<p>When do you expect to graduate? 2013 or 2014? The public universities in Alabama have some bang-up merit scholarships. If your GPA and ACT scores are high enough, you get the money. Period. Since you are home schooling, you may be able to plan to graduate when your GPA is good enough, and you may be able to organize your life to prep for the exam. Right now you don’t have the scores.</p>
<p>In the end, if all you can afford is your local CC, there is nothing wrong with starting there and then transferring in-state to a public U to keep your costs down. Lots of people do that. Lots of people also work full or part-time while they are in school. If you have to do that, you will be in good company.</p>