Are you an international student? If so, that changes the picture. Are you sure the financial aid rules apply to you? They may not. HYP meet full need for international students I believe. Do you want to base your future on getting acceptance to one of only three Ivies?
Ivy League school and their ilk are like a lottery. I think you need to add a few matches and one safety. You have great stats but so do many people. I’d encourage you to play it safe.
I… don’t think you should look down your nose at schools that are non-Ivy/super prestigious. You have no guarantee of getting into the tippy-top schools (no one does), nor any guarantee they will meet your full need/you will be able to afford them. I understand your and your parents’ POV, but it comes off as snobby/not fully informed. We all think we’re amazing as all get out when we’re 17… but the reality is there are 100,000+ tippy-top applicants you’re competing with and it’s just not a sound strategy to hyper-focus on Ivies/elites, especially if you can’t afford them. You may very well get a full ride scholarship to multiple top schools… but what if you don’t? Your stats are actually slightly under what most applicants to the Ivies have (perfect GPAs and SAT scores are common), and while your hooks will work in your favor, your essays will have to be epically amazing to guarantee admission. And then you’ll have to hope they meet need + you can afford the above & beyond costs (such as flights to and from school, moving your stuff, food, etc.).
Just… listen to what people on CC are telling you and expand your views a bit. Have you looked up any of the schools in question and really looked at what they offer? If your parents are such low income, you’ll get application waivers and it will literally cost you nothing except checking some extra buttons on the Common App, maybe writing a few additional supplements, to apply to schools that may offer more competitive financial packages/chances of admission. Hedging your bets is the smartest thing to do. You do have a shot at a debt free education, from what I can tell (re: your hooks), but your odds at the Ivies are lower, simply because they’re low odds for every single person who applies.
(I’m also confused about your comment, re: students who make less than 65K. If you are under 25 and not emancipated from your parents, it’s their finances that are considered for admission, not yours. They will fill out the FAFSA/their income will determine your FA.)
I meant students whose parents. I can’t type. And I am, you all are very insightful and I’m appreciative. I’m simply listening to what you have to say and creating my own agenda regarding my wants and your advice. I wouldn’t ask for help and blatantly ignore it. This is an eye-opening experience. And you do have a good point, I suppose it won’t cost me very much after all. Each college will give me one you say? I’m not being snooty, I mean UT isn’t exactly the cream of the crop either. I’m just really entranced by its open atmosphere after visiting to pick up my sister. I can’t say the same for some of the other options I’ve heard. Would you go to a school that garners no interest towards attendance?
And yeah, but those amazing students are typically your stereotypical applicant who stocked up on AP classes, did a ton of ECs, had multiple awards, and purposely volunteered in surplus to give off a positive vibe. Some of those kids are qualified because they participated in Olympiads, INTEL, national debates, etc and had amazing hooks to helped them gain entry. The remaining students are just typical high school students who have evident determination, but unfortunately their application is so banal and generic it fails to reciprocate any of their natural sentiment and feelings. I’ll probably get rejected, but I’m hoping my hooks will at least get me a fighting chance. There’s always a strong law program at UT waiting for me 