<p>moondragonx - I think I used the term “super match” when I suggested you look for schools where you fall into the upper 25% of the stats. I admit to making up the term, but some of the schools you are interested in have very low admission rates and I think it would put you at an advantage if you were in the top 25%. Top schools are a reach for everyone.</p>
<p>The other posters are correct in having you discuss $$$ with your parents. This can be difficult because many parents either are not ready to think about finances or are unwilling to share the information. Your conversation should go something like this:</p>
<p>“Mom and dad I am starting to make my college lists. I really need to know how much per year or total that you guys are willing or able to put toward my education. If the answer is zero then I need to know that too. There is an FASFA form that all parents have to fill out and for now we can just use last years tax info, but it will help us plan for college because it gives us an estimate on how much we are expected to contribute each year. It only takes a few minutes to do and you can set up a password so I can only see the final number and not your personal data”</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if the EFC # comes back that your parents should be able to contribute X # of dollars, this doesn’t mean they have to or maybe other circumstances will prevent them from doing so. Colleges will not give you more $$ if your parents are unwilling/unable to come up with their EFC contribution.</p>
<p>Finances are a very critical part of your selection equation and the subject can be very uncomfortable for parents and very frustrating for kids.</p>