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That’s bs. (Take it from a fellow German with non-college-educated parents.) You are at a “disadvantage” because parents without a college education are less likely to engage you in intellectual activities when you are little and because they are less likely to pay for private tutoring if you struggle in middle and high school. That’s nothing compared to “disadvantaged” on an American scale, i.e. having to work 30 hours a week besides school to help feed your family which is living below the poverty line. So why did non-college-educated parents prevent you from studying again?</p>
<p>You ask us for suggestions for colleges but you give us nothing to go by: how much can you pay for college every year, including room and board (but not including health insurance, airfare, personal expenses)? Which colleges do you want to attend? Are there any which you don’t like (e.g. because of geographic location, size or the composition of their student body)? There are about 5000 colleges in the US and ignoring finances you would be a sure admit to 4900 of them. Should we list all of them? On the other hand, I suspect you are most interested in the top 100…? </p>
<p>Also, are you interested in need-based or merit-based aid? In order to get merit-based aid you will have to attend a college “below your league”. Before you opt for need-based aid, make sure that your parents are willing to contribute to your education to the fullest extend possible because that’s what they would be expected to do. That may include tapping into retirement savings or taking out a mortgage on your home. If you want to get a ballpark figure for what colleges might expect you to pay, you can use Collegeboard’s financial aid calculator: [EFC</a> Calculator: How Much Money for College Will You Be Expected to Contribute?](<a href=“http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp]EFC”>http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp) According to the financial aid staff at my college, you should get a valid estimate if you use it with Euro instead of $ (i.e. don’t convert the currency).</p>
<p>Have you heard of the ACT? It’s a test similar to the SAT but without vocab questions, and most if not all colleges accept it in lieu of the SAT. Look into it if you haven’t yet.</p>
<p>P.S. Your prospective major is called “political science”.</p>