Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell exactly. I feel that your SAT score will be really important, considering you go to a tech school. Maybe even try taking some subject tests, and I would build ECs.
Try looking into UMaine, URI, UNH, and Suffolk. Are you considering a more urban or rural setting? What region exactly?
Simmons in Boston could be a good target, and hard to beat as an urban/coastal base. If you’re interested in building on your culinary training, they have several different nutrition-related majors/tracks (some more business-oriented and some more health/education oriented) that include internships at restaurant chains, food service corporations, and social service agencies. They also have many traditional liberal arts majors as well as various pre-professional programs in the health and business realms. They’re also part of the Colleges of the Fenway consortium, with interesting cross-registration opportunities. It’s hard to say for sure without test scores, but for a student like you with a very high GPA, moderate course rigor, and a trajectory that seems like a good fit with their blend of liberal arts and pre-professional, I’d say you’d have to really tank the SAT to be out of the running; and good test scores could land you some nice merit $.
Of course, I’m totally guessing at what kind of major/career you would like, pending more info from you.
If you’d enjoy a more southern urban/coastal experience, College of Charleston, in South Carolina’s coastal capital city, has a great variety of programs and a lively student experience with both city and beach access.
But yes, we’d need to know budget, financial aid eligibility, and desired area(s) of study, in order to make good suggestions.
@aquapt Thank you for all the useful information. As for the budget I am thinking somewhere around 20k per year, maximum. I am not eligible for financial aid. I am undecided as of what I want to study.
@DadTwoGirls Thank you for your help. I was thinking larger city, and bigger school. Mass is a little too close, but it is a possibility. And the other questions I answered in my last response.
$20k per year with no financial aid eligibility is very limiting. UConn in-state is $30k+, while ECSU in-state is around $25k. Out-of-state publics are likely to be more expensive, except for some in rural inland areas. Private college list prices are commonly even higher.
You may have to confine your search to colleges which give out large merit scholarships and which you are otherwise very overqualified for admission (large merit scholarships go to the top end of the students the college admits).
Have you thought about University of Houston? If you get a good SAT score, you may qualify for the Academic Excellence merit scholarship, which gives you in-state (around 13,000) plus a 6500 scholarship. I got that recently, and it’s really helpful! CCSU also can be inexpensive!!