<p>The responses to amcantu's thread were very informative, but they left me a little confused on where I stand for need-based aid.</p>
<p>I've been accepted to Tulane, and I really want to go. I think (but am not sure) that I will get an 18k to 22k merit scholarship. The total projected cost of Tulane is 44k. Otherwise, I'll probably go to UF or UCF, which are both fine schools but to large for my prefence.</p>
<p>I am a Mexican American living in Florida. My family makes roughly 70k before taxes. We have two houses- one which we own, and got through inheritance. I'm not sure what the mortgage is on the other, but I know we have some stocks worth around 20k.
I have three sisters; two will be in (state) college at the same time I will (one in her fifth year and the other in her third). My other sister will be in primary school.</p>
<p>I don't think this affects need-based aid, but just in case: my mom is American. She has two AS degrees and works as a registered nurse. My dad is a legal resident and is the shift manager of a franchise resturaunt. </p>
<p>Neither of my parent's know that much about the college admissions/aid process. They are willing to give me about 2-4k a year for college, with 4 being the absolute limit.
If anyone could give me a guess as to what I can (or can't?) expect from need-based aid, I'd appreciate it a lot.</p>
<p>With you family income, you will probably be eligible for some need based aid, but its hard to say how much. A lot depends on the value of the 2nd home (whichever one your parents are not living in). </p>
<p>I think that you should just go ahead with your applications to UF and UCF - and file the required financial aid forms for all schools (FAFSA for all 3, and the CSS Profile for Tulane and whatever other college requires it) -- and then see what your options are in the spring. It sounds like you will have good choices. </p>
<p>I don't know what the situation is with the house that your family inherited, but it can be used to help finance college if necessary -- your parents can sell it, rent it out, and/or borrow against it. So I think that one way or another, you will be able to manage college. </p>
<p>Of course if Tulane gives you a large merit scholarship, that will be available to you whether or not you qualify for additional need-based aid.</p>
<p>Use the financial aid estimator on CC's home page to get a rough idea of what you might have to pay.</p>
<p>As a Mexican-American with stats good enough for Tulane, if you want to go to a private college, you probably can find some college that will give you extremely generous merit aid (and possibly need-based aid, too, depending on your family's finances). Mexican Americans are very underrepresented minorities because Mexicans and Puerto Ricans comprise the majority of Hispanics in the U.S., but relatively few are college-bound and even fewer have the academic background for top colleges.</p>
<p>Check the "merit aid" thread at the top of the Parents' forum to look for suggestions.</p>
<p>Also consider some of the Florida private universities, where you may be able to get generous merit aid. I believe Stetson gives great merit aid particularly to top minorities.</p>
<p>Consider taking out loans, too. The average college student takes out a total of $20,000 in loans to get their college degree.</p>
<p>You will be eligible for financial aid, but the question becomes how much. That will largely be determined by your family asssets. If you are eligible for a Bright Futures (??) grant, you have your financial safeties in UF and UCF. Unless you have some other schools in mind that you would like to give a whirl if Tulane does not come up with a generous package of sorts (most likely a combo of merit and financial aid), you are set. If you really want a back up for Tulane in a smaller school, it's time to start research on some additional schools that are likely to give generous financial/merit aid.</p>
<p>This is off topic, but what strikes you about tulane? They sent me a fee waiver for the application and the name rang a bell but I wasn't too sure what the school offered.</p>
<p>To those who offered advice: Thanks, it's all very helpful. I've decided to also apply to Rollins College in Winter Park, which I know offered my friends brother (who is hispanic and from a similar financial background as myself) a good financial aid package.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse: Florida Bright Futures is a scholarship that pays for the full tuition of a Florida state college if you meet certian qualifications. There is also a 75% tuition scholarship for those with slightly lower scores. It's paid for with lottery money, and was designed to keep top Florida students in the state- which it definitely does.</p>
<p>To JPMorgan:
I like Tulane for a couple of reasons: it's a research university, but not to large (I don't like the idea of a 40,000+ student body- it doesn't seem like there would be any real student/professor interaction.) I'm not obsessed with prestige, but it is a known Southern name and that has to be helpful later on.</p>
<p>Also, almost everyone I know wants to go to the University of Florida. Most kids from Tulane are from the Northeast. This isn't that important, but I want to go to a place where I can meet new people from different backgrounds.
Um...the humanities program seems good, as does the study abroad programs. If you go to Tulane for undergrad, you have a better chance of getting into Tulane Law. I'm thinking about law school, so this is a plus.</p>
<p>I also think that living in New Orleans will be a generally beneficial experience. I've always planned to go abroad to do humitarian work, and this is an oppurtunity to do it in the US. My mom worked in a Cambodian refugee camp (as well as teaching English in Japan) and what she's told me has been a huge influence on me. There's still a lot to do in NO, and I'd like to be a part of it.</p>
<p>Yup, I am! The qualifications are (approximately) a 3.5 GPA, a 27 ACT (1270 SAT?) and 75 hours of community service including a 25 hour service "project." The only thing I need is to complete the paperwork for my project.</p>