<p>My 2 safety schools are UF and FSU since I live in florida and I qualify for the Bright Futures that pays 100% of the cost. My parents cannot pay much (like less than 1000) which is why that is. My dream schools (or at least some that weren’t as known but still good) I guess are an impossible delusion I had I guess. </p>
<p><<<
qualify for the Bright Futures that pays 100% of the cost. </p>
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<p>No, BF does not pay 100% of cost…not even close. </p>
<p>so you dont have any safeties.</p>
<p>If you have the highest BF, then about 1/4 - 1/3 of your costs are covered. The cost is about 21k per year. </p>
<p>if your parents can only pay 1000 per year, then you currently do not have any safeties at all.</p>
<p>@shockwave457 </p>
<p>So, your father makes $79K per year and never saved any money for your college expenses? Your stats are not in the upper range for merit scholarships. How did you think you would fund your 4 year education? (My son is a National Merit winner and even he did not get a full ride at his campus.) Unless you have $40K per year, stashed away somewhere, you need to look at schools that will fund you for your current stats. </p>
<p>You also need to seriously consider your in-state schools or community college because you only have $1000 per year to spend from your parents. Right now, that is the only amount that you know you can count on. Not trying to be harsh, but just being realistic, because some of your original University choices may accept you, but you will be asked to pay full fees. You need to be prepared for being accepted by the college but with no financial aid. </p>
<p>Large merit awards go to the very top applicants at colleges. If you want a college to pay you to attend, that college has to want you dearly.</p>
<p>Tulane is generous with merit aid - there’s nothing wrong with applying there, but you are not likely to get enough aid to make it work. With your stats a private college would need to be a step or two below that for a substantial award - Flagler College and Rollins College would be possible examples in your state.</p>
<p>How is it that your parents will only pay 1k per year? They will save several times that just not having you in the house, making money on the deal. It doesn’t make sense. If they cut out a couple of things, like HBO they could pay a little more. That’s ridiculous. Also you should be working summers and putting money aside if the situation is so dire. You yourself can earn 3k each summer. Plus 1500 during the schools year, say. </p>
<p>If you get up to 30k at Tulane, which is a longshot, you still have 30k to pay. I don’t think that is going to work.</p>
<p>Aunt Bea, MOST families in this country do NOT have college savings for their students. For all we know, this family has only had this earning potential for 1 year…and didn’t have the resources to save. Or perhaps they did what WE did on the advice of our financial planner…we put our money into retirement savings.</p>
<p>Shockwave…you are not alone. Most families do not have college savings. AND most kids don’t go away to expensive private schools or out of state public universities. The vast majority of college students attend near their homes…and many commute or go to community college to save money.</p>
<p>Mom2 is correct. You need to check your facts on Bright Futures. I don’t believe it funds the FULL cost of attendance. Actually, I’m not sure that it funds the full cost of tuition even at the highest level.</p>
<p>But having said that, your Bright Futures award, Direct Loan, earnings from a summer and school year job should make attendance at an instate public close to possible.</p>
<p>It will not make attendance at an OOS public or private university possible. Those cost in the $60,000 range. Even IF you got a merit award if half that cost (which is unlikely at Syracuse or Tulane) you would still have $30,000 to fund out of pocket.</p>
<p>AND lastly, with a $79,000 income, your family contribution would be in the $20,000 to $25,000 a year range. Your family would be expected to pay that UNLESS you got a significant merit award that chipped into that amount.</p>
<p>Agreeing with other posters. Getting accepted and being able to afford to attend are not the same thing. My kids fall into similar situation in that we can’t help that much (though our ability to assist does exceed what your father is offering.) My ds who just graduated from high school had higher stats than you (including a 4.0 for multiple 300 level university courses). He had a couple of free-ride options, but other than an instate school where he had free tuition that we eliminated after meeting the dean of the dept and the undergrad advisor for his major (and the dept was a complete turn-off.) his next cheapest alternative was $23,000 after major awards. They ranged to upward of $40,000 depending on the school. He decided on a zero debt school and is very happy with what they offer academically. $92,000 is way beyond our financial reality even if schools think it is reasonable. </p>
<p>Our ds has big goals. He wants a phD in research. He plans on shining where he is planted and making the most of every opportunity. I do not doubt that he will. The schools on that linked list can get you where you want to go.</p>
<p>I get your point and I appreciate the reality check. For florida bright futures: <a href=“Home - Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs”>Home - Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs; it says it would pay 100% tuition. I know housing is on me but maybe with a little more help from parents and an oncanlus job I could work it out at UF or FSU…of the colleges listed on the full tuition list, which do you consider the most reputable and skilled academically?</p>
<p>Shockwave…apply to both.</p>
<p>I mean on the list with schools that offer full rides like bama or other in link.</p>
<p>University of Alabama does NOT offer a full ride to a student with your stats. Theirs are guaranteed tuition awards. There are some highly competitive awards that are for the full costs.</p>
<p>Read the list…see where YOUR stats place you in terms of qualifying for aid. Then post those schools here and ask.</p>
<p><<
says it would pay 100% tuition.</p>
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<p>???</p>
<p>On what page of that link does it say that? Where it says 100% of program study?..that does NOT mean all tuition costs. that is talking about length of program.</p>
<p>There have been changes…now you only get a certain amount of money per credit hour, and most of your fees won’t be covered. Your room, board and books also wont be covered. About 18k per year will not be covered, so neither fsu or uf are safeties.</p>
<p>BF FAS pays 103 per credit. If you take 30 credits, that is $3090 per year. that is not even close to 100% of tuition. Tuition and fees are 6300 per year.</p>
<p>I just researched and realized you are right. I’m sorry I doubted you and thought you had made an error. Do you think instead I should strive for colleges that offer merit based scholarships (usually full) in which my stats and qualifications are well above their upper percentile?</p>
<p>bump</p>
<p>What about some of the smaller, less competitive and well know schools…Denison for example. </p>
<p>Does Denison offer merit based aid?</p>
<p>Yes…but I don’t believe the awards are guaranteed awards. There are a bunch of small LACs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Look up York College in PA. For the life of me, I can’t think of the others right now…but hopefully someone else will chime in.</p>
<p>OHIO</p>
<p>Heidelberg
Kenyon
Otterbein
Wittenberg
Denison</p>
<p>PENNSYLVANIA</p>
<p>Allegheny
Juniata
Mercyhurst
Ursinus
York</p>
<p>Read the book Colleges That Change Lives. You might find something there.</p>
<p>These do NOT have guaranteed merit awards…but they are far less competitive (well…except Kenyon) than the schools you are considering. So maybe you would garner an award. No guarantees.</p>
<p>Someone posted that a 79,000 income (I’m assuming this is AGI) yields an EFC of over 20,000. Is that right? IIRC, our AGI is about 50,000 and our EFC is about 5,000 (actually just under 5). We have a family of 3 with one in college. So you’re telling me that when parents earn 30,000 more, they are expected to pay half of that for college? And maybe 20% in taxes (AGI being before taxes). Wow.</p>
<p>I used the net calculator. My dad this year expects in total about 79k for the year. I have a sister and my mom doesn’t work and the expected EFC was about 15+k…</p>