Help me choose

<p>Hi I need help choosing the last college I want to apply to. I can only apply to 5 because my parents don't want to pay application fees. I already have 4 and the last I will pay for myself. Please help me choose. I'll post my stats here to help you guys help me.</p>

<p>3.699 GPA(will be better soon)
1780 SAT(hope to get a 2,000)
28 ACT(hope to get at least a 30)
ECs not that great because I was homeschooled first 3 years of high school.
Essays good in my opinion.</p>

<p>I am black and from South Carolina.</p>

<p>The schools I am looking at are: University of Michigan,UVA,and University of Maryland. If you have any other schools in mind please let me know. Thanks guys.</p>

<p>Are you going to need financial aid? Note that out of state costs at UMich and UVA will be around $50,000 per year; at UMD around $40,000. All will prioritize in-state applicants for aid, though I have a D who got a generous OOS package from UVA. You named three large public schools - what are your priorities?</p>

<p>Yes I will need financial aid. My priorities are strong programs in the social sciences and a good or developing soccer program since I want to participate in college sports.</p>

<p>I’m wondering why your focused on state schools that won’t give you much, if any, bump for being black. I would throw in ome private colleges which can.</p>

<p>Are you looking for need or merit based aid? Do you know if your family can afford it’s EFC?</p>

<p>I’m open to privates if you have any suggestions. Any type of aid is an option also. Also I doubt they can afford the efc considering their income is near 90,000 and they have nothing saved for my education.</p>

<p>UNC Chapel Hill maybe? William & Mary?</p>

<p>Have you discussed with your parents what they will pay? Your list should be based on affordability. UMich gives very little aid to OOS students, and while UVA does meet need, with a $90K income they will likely expect your parents to pay about $25K before any aid kicks in. </p>

<p>If parents can’t afford the EFC you’re generally looking at your state schools or schools that give merit aid. In your case you’d need enormous merit before it cover any of the EFC. That very well may be impossible.</p>

<p>So figure out finances before finalizing the list or you’ll set your family and yourself up for big debt! Start running your numbers through calculators and establish what your family can afford.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions waverly. Shimmer UNC is already on my list and W&M requires tests I don’t think I’ll be able to take.</p>

<p>You have made poor choices considering your stats and financial situation.
Are you being recruited for soccer by any of those colleges?
Are you a D1 level player?
You should be applying to state colleges.
You have no safeties.</p>

<p>My safeties are USC Columbia and Howard. I’m not being recruited but I’ll be a DI level player with some development. I plan to walk on at whatever school I go to.</p>

<p>Have you tried the “net price calculator” or “financial aid estimator” on each school’s web site?</p>

<p>Out of state public schools tend not to give much financial aid. Virginia and North Carolina (Chapel Hill) are said to be exceptions. Your in state public schools are the ones most likely to be affordable. Private schools are all over the place in terms of financial aid.</p>

<p>However, a 3.0 GPA and 28 ACT should get you the [Blazer</a> Elite Scholarship at UAB](<a href=“Error 404 | Not Found”>Error 404 | Not Found). Total out of state cost of attendance is about $29,000 per year, so that scholarship will bring it down to about $14,000 per year.</p>