A couple questions.
Assuming he shares you, his parents' faith, is this a clear calling on his life?
No, this is another chapter in the saga, though I am sure that it is not all that different than the average kid going into adulthood vocational preparation via college. I knew I wanted to get a good job in order to marry ALAYWIFE and didn't care what kind of work got me to that goal. I was capable of digging ditches, or apt in science. I took the ASVAB and was on track to the Air Force if I didn't elect to go the college route. I settled on staying close to the beautiful hazel-eyed girl that I eventually married, so college seemed the obvious choice.
I had to work with my hands reasonably often as a teen, but ALAYBOY has shown no affinity for rake or shovel handles. White collar for sure. Having said that, he thought early on that he wanted to follow in pop's shoes and be a chemist, then in early high school it switched to a more generic "scientist" concept, and only in the last 8-12 months (much through influences a few of the teachers at his school) he switched to health sciences....radiologist. The most difficult part of this whole scenario is two factors in ALAYBOY's persona. First is the fact he is very close to the vest with his inner thoughts, and the second is his naivete in pursuing a "calling". He is very mature on the surface, but in regards to the concept of knowing what he wants to do in life it is very clear that he lacks the pathos, or the understanding of how to go about growing into anything close to a "calling" at this point. I think his motive for a career path is immature wrought from the notions of "success" and money (though to his credit, he is ANYTHING but materialistic in his pursuits and measurable attitude).
Is ALAYBOY already preparing to enter his chosen field or have connections to entering such even before college begins? Does he know anyone who can hook him up?
I have several connections that will provide for some shadowing opportunities, but as of now he is content for professional development in parallel while attending college coursework
What are is preferred schools? Why are they his preferred schools?
Ohio State main campus, Univ of Cinci, Wright State, Toledo, in that order. PODUNK ain't even a distant 5th.
If preferred schools aren't an option at first, can prerequisites be accomplished at a junior college level? (back to the preparation question and Huk's excellent suggestion)
Yes, more muddying the waters in ALAYBOY's critical thinking skills manifest via this line of questioning. For reasons not completely clear to me (though OSU does generally hold high regard in regards to easing the entry into medschool) he wants to go to OSU, but only the main campus. I explained that OSU satellites will take him NOW guaranteed and then after 30 hours there he would be able to transfer onto the main campus, but if he can't start as a frosh at OSU-Columbus he is going to go to Cinci (he's on deferred status at OSU where they require near a 31 ACT score...he has a 29, and already been accepted at Cinci).
Are there apprenticeship programs available?
Is military service with the accompanying GI Bill an option?
Military is a no-go for his soft butt.
Is taking longer than the standard four years to gain a degree an acceptable option?
Yes, though that is not in the tea leaves for progression through this chute at this point.
I ask these questions because when I went to college, I thought I knew what I wanted to do despite the fact I made no preparations in my life towards those goals. When I got into what I thought I wanted to do an reality set in, my major changed. Also, I was raised with the mindset that came from parents who grew up during the Great Depression. That one goes to college, well, because, COLLEGE. It's how you put yourself into a position to make a decent living. I had little realistic vision for myself. I'm not saying this is where ALAYBOY is.
College is godlessly expensive and therefore represents a significant financial investment that only the purchase of a home can rival. But you knew that...
I ended up with a degree in Business Administration with a minor in IT systems. You'd think I could get a job anywhere. The biggest thing I learned is how perishable a degree in IT is and that colleges are masters of marketing: creating a perceived need and promising they can fulfill it for all their customers. And who said my education isn't doing me any good?
Another thing to consider is, where does ALAYBOY want to pursue his career? What priority does he place on family, church or hometown? Certain careers, no, MOST careers will conflict with personal priorities and sacrifices will be required. I could have gone far in my career after college if I wanted to uproot Mrs. abcaines and myself from family and hometown and move to San Antonio TX.
These are foundational questions that you may have considered that I would have done well to do the same myself.
Now, more specifically, the financial aid office of the college I eventually graduated from turned me on to a scholarship that paid $3000/ year for four years. I didn't know about it, I just applied through the office and landed it. If the financial aid office at a perspective school is worth its salt, it would not surprise me if the same happened to you.
Of course, the 900 pound gorilla in the room is student loans. When I graduated, I had $16K in loans to repay. Not much compared to others but still formidable. Fortunately, God intervened and my loans were paid off within 18 months, just as the 2008 recession hit and I was laid off. Now, I am working in what I was doing before college. It's with a school district and the main advantage is fair medical coverage for Mrs. acaines and myself. Plus, a small state pension.
Sorry to be so long winded but you asked this old fart to speak from experience.
Yes, the fact that college is not a guarantee into the workforce is a factor here, but he doesn't have ANY desire to go the route of a skilled craft or trade, nor military training, so it's either "would you like fries with that?" or the academic route for him, as of now. He has been primed from middle school to understand that there are requirements for mom and pop to pick up the check on college, and to this point he seems to be holding up his end of that deal. The general offerings from colleges so far is about 33% of the bill (scholarships in line with about 6K per year from the colleges themselves, whereas we hope/aspire to pick up a significant chunk through the mechanism of private scholarships offered by endowments and foundations, etc, hence the question about how others have fared in regards to the essay-test Scholarship apps). And whatever transpires throughout the undergrad path, assuming the debt is manageable, he will have to assume the dough for paying for med school. After all, if you are going to make that kind of money you can afford to pay your own debt.
. You mentioned things may be different than you experienced. The big emphasis is to get these forms filled out ASAP (at the beginning of the senior school year) but this by default means that many of those who are testing will not have taken their most recent ACT (in their Senior year) when they are expected to have diligently and prudently finished their FAFSA, so I would hope that the process would make allowance for the updating of that final ACT score in the natural course of the testing process (after all, it appears to be common knowledge that kids who test prior to their senior year have yet to be schooled in some materials on the ACT, which explains in part why follow-up testing typically yields higher scores for conscientious students who do their re-test in their senior year).
