<p>Ok, I have a parent, one, who just works at freaking Wal-Mart so.. I'm kinda poor.</p>
<p>My problem is, I really do think of applying to lots of colleges under the Common Application, BUT I can't pay for all of them!</p>
<p>I know I can get waivers, so would that mean I'd need to get massive amounts of waivers for all of them? I assume it'd also mean start working on my college applications sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>that is a good course of action. better to be safe than sorry. good luck.</p>
<p>How many do you want to apply? Are U talking 15 or 20?</p>
<p>yeah go for waivers, talk to your GC and explain to him/her the situation, so that s/he can start preparing for an earlier work thingy lol.</p>
<p>I believe there is a limit to the number of waivers you can get -- you need to ask your GC</p>
<p>Well I don't think it's like 10 or 15, it may be none if my ED school accepts me!</p>
<p>hsmom, do you know about the typical number of waivers?</p>
<p>I think it is 4 or 5 waivers per kid, but there may be two sources for those waivers -- so you might get more. I also think that schools have a limited number of waivers, so if alot of kids are asking, your GC may only have a few per student. There are also waivers available for SAT and ACT testing (again -- limited) and waivers for filing FA info.</p>
<p>It is best to do some research -- I would suggest searching the board for "waivers" and see what you come up. Then approach your GC early in the year to request the waivers.</p>
<p>Have you considered applying through Questbridge?</p>
<p>also -- there are some schools that do not charge an application fee if you meet certain requirements (apply online, visit, respond to a mailer, etc). you might do some research to find some of these schools and add a few to your list as safeties or to compare packages. I don't remember where I got the list, but try google and try searching the boards. </p>
<p>In case you don't know, CC boards have a search function. Just click on Search on the top tabs.</p>
<p>I second hsmonstef's reference to the schools that don't charge application fees provided certain criteria are met.</p>
<p>I know Colgate and Colby do not charge fees if you apply online.</p>
<p>Definitely google for the list.</p>
<p>I dunno if the top tier schools would not charge to apply.. and that's kinda where I wanna go :(</p>
<p>Just get your own job then</p>
<p>top tier schools have the most money, and are the most generous. May I ask your ACT/SAT and GPA. If you have great stats, they will be impressed you overcame poverty. If you have average to poor and you are applying to their school, and asking for a waiver, you're just about an automatic reject. It's kinda a courtesy thing, ya know? They can tell if you used a waiver when observing your app. I do realize that applications get expensive. My parents are in the 150k+ bracket, and they are hesitant to spend around $800 on apps. It really is a big deal.</p>
<p>I HAVE a job.. using that money to may for clothes for this year and a piece of crap car so I can haul my brother around and for my own personal stuff that I need... so thanks for the wonderful advice.</p>
<p>Uhm my GPA I think is probably 3.6+, probably around 3.7ish, SAT 2040, gonna take in october and definitely raise it, SAT IIs all 700+</p>
<p>"Well I don't think it's like 10 or 15, it may be none if my ED school accepts me!"</p>
<p>If you need money for college, don't apply ED. Even if the ED school says it will meet 100% of your financial need, remember that the school, not you or your parents determine what your need is. The school also could choose to fill that need by giving $20 k or more a year in loans.</p>
<p>If you don't get into your ED school, you also could be too demoralized, and your GC too busy for you to do good jobs applying elsewhere.</p>
<p>Finally, getting an ED financial aid offer means you can't compare offers since if you're accepted to your ED school, you basically have to go there. Sure, they say that you can back out if they don't meet your need, but again, it's the school, not you who determines whether they met your need.</p>
<p>Since getting enough $ for college is a big concern for you, you need to apply in a way that will maximize your financial offers, not apply in a way that will get you the most chances at your dream school. Make your dream school the one that will give you the best aid offer.</p>
<p>Right now your stats are OK, but not good enough (nor predicted to be good enough) to have decent chances to get you into schools like H, P and others, which meet 100% of very low income students' need without giving loans. Unless you want to risk not being able to afford to go to college, you shouldn't apply ED. You definitely have the stats to get into a good college. You just need to apply in a way making sure you get the bucks.</p>
<p>For many people, their best financial option is a local public 4-year or 2-year college where they can live at home and commute. If that's a place where they know they'd get in and can afford, that can be a good financial safety. It probably also would be good to find another safety that's an in-state public. While publics usually don't meet 100% of documented financial need -- even of in state, very needy students, they may offer merit and other aid for strong students from in-state, and that can offset one's costs.</p>
<p>Fine to apply elsewhere, too, but do make sure you have financial safeties in place so you definitely have a college to go to next year.</p>
<p>"Right now your stats are OK, but not good enough (nor predicted to be good enough) to have decent chances to get you into schools like H, P and others, which meet 100% of very low income students' need without giving loans. Unless you want to risk not being able to afford to go to college, you shouldn't apply ED. You definitely have the stats to get into a good college. You just need to apply in a way making sure you get the bucks."</p>
<p>You have to remember the financial situation he's in though. IMO, his scores are pretty damn good for all the weight he has to pull.</p>
<p>I applaud the OP.</p>
<p>Thanks for the praise Armando... but I kinda feel odd accepting praise :P</p>
<p>Anyways I don't wanna go to H or Y, I'd be more than delighted at Penn but who knows, maybe ED at the college I have a chance, and I just wanna go, I'll have to find a way through it but if I have my heart set there I'll see to it that my brown behind is there!</p>
<p>Since you appear to be very low income and (from your back posts) appear to have parents who didn't go to college, you actually are in a group that the most competitive colleges are trying to attract more students from. Consequently, you do not need any ED tip. You already qualify for a low income tip. Colleges know that low income students shouldn't (and usually don't) apply ED for obvious financial reasons. Colleges fully understand that students like you need to apply in a way that they can afford to go to college.</p>
<p>Since you referred to your "brown behind," I assume you are black or HIspanic. Those also can be tip factors. Do be aware, however, that each year until about 2011, the # of students applying to colleges rises, so admission will be getting increasingly competitive. For places like Penn-- which is one of the country's toughest colleges to gain admission to -- virtually everyone should regard it as a reach school.</p>
<p>Consequently, apply (and my advice is to apply RD) if you like, but set your heart on a school that you know you will gain admission to and can afford. That way, if Penn or your other reaches come through, you'll be thrilled, and still will be happy if they don't come through.</p>
<p>Check the CC forums for the individual colleges that interest you. You can figure out a lot about your chances by seeing the stats and other info on students who were accepted and rejected this year.</p>
<p>Well I'm hispanic, half Salvadorean half Hondurean... I actually lived half my life in Honduras :)</p>
<p>Well, I kinda wanna just apply ED to Penn cause even if I don't get in, I at least made the best shot at it, and so I could just use common app + supplements for the RD round, it sounds like the easiest thing to do for me?</p>
<p>Sorry, Eloquence, but it sounds like a big mistake to do what you're planning on doing. </p>
<p>You need lots of money in order to go to college. Consequently, you'll need to do the best job possible with all of your applications, and take the extra time to apply in a way that maximizes your financial options.</p>
<p>Many colleges have supplementary essays that one needs to do in addition to what's required on the common app. For the best chances possible of getting accepted, one needs to tailor those supplemental essays to each college, not provide some kind of quick, generic essay. Doing this is very time consuming. </p>
<p>Some colleges also have merit scholarship information that is do as early as Nov. If you're just thinking about ED Penn., then you'll probably not do as good a job with such info as you would if you are doing your best to maximize your options.</p>
<p>The odds of you or anyone else getting into Penn ED (or at all) are low. Consequently, there's a very good chance that you'll be ED rejected or deferred. Think about it: Just how gung-ho would you feel about going to college interviews, filling out more apps, etc. after getting an ED deferral or rejection around Christmas? How much help do you think your GC could give you then when your GC will be swamped with students needing things, as always occurs in Dec. when apps are due, ED rejections come in, and there also are various grade problems that will need to be resolved?</p>
<p>I hope you'll take the time to help yourself get the best college options instead of pinning your hopes on a dream school and doing things in a way that you consider easiest and I consider likely to end up costing you more time than the way that I'm suggesting.</p>
<p>I really hope that you'll get into your dream school. At the same time, I am realistic. For instance, about 6 years ago, I saw a black student with stats similar to you (higher gpa, probably similar SAT, high class rank, rigorous program) apply to Penn RD. He even had a stellar recommendation from his principal, who was a Penn. graduate. He also was first gen college, low income, excellent ECs including leadership. He didn't get in, but did get a full ride plus perks to a state school where he got his BA/MBA without paying a cent (He also got a decent deal from a top 10 LAC, but didn't want to go there). Afterward, he got into Harvard for a doctoral program, which is where he is now.</p>
<p>I think you can pretty much get as many fee waivers as you want...cuz I applied to 12 schools (most top-tier) and didn't have to pay a cent for applications (other than stamps and envelopes of course). College board allows for four fee waivers, and then you can have your GC explain the situation for the remaining schools.</p>
<p>Good luck with the process! I know you'll do well! :D</p>
<p>Adding: Looking up your back posts, I see you are in Houston and have considered applying to Rice. I know one of the top administrators there, and he told me that many people don't realize it, but Rice always has had a commitment to low income, first gen college students. In talking to him, I also was very impressed by how much Rice does to provide a nurturing environment.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think that you probably have better than average chances of getting into Rice and should still consider applying to it RD while you apply to other colleges RD.</p>
<p>Considering you have a single mom and a younger brother, I also think that you should keep in mind the distance you're considering living from home. It may sound glamorous and wonderful now to be living 1,500 or so miles from home, but when April comes and it's time to make decisions, you may wish to be closer to your mom and brother -- especially when you realize that your scholarship package would only allow you the funds to go home for Christmas and year end, and your mom and brother probably couldn't afford to visit on things like family weekends.</p>
<p>More reason to give yourself a variety of options and not consider pinning yourself down to an ED school now.</p>