<p>I'm a high school senior and my parents won't be helping me with college... and unless I have a guaranteed spot at a college I am getting kicked out day of my high school graduation. </p>
<p>They told me saving for their retirement was more important than helping me...
I was born with numerous illnesses and was quite sick the first 5 years of my life. Just as my parents were getting on their feet with the tens of thousands of dollars from my medical bills, my dad lost his job in 2000. Both my parents work now combined about $70,000 in a household of three. They just finished paying off the arrearage on their mortgage. Thus we don't qualify for financial aid.</p>
<p>I am full IB diploma candidate (I have to pay for all my IB exams), numerous leadership rolls in clubs, Varsity swimming, top 2% in my class, 4.4 GPA, AP Scholar with Honors, and 1730 SAT (took it twice got the same score each time).</p>
<p>I am interested in AFROTC as it has great scholarships, but I am just below the minimum required SAT score, do they ever have exceptions due to a great GPA? </p>
<p>My parent's EFC is about $10,000 so I will have to pay that as well.</p>
<p>What should I do? (I would like to live AWAY from home)</p>
<p>Unless you do get into ROTC, I don’t see how you will be able to afford to go away to school. </p>
<p>You’re in that gray area when you have OK stats, but they aren’t high enough for the schools that meet need or give generous merit scholarships. </p>
<p>You can only borrow the following amounts…</p>
<p>frosh 5500
soph 6500
jr 7500
sr 7500</p>
<p>To borrow more would require your parents to co-sign, and that’s not likely. </p>
<p>You’re likely going to have to either commute to a local state school or CC.</p>
<p>Sign up for the ACT…some do better on that.</p>
<p>I would like to add, for personal reasons I will not be taking out student loans. I don’t believe it is good for someone to be in debt right out of college. </p>
<p>I am applying for NROTC and AFROTC. NROTC is more apt to give full rides than AFROTC, and their SAT requirements are lower. </p>
<p>If all else fails I will get into the Honors program at a JC and get a job to start saving for a public in-state school. </p>
<p>You are right. My parents would not cosign on a loan. I had to give up all birthday and Christmas presents in exchange for the $500 for my IB exams.</p>
<p>So your parents will let you stay at home and commute if you’re in college? That may be the best way for you to remain debt free…room & board are usually the biggest expenses at a public school.</p>
<p>*I would like to add, for personal reasons I will not be taking out student loans. I don’t believe it is good for someone to be in debt right out of college. *</p>
<p>Quite frankly, this is a little silly. Massive debt is bad, of course, but taking a reasonable amount of debt is often necessary. You have impossible standards - you want to live away from home for college, but you don’t want to borrow even a little bit of money?</p>
<p>Applying for ROTC is a good bet, but those scholarships are competitive. Another option is to join the military as an enlisted personnel for 4 years, then use 9/11 GI Bill benefits once you leave.</p>