<p>I'm going to be 18 on May 2. How much control do my parents have over where I choose to go to college. I'm a senior this year. Also, since my parents will likely withhold money, can I get a revised aid package from the Financial Aid office if they do so?</p>
<p>Nope. Sorry.You are still a dependent student in the eyes of college FA. They expect that the family will work it out. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't but FA will still consider you a dependent student even if your parents don't approve of (and therefore don't pay for) your choice.</p>
<p>Also, part of being an adult is learning to work out differences with others. I can't imagine a parent witholding money for completely arbitrary reasons. If you can make a logical case for the college you would prefer to attend, this may not need to turn into a power struggle between you and your parents. Last year, my son wanted to attend the accepted students day at a school which I didn't think was the best fit for him, and was difficult to arrange for logistical reasons. He calmly and rationally made his case -- when he was finished I had to agree that there was some logic to his point of view and we arranged the visit. I felt that he showed great maturity in the way he handled this -- and he was 17 at the time, by the way, so it's not always an issue of age.</p>
<p>It's not the college thats the problem. The problem is, my parents are Indian, and firmly intend to keep me away from girls until I hit marriageable age, and then find me a nice Indian bride. To do so, they intend to make me go to one of the two colleges in Memphis, where I live, so they can keep me at home. Rest assured, it cannot be worked out. My mother is fiercely racist against non-indians, and both my parents are very culturally conservative.</p>
<p>So sorry. I'd be looking for a nice local Indian girl who is going to an away school and hitch my wagon to hers.......until you get where you want to be. Any opportunity for that.......any girls in your community packing up the sari and moving to a school? Keep thinking on this....you will find a plan.</p>
<p>Ugh, not so simple. It has to be a girl they pick out, and I'm not allowed to date anyway. It goes straight to marriage.</p>
<p>I don't know if we can fix that. Sorry. Look into schools where your stats mean a merit scholarship eats up most of the costs and the remainder can be taken in loans. Unfortunately some scholarships and most loans requires some parental involvement (signing a Fafsa for one). Good luck.</p>
<p>Unfortunately I can't help with this, but I offer my sympathies. Culture and generation difference is tough to overcome, if at all possible. Curmudgeon's idea is a good one. Money is another point of tension between parents and kids when it comes to applying, so make sure this one won't be utilized by your parents as a reason for keeping you close and making you stay at home, so they won't have to pay room and board.</p>
<p>I agree that it would be worthwhile looking at schools where your grades, scores & other qualifications put you in competition for good merit aid so you can go to school with minimal out-of-pocket, which you could finance with loans. Good luck--perhaps your school guidance counselor can help.</p>
<p>Switching topic a bit.........IF you could what would your dream schools be, we might better help you with trying to make a list of schools where you could get money and then perhaps develop an alternative plan. Why don't you try dreaming a bit......share it here with us. Don't be shy to dream.</p>
<p>I feel very sorry for your megalomaniac.</p>
<p>My parents are also culturally conservative and insist that I marry a Chinese girl (although I'm really turned down by asian girls, I've only dated white girls, lol)</p>
<p>wow yep your screwed i would just say screw them....</p>
<p>There are a few highly selective schools that offer full scholarships for the kids that are accepted: Cooper Union in New York City, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham MA near Boston, and I think the the Webb Institute in Clen Cove, NY on long island. Each of the aformentioned schools is higly focuesed into engineering and especially the sciences. I think Webb is mostly into environmental and naval engineering. But if your grades and SAT scores are good enough, you should try and apply to all 3, and if you like engineering.</p>
<p>Harsh, very harsh. Very American also. Some degree of respect is indicated and perhaps a compromise can be approached in time, not immediately but in time. My guess is the suggestions must come from a cultural equal, an elder who has worked a compromise in the past. I don't think a son can work this out alone.</p>
<p>Perhaps this isn't an ethical solution, but you could discreetly screw up your applications to the Memphis schools that you are applying to, such as by not turning in a reccomendation or missing the deadline, and not let your parents know. Sabotaging yourself would get yourself rejected from those 2 schools that you didn't want to go to anyway, but it would keep your parents angry at the schools that rejected you, not at you for not wanting to go to the schools that they want you to go to. And said rejections would make the rest of the far-away schools that you (hopefully) got accepted to seem much more favorable.</p>
<p>So how would he then get a thin letter from the locals. If the folder isn't complete the adcoms don't act on that folder. It is not going to generate the letter of decline that you imply will be forthcoming.</p>
<p>There are other ways to screw up an application.</p>
<p>I think there are still a few all male colleges in the U.S. I don't know much about this other than that they exist, but if you would be content at one, it might be a compromise with your parents.</p>
<p>Wow... The best solution is to apply for schools that give good merit aid just as previous posts have stated.</p>
<p>You reminded me of a very close friend of mine. She is Indian and a freshmen in college. She basically told me that she expect to be in an arranged marriage and accepts that. She was even willing to forego a romantic relationship with someone whom she really likes (and he likes her back) because of that. </p>
<p>I suppose you are not willing to do that. I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>hahaha... my parents told me that I must marry a Chinese guy but I just can't invision myself with an Asian guy. They are a turn off for me. lol. Green eyes and blue eyes are definitely hot.</p>
<p>well you can write a really bad essay with lots of grammatical and spelling errors...then list no ECs on your form and dont send your SAT scores to those colleges..</p>
<p>twilight, my parents are the same way! Well my dad is at any rate. Only he says I have to marry a Korean guy. Ummm we'll see about that.... haha ;)</p>