<p>Spike, most colleges & universities have scholarships available for their summer programs. </p>
<p>I learned this last year when my daughter attended Harvard summer school. They call it Harvard SSP (Secondary School Program). When we researched summer college programs we learned that most programs, including airfare, run somewhere around $10,000 - give or take a thousand. </p>
<p>Before you die from sticker shock, consider that YOU are the kind of kid many schools like to attract. You stand out as someone who is bright and savvy, and who dealt with what life threw at you. You have more life experience than 99% of the applicant pool. Street smarts. You actually know firsthand what it feels like to be a ward of the State. This, believe it or not, works to your advantage.</p>
<p>My daughter is a bright caucasian at an elite private school in an affluent community. Her life story compared to yours, is fairly boring. </p>
<p>You, spike, are the kid for whom scholarships were created. </p>
<p>I suggest that you apply to the summer programs that you know are free, and also apply to a few of your dream schools. The summer programs are much easier to get into than regular college degree programs. </p>
<p>You have to get right on this if you are interested. I remember that the application dates were kind of early. And scholarship money does run out . . . although, when a school wants you they find more.</p>
<p>And for next year, consider this: My son attends a nice private liberal arts college of 2,500 in New England that costs almost $45,000 a year. He pays (actually, I pay) about $7,000 a year out of pocket. He'll graduate with something like $20,000 of loans to pay off. He's a B student, and a slightly less than average player on a pretty bad sports team. He's getting a great education, does his work study at the college radio station, and he generally feels like a "big man on campus."</p>
<p>If he had attended our huge state school of 35,000(?), the bottom line was $13,000, minus a $1,000 scholarship they offered him, less $7,000 that I can afford each year. Total debt at the end of four years would have been the same $20,000.</p>
<p>He went to the LAC because he liked it better. No other reason. Small LAC's can have huge endowments. Big schools might be less generous because of limited funds. </p>
<p>In your case, ask for details about what being a ward of the state really means. Will college money be cut off when you're 18 or 21? Will the state pay for tuition but not room & board? Will the state pay for books, lab fees, and charges for things like "freshman frolicks?" (My son's bill has a $200 - $400 charge for things like that every semester).</p>
<p>Sometimes it is less expensive to go to a private college. </p>
<p>I still think that you should go to the school you like best. You will be happier, do better in school, and have a better life in the long run. Visit as many campuses as you can, (but don't go nuts trying to hit 14 campuses in three days). The right school for you is the one that hits you with "warm fuzzies" when you walk on campus.</p>