<p>My dad and mom were never married. My dad remarried and as of last year I have been living with him (therefore I have used my dad and step mom's income for FAFSA and CSS). Although they don't make that much money separately, together they make a little over $100,000, therefore too much for me to get a lot of financial aid (that I really do need). </p>
<p>Since I figured I can't rely on FA too much, I have been trying to look at scholarships, but they are all need-based. Any idea on how I could come up with some money to pay for college? If it matters, I hope to attend Wellesley or MIT next fall.</p>
<p>It’s almost impossible to get private scholarships to pay for 4 years at a private u.</p>
<p>If you notice, most of those private scholarships are for either one year only, and/or not for a lot of money.</p>
<p>Also, if you were to win some, MIT & Wellesley would likely apply those to your “need” …it wouldn’t reduce the family contribution.</p>
<p>How much will your dad pay each year? </p>
<p>(BTW…don’t MIT and W require NCP info as well?)</p>
<p>Did you apply to any financial safeties?</p>
<p>There are schools that give large merit, but many deadlines have passed.</p>
<p>Are you a likely NMF?</p>
<p>My dad will pay little to none. They make $100,000+ but they have like $1000 in their bank account and not much in retirement savings. My mom will pay a few thousand a year at best. </p>
<p>Yes, they both require NCP (my mom).</p>
<p>I applied to two state schools and a variety of private colleges in order to compare FA packages (Wellesley, MIT, Smith, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Willamette, U of Portland, Whitworth).</p>
<p>Although I have applied to schools that are willing to give me a lot of merit scholarship, the likely FA they will give me is not as good as MIT or Wellesley. Therefore I end up paying more at the schools with merit scholarships.</p>
<p>No I am not. My SAT score is 2170 total but I did not qualify through the PSAT.</p>
<p>“Although I have applied to schools that are willing to give me a lot of merit scholarship, the likely FA they will give me is not as good as MIT or Wellesley. Therefore I end up paying more at the schools with merit scholarships.”</p>
<p>Then you have not identified a truly safe school.</p>
<p>Get solid figures from both sets of parents. Add onto that, the amount of money that you can borrow through the Stafford Loan program. The total figure will be your bottom line. What colleges and universities have a Cost of Attendance (COA) that is no more than that? What colleges and universities that offer guaranteed merit-based aid for which you qualify will result in you paying no more than that? Does your state offer any merit-based aid for which you qualify, that would lower your costs further?</p>
<p>If you are good enough to be a candidate for Wellesley, there are lower-tier women’s colleges that might throw a bit more money at you. Read through the full list at [The</a> Women’s College Coalition](<a href=“http://womenscolleges.org/]The”>http://womenscolleges.org/) and see if any would work. Likewise, if you are good enough to be a candidate for MIT, there are lower-tier science and tech universities that would throw some money at you - especially because you are a female. Yes, a lot of the priority application dates have passed, but sometimes exceptions are made, for specific advice about cracking admissions at Alabama, ask mom2collegekids.</p>
<p>But do remember that the dream is not the college, the dream is your career and your life after college. If the money issue can’t be resolved for this fall, plan a gap year, sort out a new list that includes truly affordable options as well as your financial reaches, and apply for admission for fall 2013.</p>