I'M FREAKING OUT!! Help!

Paying for College
1

<p>I'm absolutely stressing about financial aid. My parents make like ~50k a year, but my dad had cancer from sept 05 to march 06 and was out of work. we used up all our savings to live off of. but i dont think many colleges/FAFSA will be sympathetic. we have 0 money for my college. where can i go!?!?</p>

<p>Female, Age 17, Buffalo, NY, White
Estimated Class Rank: 7/275ish
GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 96/100
SAT: M: 640 V: 730 W: 730 (1370/2100)
Total APs by graduation: 6
So far, AP scores: AP European (4), AP US (5) Gov (4)</p>

<p>Classes:
Freshman year:
Biology Honors, 90. Regents Exam, 93
Design Drawing for Production, 100. Exam, 93
Global History I, 94. Exam, 96
English, 95. Exam, 98
Latin, 99. Exam, 99
Math, 90. Exam, 89
Advanced Spanish, 93. Exam, 96</p>

<p>Summer school to get ahead: Global II, 97. Regents Exam, 97</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
English, 100. Exam, 99
Math, 97. Exam, 88 Math A exam: 95
Advanced Spanish, 98. Exam, 99
AP European, 97 Exam, 98, AP: (4)
Advanced Latin, 99. Exam, 95
Earth Science Honors, 93. Exam, 94
Business and Personal Law, 99. Exam, 100</p>

<p>Junior year so far:
AP American, 99
English, 100
AP Government, 97
Advanced Spanish, 96
Advanced Latin, 99
Chemistry Honors, 94
Math, 97</p>

<p>Pretty steady incline in grades...</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Freshman year:
~ Class President
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Pep Club, Ambassadors' Circle, a couple others...can't remember...
~ JV Cheerleading (Most Improved award, lol)
~ Community service program (25ish hours over summer)
~ Latin award: Summa cumma laude - National Latin Exam</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
~ Student Congress representative
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Student Recognition Council (secretary)
~ Environmental Club (secretary)
~ SADD (Officer of Publicity)
~ Best Buddies (Officer of Publicity)
~ JV Cheerleading (MVP award)
~ Town of **** Supervisor's Youth Council
~ Community service program (50-ish hours)
~ Youth Consortium (promoting leadership and wise choices in younger teens)
~ Awards:
~ NY State winner of Essay Contest
~ Published in Parade Magazine: fresh voices
~ Featured: "Someone You Should Know": town newspaper
~ National Latin Exam: Silver Medal
~ Kodak Young Leaders Award
~ HOBY Youth Conference (summer)
~ National Young Leaders Conference (summer) (Assistant Majority Leader of Model Congress)</p>

<p>Junior year:
~ Co-President of Environmental Club
~ Vice-President of SADD Club
~ Student Congress Executive Board
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Student Recognition Council
~ Youth voting member of Town Board
~ Youth Consortium
~ Community service program: from summer 2004-present: 100+ hours
~ National Honor Society (maybe President -- running next week)
~ Varsity Cheerleading
~ Keynote Speaker: Junior National Young Leaders Conference
~ Girls State Nominee
~ 2006 NY State winner Lewis and Clark essay contest</p>

<p>~ WORK: Busser at restaraunt (May 2005-present, 12 hours a week)
Only member of family employed at moment due to father's cancer
Hostess at another restaraunt (Jan. 2006-present, 7-8 hours a week)</p>

<p>applying to:
-- UVA
-- UNC, chapel hill
-- U south carolina
(all 3 OOS)
-- Vanderbilt
-- University of Dayton
-- University of Scranton</p>

<p>and WAS thinking: cornell, UPenn, u of delaware, and ohio university
^^ but my concern with these is if i get in, will i get enough money?!
im dying here.</p>

<p>please evaluate:
of the schools i listed, where would I get in
AND...would my fin aid be good.</p>

<p>lastly, gimme some suggestions! im taxed out here and apps start like NOW.</p>

2

<p>your EFC would probably be around over 4,000. My situation is very similar to yours. My dad makes 48k a year, mom can't work and she has a skin problem (which requires $$$$$$) and we have also 0 money saved up for college.</p>

<p>If you have good grades and are a good student, chances are you'll get some money for school merit and need-based. The only thing you can do is A) stop freaking out, that won't get you anywhere (speak from experience here) and B) keep working hard on your grades. DO NOT LET SENIORITIS SCREW YOU UP, that will be the key, if you continue to get your grades up in a challenging workload, you'll be fine.</p>

<p>As far as colleges go, they most likely won't meet all 100% of your expenses SPECIALLY being out of state, you might have to take some loans or go to a CC for the 1st two years and knock out some of the core classes. If you decide the later, you have 3 years until you transfer to a 4-year university, you can work in the meantime, saving some $$ for college expenses. Don't be a lazy bum and expect your parents to pay for everything if you have the opportunity to help out as well.</p>

<p>Bottom line :There's plenty of possibilities to go to college if you REALLY want to do it. Things won't fall in your lap, nor the scholarships, so do your research, ask around at your school and do something about it. As I said, don't expect daddy and mommy to pay for everything if you have the chance to contribute as well. You seem like a good student so if you have to take out some loans (don't put yourself in debt hell either) to make a good investment on yourself, DO IT.</p>

<p>Hope this helps</p>

3

<p>Honey, there is a transfer student type of thread and a college search type of thread where more folks could help you.</p>

<p>You are applying for everything this time of year? I do not understand. </p>

<p>If you are applying for next year, your family's financial picture would look a smidgen different, right? </p>

<p>I know from personal experience, from friends of mine from when I was younger, that Vandy would maybe work with your unique situation. You would have to do a good write up, though. </p>

<p>From your stats and all, you could breeze through a University Parallel Liberal Studies AA degree at a Community College. That would cut your parents expenses in half, right there. </p>

<p>Do you have a guidance counselor?</p>

4

<p>If you are that stressed about money you should be checking out SUNY schools. Since you are in NY they will be very affordable.</p>

5

<p>Vandy is great for financial aid. If you can get in, you should be fine.</p>