<p>I'm a Norwegian citizen as well as an American citizen, so I can apply to any Norwegian college and basically get a free ride. But my dream school is in the US (guess which one), and in order to help afford it, I'll need to get some scholarships. My initial plan was to just use the top Norwegian engineering school as my safety. (I'm also guaranteed admission at Texas A&M and UT, but I really don't like either.) However, several scholarships, such as National Merit, require me to pick an American school, and I feel like if I get other scholarships without strings attached and then don't use them I'm cheating someone who really needs the money. I want to study engineering, but I'm also interested in the humanities, especially languages. I want to continue singing in a choir and keep playing tennis, not necessarily competitively though. Basically I have a major dilemma: give up all hope of my dream school or give up all hope of the only backup I really feel OK with. Can anyone recommend other schools I should look at? Or does anyone know what will happen if I accept an American-school-only scholarship and then go to Norway? Thanks!</p>
<p>Your Norway school is your safety. That’s great for you. Treat it as such.
Now, focus on applying to several schools that will let you study engineering and languages - there’s MIT, but it’s not the only school for that.
BTW how are you sure to get into UT? Are you currently attending school in TX?
And not all NMF choose to attend a NMF scholarship school…</p>
<p>“I feel like if I get other scholarships without strings attached and then don’t use them I’m cheating someone who really needs the money.”</p>
<p>Believe me, if you turn down a scholarship even at the last minute, the college/university will have someone else to pass that money on to. Do not worry about this. Apply to the places that appeal to you, file the financial aid and scholarship applications, and decide once you know where you have been admitted and if those institutions are affordable.</p>
<p>Yep, and I’m in the top 3% at the least. Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>Since you’re in the top 3pc apply now to make sure you’re admitted AND admitted to your favorite major. You should hear back by October and that’ll be your true safety since you’ll know you’re in at in state rates. This will free your mind to apply anywhere else. 
You could do a lot worse than having UT as a safety :)</p>