<p>So basically I need fee waivers for all of my colleges. Generally my colleges say something about using the SAT fee waiver when talking application fee waiving. I'm not taking the SAT though. I've asked my GC about it but she seems pretty clueless. What should I do? And the USC app says you cant use a fee waiver if you fill it out online. Good thing I found that out, after finishing only 95% of it... Man it sucks so much to be poor.</p>
<p>Contact the colleges admissions officers. Typically, they need a statement from your GC. The statement often is based on whether you qualify for free lunches. Meanwhile, many college apps are free if you apply on-line. Depends on the college. Check their admissions web pages.</p>
<p>You also can use fee waivers for the SAT/ACT.</p>
<p>What's even more important is making sure that you apply to colleges that you're likely to be able to afford. Make sure that you have at least one financial safety -- a school that you know you will gain entrance to, definitely can afford, and would enjoy going to. A safety is no use if you'd hate it.</p>
<p>Often safteties are public institutions where you're guaranteed aid (such as public institutions that guarantee full aid for valedictorians, in-state students with certain scores, etc.) and public institutions -- including community colleges where you can live at home and go to college.</p>
<p>It's a good idea to take a close look at colleges' financial aid and merit scholarship web pages before bothering to apply. No use wasting your time if the possibility of aid is remote. Some colleges are "need sensitive," which means that they are not "need blind." They may reject high need students because they'd prefer to spread their scholarship around among middle class people who don't really need the $ that much, but may be enticed to attend (and to pay virtually full tuition) if they are given relatively small scholarships.</p>
<p>See the post in Parents Forum called "Everything you thought you knew is wrong" for more info. You can link to it from the very top of that board.</p>