<p>If you apply to colleges where you are in the top 10% (possibly even top 25%) of the applicant pool stats-wise, and those colleges are known to give a decent amount of merit aid then you should have a good chance at a ‘tuition discount’. In Calif, I know several students offered merit aid at University of Redlands, for instance. However, at a private college, you may still end up paying more than you would for a UC or CSU.</p>
<p>Usually money you get from a college in merit will be for 4 years, but check. Outside scholarships are usually only for smaller amounts like $1,000 and for one year. You can give a try look in books of scholarships for left handed people, descendants of Swedes and all sorts of one off things you might find you qualify for. Some employers have scholarships for employees kids. Some community civic groups give them.</p>
<p>In the Financial Aid forum, there is a list of automatic partial or full tuition scholarships and you would be eligible for some. It is in the threads pinned to the top. You can also google around like so:
<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2013/09/12/10-colleges-and-universities-where-merit-aid-is-most-common”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2013/09/12/10-colleges-and-universities-where-merit-aid-is-most-common</a></p>