<p>Your counselor isn’t giving you the best advice…no surprise, many GC’s do a horrible job at advising.</p>
<p>Since you need a lot of aid and it sounds like you’d qualify, you need to apply to MORE UCs…even if they’re large, altho Merced is small.</p>
<p>You have a lot of high reaches on your list based on your current stats. You need to be practical and include more schools that will more likely accept you - just in case…like the lower tier UCs. </p>
<p>The claremont schools are good with aid…another example that your GC is clueless. ignore that person.</p>
<p>Your dad’s income will be lower this year, but what will it be when he works a full calendar year?</p>
<p>Maybe some here can recommend some midwest LACs that would want more Asian students. Try Depauw…it gives good aid.</p>