You have literally nothing to lose by applying, except an application fee. Private schools are a funny group. Financial aid decisions are dubious and subjective, so you never can tell what it’s going to be until you apply. Being low income does tend to swing that decision in your favor.
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That is very important to know, thank you. Haven’t spent a day with my father this year, ugh, but I suppose his income will count.
May I ask for how I could find schools that specifically do not factor in non-custodial parents?
Parents can’t.
I have full tuition guaranteed to at least one of my publics (Utah State) off the bat and full tuition almost a shoe-in at the University of Utah. I’d like to go out-of-state though.
That’s fair. GW and American were my “realistic” schools, as well as Fordham, but they all might be out of reach financially, which is my worry.
GPA: 3.96
ACT: 33
I have a decent number of extracurriculars including volunteering, a sport for a year, captain of the Mock Trial team by Senior year, founder & editor of the student newspaper, an internship, and 3-4 summer programs this summer.
I would like to attend a college with no/little fraternity presence (hence my attraction to Fordham, Georgetown, Notre Dame, etc.).
Not non-Catholic, just different in financial aid as I understood it (perhaps wrongfully). I quite admire the Catholic Church, even as a non-member.
Will you be commuting? Or do you have a way to pay the room and board cost?
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I don’t know if there is a list, but there are very few schools that meet full need and don’t use non-custodial parent’s income/assets. Vanderbilt is one and I think the University of Chicago (I believe that if your custodial parent was remarried Princeton would not look at non-custodial parent income). Keep in mind that your “realistic” schools become reaches if you need a full ride. I think you need to expand your search to some other options if you really want to go out of state. Best of luck!
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Yes, his income and assets will count. Are either of your parents remarried? If so, the new spouses’ income and assets will also be included in most Profile schools’ aid formulas.
Here is the list of schools that require CSS Profile. You can sort by those that do/do not require non-custodial parent info.
https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx
Remember this fall the FAFSA definition of custodial parent will change from the one the student lives with the most time to the one who provides the most financial support.
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Have you thought about George Mason in Virginia? It’s just over the border from D.C. and has an army ROTC program as well: Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) < George Mason University
Are you interested in D.C. because it’s the nation’s capital? If so, state capitals can often provide a similar benefit. These are some schools in (or very near) their state capital and offer army ROTC scholarships:
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Emory (GA): Hosted at Georgia Tech https://rotc.gatech.edu/
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Butler (IN): ROTC hosted at IUPUI https://rotc.iupui.edu/
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Louisiana State: LSU Army ROTC | LSU Military Science
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Millsaps (MS): Hosted at Jackson State Department of Military Science – Jackson State University
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U. of Minnesota - Twin Cities: https://arotc.umn.edu/
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North Carolina State: ROTC | Academic and Student Affairs
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Siena (NY): Military Science (ROTC) | Siena College
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Providence (RI): https://rotc.providence.edu/
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Vanderbilt (TN): Army ROTC | Vanderbilt University
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St. Edward’s (TX): hosted by U. of Texas - Austin, Military Science | Liberal Arts | UT - Austin
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U. of Vermont: University of Vermont Army ROTC | University of Vermont Army ROTC | The University of Vermont
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U. of Richmond: https://military.richmond.edu/
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Virginia Commonwealth (hosted at U. of Richmond)
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U. of Wisconsin - Madison: https://badgerrotc.wisc.edu/
Some other schools that offer room & board benefits to ROTC scholarship recipients include:
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Davidson (NC): Pays 50% of room & board Scholarships | Davidson
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Tulane (LA): May also pay room & board ROTC Scholarship | Tulane University Office of Financial Aid
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Southern Methodist (TX): SMU OFFERS FULL ROOM AND BOARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO ROTC STUDENTS - SMU
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Texas Christian: TCU Army ROTC Scholarships
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Syracuse (NY): Army ROTC scholarship - OVMA – Syracuse University
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Texas A&M: Texas A&M Commits $50 Million To Full Rides For ROTC Scholarship Recipients - Texas A&M Today
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Gustavus Adolphus (MN): Army ROTC Awards - Amount varies | Admission
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U. of Tampa (FL): Army ROTC | University of Tampa
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U. of San Francisco (CA): https://www.usfca.edu/life-usf/campus-experience/student-activities/rotc/scholarships
If you are committed to serving in the armed services, I thank you in advance for your service. Make sure, however, that you are well aware of all the aspects that committing to life in the military will include.
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Room and board is also doable at the University of Utah and I could reasonably commute there, though I would not want to.
Also just won full tuition to Weber State today, though I have no intention of attending.
I’d have a full ride to Princeton regardless of combined income, as that would still be under $75,000, which I believe is their threshold.
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My parents were never married in the first place and have not married since their separation.
Either way, it would be the same for me as my father’s only support is my phone bill.
Thank you! I’ll look into these.
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Did I miss your GPA and SAT or ACT score…and your class rank?
That’s very good news.
Of course, it’s also scary news, since it means only the most generous meet need schools are likely to work. 
But it means that if you get into, say, Ivies or Williams or Amherst or Wellesley or Bowdoin or Smith or Vassar, you could go despite your parents’ expectations. However, odds are 9 out of 10 you won’t, so you’ll need to identify
- affordable state schools = sounds like you’ve done it already
so the big job is going to be finding schools in these 2 categories: - colleges that offer merit or need based aid in such a way they’d be affordable for you
- Questbridge colleges that match at least some of your criteria
(Questbridge is like 12 ED shots at once)
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