The simple answer to the question is to get merit scholarships.
“The simple answer to the question is to get merit scholarships.”
With our kids we have seen good merit scholarships. We haven’t seen merit scholarships large enough to allow a student to go to university with no parent contribution at all.
I am thinking that OP needs to find four or five options: (i) The cheapest academically strong actually sensible option which is close to home (probably an in-state); (ii) The cheapest option period that is close to home whatever the academics (probably a community college so close to home that living at home is a possibility); (iii) The cheapest option anywhere, hopefully in a miserable and dangerous area on the opposite side of the country in a location which the parents would absolutely hate; (iv) A few academically strong options that are really expensive; (v) Some other option (possibly not including school) that the parents would hate even worse. Once facing these options at decision time, beg.
Then hope that the parents will relent and agree to support option 1 with the student taking on only the $5,500 federal debt (for first year).
Agree with the above posters that your parents likely do not have a complete awareness of the current costs of college. It could also be that they haven’t been as diligent as they might have been and are trying to encourage you to do what you can to get into a lower cost situation. I suggest you ask your parents to do the Net Price Calculator on one of your in state schools so that you and your parents can have a rough idea of what that college would cost. If it is unaffordable, you need to talk to them (carefully) about if they are prepared for you to go to community college. They may balk at that.
Short answer is that parental unwillingness to pay will not get you more need-based financial aid.
If you have high academic credentials, you may be eligible for merit scholarships. Full rides are uncommon, though they do exist. Examples:
https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/scholarships/freshman-scholarships (3.50 HS GPA, 30 ACT or 1390 SAT)
http://www.pvamu.edu/faid/home/types-of-aid/scholarships/university-scholarships/ (3.50 HS GPA, 26 ACT or 1260 SAT)
If you are unable to get a full ride merit scholarship, then you may find it to be more difficult to work your way through college than your parents’ generation did, when it was easier to support oneself on a high school graduate job and have some money left over to pay tuition and books at a state university.
Why don’t you want any reference to merit aid?
You can’t.
OP, sorry that your parents aren’t planning to pay any. Are they aware that there are no jobs that will pay HS graduates enough pay full year of college cost of attendance?
I can think of one college that will give you tuition and board with high SAT/GPA, and that is Howard university. Sure, it’s not as prestigious as it may have been in the past, but it is still a good schol.
I know you are against merit aid, but if your parents won’t pay for college this is the route you must take. You can also commute to a local state school and attend part time if necessary, if one is close enough.
Do your parents expect you to attend college? What are they saying?
I wish the OP would come back and clarify why merit aid isn’t on the table.
^I think OP meant “beside merit aid”?
@thumper1 @MYOS1634 Perhaps becsuse the easier to get scholarships on the automatic full tuition list are at HBCUs. Some people suggest these places like they’re for everyone.
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Other than merit-based scholarships - which although many of which I am eligible for, will probably not lessen my student debt TOO too much <<
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OP, why don’t you post your GPA (W and UW) and ACT/SAT scores, and see if we can make any suggestions for you based on your stats?
@MYOS1634 I understand…but why doesn’t he want to consider merit aid?
It doesn’t sound like OP is not considering merit aid, but rather does not think it will make that much of a difference money-wise.
Which may or may not be true, but without OPs stats it’s impossible to tell.
^ for instance, op may know s/he doesn’t qualify for merit aid (act 23 or 2.9 GPA, this kind of thing ). We can’t assume act 30+ just because it’s cc.
Without stats we don’t know.
Why would you assume that they are unsuitable for someone because they are historically black schools?
Why would you also assume that it is easier to get automatic full tuition scholarships at HBCUs?
That ship has sailed and a lot of the scholarships are now competitive vs automatic scholarships
@sybbie719 Six of the eight full ride scholarships on the automatic full tuition yolasite link are HBCU’s.
@AroundHere …that Yolesite link hasn’t been updated in quite some time…like,since 2014. It still has Temple giving guaranteed scholarships…and that is no longer the case…at all.
Anyone using the Yolesite link needs to check EACH college for CURRENT information. The info ON that link…is old.
I never understand this kind of thread, which reappears many times.
- If your parents won’t pay for your college, get a job and get the company to pay for you to go to college.
- If your parents won’t pay for your college, get married and get your own FA.
- If your parents won’t pay for your college, find a trade and apprentice in it.
Or go to one of the many community colleges out there that have a relationship with four year colleges. Some even have special scholarships for the best transfer students at the four year colleges.
Don’t you think that if there was a magic solution for kids of parents who make too much money to get aid but won’t pay anything, it would be defunded by now? The OP’s situation is terrible, but not uncommon. The only problem with the OP’s situation is if the OP thinks they have some kind of right to attend “the best private college” instead of the responsibility to fund their own college without the luxury of parents paying.
Some of the best students in my classes are 25 years old or even a little older. When you actually experience life, you realize what a great opportunity it is to learn in college, and you are less likely to waste it.