Even where you do not declare your major until later, you start taking the frosh-level prerequisites for the major before then (which may be required before you declare your major).
New Mexico Tech University: In-State Tuition + R&B + required fees = $17,500/yr approx
http://www.nmt.edu/finaid/index.php
It appears you would be automatically eligible for the Competitive Scholarship which results in in-state tution cost.
You would also be automatically eligible for the Silver Scholarship which is $4K/yr for four years.
That leaves you approximately $13,500/yr without including any other scholarships, Pell Grant, work study, and such you might receive. For instance, if you qualify for full Pell Grant and combine that with your $5500 student loan, that totals about $12K which darn near covers your costs. If you haven’t done so yet, definitely get to work on your FAFSA to discover what your Pell Grant eligibility is.
It’s a small school with less than 1500 students and small class sizes.
Purdue!!!
Great CS program
Student faculty ratio is 13:1
You would definitely find your people there.
You are instate so much more affordable.
Purdue offers the “Back a Boiler” program. Great alternative to traditional loans.
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All colleges have “premajor” or “major pre-reqs”. Many colleges give you flexibility so that you’re not “locked” into a major before ever taking a class, but it doesn’t mean you don’t take classes for your major till junior year. You take all pre-reqs for the advanced classes, which can be used for several majors (ie., if interested in CS, you’d usually have to take math like future math majors and physics with future physics majors, plus general education in English, foreign language, art, social sciences… which could then in turn become another major or minor.) URochester is actually pretty flexible wrt requirements but it does have all the usual pre-reqs without which you cannot understand the advanced material.
It’s like in HS when your goal is to take AP Calculus. You can’t jump right into it, you have to take Algebra1&2, Geometry&Trig, Precalc., first. (The big difference with HS is that college courses are MUCH faster paced. You have to learn and master one year of material or sometimes even more, in 4 months. That’s why you only take 4 or 5 classes per semester).
Look into Purdue and UIndiana Honors. They have special programs for Indiana residents (did you sign up for something like Indiana Promise in the 8th or 9th grade?)
And definitely Grinnell! 
But please answer the questions about classes taken, Avid/trio, etc. Because we’re all advising specific colleges such as URochester or Grinnell or Rice which WOULD meet full need but… we don’t know if you’re on track for that and whether you can switch onto the right track.
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When looking at programs like Purdue or Michigan Tech. Look into their coop programs. You get paid during this time and that money can be used for tuition. You are not charged tuition during this time. This is why I mentioned Kettering. Think it’s like one semester at school then one working and making money that can be used for school. I would check this out at any school you go to.
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Another vote for schools with strong co-op programs.
My D is doing a 3 term engineering co-op at Purdue. She worked at Purdue after freshman year, tutors during the school year, and has an internship lined up in between co-op sessions. Engineering and CS co-ops pay very well.
The Office of Professional Practice is fabulous at Purdue and it’s been seamless for D moving on/off campus to work. She has a co-op specific advisor within her major. https://www.opp.purdue.edu
U of Cincinnati is another school with a great co-op program. Their’s is mandatory where as Purdue’s is optional.
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Rice has a large endowment and aims to meet full financial need. Look at the Rice Investment description on the website. The Rice Investment | Office of Financial Aid | Rice University
Classes taken:
Freshman: AP Computer Science Principles, Biology, Algebra I, World History/Geography, English 9
Sophomore: Cybersecurity, Prep for College and Careers/Personal Finance, English 10, Integrated Chemistry and Physics, Geometry, US History
Junior (not finalized): English 11, AP Computer Science A, Algebra II, AP Psychology, Environmental Science, Student Media (Newspaper)
One more thing: My school doesn’t participate in Avid or Trio.
One more thing I probably should’ve mentioned a lot earlier, but I have Cerebral Palsy. I don’t know if there’s any scholarships for that, though.
one BIG problem: you’ve got no foreign language.
What does your high school offer? Any chance you can catch up through a local community college or through some sort of dual enrollment? You need to take 3 years of foreign language at a minimum. One semester of college foreign language will catch you up for 1-2 years of HS foreign language, making HS Foreign Language 2 easy junior year, and you’d reach Level 3 senior year.
What languages does your school (or any local college) offer? The easiest language is Italian BTW. Barring that, Spanish or French. Latin and German are harder due to cases/declensions.
Does your school offer anything honors?
Any chance you could be switched into Honors classes for English, Geometry, and US History in January (sometimes, students with 90 or 95 in regular classes can switch into Honors, although it’d require you to catch up in Geometry and up your game in terms of reading/writing in English and History). Do you feel you’ve reached maximum capability in your current classes or do you feel you can up your game?
Ideally, your Junior schedule would include English 11 Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, AP World History, AP Physics 1 or Honors Physics or APES, Foreign Language 2 (Student Media or AP Psych as an elective).
Senior Year: English 12 Honors, Precalculus Honors, AP Econ or AP Gov, APES or AP Physics 1, AP Computer Science A, Foreign Language 3 (+ any elective)
Does that look feasible for you based on what you know of yourself and is it possible at your HS?
Do you have an IEP?
Are your parents ok with letting you go Out of state considering you’ve got Cerebral Palsy?
(Do you have an IEP and is it doable for you?)
My school offers only Spanish, but I tried it in my freshman year. Didn’t go too well, so I switched to Computer Science. I originally wanted CS anyway, but the class was full. Someone dropped out of CS when I wanted to join, so it worked out perfectly. I talked to my guidance counselor, and they agreed that foreign language wasn’t a big deal, and it probably wouldn’t go well if I tried again. All of the colleges I’m looking at either don’t require it, or allow you to take it in college. I could ask to switch to Honors English, but I doubt they’ll allow it this late into the year. I can’t switch to honors History, since my school doesn’t have that. (We only have 400 kids in the whole school.) I do have an IEP. In my conversations with admissions counselors at various schools, all of them showed no concern with my lack of foreign language classes. I also forgot to mention my seventh class, which is a class I take because of my IEP. It’s basically an extra study hall. It doesn’t factor into anything grade-wise. Going out of state is totally fine.
Also spend sometimes to study and prepare for PSAT in your Junior year. If you become NMSF with good grades, you will find many schools offering from full tuition to full ride.
Doing well in PSAT will also translate to good SAT and/or ACT scores.
Most 4-year colleges require you to take a foreign language in High school for college admission AND they have a foreign language requirement for you to graduate college, so that the more advanced you are in high school the easier it is to finish your requirements in college.
However your main problem isn’t to get into a college… your main problem is to get into a college with a full ride or as close to a full ride, and the bar isn’t “meeting the basic requirements”. So, you can’t be content with the basics only, unless you’re unable to do it and have a way to complete that requirement in a way that is clearly explained by your GC in his/her recommendation and in your IEP.
If you’re interested in CS, currently the most competitive major out there, you need the strongest possible math (honors as much as possible) and solid Physics (ap physics 1 senior year would be the best).
What grade are you making in English this term?
I have an A in English.
Then DO ask to switch to English Honors. You’re clearly smart and not in over your head in that subject, thus would benefit from a little challenge. It’ll help you become a better reader, a better writer, thus a better applicant for college, and English is a keystone subject.
At the very least ask, explaining how you want the challenge.
I’ll ask once school resumes in person.
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There are some disability-specific scholarships out there, although they tend to be for smaller amounts that would just be a supplement to your financial aid.
Is your CP the reason that a foreign language was difficult (i.e. because it affects your speech)? If that’s the issue, maybe consider taking Latin, which emphasizes reading/writing/translating much more than speaking. There are online options (for example https://is.byu.edu/catalog/LATIN-041-S001 ) or you might be able to find something locally or at a college summer program.
Having no foreign language at all will put you at a disadvantage with the kind of competitive schools that offer full-need-met aid and/or partner with Questbridge. Two years’ worth is vastly better than nothing.
Will you need any kind of physical assistance with ADL’s, when you’re at college, or no?
Northeastern may be a good one to look at. They meet full need and have top-notch disability services and a highly accessible, compact campus. Plus, the coop program means that the CS curriculum is heavily front-loaded in order to get students a solid skill-set before their first placement - if hitting the ground running in CS is your goal, it would be a great program.
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That’s terrific - if you’re getting an A there’s no reason why you shouldn’t at least ask. I don’t know what CP is like, I assume it’s challenging on its own, but it should not allow for underestimating what you’re capable of – a student maintaining an A in regular English would typically be offered to move up to Honors, so unless you’re at your max in Regular it seems fair that you should be allowed to try.
How are you doing with math? It’s the most important subject for cs in college.
Could your school design a section in your IEP where you would be exempt from some tasks in Spanish, for instance alliwing you to focus on reading/writing/listening/cultural understanding but not speaking+having other adjustments for the other 4 skills in agreement with the Spanish teacher and your needs as a learner?
If you can move to mostly Honors classes Northeastern would be a possible reach and a great option but you’d need to be as close as possible to the schedule I outlined above in terms of rigor.
Another possibility for hands on CS is Informatics at UCincinnati, and they have good merit aid for high scores (but no financial aid for oos applicants.)
When practicing for the SAT and PSAT right now focus on the areas you’ve covered already, trying to get as close to zero mistake in Heart of Algebra and Problem Solving.
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Have the IEP person make notes in your file that your taking CS in lieu of a language and get a disability rider for that. That can be sent with your file to the colleges and your GC can explain this when sending the report to colleges.
CP won’t be your hold back. College being tough will…lol. So make sure your going to a college that will honor your IEP and what you need to be successful. If your wheel chair bound you have to make sure you have proper access to buildings and the bus systems. Those are the things I wound be more concerned with. Some colleges might record/video tape lectures on a regular non pandemic case then others. This might be huge for you depending on your writing capabilities. Your evidently a very capable student. Some colleges handle CP differently then others.
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