<p>The majority (maybe vast majority) won’t receive much, if anything, above Pell. </p>
<p>You will get your financial aid package LONG before you choose to enroll in school. Apply to schools that are generous to poverty students (there are schools, depending on your state, that are generous to poverty-level income kids even if they’re not generous in general- I went to one of those schools) and places that guarantee merit aid based on your stats. You will get your packages in the late winter/early spring and decision date isn’t until May. </p>
<p>If that doesn’t work, you go to a CC for a few years, work, save money, and commute to your local 4 year.</p>
<p>ETA: It looks like you’re applying to SUNY schools. There is some kind of state tuition program in NY but I don’t know anything about it. We have a poster on here who is an expert in NY aid but her name is escaping me right now :(</p>