<p>OP's STATS
Here's what you posted on the other thread:
I'm a Hispanic female from a public high school in Texas (I'm half Meixcan and half white, I don't think that matters though.)</p>
<p>TEST SCORES:
PSAT: 214 (I will probably get National Hispanic Merit Scholar and cross-my-fingers Commended??)
SAT Math: 650 (I hope to raise this to above 700 when I take it again, but I couldn't afford to do a prep course like most other kids I know)
SAT Critical Reading: 800
SAT Writing:800
--I haven't taken SAT Subject Tests but I should probably score high on Spanish and Literature. Kind of freaking out about the Math IC or IIC (haven't chosen yet) though!
AP Spanish: 4
AP Psychology: 5 (I don't know if this one matters much though)
AP English Language: 5
IB Psychology: 6 (on a scale of 7)</p>
<p>With your stats (and the Hispanic merit) you should be able to get a full scholarship at a few places (at least apply to them as safeties). </p>
<p>Now that you have shared some of your family's financial situation (dad unemployed for a long time).... Am I wrong for now thinking that some of your mom's anger at you may be some "displaced" anger at your dad. Perhaps she hasn't felt "allowed" to get mad at your dad for his "job failings" so she threw her anger onto you. Even tho your dad is making good money now, your mom is probably still angry (at him) because they can't "enjoy" that money because it has to go for debts run up from when he was unemployed.</p>
<p>By the way.... you don't need some pricey prep course to bring up your math SAT. Just get a good reliable test prep book (avail from counselor's office or library) and go thru all the math sections --- you don't need to do EVERY math problem, just focus on the problems that are "new" to you OR are set up in a way that is unusual for you. My son was able to bring up his Math SAT just by doing that. It exposed him to unusual or new ways that math questions are posed.</p>