<p>I would be a first generation college student. I am raised by a single mom (if that makes a difference?).</p>
<p>In 2008, my mom made $16,000. My dad, whom I don't live with, is unemployed (construction). Even when he was employed, he made about $40,000, making both parents income under 60,000.</p>
<p>I have A's and B's in honors and AP classes. Never gotten a C. I have to babysit from 4-8 every night while my mom is at work so my extracurricular activities are limited. I am on the Debate Team and volunteered extensively for a political campaign. I remain active in local politics. I'm also Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper.</p>
<p>I'm very worried about college. I live in VA, so we have some great in-state schools (UVA, W&M etc.). Do you all think that I will receive significant aid from the in-state publics (if I can even get into those schools with B's.)? What about OOS? What do I do?!</p>
<p>Hey, CIA–I posted this on the other forum, but just in case you miss it–you MUST check out QuestBridge! It’s for low-income kids who are academic achievers, and it gives you a FREE RIDE for four years at an elite college! Check out QuestBridge.org! and feel free to pm me if you want more info–we’ve just been through the process with my D, and I could have some insight for you. Good Luck!</p>
<p>My grades are A’s and B’s in Honors and APs. More As than B’s. I got a 31 on the ACT. I will be retaking it, but I think that’s pretty good. I’ve gotten 5s on a few AP exams.</p>
<p>I plan to major in political science or International Relations. I’d like to eventually go to law school (which opens up a whole other can of worms).</p>
<p>I would second the recommendation for Questbridge. I would recommend reading through some of the posts (not all, of course! It’s over 290 pages long) in the Official Questbridge thread in the Admissions Forum and also checking out the Questbridge website. </p>
<p>Also, keep in mind Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT and a few others expect $0 (absolutely nothing) to be paid by your parents if your income is under $60k-$75k (varies).</p>
<p>Post any questions you may have in the Official Questbridge thread. Good luck!</p>
<p>I’m in just about the same boat, but my academic index is probably a little higher. Honestly, I’m praying for a full ride. You should really look into American University and George Washington University. GWU has a fantastic financial aid program that’s based almost solely on need - if you manage to get in, you’ll have a lot to pay back in loans, but you’ll also get a lot of “free money”. American, on the other hand, gives out tremendous academic scholarships AND has a decent financial aid program. Plus, these are both top schools for political science and international affairs. As an added bonus, they are both in DC.</p>
<p>First, CHECK OUT QUESTBRIDGE. It’s a “must do” for you. You will learn so much about yourself and help yourself enormously. ACT 31 and more As than Bs in AP & Honors classes put you solidly in the mix. Its a long process but if you start now, you will be ready to submit a great application in September and a good chance of being a finalist and even getting matched. </p>
<p>Second, there are a number of merit based schools who might look at ACT 31 + GPA and give you Prsidential Scholarships or whatnot that will be full rides or complete tuition coverage for 4 years. </p>
<p>I would disagree with the strategy mentioned above regarding GWU and American, particularly the part about “you will have a lot to pay back in loans.”<br>
Do NOT do this. Check out the loan calculators on what your monthly payment will be if you borrow a substantial amount for undergraduate school.<br>
Apply to schools where you will be at the top of the applicant pool and you will see some merit money. Apply to some financial safeties…community college? instate schools?<br>
Don’t forget that if you go to school in another state there will be additional travel, etc. expenses. Not to mention that like any city, DC is an expensive place to live.</p>
<p>There are two older threads by momfromtexas about finding full ride scholarships. She found full rides for her two sons who had profiles similar to yours. You may find some good leads there.</p>
<p>To answer the basic question in your original post, at that family income level you should get enough help at A LOT of colleges, so apply to the colleges you are interested in and see what happens. Definitely apply to an appropriate “safety” college for admission purposes, which might be your state university.</p>