<p>It’s normal for parents to pay for their kids’ college apps. Your parents are very unusual. </p>
<p>It will be very difficult for you to be able to afford a college that’s not in commuting distance. Even private schools that are in commuting distance may be too expensive for you. </p>
<p>For you to qualify for need-based aid, your parents will have to agree to submit info based on their tax returns. If they refuse to do that, you won’t get any aid. Even if they tell the college that they won’t give you $ for college, the colleges will determine your need-based aid based on your parents’ income.</p>
<p>The only ways that colleges will consider your financial aid eligibility without considering your parents’ income are if you’re 24 or older, married, have a child or are in the military.</p>
<p>Start reading CC’s financial aid forum. Consider also doing a gap year or two with Americorps after high school. You’ll get paid a stipend to live on and you’ll get an additional $4,700 (per year that you volunteer --for up to 2 years) that you can use for college. </p>
<p>Apply realistically to colleges. Don’t bother applying to dream schools that you have no chance of getting the money to attend.</p>