But everyone would be able to pay for college if colleges managed their money fairly and had people pay for it differently. No one would need to borrow money. It can keep being just a dream or people can go and do something about it, little by little eventually we’ll get where we get closer to where we need to be. Just as there are innovations other fields, college system could use some reforms too.
If I take a gap year, I won’t be able to leave my house, since I live in a place where there’s no public transportation, I don’t have a car and my parents work all day and come home late. If I do get another loan to buy a car, I won’t need it anymore when I go to college. Gap year isn’t an option.
The “very poor” qualify for a $5k/year federal Pell grant and ~$5500/year federal student loan. If they’re lucky enough to live in NYS, they also qualify for a ~$5k/year Tuition Assistance grant. That won’t cover the cost of dorming at a SUNY, much less the pricey private colleges you want.
Who do you know who doesn’t “care” about the location of their college? People go where they can afford. Do you imagine all the kids at our local community colleges are there because that’s the environment they dreamt of, or they didn’t care about the environment at all and figured that was good enough? They go there because that’s what they can afford or their circumstances changed and the cc is their 2nd chance to get a diploma.
I understand that you love the City and you’re disappointed and frustrated that you can’t afford a private college there, but complaining about the costs won’t make them any cheaper. Your current list is unaffordable.
You can choose to send some apps to schools that your family can afford (starting with the CUNYs and SUNYs) with your parents’ $12k/year contribution, the ~$5500/year federal student loan, your ~$3k/year summer work earnings, and whatever aid your 89 GPA and 1240 SAT will get you, or you can refuse to apply to affordable schools and start at Dutchess or Orange or Ulster. Or take a gap year. That would give you time to find a private, OOS university in a bustling city that is willing to pay a lot of money for your stats. I don’t know of any off hand, but maybe you’ll find one.
“if colleges managed their money…”
Or if families managed their expectations!
You are refusing the affordable options. Then they could either not borrow or borrow a small amount.
You want to spend more than you have.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: I don’t think there’s any more advice we can give the OP.