<p>Okay, so I will be a senior in the fall and I've decided that I need to narrow down my list of colleges this summer. I plan to study journalism or english, depending on where I go, and I want to find a school that will give me the most financial aid possible. My family is not that well off, so I'm hoping I will get a lot of need based. I also want to find schools though that offer merit, specifically I need some safety schools because I feel like all my schools are either matches or high matches. </p>
<p>Here are my credentials:
ACT: 33
GPA: 3.9 unweighted, 4.7 weighted
APs: AP Language and Composition, AP US History, and next year I will have AP BC Calculus, AP English 4, AP Biology, AP Gov and AP Comparative
Extracurriculars:
Volleyball freshman year
JV track sophomore year
costume/makeup crew member for theater all four years
member of thespian honor society
member of National honor society
Key Club leader/secretary 2 years
School Pride Leader
Features Editor for school newspaper 2 years
Speech team 3 years and will be a captain next year
Next year I will be a part of my school's constitution team which is a really big honor
Library volunteer for 1 year
2 summers at Indiana University Journalism Camp</p>
<p>The Schools I've been looking at:
Northwestern University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Boston University
New York University
Fordham University</p>
<p>Each of these schools has a big price tag so I was wondering if you could chance me for them, and then also possibly give suggestions for other schools that would fit into my range that wouldn't be as expensive with decent english or journalism programs. </p>
<p>Thank you! :)</p>
<p>
Are you from Indiana? If so why isn’t IU on your list of schools? It would presumably be less expensive. What is your home state?</p>
<p>Why aren’t you looking at Syracuse for Newhouse? One of the best journalism schools in the country and you would definitely get Merit and Need based.</p>
<p>Have you asked your parents how much they’ll pay? If not, do so. </p>
<p>Safety schools have to be affordable.</p>
<p>My expected family contribution will be extremely low maybe even 0 dollars because I am not financially well off.</p>
<p>In that case look through the threads in post #2. Also consider some in-state options.</p>
<p>thank you! With my credentials does it seem that I’ll be able to get into some of the schools that are on my list?</p>
<p>*My expected family contribution will be extremely low maybe even 0 dollars because I am not financially well off.
*</p>
<p>Can you clarify. Do you mean that your family is low income? Or do you mean that they have a decent income, but can’t pay anything towards college?</p>
<p>Do you have a non-custodial parent?</p>
<p>Post your stats in the Chances Forum (top forum listed) for someone to guess on your chances.</p>
<p>My family is low income, and we basically have nothing to pay towards college.</p>
<p>Then look through the threads in post #2. You definitely qualify for some of the scholarships.</p>
<p>Have you got SIUE or SIUC on your list? I also think SEMO across the border in Missouri has some scholarships that you would like - 33 on the ACT and your GPA would likely get the full ride there.</p>
<p>If you are low income definitively apply to women’s colleges. With your current stats you can apply to all of them (don’t forget to get a waiver for the fees from your counselor). They have a lot of financial aid (typically more than low income students would get even from a state school). Wellesley is in Boston (=60 colleges), with an exchange with MIT; Smith and Mount Holyoke are part of a 5-college consortium (in MA); Scripps is part of a 5-college consortium too (in CA) so your social life shouldn’t be a problem :). Even Agnes Scott is in Atlanta, a bustling metropolis with lots of colleges.</p>
<p>I don’t want to go to a women’s college.</p>
<p>It’s really too bad because if you need substantial financial aid and want a superior education, it’s really worth applying. 
But if you can’t imagine being in class without men, then it’s definitively not for you.
If you’re part of a religion, have you considered the schools from that denomination?</p>
<p>Apply to BYU or Yeshiva U.</p>