<p>I also agree with the suggestion about ASU (and possibly the honors college).</p>
<p>I’ve checked out ASU, is it true that it is incredibly big and crowded? I can’t imagine that it feels much different from other big state schools, can anyone give me any insight into how big it really feels?</p>
<p>Northern Arizona university gives a hefty amount of aid. I also second Michigan state if you’re interested in that school 
Even without a 33 ACT (or 1500 m/v SAT), you are still qualified for an 8K/yr scholarship, then there’s the 3-5K presidential study abroad scholarship that most out-of-state recipients receive with your type of stats if you apply before November 1.</p>
<p>Yes, Arizona State is absolutely gigantic. No it’s certainly not going to give you an intellectual or academic atmosphere. Quite the opposite in fact. But if it is your only option and/or its free, there’s nothing wrong with it.</p>
<p>But like some others have said, you should really sit down and talk with your parents to figure out exactly why they won’t pay for anything because they clearly can if they want to.</p>
<p>Explain how the entire premise of financial aid at every university in the country is based on the financial well-being of the parents, and that the ‘system’ expects them to pay. Show them how there is no way a person like you can get much aid because of their income. Hopefully they will at least explain why they refuse to pay and you might be able to convince them otherwise.</p>
<p>Btw, some colleges that offer merit scholarships to NMSF and NMF also offer application fee waivers to such students.</p>
<p>I live less than 10 minutes away from UAH, and I highly recommend it for medical studies (pharmacy). More than likely you will get plently of scholarship money with your scores. The surrounding area is very nice as well.</p>
<p>Taking the advice of several I once again tried to talk to my Mom. She, as usual, asked me why I didn’t just want to live at home with them. I told her that I do not want to miss out on the “college experience” and learning to be independent. I quoted her some stats I’ve found before while I researched the importance of living at college. </p>
<p>The only thing that happened is she started screaming at me (as usual) and telling me that I just want to live far away so I can party and hook up with as many people as possible. I told her that since I don’t lead that kind of lifestyle right now I would probably not change especially since I like myself the way I am. </p>
<p>It all concluded with my Mom screaming a couple of more unmentionable words and telling me that she forbid me from living anywhere but with her. </p>
<p>Mission failed.</p>
<p>Man I feel so bad for you. To have come so far yourself only to be shot down not for monetary or academic reasons but for trivial and irrational ones? Terrible. If you wanted to party and/or hook up, you could do that regardless of where you live.</p>
<p>The one more piece of advice I have for you (although from what I’ve heard of your parents they won’t like it) is for you and your parents to visit one or both of the following people: your high school guidance counselor and a the residential dean of a (any) college. Have your parents explain their concerns to the expert. In all likelihood, the counselor or dean will explain that the feelings and concerns your parents have are typical, but that their expectations are unrealistic. He or she will talk about how all parents have fears of their child living alone but need to overcome them eventually.</p>
<p>If that doesn’t work bro I don’t know what you can do..Maybe make a deal with her where if you live at home for a year and do well academically, they will let you move out? Although if I were you idk if I could handle living with parents like that for another year with all my friends at college…</p>
<p>As far as I know there is nothing your parents can legally do to stop you from moving out after you graduate high school assuming you are 18 so assuming you get into somewhere with a near full ride even if your parents forbid you to go you could move out once you graduate, live on your own, get a cheap apartment, and get a summer job to pay for the housing and food. </p>
<p>Also if you don’t get enough merit aid at the places you apply one route you could consider is, again moving out, and going to a decent community college somewhere for two years. You could work while doing this and this could probably pay for both living expenses and the cost of tuition since ccs aren’t usually pricey. Then transfer somewhere thats reasonable financially and take out loans to make up the difference. Only 2 years of loans wouldn’t be overwhelming and wouldn’t have tons of interest either.</p>
<p>Now both of these options aren’t ideal, and would be quite difficult but they are doable. Your parents seem ridiculous though, thats just awfull that they refuse to pay and accuse you of such things when you clearly are nothing like that. If my parents pulled something like that I would consider never speaking to them again after I was on my own. I second bringing them to speak to a dean or something like bigp suggested.</p>
<p>Will you be 18 when you graduate? As Prism points out, if you are 18, your parents can’t stop you from leaving. However, before you go that route make sure you are prepared for all the ramifications, especially financially. Is there a relative who is willing to help you or who could possibly change your parents’ minds? How will you pay for application fees? Apps can get quite expensive. Make sure you plan ahead if you will be doing this on your own. It sounds like your parents might not help you with any fees that aren’t for Univ of Minnesota.</p>
<p>University of New Orleans maybe a choice.</p>
<p>disown your parents</p>
<p>Sugar - Screaming is not at all a rational way to conduct this conversation, so it would be my impression that any rational attempts at persuasion are going to fall on deaf ears. I’m so sorry. It appears that you’ll have to make a decision on which you may have more at stake than just your college experience. I hope that either way, you’ll wind up going to a school at which you have the chance to live and interact with peers who can stretch and challenge you. That’s often inconsistent with looking for a big merit scholarship, so you’ll have to look at a variety of possibilities to find your best opportunity. If you can make the case that your parents are offering no financial support, you may qualify for application fee waivers which would make it easy to apply to a larger than average number of colleges.</p>