<p>If you are unable to get enough information from your parents to do a financial aid estimate with a net price calculator, and/or your parents are unable or unwilling to tell you how much they will contribute (or they will contribute little or nothing), then it would be a very good idea to see if you like any of the automatic-full-ride-for-your-stats schools as a safety. Even the relatively low list price of Longwood and other inexpensive schools (e.g. Minnesota - Morris) may be too much debt if your parents’ income is too high to get you financial aid there but they will not contribute.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about the prestige, but take a good look at how suitable the academics are for what you intend to major in.</p>