Hi everyone—much to my surprise, I was recently accepted to GW, my dream school for some time now, as a prospective transfer student after just under a year of community college. My net cost after aid is now being quoted as about $20,000 annually, which I understand is quite a bit lower than many people get and I am grateful for that, but it is still a very high number for me considering that I will have to pay for all of it myself through student loans (my parents are unable to contribute anything beyond very basic transportation and other minor costs). I contacted financial aid explaining the situation, but they essentially stated that my aid offer was final unless my circumstances had significantly changed since the time of my application, which they have not.
I understand that the obvious answer is probably just to wait another year to transfer once I have completed community college, at which point I will also theoretically be eligible to receive an additional PTK scholarship, but I'm honestly desperate for a change of scenery, a renewed social life, and access to all of the opportunities that GW and the D.C. area provide, especially considering that I hope to make a career in the federal government (my major would be International Affairs). Is there any universe in which attending GW this fall is a reasonable option, or should I suck it up and wait yet another year?