<p>I'm a junior so I will be applying in the fall, but for quite some time I've been pretty gung-ho about two universities: Tulane and UMiami. I have a 3.8 or a 3.9 unweighted and a 4.1 weighted from one of America's top 500 high schools (number 5 or so in my state). I have taken 3 top tier classes every year (each year, honors/AP Spanish, English, History). I have a 32 ACT composite score. My absolute number 1 is UMiami, but I hate the price of their tuition. I fall under the 200,000-250,000 income bracket. My parents own a small business, which I know can sometimes alter what you receive in aid and how they view your income. My Dad has a small condo which he inherited from my grandmother in Florida and is establishing residency there when we go down in about two weeks. I know I could get some money, but I don't know how much money. I also have the following EC's</p>
<p>4 years of involvement in wrestling (I just received my varsity letter)
Editor-in-Cheif of my school newspaper
Participent in the Young Democrats Club, co-president next year
Co-presient of the GSA
Bus-boy at a local pizza restaurant on Fridays and Saturdays (so far for, 8 months)
NHS
Tutored/Mentored kids within the local community/county area
I've been selected and recognized for my leadership qualities: I was sent by the local rotary club to a leadership conference in Springfield, Mass (about 40 minutes away) last year. This year, I was selected to attend the World Affairs Summit in Wisconsin.
This one is pretty big and special/important to me:
I started my own international program to teach literacy in Little Bay, Jamaica. I created the program in conjunction with the Rockhouse Foundation. I was able to raise enough money to puchase a desktop computer, 2 iPad Minies, a wireless router and 60 1gb flash drives which I surprised the school I was teaching at with when I went down for two weeks last year. Due events within my family, I was unable to continue with my program this year, but I am saving my own money so that I may continue my program next summer </p>
<p>With all that said, would those universities be willing to give me enough? The other option on the table is attending a university like FIU that I know will give me a full ride. I was planning on majoring in international relations, and knowing that, I know I'm going to need at least an MBA, so I was wondering if I should wait to go to some place like Tulane or UMiami so I would have money for grad school?</p>
<p>UMiami will not give your residency break for tuition unless you graduate from a high school in Florida and one of your parents has a full time job in Florida, and has been employed in Florida for a year before you apply. You need to look at schools that will offer generous merit scholarships. Take the ACT again.</p>
<p>(c) Each institution of higher education shall affirmatively determine that an applicant who has been granted admission to that institution as a Florida resident meets the residency requirements of this section at the time of initial enrollment. The residency determination must be documented by the submission of written or electronic verification that includes two or more of the documents identified in this paragraph. No single piece of evidence shall be conclusive.
1. The documents must include at least one of the following:
a. A Florida voter’s registration card.
b. A Florida driver’s license.
c. A State of Florida identification card.
d. A Florida vehicle registration.
e. Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual’s parent if the individual is a dependent child.
f. Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida.
g. Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years if the Florida high school diploma or GED was earned within the last 12 months.
h. Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period.
2. The documents may include one or more of the following:
a. A declaration of domicile in Florida.
b. A Florida professional or occupational license.
c. Florida incorporation.
d. A document evidencing family ties in Florida.
e. Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization.
f. Any other documentation that supports the student’s request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida.
(4) With respect to a dependent child, the legal residence of the dependent child’s parent or parents is prima facie evidence of the dependent child’s legal residence, which evidence may be reinforced or rebutted, relative to the age and general circumstances of the dependent child, by the other evidence of legal residence required of or presented by the dependent child. However, the legal residence of a dependent child’s parent or parents who are domiciled outside this state is not prima facie evidence of the dependent child’s legal residence if that dependent child has lived in this state for 5 consecutive years prior to enrolling or reregistering at the institution of higher education at which resident status for tuition purposes is sought.</p>
<p>University of Miami is a PRIVATE university. Both residents and non-residents pay the same costs to attend.</p>
<p>Your family income is way too high to receive need based aid. Have you discussed college costs with them? If not, you need to do so. Find out how much they WILL fund annually for college.</p>
<p>How does your dad plan to “establish residency in Florida”? Will your whole family be relocating there? Will he live and work in Florida more than 6 months of the year? There are a LOT of folks who own vacation condos in Florida. This does NOT entitle,the family to instate residency status…and those Florida schools are quite tuned in to that. Your high school transcript will be from someplace in New England. It will be VERY easy to figure out that you don’t live in Florida. </p>
<p>Take the ACT again AND take the SAT. Look at the threads above for guaranteed merit awards. </p>
<p>I have taken both exams (I’ve taken the SAT twice. I haven’t actually taken the ACT yet, but I’ve done rounds of practices testing and its been a 32, but I think I could raise it to a 33), and believe me, the SAT is not for me lol. My parents will contribute whatever is in my college fund (which is about $80,000)</p>
<p>As mentioned, UMiami is a private school, as is Tulane. Both have some nice merit awards available for the students they most want. Take a look at what’s there and aid for them. Do determine what your family is willing to pay for you each year, and look for some schools that have the lower sticker price, like your state schools and also some schools that where you could get some nice merit money. Miami and Tulane have the money, but getting it is a tough go. Might as well try, but look for some schools where you’d be more of a sure thing. Denver is a good choice, some Catholic schools with hefty merit awards, Stetson in FL is a nice pick, maybe Elon in NC. </p>
<p>For many, states $25K on up are instate/w room and board costs. Some less, some more. but on average, I’d say. OOS publics are talking close to $40k with some schools like MIchigan and Virginia closer to $50K. With stats in the upper 5%. scholarship possibilities are there, bringing down the price. You are close to the threshold for some auto awards at U Alabama and some other schools, that you may want to consider.</p>