<p>Intended Major: Computer Science
State Residency: Minnesota
Cost: My parents don't plan on helping me pay for college, and my savings are non-existent. I want to go to college without having to be stressed about money, so I'm interested in scholarships and cheap overall attendance costs. If you know of any good scholarships, guaranteed and/or competitive, please enlighten me.</p>
<p>GPA: 3.87 (unweighted)
ACT: 35 (9 on essay)
SAT Subject Tests: Mat ii (800), Chemistry (760) - These are only guesses since I just took them, but these scores are reflective of my practice tests.
Class Rank: Top 10%
Extracurriculars: DECA (state finalist during Junior year), Future Problem Solvers (took 10th on a team in international competition during sophomore year), Math Team
Varsity Sports: Cross Country, Wrestling, Track
AP Scores: 5 on statistics, language and composition, chemistry, and BC calculus
I'm doing PSEO at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities this year.</p>
<p>I plan on applying for U of MN Twin Cities, U of W Madison, and U of Alabama (I qualify for full tuition at U of Alabama)</p>
<p>I'm not sure if colleges care at all about pre-high school extracurriculars, but I was 1st in state for math masters in the fact drill competition in 6th grade, 3rd in state in 7th grade for St. Cloud math competition, and 1st in the international junior individual global issues problem solving competition in 6th grade.</p>
<p>You would ALSO get an add’l $2500 per year from Bama, in addition to full tuition. You should also apply to their Computer Based Honors Program…there is more merit with that.</p>
<p>My parents told me they’ll only help pay if im in an emergency situation where I’m short a couple thousand. They’ll also let me stay at home, but of course I’d be stuck going to a college near the cities then.</p>
<p>Well, they may not know about the tuition tax credit they can get. </p>
<p>And, even though the Alabama big award is for the amount of tuition, it isn’t a “tuition award” so you can still get that tax credit. The merit award is for “the amount of tuition” and therefore allows the ability to still get the tax credit. </p>
<p>Are you going to apply?</p>
<p>from the NY Times this month…</p>
<p>For instance, there are two tax credits available that can lower your tax bill while you, or your child, are in school. The American Opportunity Tax Credit lets you reduce your tax bill by up to $2,500 per student for the first four years of higher education. The credit can be used for either undergraduate or postgraduate educational costs. Eligible expenses include tuition, fees, books and equipment. To get the full credit, a single taxpayer can’t make more than $80,000 in 2014, according to the financial aid site Edvisors.com; partial credits are available for income up to $90,000.</p>
<p>And you probably know, you can borrow $5500 for your frosh year. </p>
<p>Temple would be another that would give you free tuition, probably U of Central Florida too. None will be ‘cheap’ but may be doable. How about NDSU? U of MN Morris seems to have more merit aid than than the TC campus. U of MN-TC is a great school but I suspect you would like to live elsewhere. They don’t have a lot of merit aid to give, much more focus on need-based aid. How do your parents want you to pay tuition at the U of MN? Your student loans won’t even pay half. Glad you are looking at Alabama, might be the best option for you. </p>
<p>Alabama, with a residual cost of about $10,000 to $11,000 after the automatic scholarship, would be at the very edge of a student being able to self-fund through federal direct loan ($5,500) and work earnings.</p>
<p>This student would be an excellent candidate for Alabama’s Computer-Based Honors program. If selected, that is a source for another few thousand merit dollars. </p>