<p>Apply widely, it will be tough to get that much. Will your family show that they need that much, i.e. their income is under $70,000 US dollars and they have limited assets?</p>
<p>I’m not sure. will I be able to declare that i’m supported by one / none of my parents?</p>
<p>If you were a US citizen or permanent resident, you would be considered to be independent for financial aid purposes because you are a military veteran. However, each college/university sets its own policy for international applicants. You need to contact each of them to find out whether they would consider you independent or not.</p>
<p>In any case, even if you are admitted, if you cannot demonstrate that through some combination of funds (personal, family, scholarships, etc.) you can pay for your education, you will not get a visa. Sit down with your family, and find out if they can help you or not.</p>
<p>Serving in an army in another country as required by the country will not make the OP independent. We’ve had 2 relatives in this scenario in the last few years.</p>
<p>The unfortunate fact is that colleges look to internationals as a source of full paying students. A few colleges fund truly outstanding international students, but not the fun, not competitive schools the OP is asking about. These schools might throw him a small merit scholarship like they do many, but getting the cost down to $8,000 is highly unlikely.</p>
<p>If he did get into one of the top generous colleges, they would look at his family income and expect the family to pay it’s EFC.</p>
<p>I think many perceive they can get lots of aid and attend a US college easily and during the process find out it’s not as easy as they thought. Many, like my relatives, end up taking the nearly free education in their home country when they understand what it will really cost. My relatives will try to attend grad school here where there is more funding for certain types.</p>
<p>You’re not in a good situation.</p>
<p>Your parents’ incomes will get counted even if they don’t support you. So, even if a school gives need-based aid to int’ls, the school would determine whether you qualify for aid by looking at your parents’ incomes and assets. If your parents won’t supply that info, there’s no way you’d get aid. And, again, most schools don’t give any aid to int’l students. </p>
<p>There are so many int’ls that would love to come to school in the US. It would be impossible for American schools to fund all of their educations. </p>
<p>As someone wrote above, most schools view int’l students as a SOURCE of money.</p>
<p>independent is the best way to go but it can be tricky to be looked at as independent.</p>
<p>thanks so much for your help people.
what do you think about these private schools?</p>
<p>Wake Forest University
Bucknell University
Vanderbilt University
Cornell University
Stanford University
Colgate University
Boston College
Duke University
Lehigh University
University of Dayton
Union College Schenectady</p>
<p>thanks again!</p>