<p>Ok, so as a rising senior, I'm starting to look at colleges more closely and it's really hard doing it by myself. My parents don't speak english well and don't know the system all too well either, and I can't afford a college counselar person. And since its summer, my guidance counselar won't be able to help too. So I turn to CC.</p>
<p>About me:</p>
<ul>
<li>2180 SAT</li>
<li>3.7ish GPA with very strong upward trend</li>
<li>Will take 6 AP's by the time I graduate, so far I've taken 2, and got 5's on both. (Language and World)</li>
<li>Low-income (25,000/yr)</li>
<li>250 community service hours, some of which reflect my career intrest</li>
<li>Very big music-guy, violin for 8 years, guitar for 4, and piano for 2. Started composing around 5 years ago too, and hoping to send in arts supplement of my compositions.</li>
<li>I have a couple of obstacles in my life that account for my low GPA and such, but I don't want to reveal them here.</li>
<li>I am white and first-generation.</li>
<li>I'm a member of several clubs, and have a couple of positions.</li>
</ul>
<p>Anyway, I'd like to be closer to home, somewhere around the Northeast.
My intrest is Computer Science/Mathematics.
I'm looking into all schools (LAC's and not)
I don't care whether the school is public or private, and do not want male-only.
The size isn't a big issue, either.</p>
<p>Any suggestions would be much appreciated, as I'm really stuck right now!</p>
<p>Rutgers is an obvious choice with in-state tuition, in-state financial aid, and good math and CS.</p>
<p>Check the net price calculator at each school’s web site to see if you can afford it without excessive debt (excessive is generally thought to be greater than subsidized Stafford loan amounts of $23,000 for all four years). If the need-based financial aid is insufficient, you need to see if large merit scholarships are available that can make the school affordable.</p>
<p>Financially, I can barely make it with any schools. I’m praying for either good need-based aid or large merit scholarships as you said. What are some of the ways I can get either one in large amounts? Is there anything I should know?</p>
<p>The best way to get need-based aid is to be accepted to top-level schools (Ivies, Caltech, Olin, etc.) Most / all of their aid goes to people who need the money (according to the school’s determination), and you’d qualify if there’s nothing else in your finances than you’ve said here.</p>
<p>The best way to get merit-based aid is to apply to schools where your grades and test scores put you in the top of the admitted class, where they will give you merit money to get you to go to that school instead of a higher-ranked one where your scores are more middle-of-the road. If you’re a National Merit Finalist, many schools (available on other threads) will be interested in giving you financial support to go there.</p>
<p>Schools of interest could be
Northeastern (Mass) and Case Western (Ohio) and Rose Hulman (Indiana) - where you could probably hope for merit money, but probably not enough to make it affordable
Olin (Mass) and MIT (Mass) - where, IF admitted, you could hope for pretty good need-based aid</p>
<p>Although your grades are low for those toppest-schools, your story may make you admissible - how you’ve done so well and so much with low income and parents who can’t afford to give you all the goodies, whatever your obstacles were and how you overcame them, etc.</p>
<p>Another option: check if your local community colleges are inexpensive enough and offer the courses needed to transfer as a junior to Rutgers and other schools in your desired major(s). You may be able to save enough money by attending a community college for two years to be able to afford a bit more for the four year schools for your last two years.</p>
<p>However, if you are advanced enough in math to want to take junior level courses as a freshmen, community college would force you to delay that, making it a less suitable choice.</p>