I'm seriously about to cry...

<p>SmallColleges,</p>

<p>I agree with other posters that you need to find some less expensive options in state schools ASAP. On the other hand, if you can not make that happen at this late date then you might consider going to one of the liberal arts colleges for one year, then transferring to a less expensive school for your other 3 years. When my son was a senior it felt like "the big decision" (where he would go to college) was set in stone. I've been surprised at the number of his friends who have quit, transferred, or otherwise made changes during their first year of college. We saw a 15K spread in need-based aid packages from 6 private liberal arts colleges...1 less than FAFSA EFC, 3 were 2-4K more, 2 were significantly more. Some colleges will split the scholarship money you bring in...e.g. if you get $10,000 then you lose $5K in need-based aid, but you're ahead the other 5K. </p>

<p>Best wishes!</p>

<p>My son was fortunate to be awarded enough merit to attend his school of choice, which, together with our family's somewhat diminished funds, should get him through (touch wood). However, he did have a backup plan (as many of his preferences were out-of-state, expensive, some private etc.)
His backup had been to work on a Cruise line for a year if things got too tight for what he wanted.</p>

<p>Working on a cruise ship as a young person means you're not spending, you are traveling, you are out on your own to some degree, etc. I know it sounds a little odd but you could ask the LACs who accept you to defer their acceptance for a year so that you can work and save to top up the difference. If you did get on a cruise line and were a valuable employee, maybe they'd even give you short contracts for summer break (eg. european repositioning.)</p>

<p>Better still, if they realize you really can't get the money from anywhere else and you're devoted enough to their school to go work a year to get started, maybe they'd help you find other merit opportunities or increase your aid.</p>

<p>Good luck!
K</p>

<p>Also to the poster who posted the string of "outside scholarships" be careful to look into these...many of these scholarship types can be one-offs and will take care of some freshman year costs, but aren't applicable for following years. And for all high school juniors reading in this forum...make sure you are talking to your parent(s) about college costs and make sure you have a financial feasible plan in place!</p>

<p>Another thing about outside scholarships (other than the fact that this usually is a one time deal & not renewable) is the fact that you may be spending hours filling out applications for nothing. My niece did this and got zip. Also at many schools if you you were offered say $2000 in grant aid & you brought in $2000 in outside scholarships they just take away your grant money so you just spent hours filling out applications for nothing. At my son's school they let you keep one outside scholarship without taking away grant money, but if you got another one then they took away some of your grant money.</p>

<p>I should add that you have a much better chance of getting a scholarship offered at your high school. My kids could pickup a packet that contained all the local scholarships & then you could apply to as many as you wanted to or the ones that interested you. Your odds are much better this way!</p>

<p>I don't qualify for anything at my HS, they are for URMs or specific schools.</p>

<p>I know a state school is a good idea, but I know that types of people that go to these non-flagships. They are students that don't care much at all about education and are looking for a place to party for four years. That sounds like a terrible environment.</p>

<p>One problem with that is if you are in a small area. I got a few scholarship offers at my school but mostly they were to the local college or for black kids.</p>

<p>Wow I your post was pretty much just like mine lol.</p>

<p>"I know a state school is a good idea, but I know that types of people that go to these non-flagships. They are students that don't care much at all about education and are looking for a place to party for four years. That sounds like a terrible environment."</p>

<p>That mindset is a bigger problem than your EFC.</p>

<p>The kids I know that went to Morris didn't want the huge flagship environment. They wanted a LAC but couldn't afford it. Sound familiar?</p>

<p>SmallColleges,</p>

<p>As a need applicant with a fixed contribution from your parents, you could be in a difficult "variable cost" situation. By this I mean that your parents have the right to do things (change jobs, go back to work, have other kids enter or leave college) and those things could have a major impact on how much financial aid you will receive. You will bear the brunt of those actions, but may have no control over them. Please recognize that you could get more or less FA during Years 2, 3, 4 than what you will receive this year. Be careful.</p>

<p>Some LAC's have outside scholarships replace loan/workstudy portions of your package before they take away your need-based. At least, my EDII school (for which I am scrounging for scholarships as well) does. It's explicitly stated on the website, so I'd check with your schools before assuming that scholarships just won't help at all.</p>

<p>I have extensively read all the scholarships offered by every school and applied for all that i qualified.</p>

<p>As for UM-Morris I think it is an excellent public LAC, but its 11 hours away. My parents will not give me a ride that far. My mom believes Luther (~8 hours) is too far. Kenyon and Bowdoin which are super far away, is if we moved as my dad interviewed for a job around there (he currently has a steady job he is not in danger of losing but was offered one that was better for his area). There is less than a 10% chance we will move, so those are pretty much out. Macalester and St. Olaf I would only be allowed to attend if I was not admitted to any other schools (not the case).</p>

<p>Why did you apply to colleges that your parents feel are too far away?</p>

<p>My daughter is a three day drive away. Distance is relative.</p>

<p>Could you talk to parents and see if you could take bus or other alternative -- see if you could identify what distance issue really is? Try to convince them that you are trying to work with money and distance issues. Good luck.</p>

<p>Maybe you can convince your parents that with the financial issues, limiting distance will really limit your options.</p>

<p>My mom is really freaking out about me not being within a few hours reach. I am perfectly happy, in fact more than happy, to go any distance, but she is the main factor in me not being able to go far. She uses the driving thing as more of a threat.</p>

<p>Could you try to talk to your dad alone?</p>

<p>I would like to add that at some schools merit aid does reduce the EFC, not the need based aid.</p>

<p>IrishThund3r, could you name some of those schools?</p>