<p>ok, here's the story: i got into a huge argument with my parents last nite and they pretty much said that they will not pay for my college expenses. it's a bit complicated so i dont want to talk about it.</p>
<p>so yeah, im pretty much on my own now. even though im very frustrated right now, its time to move on. i dont care anymore... enough is enough.</p>
<p>so i have decided to change my list of colleges to apply to. i dont care about prestige anymore.
my question is: what are some GOOD schools that offer full ride scholarships to studnets (or put them in the running) with around 2200s SAT and 4.0W GPA? even though i dont care about prestige anymore, i dont want to go to a school where most students dont care about education.
i dont really care where it is, etc. just somewhere that is better than going to community college or working at mcdonald's for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>i've been looking everywhere on CC but no luck...either way too competitive or other requirements that i dont have.
parents, please help me. i'm really lost right now.</p>
<p>Ummm, Flood? Didn't you post a few weeks ago looking for good schools that would have merit money available? And I thought you got some good advice on that thread. </p>
<p>To repeat what I said, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy of Colleges That Change Lives. A couple of schools that are brought to mind immediately are Hendrix, Centre and Millsaps. Free rides are rare, but good merit aid is available that you should be able to combine with a reasonable loan level. </p>
<p>I'd also suggest a few schools that I came across in the search that aren't included in CTCL:</p>
<p>Bridgewater in Virginia
Winthrop and USC in South Carolina -- both public, one medium sized and one mid-sized, and both are very generous with waivers of Out Of State tuition.
College of Charleston (SC)</p>
<p>If you tell us your academic strengths and your interests, we could be more specifically helpful.</p>
<p>But I suggest you look at Goucher in MD and Allegheny in PA. If you are female, also look at Mount Holyoke--they can be generous with financial aid. If you are not from the Midwest--try Earlham in Indiana.</p>
<p>George Washington in DC has some half tuition scholarships that are pretty score/grade oriented, but I don't know how many full rides they give out. Look on University of Richmond's site, I've heard they have some good meirt money that's maybe not as competitive as some higher ranked schools. </p>
<p>Have you looked into state school merit aid? Some states have some pretty generous deals. Also if worst comes to worst look into the possibility of transferring...in VA you are guaranteed transfer from a community college to UVA, so money is saved the first year or two, and the degree would be from UVA. </p>
<p>Also if this was a one time argument and hadn't been discussed before, I wouldn't get too crazy and go emancipate yourself or something. Go apologize and ask them point blank if they are serious because you need to know now.</p>
<p>Flood, I can understand your not wanting to get into detail about the argument with your parents but I would suggest that you try to sit down at a calmer moment and talk with them. Perhaps a few group counseling sessions are in order? Unless you parents have major mental health issues, they must have what they feel are valid reasons for stating that they won't pay for college. These are issues that will follow you wherever you go to school. Outside of receiving monetary support from your family, attending college without the emotional support of your family will be very difficult. Say you find a school with a full ride...how hard will it be on you emotionally to be without support? I'm sure if you are determined enough you can find a college, I am just concerned about your life as a whole..</p>
<p>Flood, I agree with ebeeee. Senior year is very stressful for BOTH students AND parents, and sometimes tensions flair up in the heat of the situation. But almost always, things calm down eventually, especially if you approach things like an adult. So, before I started flailing around for free-ride colleges, I'd take a deep breath, spend some time thinking about how you might have contributed to the situation, try to see things from your parent's side as well, and then make things right with them. It may mean having to eat some crow, apologize, or even - gasp - admit that the disagreement was a two-way street, but that is where the true solution to your college financing problem will likely begin. If you do all of that (and do it with honesty, calmness, and a willingness to admit your part in the situation), and things don't improve, then you can worry about finding other college options, such as considering working for a year to pay for it. Because, as already noted above, free rides are few and far between, and it is pretty late in the year to start looking for one.</p>
<p>By the way, colleges will not consider you an independent student for financial aid just because your parents "refuse" to pay. And, even legally emancipated students find it is rough going to be considered as fully independent for financial aid purposes. So, really, don't burn your bridges. It's almost always better to repair the bridge, as painful as that may be.</p>
<p>Another good school with lots of merit aid for good students is McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Surprised it isn't listed under the Ms in CC...</p>
<p>Wesley in Dover, DE gives out a lot of merit aid. Even though I don't go there, I did get a $6500/ year grant that was based on GPA and SAT scores, which were very average in my case. Your stats are much higher than mine were, so I bet you'd get a bigger grant and would be a candidate for some good scholarships.</p>
<p>Carolyn, very good point. I didn't even think about that but it is definitely true. Even in a case where the parents have literally abandoned the student it is very difficult to be declared independent for purposes of financial aid. I am in the process of doing that with a young woman I know whose parents are both in and out of legal trouble and who have no contact with their daughter. Flood, please sit down with your parents.</p>
<p>I agree that you should sit back down with your parents in a calmer moment. I have a D who is a big procrastinator. I have told her that if she doesn't get scholarship apps in, she can just go ahead & take out the whole amount in loans. It's not that I plan to actually make her do that --- it's just that she needs to do HER part in helping to pay for school. I figure she might not get the scholarships she should be applying for, but she owes it to us to at least try. She "needs" the threat of big loans hanging over her head to motivate her --- that's just the way it is with her. </p>
<p>Maybe your parents are feeling the need to get you to rethink your expectations? I have no clue what is going on with you, but I do know that communication is essential. Talk to them.</p>