<p>???</p>
<p>How can you get instate for Texas? If your parents own property there, that doesn’t give you instate rates.</p>
<p>Not sure what your point is about “ties to Georgia”. That’s not going to get you any money. Your stats alone are good enough for admission, but you’re going to have to pay full OOS costs. </p>
<p>You say that your parents are “capable” of paying $55k per year. Is that what THEY are saying? If that’s what you’re estimating, then please ask THEM. They may have a high income, but they may not be prepared to pay that much.</p>
<p>Since you’re instate for UIUC (a very good school for STEM), then your parents may not want to spend more than THAT school’s cost when other schools really aren’t going to be “better.” If you haven’t asked your parents specifically, please do. If they say it’s going to be a “stretch” then I’d be concerned. It’s very hard for parents to “stretch” the budget for 4 years…and do you have younger siblings as well???</p>
<p>At the top schools, you are very unlikely going to receive any merit. Top schools have lots of non-URM male eng’g applicants with high stats. If you were a URM or female, then maybe you’d get some merit offers from a few top schools (many top schools don’t offer merit to anyone).</p>
<p>You might look at:</p>
<p>USC
Santa Clara</p>