geez Louise! You never mentioned before that you'd chosen two of the most expensive schools in the state. There are a lot of other good schools near you, your not stuck with JC if you can't do Cal or UCLA. The college you went to doesn't matter much 10 years down the road. The reputation you make for yourself matters more.
I know a research scientist for Lockheed Martin. He's doing work usually done by Ph.D. Chemists. He doesnt have a Ph.D., he has a B.S. from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He says "There's no secret, you just work hard!"
My sister just got her Ph.D. last month from Ohio State. She is looking for a full time position that she wants. She can pick and choose. She has so much consulting work that she does not need to find a position right away. She is doing a big project for the State of Alaska. She is asked to speak all over the country and has been written up in major newspapers like The Boston Globe, and been interviewed 2 times on NPR.
Where she got her B.S. has been superceded by what she has done since.
She is a highly successfull alum of Cal Sate Chico.