I am a California student with a 4.3 gpa. I have wanted to get into a UC, maybe Berkeley or Santa Barbara. I was quickly met with the reality that I will get no financial aid and my dad and stepmom are not going to help me financially because they say they need money for retirement. So I am left with figuring out how to pay for a college I have worked hard to get into but it costs $35,000 a year (because I will literally get no money, I have done the financial aid calculators). Ironically, If I was under my mom I would go to school for free. I want to go to a 4 year college but am not sure if I am willing to go 100,00 + in debt. Does anyone have any tips on how to get any type of aid, and if merit aid would really accumulate to anything? Any advice on the situation at all would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Unweighted GPA?
You would have to look for large merit scholarships, full ride or almost that. Perhaps University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, etc…
You can only borrow $5,500 first year without a cosigner.
If you attend a college in commuting distance, will they subsidize your live-at-home and commuting costs? If so, local community college followed by local CSU or UC may be possible.
Live with your mother. If you can’t do that now while in hs, take a gap year and move in with her, then you can use her on the FAFSA.
And you can always start at a CCC
See if you can get a full ride. Univ of AZ and Univ of AL are also good places for school guaranteed merit aid. Cost of living is reasonable in these places, so you could work and go to school. I’m sure you can live at home and go to community college for your first 2 years. Then transfer to a local university for your last 2 years and take student loans. The degree you get is still a fully accredited bachelors degree no matter which path you choose.
Any chance you can live with your mom for 51% of the time for the previous year as of the date of filing your FAFSA?
Is your mom also not planning to help you with college costs!