I have family in San Diego but only there which is why my parents gave me an ultimatum: it’s SD or im staying in the UK. There’s no reasoning 
So since my cousin is going to SDSU I thought of applying there. What are the chances I will get a scholarship to SDSU if I have all As on my A-levels (British exams) and have various awards for leadership, etc? My SAT score is 2100. My family isn’t rich but isn’t poor. We’re middle class I’d say. But we can’t afford college if I don’t get a scholarship
Very good chances if you get all A’s and a few B’s. Great SAT score. Apply for FA and show extreme interest in the school and you’ll be fine! 
As an international with that kind of SAT I would suspect you would struggle with getting any kind of merit. What schools do you have lined up in the UK? http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/world-ranking/institution/san-diego-state-university
I think you would be bananas to come to the USA to this school at $37K or anything above what it would cost you to get into a UK uni. I think your parents have actually just said no. Consider in cost for flights, health insurance, visa applications etc. Get a great degree in the UK and travel with a degree that pays you well. What major? What A levels?
There are a lot of factors in my decision to go to the U.S., but the main one is just how much I dislike the UK. I know many people will probably call me crazy for this. However I have a lot of bad memories in the UK, a lot of horrible things which happened to me and I can’t be happy here. A lot more things come into play. I just can’t.
I’d prefer to go to an English speaking country and I’ve been to SD – it’s amazing and it seems to suit me so much more.
Major is finance and accounting. A levels are: Maths, History, Psychology and Spanish (dropped the Spanish).
Have you done any research? What is the closing date for international applications assuming you want to attend in the fall? Which UK schools do you have offers for?
Google common data sets for SDSU, pay attention to aid to non res aliens, entry stats as to where you sit in the percentiles to see if you would be in the top end of applicants seeking merit, look at the $ amount of aid (total) given to non res aliens. You have no SAT subject tests?
You will get little to no aid/scholarships as an International student. If you are a US citizen, you can get Federal aid if you filed the FASFA. Here is the cost of attendance for International students. If you live with family in San Diego and commute, you could cut costs.
Most California publics are in need of money from OOS and International Students and assume they will be full pay.
http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/international/fees.html
Information regarding Freshman application requirements and deadlines:
http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/international/freshmen/apply/index.html
I’ve done my research and I knew there are aid and scholarship possibilities but obviously not everyone gets them – and it’s obviously harder for internationals.
Using the CollegeBoard website I found that I sit at the top percentiles and my SAT is great compared to the majority of applicants there (I’m also retaking it in a few months and will hopefully raise it to at least 2250).
I have no SAT subject tests.
@Gumbymom I think it’s 99% likely that I will live in the college since my family lives far away from it. I think my parents just want me to be near to them since they’re the only people I know in the US.
I know my chances are very low are there any other options than scholarships and aid? I’m trying as hard as I can to get whatever I can.
The best FA for California schools are for California residents only such as Cal Grants and for US citizens such as Pell Grants. There may be some outside scholarships available but they may be limited amounts for a year and not renewable. Usually the best FA is from the school itself but SDSU does not guarantee to meet Need especially for OOs or Internationals. Again it is a California public so their priority is serving the needs of their in- state students.
SAT 2 subject tests are not needed for Cal States. You might want to look into USD (University of San Diego). Private school but may have more FA snd merit aid available for International students since your SAT is very competitive. Good Luck
@Gumbymom Thanks, I’ll look into USD. How would UCSD fare? It’s much more competitive apparently but I think I can get in based on my grades and SAT. It’s just the money.
UCSD is again another California public with little to FA or scholarships available. Price tag is $55K/year. You best bets for FA and merit aid are California privates. Consider Point Loma also.
http://www.pointloma.edu
Does the school have to be in the San Diego area? More choices as Loyola Marymount, Occidental, La Verne U, Redlands, USC etc… If you are not limited to SD.
Just remember most students do not pay the original price tag at privates since they offer you FA as opposed to publics.
@Gumbymom no it doesn’t have to be in San Diego but it does have to at least be in South Cali. I’ve looked into Loyola Marymount and it looks great, but I feel like they would be too religious . I’ll look into the other ones.
Even as a best case scenario, you had to whip up 30K a year, are you going to be able to do that? Getting in based on an imagined future SAT is really irrelevant, getting in isn’t really the issue in lower tier schools, for you it is all about money.
What is your parents’ budget? (You’re a British citizen, right, not an American who lives in the UK?)
You will get small scholarships, but overall you’re likely to have a 25-30k bill at SDSU, 50k at UCSD, and anywhere from 35 to 55k at USD. Occidental, McKenna, Scripps if you’re a girl, URedlands if they have enough merit for you, as well as Chapman (same thing wrt merit) are more likely to be affordable than USCD and USD. SDSU scholarships exist for Honors students and depend on major - I think that if you majored in math there may be dept. Scholarships.
Are you applying for Fall 2016?
@MYOS1634 They just told me that for now, they can’t give me any more money than enough to buy food and support myself. I’m a British citizen.
I’m majoring in finance and accounting, and yeah I’ll be applying for Fall 2016.
In the UK you would probably finish your degree in the normal 3 yrs, no? You are looking at 4 or more in the USA. Really, even just applying to US schools is going to cost more than your parents will be pleased with, plus the visa plus the financial verification and again, health insurance which school might demand. . You should really focus on your viable future, invest in your academics so you can get into a desirable UK school. Pick a nice UK location.
Hm, so, meal plan + miscellaneous. You’ll need full tuition/full ride and that’s not going to happen at SDSU, USD, or UCSD; you can try for SDSU since you want to, but… I don’t think they have those even for citizens who are California residents!
You can try for Pitzer, Occidental, Chapman, even Whittier and URedlands, etc, but CA universities are extremely expensive, very sought-after, and therefore unlikely to “discount” much what is a very high price to start with.
Would your parents let you go if you won full tuition or full ride somewhere?
For instance, UAlabama Tuscaloosa would give you an automatic full tuition scholarship for a 32 on the ACT or 1400 CR+M (one sitting), plus Honors College, Honors Dorm, and the possibility to apply to “honors within honors”.
Howard, a HBCU in DC, has full tuition and full rides too.
For accounting, look at Baruch and try to get a Macaulay scholarship.
Beware that the deadline typically is December 1st, so you need all your testing in order by then.
@Alfonsia, I think it would be 4 years too. I know the UK would be much easier, with a lot less hurdles to jump through to get in, but I just…can’t. I detest it. No one understands how much I hate it here.
@MYOS1634, I’ll try every college and hope for the best. I just asked my parents and they said that if I got a full-ride somewhere they would definitely let me go, though they would prefer me to stay near the Cali area. UAlabama is a good option though, it’s very appealing that they’d give me full tuition.
Look at the pinned thread on top of the “financial aid” forum.I think someone gave you a link already but you can look it up yourself. Your ACT or SAT scores will be crucial.
At Alabama you have to have the living costs lined up. can you do that? Full ride anywhere is a rare beast for an international that is not academically outstanding/hooked/urm and comes from just any other rich white western country. Full tuition is probably going to leave you in need of maybe 15K a year as a non resident with no accommodation during university breaks and health care requirements and limited employment options. WHat would you do int eh UK? The loans would be yours, right?
@Alfonsia, 15k a year even if I got a full ride? Wow… In the UK I think you only have the first year guaranteed to live in a dorm, the other years you have to find your own accommodation which is usually much more expensive. The advantage in the UK is that yes you take a loan that you pay only once you’re working and making above £25k a year.
I could take a loan in the US to help me with paying but I need a co-signer, right? No one I know is willing to be a co-signer since they have friends who got scammed. Damn it.