<p>(1) yes</p>
<p>(2) study something that intrigues you. College shouldn't be (IMHO) merely vocational training; that's what the professional schools like law or medicine are for AFTER you get your undergrad degree. Law schools are very interested in your GPA and LSAT scores, so by studying something that you have a passion for you will likely get better grades than if you choose a major because you feel obligated for some reason. Don't worry if you don't know what your major will be yet; that's why you take survey courses your 1st 2 years in college. It would be beneficial to choose a major or minor that emphasizes reading/writing because you'll need to have sharpened those skills for law school.</p>
<p>(3) live on campus if at all possible. Again, college is more than just job training. Its a chance to meet new people, try new experiences, explore the world around you, challenge yourself and be challenged. You miss out on so much of that if you live at home! Many adults can remember life-altering conversations they had with friends sitting around one night, plus there is the freedom to take chances in what is basically a forgiving environment.</p>
<p>(4) yes</p>
<p>(5) how can we possibly tell you since we don't know your circumstances? ;) Aid ranges from 0 to a full ride; go online and fill out one of the free FAFSA estimators and see what they say for your family. It sounds like finances are a big concern; rather than getting a few sentences of advice here and there go to the library or bookstore and get a book on financial aid for college or a book that has a chapter discussing it. One book I like is called "Admission Matters". As a quick comment, it's better for FA to apply to a school where you'll be one of the better candidates since they'll often tilt the mix more towards grants than loans to win you away from their higher ranked competition.</p>
<p>misc advice: why do you want to be a lawyer? Have you had experience working in a legal setting to know it's right for you? A LOT of kids start down the path towards a career, often in well-known fields such as medicine, investment banking, law, etc. because they've heard of the jobs and believe they pay well without finding out if it is a type of work they'd enjoy. If you can type or even just file you can get a summer job in a law firm, and that would be <em>valuable</em> in discovering now whether law is really right for you rather than sinking 7 years of your life into something that may not be right for you.</p>