Please Help

<p>I am currently a junior in high school and I desperately need help. I have horrible SAT scores but a decent GPA. My father makes less than $10,000 a year and it is highly unlikely he can contribute anything to my college fund. I am involved in extracurricular activies and watching younger sibilings when he is working which means I cannot get a job to contribute to my college fund. Essentially, I have ZERO dollars saved for college and I will probably get ZERO dollars ready. My mother died when I was ten years old and I've lived with one parents for almost eight years. I pray to God each night that somehow I can get a miracle and get a lot of need-based help but I don't think I will be able to.
Here is my college resume so far...</p>

<p>CURRENT GPA (end of junior year): 3.62</p>

<p>9th Grade
Algebra I- B
Spanish II- B
Geometry- B
World Cultures- A
Computers- A
E&S Science- B
English 9- B
Intro Business- A
Technology- B</p>

<p>10th Grade
English 10- A
Biology- A
Algebra II- A
Western Civ- A
Spanish III- B
Driver Ed- B
Health- B
Career Course- A</p>

<p>11th Grade
English 11- A
Chemistry-A
Hon US Hist- A
PreCalc- B
Latin 1- A
Intro to Law- A</p>

<p>12th Grade Courses
AP Euro, Calc, Hon Gov/Sociology, Hon English, Physics, Public Speaking, Latin 2</p>

<p>SAT Score: 1470
CR460
M490
W520 (essay 6)</p>

<p>I have three questions and I REALLY would appreciate the help.</p>

<p>1) Do I have ANY chance at financial aid considering my situation (My family stresses that I chase for grants rather than loans)</p>

<p>2) What can I do senior year to improve my chances at college?</p>

<p>3) Will I be able to get into ANY college considering my SAT scores?</p>

<p>I will probably only stay in PA because that's all I can even hope to afford.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>I'm sorry. I forgot to mention my EC's.</p>

<p>Student Council
10th, 11th, 12th Grades</p>

<p>10th- General Assembly
- Cougar Fest (community fair event)
11th- Executive Board (School Store Commissioner), General Assembly
- Walk For The Cure
- Homecoming
- Junior Prom
- Workshop
- Krispy Kreme Doughnut Sale
Among other things....</p>

<p>12th (Next Year) - Executive Board (Student Council Treasurer), General Assembly</p>

<p>NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
11th, 12th Grades</p>

<p>11th- Candy Sale, Canned Food Drive, Committee Chair for Variety Show, Tear Down/Set Up for various events. Honored with going above and beyond requirements at end of year ceremony.</p>

<p>CHURCH
- Active member of Youth Choir
- I have gone on mission trips to Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Canada since 7th grade. We repair homes for a week while praising God at the same time.
- Volunteer with Coffee Sale once a month
- Testimonies
- Plant Sales
- Spaghetti Dinners</p>

<p>Will these EC's help???</p>

<p>Your going to have to take out a lot of loans to afford college, but I think the government will help you out a TON. If I were you, retake on SATs and try to distinguish yourself outside of your town on some level. For instance, attend a major leadership conference or excel on a state-wide level at a sport. Don't worry about your SAT scores that much if you are applying to state school....At Umass all one needs with your gpa is a 950 old SAT, so you'll be fine. But definitely retake if you can to open up opportunities</p>

<p>I suggest that you enroll in a community college or community course for SAT prep. That may help bring up you scores, somewhat. Because your grades are good, there may be a number of local scholarships that can help you. What you need to do is talk to your guidance counselor regarding which school in your area are likely to give a good aid package to someone with your stats. Unfortunately most colleges that give high level aid packages and merit awards tend to be SAT based. At your parental income level, you will be eligible for both state and federal grants and subsidized loans that will make the Pennsylvania state schools an attractive option to you. If you are near such school, whether it is a Penn State satellite or a Pennsylvania University (such as Bloomsberg, West Chester, Slippery Rock), that may be the best alternative.</p>

<p>Your 10th and 11th grade grades are quite good, and there was an upward trend. </p>

<p>Believe it or not, I would tell you not to worry about your SAT score. My friend got into her top choice college this year, and her SAT score was below 1000 (old). The friend's sibling got into George Washington University, also with a score below 1000. I'm not saying that anyone with below-1000 can get in; there were a lot of extra-curricular activities, as well. However, there are many colleges in the U.S. that admit students with SAT scores like yours. You just have to find them. </p>

<p>I see no reason why you wouldn't receive financial aid at college. I think that you would qualify for maximum Pell Grant and SEOG (Supplementary Educational Opportunity Grant), and these grants alone would cover the tuition at many low-tuition colleges. </p>

<p>You also have to consider, despite what I said earlier, the higher your SAT score, the higher your chances of getting into your selective schools. Higher the selective school (warning, slippery slope coming up!), the more likely that the college has better financial resources, the better your chance that you will get a good financial package. So... if you do want to raise your SAT score, getting a SAT review book (Princeton Review or Kaplan) and taking practice tests, practice writing quick essays, and learning a lot of vocabulary should help you to raise your score.</p>

<p>Why not apply to one of the ever growing number of schools that do not require the SAT scores to be submitted as part of the application process??</p>

<p>Filling out FAFSA will really really help you. You will probably get a ton of need based financial aid.
Be sure to fill out a lot of local scholarships, which you can find through your guidance counselor. Most of mine had me list my parents financial income. I'm sure that's a factor there too.
And with the good course load and ECs, your SATs won't matter that much. I kinda figure that SATs are for getting into college, not the main factor in financial aid.</p>

<p>If you can boost your SAT score, then you will be a top candidate for most of these local scholarships, especially the ones that consider financial need.</p>

<p>mrm087, be sure to apply to all of the Horatio Alger Scholarships that you qualify for, including the National and State ones.</p>