@bitznbatzn I think you meant to tag @collegemom3717 in your response. #63
Bottom line: you and your family made serious mistakes in your application process. You didn’t run NPCs, so you didn’t know how schools estimate financial need – clearly schools have a different idea of your financial status than you and your family. You applied to schools known for giving no, or very little, aid. You turned down a very good school.
Yet this isn’t a catastrophe. You do have options, including the option of taking a gap year, and reapplying sensibly the next time. If that’s the route you take, have your parents read the Financial Aid thread of this forum: maybe they’re not filling out the FAFSA papers correctly, giving schools an incorrect picture of their finances.
If taking a gap year isn’t for you, then go to Stonybrook.
Cambridge is also a (very fine) option, although, quite frankly, I’m not even sure if your family would qualify for college loans to pay for it. Your parents would have to co-sign, and lenders may not want to finance borrowers who have had no income for the past six years.