Can't find answers anywhere else

Paying for College
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<p>My apologies if this topic is in the wrong forum. I am currently searching for a pre med college and I have a few questions.</p>

<p>Call me ignorant/stupid/etc. but I have yet to find an answer to this question: Are college fees per semester or per year? Take Ithaca College for example. They list their fees [url=<a href="http://www.ithaca.edu/admission/finaid/index.php%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://www.ithaca.edu/admission/finaid/index.php]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;]. The college says their fees are for 2008-2009. But what does that mean? The winter semester? Or the entire year?</p>

<p>As stated above, I am looking to go to a pre med college. I am a high school junior. I currently live in upstate New York and my father makes 65-70k a year for the family. My brother, who is two years younger than me plans on attending college to become a high school teacher. I have 93 (3.8-9?) GPA and some nice ECs (Student Council president, Class president, Eagle Scout, Harvard Model UN). I am looking to become a surgeon. With that said, could someone please recommend a suitable pre med college to me? Cost is a huge factor. I have heard mixed messages about college and course selection, so I'm completely confused. UCLA, UC Berkeley, and University of Michigan I have heard of, but they're all out of state and my parents are concerned about them because: a) the cost of transportation on top of the cost of the colleges themselves and b) the fact that I'm far away from home. If my car breaks down, or I need something, it's not exactly readily available. How serious are these concerns that my parents have? I'm sure there are colleges out there that offer good pre med programs at a fair price. Or is that just wishful thinking? How do I know which college is right for me? To be honest, locality means nothing to me, as long as I'm not staying with my parents. The college could be in state, out-of-state--it doesn't matter. Whether or not it matters to my parents is a different issue. How much money could I plan on getting from scholarships, grants, etc.? My father told me that some higher-up colleges give students free or nearly free rides if they are disadvantaged financially. How does that work?</p>

<p>I hope my post isn't too confusing. I've been absolutely bombarded by information over the past few days and I don't really know what to do. I'm just hoping that the trusty people over at CC can help me in my college selection. Thanks for your time and input.</p>

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<p>Ithaca's tuition and fees that you cited are per year. Some schools list their annual costs on their websites, some list their cost per semester - you just have to check the text.</p>

<p>Any decent college can be suitable for pre-med. Pre-med is not a major per se; a lot of pre-med students get undergraduate degrees in biology or chemistry, but some get them in other fields as well. If cost is a big concern, then by all means apply to some of the SUNYs to take advantage of the reduced tuition for NY residents. But don't shy away from other options as well. In general, when you apply for financial aid (doesn't have to be a "higher-up" college), you'll fill out the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will calculate your expected family contribution (EFC). Schools that guarantee to meet 100% of your need will then offer you an aid package that would cover all but the EFC (though part of the package may be in the form of loans). So, the cost of attending public or private schools, in-state or out-of-state, could be relatively equal. Some schools go on to reduce your expected contribution below the EFC. Harvard for example, only assesses families with incomes between $60K-$180K 10% of their income as their expected contribution.</p>

<p>There's a wealth of info on CC, far more than most Guidance Counselors are likely to know. Check out the "Search" function on the bar at the top of the page to look up discussions of topics about which you're interested.</p>