@mom2collegekids schools like CU and Arizona use their nice surroundings as a huge selling points for their standard state educations charging private school rates for OOS. They pray on these young adults to ignore sound financial sense in pursuit of what seems to be a luxury get away in the mountains of Colorado or sunny weather of Arizona…
They offer token merit scholarships as a way of making you feel wanted even though you’re still paying an arm and a leg to attend. They have no interest in making your education affordable. They just want your money more than anything.
This article puts it well about what I am talking about: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/7-things-to-know-about-attending-state-universities-outside-your-borders/
Yes, the OP acknowledged that he prefers the climate (and surroundings) at Boulder to anything he’d find in Arizona. But, more to the point, he also said he’s looking for a school that offers both a strong engineering program and a good track & cross-country program. So don’t discount this as a merely frivolous interest in prettier surroundings.
Also, since the OP is effectively a “man without a country” now that he’s now longer under legal guardianship, he can establish his future home anywhere he chooses . . . and he may have good reasons for wanting to make Colorado his permanent home. I agree, though, that if that’s his long term goal, he’d be better off going into debt to buy a home there (after he graduates), rather than incurring that debt just for four years of undergrad.
This article (by the same author) states it even better - read both the article itself and the comments below, and note particularly the comments pertaining to Colorado: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/should-students-attend-a-state-university-beyond-their-borders/
Thanks for the link, @atomicPACMAN07!
great article choice @dodgersmom! FWIW I had a 4.3 GPA and 32 ACT and received about $30,000 in merit aid to Boulder when I applied last year. That comes out to be a little under half of tuition/fees for engineering covered. When looking at a 4 year budget it was still too much to stomach for my family with the cost of living and the remaining tuition. It was just not cost effective to go to CU when I could have gone OOS with all my tuition, fees, and books covered and a lower cost of living.
@MrArtichokeMan take my advice and throw a wide net to all schools that are willing to throw money at you. One door closed means another may be open around the corner 
Just have open eyes for it!
You’re all being very helpful, thank you. As for my stats, Boulder offered me the Presidential Scholarship, which goes to “The top 1-3% of all OOS admitted students”. Additionally, my ACT is a 29, unweighted GPA sitting around a 3.9, weighted sitting at about a 4.1. Involved in tons of science based extra curriculars, was a section leader in marching band, and am president of the school’s robotics club. I’m also an AP Scholar with Honor. These are the reasons I thought I’d have a decent shot at scholarships, but even then it sounds like a lot of hoops to jump through. I’ve been accepted to University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, University of Colorado Boulder (obviously), University of Oregon, and Adams State University.
Oh, and a quick answer to mom2collegekids, I’ve got a large background from multiple places in handling my finances, stocks and bonds, taxes, etc… I’m not being an angsty teenager, I’ve thought this through very deeply. If I threw finances to the wind, I would’ve applied to Cal Poly and called it even.
First off I want to say congrats to you @MrArtichokeMan for getting the Presidential Scholarship to CU. That is an achievement you should be proud of. However, the scholarship leaves a huge gap of almost $15,000+ a year with just tuition and fees alone…and apparently the scholarship is $3,000/yr less for junior and senior year!
http://www.colorado.edu/scholarships/presidential-scholarship
It’s time to cross CU-Boulder off the list for now. You have a great list there to consider tho. It sucks when you have a dream of where you want to be for 4 years that won’t happen, but what sucks more is crippling debt for the rest of your family’s life…
Smile and reflect that you got the highest scholarship from CU-Boulder OOS. Now is time to look for the financial safety elsewhere 
Atomic, thanks for that advice. The blow is being (slightly) softened by the fact that I got the max Fed. Pell Grant ($5,815/yr), and university grants ($9,500/yr), but the gap still seems insurmountable, as you implied. Also, I just like to keep in mind that I have little contact with 95% of my family, so they’d not be dragged in. Overall, I’m thinking that while I desperately want to attend Boulder, that ASU or UA are safer options. (ASU is the $3,000/yr school and UA is a full ride)
You got yourself a great opportunity with Arizona, @MrArtichokeMan . My cousin went to UA in-state engineering and she is now working in Houston out of college with a 6 figure salary You have an amazing engineering opportunity AND a full ride! Follow that money because UA just rolled you a red carpet!!!
Yeah, currently I’m still considering ASU though as Barrett seems like a better fit for me than UA’s Honors College though.
Do you have a chance at an athletic scholaship for CU track? If so, sometimes on of the perks is instate tuition, which is better than a bigger award. Not at all easy to get at CU, but worth a short asking the track coach.
I think the ASU/AU choice is easier as you can just register and attend, but if you are determined to go to CU, I think you can. Move to Colorado and wait a year. Since you are an independent student, this will be easier for you to establish yourself as a resident. CU is not cheap for residents but it is doable. My nephew has had a few pretty good paying jobs. He works as a referee (about $35/hr), is paid to be on interfraternity counsel, has worked as a hasher at a sorority for meals and $10/hr. You wouldn’t have to live in the dorms, but you may not save that much asliving in Boulder is expensive. If you are determined, it can be done cheaplybut it won’t be the undergrad experience you can get for much cheaper at ASU.
Boulder has one of the highest level cross country and track programs in the nation, so getting on the team itself would be difficult, getting a scholarship would be nigh on impossible unless I make giant leaps and bounds in the last 1-2 months of Track season.
I was just mentioning the athletic possibility because you said you wanted to move to Boulder for track. If you could make the team, and get even a sliver of a scholarship, there is a possibility of the athletic department arranging instate tuition. Some schools do it, some don’t. Coaches really know how to work the system and a benefit to one athlete means little to another, but in your case instate status would mean more than a $5000 scholarship if it meant you were paying OOS tuition. I guess I’m confused on why CU becomes a top choice for you if you want to compete yet can’t make the team. Living and running in Boulder is a benefit in itself, but doesn’t get you what you want if it is to compete. High altitude training also at UC-Colorado Springs, the Utah schools, Wyoming.
I know several people who moved to Boulder and lived for a year (one for 2 years) to get instate status. This was years ago when students could become independent, but since you are independent it would work for you. You just have to decide if it is worth it to you when you have the great Ariz/ASU options.
A goal is to run with Boulder, I just think I’d be closer to the walk-on for the team, rather than a highly ranked recruited athlete
Make sure you check out the benefits of the Honors College and Barrett. Usually there are some nice features like being first to sign up for class and for research.