<p>I know you have four-year universities at the top of your list, but are you willing to consider any of the state colleges in Florida - the two-year community colleges that have been reinventing themselves as 4-year, bachelor-degree granting institutions? I don’t know what you want to study, but maybe one of those schools offers a program, and you could really save a lot of money, yet still have a college experience. The governor wants these new 4-year state colleges to offer BA/BS degrees that don’t cost more than $10K total over 4 years, and I know our local one is working hard to make that happen. Just another option to consider, again not your first choice, I know, but definitely an affordable one, and the advantage of these new 4-year state colleges is that they have the same caring professors and smaller communities that they always had as community colleges. You could still attend one for two years and transfer, which might help if your GPA needs some work. Best of luck.</p>
<p>You can talk to your school counselor about what schools she knows that may have awards that you would be in the running for. Some colleges are good to certain high schools. Also, she may know of some awards that do target AAs. At some school being AA is not a URM and they may not have the awards. Some school are looking for more diversity.</p>
<p>The important thing here is to know what your mother and father are willing to pay for college, and what your EFC and the NPCs of various schools are for your situation. Some schools, particularly PROFILE school will want your father’s financial statements too. It’s good to be aware of what your family is expected to pay at a good variety of school and what you and family can pay. Too much of a gap, and it’s a no go, quite clearly. </p>
<p>The thing about merit money is that it does reduce need, so that unless you get an award that exceeds you need, you’ll just be replacing your fin aid with the merit money. </p>
<p>UF is FLorida’s flagship school. You might want to look at other colleges in the state where some merit money might be forthcoming, and also at local options.</p>
<p>A couple of schools to consider would be Mississippi and Louisiana Tech. They have lower GPA requirements (3.0) than Alabama for their merit scholarships.</p>
<p>You need to talk to your mom about how much she can contribute towards college. Even if you get some merit, you may still be facing a big bill.</p>
<p>Why was your brother’s housing covered for only one year? what did the prepaid pay for?</p>
<p>A common Florida Prepaid plan is for 4 years of tuition and 1 year of room and board, with the expectation that the student will only live on campus one year and then move off, live in greek housing, etc. There are a lot of combos for Prepaid: 2+2 (2 year community college/2 at a university), tuition only, 2 years only, 4 years tuition + one r&b. When you open the plan, you decide.</p>
<p>With prepaid, Bright Futures, and even a small merit award, most Florida universities are very affordable for instate kids.</p>
<p>My son will probably attend New College of Florida next year, because it is far and away the most affordable of the ten colleges that accepted him, and we are not FL residents. NCF is actually more affordable than our own state’s flagship university. FL has some great options available.</p>
<p>She has a lot of great in-state options. While UF and FSU may not award her merit aid, many of the other state universities may. For example, at FAMU (which would likely offer the best in-state merit), she easily qualifies for the "George W. Gore Assistanship, at $5,000 a year (with a ACT 26+ and GPA greater than 3.0). Incoming freshmen majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Mathematics or Physics will receive an extra award of $1,000 annually.</p>
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<p>While schools like UCF and USF will not offer as much as FAMU, any merit awards in addition to Florida Pre-paid and Bright Futures is nice.</p>
<p>You may also want to check out some private schools looking for diversity and that have some awards for minorities both in and outside of FL. SOme fine FL LACs like Stetson, Eckert, Rollins are a good starting point St Leo’s and other Catholic options are often good to local students and may be looking for minorites. I know that Fairfield and a number of Catholic schools are truly looking for URMs to diversify their student bodies. You need to look for awards that are large enough to bring the final cost down to what is affordable to your family and do a dollar to dollar comparison with the FL publics. </p>
<p>Check out the Coast Guard Academy. They’d snap you up, I’ll bet . They need females and minorities.</p>
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<p>Very true.</p>
<p>And one of the beauties of living in a large state is that you can attend school in another region of the state and it can be like going OOS since often the culture/weather is different. </p>
<p>I think some kids get enamored with the words, “going OOS,” and they like saying it to friends and family because it sounds like they’re off to a new adventure while everyone else is staying behind. </p>
<p>OP…what part of FL do you live? </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids, why are the FA calcs harder on the single parent incomes? My salary is just a fraction of 120K, but it’s still a hair too high for financial aid with a household of 2 and I’ve been baffled.</p>
<p>The FA calcs are harder on the single parents. They </p>
<p>@GSOMTMom </p>
<p>because there is only one adult in the family to support . Adults cost a lot of money…lol ( (car, insurance, food, medical, dental, etc). You have a household of two people (1 parent, 1 child)…can you understand that the same income would not go as far if you had 2 adults and 1 child?</p>
<p>GSOMTMom, there really is no rationale, why the FA calcs are harder on single parents. It’s one of the inherent flaws in the formulas, IMO, and there are a number of them. The whole system is flawed but that is one area despite any number of explanations and rationalizations that make no sense. But them’s the rules. </p>
<p>@cptofthehouse </p>
<p>there is a rationale for the formula; it isnt a flaw. The exception is the asset protection, but in pure income terms, the formula recognizes that parents cost more than kids (not talking about extras like music lessons, etc, which are optional luxuries)</p>
<p>I was referring to the asset protection , but I accept any explanation as a possibility for any of some of the quirks of the formulas, with the understanding that regardless of the validity or agreement with it, that’s just the way it works. </p>
<p>I get why a formula taking $120K earned by one parent vs $120K earned by 2 (60-60 or whatever) would determine that the smaller household is able to pay more. I sure hope it comes out in the wash when the NCP is considered though, as then the combined income has to support two entire households.</p>
<p>In other words, I’d think $120K earned by divorced parents would mean less $ expected than $120K earned by married parents?</p>
<p>FAFSA doesnt consider NCPs.</p>
<p>as for CSS schools that do, YES, the fact that there are two households does get considered. But often there are 3-4 earners in those households, so more money is up for grabs.</p>
<p>I know FAFSA doesn’t, and I get the impact of steps. Though in the scenario I mentioned, only two single parents.</p>