<p>OP, I don’t think the issue here is where you can find an affordable school. Not yet anyway. I think the bigger issue is figuring out what you can do to repair the very damaged relationship you have with your father. I don’t know why he’s decided that your education is not a good investment, but you need to change his mind about that.</p>
<p>How? Start with acknowledging that you screwed up with a ‘lack of focus’ (was that all it was? be honest with yourself and him) and that it won’t happen again. See if you can get him to set some parameters around his agreement to provide support to you: Perhaps he would be willing to take a chance on paying your first semester at one of the schools you initially expressed interest in if you agree, perhaps in writing, to maintain a specific GPA and that there will be no violations for drinking, etc…It might also include a commitment to work and pay some part of the cost yourself. Have a clear plan in place for what you expect to accomplish in college and why the schools you have chosen are the right ones for that. Be clear with him that you understand the consequences of failing to meet your part of the deal.</p>
<p>If, after approaching him in an adult way, he still isn’t convinced, try asking what he’d like to see from you to convince himself that helping you with college isn’t a waste of money. He may be willing, for example, to support you if you attend a local college for a year at your own expense, make good grades and then transfer.</p>
<p>In the long run, a mature relationship with your father is much more important than what school you attend.</p>