<p>Here's something I was pondering, as it pertains to my situation a bit. What if your parents are unwilling to pay for college (or in my case, over x amount of dollars)? Colleges it would seem, would base FA offers on my parent's income, even though that money doesn't reflect MY own personal ability to pay. Do they force you to take out loans? I'm sure there are plenty of situations where $60,000 income families are getting sweet deals, while the children of $150,000 families with no support aren't getting anything and forced to work their way through school. For my dad, it's a case of "I put myself through school, and you will to."</p>
<p>Schools seem to expect that wealthy families are going to help out, but what if they don't? Then is private school out the window?</p>
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<p>What if your parents are unwilling to pay for college>></p>
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<p>Need based financial aid is based on your ABILITY to pay, not your desire to do so. The schools have formulas that determine your family's ability to pay...regardless of what they DESIRE to pay. If your family has the resources to support your college bills, the colleges will expect them to contribute regardless of whether they want to or not. If they don't, you need to look at options where you might have less expense or receive merit aid.</p>
<p>Financial aid doesn't consider what your parents are willing to pay, only what their assets indicate they can pay, because college costs are considered the responsibility of students and their families. If your parents have mentioned a limit to what they will pay for college, you will have to stay within that limit or come up with the rest. Many loans will require a cosigner who agrees to repay the loan if you default, and the cosigner must be credit-worthy. It sounds like your parents have staked out a position, so public schools may be your best bet. Hopefully you live in a state with reasonable public options. If even public schools cost more than what your parents are willing to pay, community college and working while living at home, and then transferring to a public for your last two years, is an even more cost-effective way to go. On the other hand, if you have an outstanding GPA, test scores, and ECs, you may earn some merit money from a private school, though most of the elite schools don't award merit money.</p>
<p>"I'm sure there are plenty of situations where $60,000 income families are getting sweet deals, while the children of $150,000 families with no support aren't getting anything and forced to work their way through school."</p>
<p>Mine is a less-than-$60,000-income family, and the need based aid has been very generous for my son, but as parents we will still have to take out loans to pay our parental contribution, and will have a significant (for us) debt load after four years. And we are willing to pay everything we can.</p>
<p>I just wanted to shade your simple assertion about "sweet deals" -- it's all relative to income. So, I think the problem for you is with your parents' position, not the financial aid available to lower income families.</p>
<p>What grade are you? What types colleges interest you? How much are your parents willing to pay and what is their appoximate gross income? What is your intended college major? What is your gpa and standardized test scores. What AP, IB and/or honors classes have you taken or intend to take? The great minds on CC can help you find what you are looking for you your parents' price range.</p>
<p>But in general you should apply to the following:</p>
<ol>
<li> A Community College [most have honors programs]</li>
<li> Two or three in state public 4 year colleges, which will offer you merit aid; again look into their honors programs</li>
<li> Two to three private colleges where you are in the top 25% of last year's enter class to optimize your chances of receiving merit aid</li>
<li> Two or three dream schools</li>
</ol>
Does not matter whether your parents claim you on there tax returns or whether you move out. For financial aid you are considered a dependent until you are 24 unless you are married, have a child you are supporting, are a veteran, are starting a masters/doctorate. My son has not llived at home fo 3 years and has not been claimed as a dependent on our tax returns in that time - for FAFSA he is still a dependent.</p>
<p>Colleges can't operate any other way. They cannot consider what your family wants to pay. Otherwise, everyone would say, "Sorry, I'm not paying for college." And colleges would go broke.</p>