u/Jaded-Ad821

Hello, as the title says I’m an upcoming sophomore double major in B.S. Environmental Science + B.A. Plant & Soil Sciences at a state college in the midwest. I’ve lived here my whole life and have a house 40 minutes away I reside in, though the commute is rough as it usually takes 1:30 hours of my day. This entire post started as I met my current boyfriend who is an engineer graduated from Penn State, his family also attended Penn state and he lives in PA. (Not state college) I recently visited him, State College and talked to people in the Tyson building (for agri i believe) and another plant building, I also talked to an advisor, financial aid, and admissions. I can get into UP, I have a 3.18 GPA as of my freshman year + 24 credits from high school (AP Classes) so right now (before sophomore year) I have 54 credits. I plan to get my GPA up.
Anyways I loved it there, I’m so incredibly jealous, I could just imagine myself walking there, meeting new people, joining clubs.

My college:
Finances: I have a full ride + excess in scholarships. (Getting paid 3k a semester next semester + $500 every year, so senior year I’m getting 4k a semester) I project to graduate with 15k in my account (not accounting me working two part time jobs)
Mental Health: I hate it here, I’ve lived here my whole life, and there’s absolutely nothing to do, it’s filled with fast food, farmland, and mega churches. I don’t feel safe as a queer individual, and it’s painfully lonely here. There seems to be no people here that care for their future, everyone is a hick who drives a lifted truck and has children from 16-20. I also don’t have any family here, I’m living alone, how did end up living alone in my childhood town? I’m not sure, still processing that. I’m doing everything right to be happy here, working out, focusing on myself, networking (as much as I can in this place) and giving myself time, in therapy, but I’m realizing it’s my environment. My college isn’t like State College at all, it’s so spread out, not many trees, eduction is mediocre.
Credentials: not good

Other talents + info that may help
I’m a first gen student POC
I have full Pell Grant + work study + loans
sister can help with $100-200 each month if I move
dad can send me $200 each month
I have a pretty good volunteer + work resume, president of a club in my college currently.
Grandparents are stingy and wealthy, but kind of helpful, would let me take out loans from them without interest. Maybe would help with like 1k a semester if I really beg.

My goal
To become an environmental consultant, work in pollution reduction, or horticulture + plants, live in NYC, Seattle, Pittsburgh, or Chicago.

What I ask
Is there any way to lower this insane out of state tuition? Applying for the main scholarships on Penn state scholarships page, fasfa, RA (my boyfriend was on RA board at Penn state and can possibly help me get the position my senior year), and research are all I can think of, and even with that, a miracle would be 50k in debt and worst case is 100k.
Is there anything at all to help a student like me in this situation? Affordable housing, grants?

Other paths I could take
Move in with my current partner in his potential job offers in NYC and Seattle
If Seattle: Take a gap year and work to establish residency to qualify for in state tuition, then go to UoW
If NYC: Go to CUNY, they have cheap out of state tuition.

Or

Go to NMU in Albuquerque or NMSU in (town I forgot name of next to El Paso)
- Cheap out of state tuition that I qualify for
Bigger city and nearly debt free graduation

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated, please understand that I absolutely do not want to be here anymore so I will not hear anyone out on staying lol.

Hello all, constructive and honest advice will be taken with gratitude

I’m currently an upcoming sophomore student at Arkansas State university (with an extra semester of credits from H.S.) with a double major in environmental science and plant and soil science.
- My dream job would be designing sustainable gardens, permaculture, and urban foresting. But for right now since my university doesn’t offer much, I’m leaning towards agronomy or sustainable agriculture area.
-I have a lot of experience in gardening, currently I own a 30 garden beds and I have a few helpers that volunteer as I coordinate them as the horticultural leader. I also have made a community garden here and worked in landscaping in high school, and I am the president of my ceramics club here at Arkansas State. I would say I am pretty good at ceramic arts and though I’m not in a ceramic major, I throw better than many of the advanced class students. I am also a first generation student to an immigrant family.
- To be honest, I’m sick of it here in bumblefuck Arkansas, the endless stroads of the south with car dealerships, fast food, Walmarts, and the fact you have to drive EVERYWHERE. Just ready to leave and meet new people with new experiences.
- Currently I’m getting paid to go to Arkansas State due to my overflow of scholarships, this next year I will be handed nearly 6.5k in a fat check just for going to college, my JR year 7k and senior year, 7.5k.
- I have a sister in Denver who has lived there for 4-5 years, I’ve visited Denver and boulder, went camping in the Rockies, and loved it. CO is lowkey what Arkansas wanted to be, natural state but better lol.
- I really need advice on if this is realistic and what to expect, I’m aware of the endless paperwork and applications, but is there any scholarships that are not common? (If that’s the right word)
I can’t stay here anymore, my family is always at each other’s neck and it’s driving me crazy.
Thanks very much 🙂