What the (bleep) is an emancipated minor.

This is not a site devoted to legal advice. For all questions regarding legal terms you should contact a qualified attorney. Yet, Planet College recognizes that many terms are bandied about with some quasi-legal opinions attached to them. One of the most persistent of these is "emancipated minor." This term was originally developed to identify and legitimatize individuals who, though not yet legal age, were responsible for themselves. You may use your favorite search engine to find definitions and interpretations of this term. But before you do Planet College advises you to read on.

Students on Planet College having a general idea of the implications of this term attempt to apply it to themselves. The argument usually is, " Well I've been responsible for myself since I graduated from high school, so . . . ." This argument is always presented in reference to the student's financial status. Essentially it is seen as a means to get more money for school. It is often presented by students of whatever age who are getting or have gotten no financial help from either parent.

The thing you need to know is that the United States Department of Education does not recognize the term " emancipated minor". It has no meaning, no validity for that Department. Since that is the Federal Department which oversees Financial Aid in the United States, seeking to be designated an emancipated minor will do nothing for your Financial Aid status.

However, if, in fact, you are recieveing no outside support for your education a visit to your school's Financial Aid office might be beneficial. Tell the worker that you would like more help. Tell her why.

Couldn't hurt.

Sure, It Sounds OK.

But how am I supposed to pay for it? As you well know by now nothing about Planet College is free. So even if you are now thinking,"Hey, I'd like to try that." You realize it will cost you. But maybe not as much as you think. If you take the time to do a little calculating about your school costs per term you may learn that studying overseas isn't really much more costly than studying in the U. S. Still most students welcome any additional financial help. This site has details about programs available for college students who wish to study abroad: http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman/overview/overview.html. You will notice that to be eligible for this program you need to be receiving a Pell Grant. If you don't know what a Pell Grant is you need to visit your school's financial aid office and have this term explained to you. If you don't know if you are receiving a Pell Grant you, too, need to pay a visit to the financial aid office.

As emphasized in the post below you actually don't often need to be any more than average, a C student, to study abroad. Give it a try.

Planet College additional reminder. Internet searches. Yes, Planet College understands that you can Google "Pell Grant" and get dozens of definitions of its meaning. By now you probably understand that this type of information is limited. What students really benefit from is experience. This is why Planet College urges you to visit your school's financial aid office for a complete explanation of "Pell Grant" and how it applies to your financial aid.

Cs Overseas.

Often average students dismiss the idea of Study Abroad. Studying anything in another country they feel is beyond their reach. Because average students get average grades, Cs mostly, they dismiss without consideration, the possibility of going away for a semester or even a summer session. This assumption is superficially logical but completely erroneous.

The fact is that practically any student, no matter what caliber, is eligible for some overseas studies. If you don't have a Study Abroad representitive on your campus a web search could locate potential programs for which you are eligible.

Remember that Study Abroad is quantitatively different from Student Travel. You may already know about, may have even taken, tours of other countries. Usually with a group of other students this type of tour is essentially that, touring.

Study Abroad means traveling to another country. Once there you reside there for a period of time while studying some specific subject or subjects. The subjects vary widely, art, drama, television production, hydrology, a local dialect, anthropology, any number of college style courses. You go to class, you do the work you get a grade. Hence, Study Abroad.

If you are now saying, "Oh yeah sure, how am I supposed to pay for it?" see above.

I just partied all the time and I got a 4.0.

Some where along the way you will come across someone who says (about their college experience), "I just partied all the time and I got a 4.0. " Ever heard that? No? Yes? Ever said it? No, you've never said it. But you may have heard it. Either from another student or from the person themselves. It is a myth. The person who says, "When I was in college I partied all the time. And I got a 4.0" is mythologizing themselves. This phrase implies that they never studied. Even if they aren't out right fabricating, somewhere, some how they studied. Believe it. If they actually achieved a GPA of 4.0 for their college career they earned it. Unless they got their 4.0 in Partying ( and there are those who try) the student actually put the work in. And that is them. The point of this post is that is not you. You will not now nor ever earn a 4.0 period let alone do so while partying all the time. Any such expectations are not only unrealistic they are discouraging.

You are an average person. You are also an average student. Average people rarely get a grade of A in anything. More than likely they get mostly Cs, an occasional B and sometimes even a D. This is the common experience of most students. And with this experience you can graduate. Cs get degrees. So coming up this next term forget about trying to party to a 4.0. Take the classes you can pass. Study when you can. Get Cs, get going and graduate. Remember: Cs get degrees.

What good will this do me?

What good will this do me? In the long trek towards graduation students realize almost every decision eventually bears on whether it will help them graduate or not. At least it should. If you are traveling this summer, taking a summer school course or just kicking back at home, think. How does this help me graduate? While you are on PlanetCollege this should be your primary thought about everything. Something to meditate on: what good does this behaviour, this event, this activity do me? Will this help me get to graduation? Well? Will it?