<p>Hi. I need help with getting the maximum number of scholarships I can achieve to be able to study at a public university. I will apply to FAFSA. </p>
<p>My current stats: SAT score (M + CR): 1200 (M + CR + W): 1790 GPA: 3.7 </p>
<p>I will take the ACT this October 22nd.</p>
<p>I am a High School graduate (2011). </p>
<p>Where can I find scholarships in which my category fits?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1151-financial-aid-scholarship-resource-threads-start-here.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1151-financial-aid-scholarship-resource-threads-start-here.html</a></p>
<p>You said you’re currently living abroad, but can you claim instate residency in any state in US? I know military families sometimes have instate tutiion rates for a particular stae (or two) even though overseas for work. If not, then you might want to actually look at some private colleges that are known for merit aid, so you need to look at schools with stats lower than yours.</p>
<p>No unfortunately I cannot claim residency.
Yeah that is a good idea, but private schools usually have really high stats don’t they?</p>
<p>I really want to get into UT-Austin, but their stats are too high. I MIGHT get admitted, but I doubt I’d get any financial help (scholarships). Would you suggest leaving for a community college that transfers to UT-Austin? I mean if I achieve good results in the community college would I easily get a reward from UT-Austin?</p>
<p>Paying OOS rates is going to be very difficult for you, unless your parents will pay.</p>
<p>Private scholarships are not likely going to help you since they are often small and only for freshman year…and they’re very hard to get. A one time scholarship for $2000 is not going to pay for college.</p>
<p>Even if you went to a CC for 2 years, you’d still be charged high OOS rates at UT and get little help paying the costs. High CC stats will not get you financial help at UT because you’re not a Texas resident. </p>
<p>Also, transfers often get lousy aid at most schools.</p>
<p>You need to find schools where your scores will likely give you big scholarships. That means finding schools that give large scholarships AND your stats are **well-within **the top 25% for the school.</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay each year? </p>
<p>Are you low income? If not, then you’ll likely only get a $5500 loan and maybe $2000 work-study after submitting FAFSA. That won’t make much a dent in the $30-50k of college costs for a student who is OOS for all schools.</p>
<p>Sign up for the Oct and Nov SAT if you can…you need to raise your scores.
With a 1200 SAT, unless you can raise that score, you may only get good scholarships at lower level publics (maybe Mississippi State or Louisiana State Univ and some others) or lower level privates.</p>
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<p>For everthing (including my stay in the state) around 10-15 thousand dollars per year.
We are not low income. </p>
<p>Can I claim myself as independant? If I can, will I get a lot of help from FAFSA?</p>
<p>No, there is no way to claim independence for financial aid purposes if you’re not 24, married, in the military, or have other extenuating circumstances like being homeless or orphaned. FAFSA is only an application for federal aid. Federal aid consists mainly of the Pell grant, which requires a low EFC and is a max of $5550/year, federal loans like Stafford which has no income/EFC requirements but are capped by class standing ($5500-$7500/year max), and federal work study which is determined by the school but is basically a way to earn a paycheck.</p>
<p>No you can’t declare yourself independent. And even if you could you wouldn’t get 10 to 15k in free money from fed aid. </p>
<p>Since you’re not low income and you have a set budget from parents, your best hope is increasing your scores. </p>
<p>Your Fafsa EFC is roughly 23 percent of parents gross income. Could be higher if parents have a lot of assets.</p>