We don’t even know if OP has the rest of what it takes for an admit to his holistic choices, incl rigor and ECs. It’s possible the parents have reason not to support an expensive experiment. “Wanting” to be in a big NE city isn’t enough. If he’s a senior, this is very late to be considering options.
That is the budget we give our kids and with similar stats, our kids have all managed to attend college below that cost. You can attend Auburn or Bama within your budget. That is most likely why your parents have set that limit.
Fwiw, our ds graduated from Bama in May and loved his UG yrs there. (He attended there bc of their scholarships.) He is now at many people’s dream school in a top grad program in his desired field. Bama did not hold him back from his goals. UA and AU are not bad schools. You can attend one of them and go on to pursue whatever your long-term goals are.
At least for us, BU and NE were by far the most expensive schools that either daughter was accepted to. Both would have been full pay even with great stats and an income significantly lower than $500,000 per year. If you have a budget of $10,000 per year, then neither is going to happen (nor is NYU or BC).
Finances are important. At well over $70k per year, four years of university plus graduate school is a huge chunk of money.
You need to figure out what your local in-state options will cost. I would be a bit surprised if you can find anything for only $10k per year with no need based aid. However, you can probably get reasonably close in-state. You would need to have a very compelling reason to spend more. Wanting to live in Boston or NYC is not a compelling reason.
Well Auburn wouldn’t be terrible but it’s not a very selective college and I’ve spent lots of time at Auburn since I was born at football games and it seems like the college most similar to my high school, I wouldn’t really be a good fit so that’s why I’m looking out of state.
^ Also not a good enough reason.
Senior or junior?
“Here in Alabama 10K a year is enough for an in state public school, thats what my parents want me to do”
Why? Are they concerned about your welfare, health issues, their insecurities about you being too far from home?
Maybe there is more to the story but I think its a shame that your wealthy family is putting restrictions are you getting a great college education, making you stay local, and living at home. smh…
Auburn is NOTHING like your high school. I don’t know what high school you attend, but I’m sure it doesn’t have more than 20k students, D1 athletics, many majors to pick from, dorms, activities, etc., etc. Even if every single student from your high school went to Auburn, and I’m sure they don’t, if there are 2000 students at your hs, that would only be 10% of the undergrad population at Auburn. Nine out of every 10 students you’d meet would NOT be from your high school.
We rent know enough to say it’s a shame. It may be realistic.
You can’t afford other schools. I’d change your mindset - pick the college in state that is best for your major. Consider spending a semester or year abroad. Move where you want to once you have your undergrad degree and the ability to get a job to support yourself.
Auburn or. University of Alabama are great options for you! Congrats on the great grades and scores. You obviously have worked hard.
And maybe your parents will let you live in a dorm for a year or two.
But there are other great schools that offer merit. Bu and Neu may but it won’t be nearly enough.
BC there is no way unfortunately. They meet full need but based on css profile. And only have 15 Gabelli merit scholarships. You have great stats but this fall BCs unrestricted ea went from 10000 applicants to 16000 applicants. And the average for accepted this round was 34 act and 1480 sat. That’s the average and includes all the varsity athlete recruits they pull in. So as a previous poster said, expand your horizons. Look at Fordham holy cross and other schools were more merit might be available. But at 10k per year. Auburn or UA is would be my choice in a heartbeat.
@privatebanker It’s doubtful that Fordham would be affordable. Even with a full-tuition scholarship we estimated our costs including travel would be close to $20,000 per yr for our dd.
@yankeefans4 Not wanting to stay in AL is not really a valid reason for expecting your parents to spend an additional $240,000+ for your UG education. Study abroad is a great way to travel and expand horizons. Be positive and make the most of your UG opportunities and pursue those big cities after you graduate.
I encourage my son (who has similar stats to yours) to apply to both UA and Auburn because I personally like them both. We live in New Jersey and these are reasonable out of state choices for us
In addition to study abroad you might be able to do a semester in DC or something through either Auburn or Alabama. Apply to the honors colleges/programs, and if you work hard you will be a big fish there. As other said, go to grad school or get a job in NY or Boston or somewhere else after you finish your undergrad.
Those are big enough schools you will find your people and and you can make your time there great – just have to have a positive attitude. It is what it is.
Didn’t Tim Cook go to Auburn? He seems to have done pretty well. . . 
The largest merit award for Boston University is the Trustee Scholarship. But it’s full tuition only and $10,000 won’t cover the remaining costs.
What year are you in high school? Are you just starting to get ideas…or are you a senior who is applying now?
If you are a senior, you have missed the application deadlines for large merit awards offered by the universities.
If you are a junior…did you do very well on the PSAT? Do you have the potential for national merit finalist status?
Listen, we hear you. We understand that you want to go OOS. The problem, as you know, is that you don’t have the funds to do that. And there aren’t private entities that are going to give money to a student from a very affluent family.
PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS SO WE CAN HELP YOU!!! Please copy/paste the below questions and answer them…
Yes, there are some schools that will give big merit for your stats. THE PROBLEM is that they are less-selective than Auburn and Alabama…so how will that help you?
And if you’re a senior, you’re too late for Alabama as the merit deadline was Dec 15…unless you’re a NMSF? Are you?
Have you applied to Auburn and/or Alabama yet?
What is your likely major and career goal ?
Are you a junior or senior?
Do you have any AP credits? If so, what are they?
How’d you do on the PSAT? Are you a NMSF?? If so, did you take the SAT???
Your dad is willing to pay for Auburn and pay for an apt there? Won’t that be more than $10k per year? Are you saying that he’s only really willing to pay for Auburn?
Is there any other reason why your parents don’t want you going away? Maturity issues? Medical issues? Anything else?
I can assure you that Auburn or Bama will not be “like high school”. Last year I spent 2 weeks per month in Auburn. I’m very familiar with the area and campus. I also live in Tuscaloosa so very familiar with Alabama as well.
Neither school is like high school.
Even if there will be a number of your high school classmates attending Auburn, you won’t see them that often.
Another issue is that the NE is awful with merit scholarships. Yes, there are some, but not ones big enough to get you the net cost you need.
Also, who is going to pay for your transportation costs?
We will try to suggest other schools, but again, they will be lower ranked/less selective than Auburn.
Let us help you…but answer the questions
Have you applied to Auburn and/or Alabama yet? No
What is your likely major and career goal ? I want to get a business degree then go on to med school
Are you a junior or senior? Junior
Do you have any AP credits? If so, what are they? I will have 6 at the end of this year, likely graduate with 10
How’d you do on the PSAT? Are you a NMSF?? If so, did you take the SAT??? 1400 psat
Your dad is willing to pay for Auburn and pay for an apt there? Won’t that be more than $10k per year? Are you saying that he’s only really willing to pay for Auburn?
No, he would pay for any cheap colleges and that means UAB and Auburn here.
Is there any other reason why your parents don’t want you going away? Maturity issues? Medical issues? Anything else? No, they dont care where I go but they just want it to he cheap
By saying Auburn will be like my high school I dont mean it will have the same people at my HS and most of the other ones in my area, I just mean socially it will be very similar. I dont want anything like my high school I didn’t fit in at all.
Well…if you have one ounce of business sense, you will take your parents up on the offer of a totally free to you with NO loans undergraduate college education.
BECAUSE…if you do end up getting accepted to medical school (most don’t get accepted who apply…most premeds do not even apply)…then you will be taking out loans, loans and more loans for medical school.
Oh and BTW…the U of A medical school is fine too. Just saying.
If you really want med school, you should investigate https://www.uab.edu/students/academics/emsap
Since youndid not qualify for NMF in AL, your scholarship options have been reduced significantly. You still have good financial options in Auburn, Bama, and UAH.
I doubt your hs can say, “Students represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries.” Or that your hs allows you to focus on a major with increasing academic challenges. Attending college is not like just transferring to another high school. It’s a leap to a different level.
More questions.
Is that 3.9 weighted or unweighted? What are the courses and grades? And any AP scores? What ECs?
We can get an idea whether Auburn’s selectivity is a valid complaint. It’s not just gpa. And ACT.
Why business, if you want a med future?
I’m not sure you know enough about in-state options to judge them yet.