<p>From the looks of it, none of these are academic or financial safeties for you. You need to dig a little bit deeper, and find at least one place that you can pay for without any aid other than federally determined (FAFSA) financial aid, that you are dead certain will admit you given your GPA and exam scores, that offers your expected major, and that you will be happy to attend if all else goes wrong in the admission process. Please do not set yourself up to be the author of one of next April’s “I didn’t get in anywhere I like and can afford” threads.</p>
<p>I deferred admission at a college where I know I’ll be happy, but financial aid didn’t work out because I applied after the deadline. The college also isn’t necessarily known for its good financial aid program, either, so that’s why I’m asking for suggestions that meet my academic and financial needs.</p>
<p>Since you have specific financial needs, you need to build your list from the bottom up. Find those rock-solid financial and academic safeties first. In California, as you well know, your commuting-distance CCCs are financial and academic safeties, and your commuting-distance CSUs if not safeties, certainly are likely to be matches. Take another long, hard look at them. Run the financials through some of the calculators at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org). Then worry about the rest of your list.</p>