We see these sorts of posts now and then–a student has been making all sorts of plans for college applications and suddenly claims the parents won’t pay. My gut says that in most of these cases the OP has just had a big fight with the parents, who then threatened to withhold college funds, and now is genuinely panicked or else trying to figure out how to carry on without parental support because because fixing things would involve losing face. If that’s the case here, the answer is to swallow all pride, apologize and make up.
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My gut says that in most of these cases the OP has just had a big fight with the parents, who then threatened to withhold college funds, and now is genuinely panicked or else trying to figure out how to carry on without parental support because because fixing things would involve losing face. If that's the case here, the answer is to swallow all pride, apologize and make up.<<<<
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this is often true.
I wish the OP would come back and clear things up. It this is a case of “mouthy child” getting punished then apologize and get back in the parents’ good graces.
However, I suspect that the parents’ combined income of $180k is the issue. They’re considered full pay and maybe once they found out that DD has sights only for pricey schools, they shut down. Their standard of living may not allow a school that would cost them even half as much. Plus they have other children to put thru school as well.
Sorry to disappoint, but no big fight/bratty kid/prideful daughter.
So no fight, they make $180k, and they just believe you should figure out how to pay for 100% of college yourself?
(Above 150k is the top 5%, so $180k is not the upper middle class).
@basketball135 I didn’t think there had been a big fight. But can you tell us what happened? You have been creating this elite list for awhile.
Were your parents not aware of your list? Were they not aware of cost?
Why did they seem to suddenly say that they weren’t going to pay anything? (did they truly say that they won’t pay ANYTHING?)
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Income is around 180K
Do any NESCAC schools give aid for this?
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the answer is likely, “no”…but what good would it do you if a $65k school gave you $5k?
To receive a full ride merit scholarship, you will have to consider less well known colleges than the ones on your list.
For example, your stats are good enough for a full ride to Louisiana Tech.
Do you have a shot at National Merit Finalist? That would open up more and better possibilities.
You need a different list of colleges if your $180,000 income parents are not going to pay ANY of the costs for you to attend college. The schools will not offer you any need based aid at all because your family income is too high. Many of the schools on your list don’t give merit aid at all. I doubt you will get a full merit award from any of these schools either.
Simply put…you have the wrong list of colleges if you will be funding them 100% out of your own funds.
You need to discuss this with your parents…find out what, if anything, they will contribute annually for college costs. If the answer is $0, then you need to create a list,where your costs can be funded with merit aid.
And I would suggest you retake the SAT.
Also, be mindful on that yola site of the difference between “full ride”. Which include r/b, and full tuition, which would leave you to pay that cost.
I don’t think you would get any merit at any of your top or match schools. So decide if you want to:
-Commute to a local school and pay tuition out of savings and a $5500 loan
-Apply to full tuition merit schools and pay for r/b out of loans and savings
-apply to full ride schools and take the $5500 loan to pay misc expenses or use savings, or
-take a gap year to save and consider your options.
I don’t see any other options. Don’t waste your fee waivers in any reach or match on your list hoping for financial aid or merit aid to pay for it. It won’t be nearly enough if you are given any at all.
I’ve been following your story, OP. You are in a difficult position.
Do your parents know that children with affluent families CAN’T qualify for financial aid?
Do they know the maximum loans that YOU can take out are very limited?
Do they know that “working” one’s way through college is near impossible?
Will they allow you to live at home and commute to a local university? If you have a local university, does it have merit scholarships for certain stats?
I suggest you consider one of the Academies or ROTC/NROTC. You are an athlete with very good stats. I don’t know all the deadlines, so you might have to take a gap year for this option.
Another option is to get a job out of high school and work until your are 24 and financially independent of you parents.
Try to educate your parents about your limited options. If they would pay your room & board, you could apply to some schools that guarantee a full tuition scholarship with your stats. True full rides are not very common, unfortunately.
DON’T consider one of the service academies or ROTC unless your #1 priority in life is to serve as an officer in the armed forces! Students that do that just to finance a college degree inevitably do not complete the program. It is a calling not a financial aid source.
OP should apply to a few of the colleges in post #9.
How did you get 18 fee waivers, let alone with a 180K income?
OP has vanished, so presumably the problem has solved itself??
@newjerseygirl: some colleges REALLY want students from all walks of like to apply. Therefore, they’ll grant a fee waiver if you email adcoms and explain you want to apply but cant afford to. Other colleges give you a fee waiver if you visit campus during a preview day. Others send you a fee waiver after getting you SAT score from a 3rd party, hoping to entice you with merit scholarship offers. 
In another post you wrote:
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3.88 GPA, UW 2190 SAT (690 math, 710 reading, 790 writing) Subject tests: 800 US history, probably 700 in literature AP tests: Language and composition (5), us history (5)
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Now in your opening post in another thread, you wrote:
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My GPA is a 2.6 and my SAT score is a 1620. I
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what is the truth?
I don’t understand why you feel the need to play detective on an anonymous advice forum. My friends and I share this account and take turns asking questions. My friend has a 2.6 and I have a 3.9. You got me!!
In the future, there is no need to asking what the truth is and refer back to previous posts as you have done MANY times on my posts. There are different people using this account and hopefully that doesn’t bother u too much.
Thank you for those that offered helpful advice to my friend.
It is common look at other posts by a poster to glean more info about their situation. We generally try to do that so we can provide better advice. It would be better if you and your friends each had their own accounts.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: It is a violation of the Terms of Service for more than one person to share an account. I am closing this thread and banning the user.