<p>I have an A/B mix. Apply to a ton of schools, then compare cost. If I get into my first choice and it’s a full pay private, that’s ok, but if I don’t get into my first choice then I will likely have to go with a cheaper (and most likely public) option.</p>
<p>@GuassianInteger Thanks, that was a good post. I know I over exaggerated, and I hope I didn’t come off as one of those snobs that believes one can only be successful at a top-tier college and everything else is crap. The truth is though, I gave up even thinking about top-tier schools a long time ago and am now just looking at average schools that aren’t too expensive, and now it’s frustrating because it’s looking like I might not be able to afford those either. 
But you’re right, I’m going to continue working hard in high school because that work ethic will still help me stand out wherever I end up going. I just really, really don’t want to end up at that damn community college.</p>
<p>@astults13 My mom is sort of the same way. She never went to college and her knowledge about them is very ignorant and flawed. She thinks the local in-state school is the best possible school I could ever dream of and everything else isn’t worth it. She’s also completely against the idea of going to school out of state, even though some of them are even cheaper… I think I might just do what you’re doing, apply wherever I want and hopefully at least one will give me some money and I can just go there.</p>
<p>I guess you guys have never heard of loans…</p>
<p>My parents told me the other day that they won’t give me anything for college, as they don’t see why they should. So there goes my dream of going to the US :(</p>
<p>They have the complete opposite view when looking at private schools for the last two years of high school (not that uncommon here to change schools for them) basically they said they would be prepared to pay anything as long as the school was worth it. We’re looking at $30-40K a year at the moment…</p>
<p>My mom is Parent B. Lucky for me, Parent A pays for our undergrad.</p>
<p>I have parent B, but since my parents are divorced, I live with my mom, and her annual salary is less than a year of college tuition, she can’t contribute too much. The thing that really sucks is I have a non custodial parent making 100k +, but except for minimal child support, not a single cent of that is coming to me. I don’t even get birthday presents. </p>
<p>Sent from my ADR6400L using CC</p>
<p>My mother (whom I live with) refuses to tell me how much she makes, although I believe it’s in the 30s or 40s range. She said that she doesn’t plan on spending any significant amount of money on me, & that I need to get scholarships/financial aid. My father is basically freaking out (financially & emotionally) about the fact that it’s only 2 years away now, but he plans to help out as best he can.</p>
<p>I have Parents A. I will need a lot of scholarships though. There’s no pressure for me to go anywhere because I have no legacy.</p>
<p>I am similar to 1Rachel94. My family does not have a lot of money, but the schools i am looking at offer 100 percent demonstrated need scholarship so we are hoping I get into one of those schools…</p>
<p>@UK Have you ever thought that people don’t want to pay student loans and have the burden of debt right out of college?</p>
<p>I have parent A but the difference is my parents are like “we don’t want you going to an in state school”</p>
<p>Surely it’s better to get debt so you can go to university and get a job, so you are able to pay the loan back, and then after a time just have the high earnings, rather than earn low your whole life?
To some extent I agree though, especially with the exorbitant US fees. Hence why I’m borrowing in the UK: $350K vs $100K for fees, not including maintenance loans. BTW I’m doing medicine, whih is why those figures are so high :)</p>
<p>Luckily for me, I have a tuition discount through a local university thanks to my fathers employment, I’ll get $31k/year towards tuition at any school in the country, so it’s going to cost pretty much the same to go to either say NC State or some school across the country. I’m going to have to take out loans for room & board fees though, but that averages out to be about the same everywhere.</p>
<p>Parent A, mostly because they think colleges give out more financial aid than they do.</p>
<p>I have Parent G (I think that’s what we’re up to), the uninvolved one. I had to figure out what colleges to apply to by myself. My mother’s entire involvement was to go to SOME of the visits I went on with me and sign some financial aid forms.</p>
<p>Price is a factor for me because unlike most of you, I don’t come from an extremely rich family. I did apply to expensive private schools with the expectation of getting decent merit and need-based aid. I have chosen to a state school, but cost isn’t the sole reason, as I really love the school I’m going to. I actually never finished financial aid applications for any other school once I decided which one I liked best, so who knows if I was aiming too high with my financial aid expectations at the private schools.</p>
<p>Definitely parent C…I know I’m gonna have to go to a community college for two years before a university. We also have a very low income which sucks since I would really love to go to Northwestern. But then again, I’d have to get accepted first, and the chances of that are slim anyways.</p>