I have no idea where I should go to college...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Here is my situation:
I will be a high school senior next year.</p>

<ul>
<li>EFC 0</li>
<li>Absolutely no way to pay a cent for college</li>
<li>Planning on majoring in biomedical engineering</li>
<li>REALLY want to go to college in California</li>
<li>But I live out-of-state </li>
</ul>

<p>So my point is that with my near 2000 SAT score and 3.8 gpa and MIGHT get accepted into USC which is my dream school because it has GREAT financial aid. But if not I have no plan B...</p>

<p>This is because the UCs have awful financial aid for out of state students. I tried their financial aid calculator estimator and even after all the financial aid, grants, and work-study estimated I still got a $30,000 net amount that I would have to pay. And neither I nor my family can pay that. I doubt I will get a $30,000 scholarship either. </p>

<p>SO what college can I go to in California that meets my stats, has a biomedical engineering program, and has great financial aid????</p>

<p>By the way I really want to go to school in California because my close family lives there, I lived there all my life, its where I want to be and it would be really hard to not go back for college. And if I didn't I doubt I would see my family as often as I would live because of financial issues.</p>

2

<p>Yeah the cost of the UCs is what keeps me from applying, too.</p>

<p>What is your CR+M and unweighted GPA? A 2000 is on the low end for USC but still reachable, and it could get you full tuition/full ride at some schools. If you improve your test scores you could try Stanford. There are a ton of options on the east coast, too if you’re open to it.</p>

3

<p>@ybrown234 You mentioned there were other colleges could I get a full tuition/full ride to?? Could you be more specific? And my SAT reading and math aren’t too great there at about 1300…</p>

4

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>A 1300 would be competitive for a number of those.</p>

5

<p>Thank you I will look into those!</p>

6

<p>

While I agree that, if accepted, USC is likely to provide a more workable financial aid package than an OOS UC, I wanted to add a few cautions.</p>

<p>First, USC, like most colleges/universities, starts with a student contribution regardless of the expected contribution or the student’s level of need. USC will expect that you obtain full-time employment for summer and use 100% of those earnings toward your own education. Regardless of the amount you actually earn, you will be expected to contribute approximately $3,000 per year from summer earnings (so if you choose not to work, you will still have to come up with those funds).</p>

<p>In addition you will be expected to work part-time during the school year - if your expected contribution is low, you will likely be offered work/study as part of your aid. In general USC expects about $2,500/year in part-time work through work/study.</p>

<p>All financial aid applicants will be offered the maximum Stafford subs+unsubs each year, so expect loans of $5,500 for your freshman year as part of your need-based USC package.</p>

<p>In all, all students will be expected to contribute at least approximately $11,000 in the forms described above each year, so the hope of “not paying a cent” will not be a reality at USC.</p>

<p>Second, USC uses the CSS/Profile to distribute university grants which considers assets the FAFSA does not including any assets protected by the simplified needs test and home equity in the principal residence (if any). Please be sure to include any such assets when using the net price estimator. </p>

<p>[USC</a> Financial Aid - Planning for USC](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/undergraduates2/netpricecalculator.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/undergraduates2/netpricecalculator.html)</p>

<p>All that said, many high-need applicants find that USC offers sufficient aid to make attending possible. Good luck.</p>

7

<p>Many schools allow you to work for a semester and then go to school the next semester. So if your college doesn’t completely cover costs then you can work to help. Or you can go to a cheap CC for two years then transfer</p>

8

<p>Do you have affordable in state safeties?</p>

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<p>From past posts it appears the OP is from FL. I have no idea why she’s looking at CA schools when there are some great schools in FL for which she can get Bright Futures $.</p>

10

<p>as she said, she lived in CA before and wants to return. If you want it badly enough, perhaps you could live with the close family you mentioned in the OP and establish residency. Its a long shot but worth mentioning.</p>

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<p>I don’t think you can establish residency separate from your parents if you’re under 24. So if they live in Florida, you can’t have residency in California at 18 even if you live and work there. Someone verify that, maybe?</p>

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<p>“SO what college can I go to in California that meets my stats, has a biomedical engineering program, and has great financial aid???”
You have a shot at Harvey Mudd and they meet need so if EFC is O you’d get enough to attend as long as you manage to get in (not an easy feat at all though so it wouldn’t be a safety).
But with your intended major, there are few choices.
Is there a way for you to establish residency? UC Davis would then be a great match for you.</p>

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<p>There are an untold number of threads about establishing residency. In the vast majority of cases the students residence is defined by where the PARENTS live. SansSerif is correct. The parents would have to move out there NOW.</p>

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<p>She can’t “live with relatives” and establish residency in Calif. Calif is wise to those tricks. Plus, its aid is for those who graduate from Calif high schools, to avoid those games. </p>

<p>OP…what is your Math + CR score? Are you going to retest? Are you going to take the ACT?</p>

<p>What level of Bright Futures do you qualify for?</p>

<p>What do you want to do with a BiomedE degree? Frankly, since many schools do NOT offer that as an undergrad major (and it’s not a necessary undergrad major for ANY career), you can still reach career goals by slightly altering that choice of major.</p>