<p>I didn’t read it that she needed 100% paid for everything (if so, she should go to a military academy). Tuition at Wyoming would be ~$6500 with the WUE, and there are department scholarships that can be applied on top of that. There are ROTC scholarships, Pell grants, work study to take the costs down. And there are loans. No one likes them, but they will be part of the FA plan at almost any school. Sure, if she can go to a ‘meets full needs’ school, that would be the best, but most of the comments are that those are too high a reach. South Dakota is even cheaper.</p>
<p>It’s just an option. I don’t think there are going to be 100% deals available. I think Utah would be the best price, but may not have a program she wants. WICHE provides an inexpensive alternative to other schools that may have more of what she wants, but no, they won’t be free. It’s cheaper (a lot cheaper) for a Colorado student to pay 150% of instate tuition in a neighboring state than to go to a Colorado school at instate rates (CU ~$12000, Wyo ~$6500), but the WUE is competitive.</p>
<p>Have you considered spending two years at [Snow</a> College](<a href=“http://www.snow.edu%22%5DSnow”>http://www.snow.edu)? Your stats guarantee you a full tuition scholarship there. Housing in Ephraim is dirt cheap compared to other locations. And if you do well, Snow’s transfer record is excellent. </p>
<p>"In her OP she is concerned with paying for Utah…so 150% of that would likely be more…correct? "</p>
<p>Actually, no. Tuition (in state) in Utah is about $8000. 150% of in-state tuition at Wyoming is about $6500. OOS tuition at South Dakota is about $6250 so there is no reason to even apply for WICHE because the 150% is more than just paying OOS tuition. It’s a different deal at every school.</p>
<p>OK, so have we established that the OP is mistaken in thinking that merit aid is the only way she is going to school and that she can afford to go to FAFSA-only schools that are good with fin aid?</p>
<p>As an aside, being female actually isn’t a help at most schools (other than the engineering/STEM-focused schools) as there are more females than males applying to college these days.</p>
<p>i don’t think the gender ratio matters much for her. It doesn’t tend to affect the FA offered, and doesn’t skew admissions enough at most schools to make a significant difference unless she wants someplace like Kenyon.</p>
<p>Right now you should find out what you and your family can afford each year, and what the schools you are considering might give you aid, using the NPCs. For those schools that are FAFSA only, just your custodial parent’s income and assets are need to get expected contribution amounts, but PROFILE schools would need nfo from both parents. So you and your parent should sit down and run some numbers to see what these contributions might be. Barnard and UCh tend to meet full need with little merit, so their numbers will give some idea of what schools like that might expect from a family in your situation. Utah uses FAFSA but they do not tend to meet full need.</p>
<p>As others have said, it’s important for you to look at some schools where you have a better chance at some substantial merit money. Though it’s not a problem, and often a good thing to look at some reach school, you should also have some schools on your list, at very least one, that you know will take you and that you can afford. Such schools may be local schools, and you may have to commute to make the financial numbers work out. That is going to be the big challenge, finding the sure thing school in terms of acceptance and cost. </p>