<p>So I am a senior in high school, i will hopefully be starting college in Fall 2013. My mom wants me to get as much help as possible before they need to take out loans etc., so if I could just list off some things about me and see if you can see any potential scholarship info. So i am a 17 year old African American Male in Upstate New York. For college I will be moving out of state to California, I applied to CSULB, CSUF, CSUN, and CSULA! I am really excited I would like to double major in Theatre Arts and English Education or Real Estate. My main passion is acting! 
But i live in a city, but I attend school in the suburbs, through a program called Urbam Suburban, it is basically a program for good young minorities in the city to bet a better education in the suburbs, you have to get good grades have reccomendations and be a good person, etc. I have been in this program since 6th grade! I am a pretty good student, I have always been on Honor Roll or High Honor Roll in highschool. My GPA is a 3.37 for my school, and for the CSU’s is a 3.85 for how they count their grades! I have taken Honors and AP courses the past two years of high school. And I got a 3 on the AP US History exam! I took both the SAT and the ACT last spring back to bavk with virtually no studying, mostly last minute;(. I got a 1480 on the SAT and a 22 on the ACT. I fif not report either grade to the colleges as I think I can do better, and I am retaking the ACT on December 8th(this time actually studying). Im pretty involved at school, no sports I am not very athletic but I AM IN MANY GROUPS. I am in Allies Club, Mathletes, FLEC(a freshman mentoring program), Safe School Ambassadors, National Honor Society, Drama Club as well as Community Theatre, Choir, my Freshman year I was treasurer of my class, and the next two years I was a class rep, and now this year I am the Vice President of the whole Student Council! And I am probably in some other stuff I am forgetting. Oh I had a pretty rough start I was born two months early my mom got a disease where I had to come out through a c section, I weighed two prond 2 ounces I also have asthma from this I almost dies, and this was all a year after my mom had a miscarriage, it was rough first year or so, not that I actually remember this but still, and when I first started school I was in “special” classes and I had to work with my parents every night to get in normal classes. Im just really trying to get all the info out there. I am still pretty skinny lol I dont know there may be a scholarship for this! My parent dont make too much money, but we survive we make enough that I pay full for lunch. Im not sure on the exact amount but my father is a newspaper carrier he makes decent money, and my mom is a residence manger for Lifetime Assistance, she works with mentally retarted peopl and help care for them she makes pretty nice money, more than my dad, we are by no means rich, if I had to gues I would say maybe 45000 give or take for a year! I have never had a job but I am searching for one. My parents also get paid from the state for Family care, our Family takes care of a mentally retarted boy kind of like a foster family but he is not adopted we just take care of him. He has been with us since I was about 6 or so. I am the youngest of three or four if you count my sister who was miscarried. My oldest brother is 31 and my oldest sister is 24 and she has a 1 year old child, and my parents still help her even though they do not live with us. And they often take in family members to help them out. But anyway I think this is enough info, I hope there is some college money to be got from all this info, links to schloarships would be greatly appreciated, as well as an estimate on how much you think I would be able to get from FAFSA. If you need any additional info I will gladly provide it! Thank you so much!!</p>
<p>FAFSA is just an app…it doesn’t “give” money.</p>
<p>Are your parents moving to Calif?</p>
<p>You won’t get much aid for a CSU since you’re not a state resident. You’ll be expected to pay all OOS costs. </p>
<p>Your parents need to be in Calif for a year before you’re a resident. I don’t think you’ll qualify for Cal Grants unless you graduate from a Calif high school. </p>
<p>Calif publics expect OOS students to be a source of money unless the student has really high stats. </p>
<p>If your plan is just to move to Calif and go to school, then that’s not likely going to work unless your parents will pay. </p>
<p>I doubt that there are any scholarships for being a premature baby.</p>
<p>Your most affordable options will probably be a SUNY that you can commute to.</p>
<p>Cost of attendance for CSULB is $33K for an OOS student. You can borrow $5.5K through Stafford loans. Will your parents make up the difference? If not you need to look in-state.</p>
<p>Does your HS have a guidance office where you may be able to get information on local scholarships for which you could apply? Remember that most of these scholarships are small and for one year only, but every little bit can help. </p>
<p>Generally the largest scholarships are from the schools themselves. Your scores and grades may not be competitive for the largest awards from colleges. </p>
<p>With a household of 3 (you, your mom, your dad) or 4 (if you are able to count your foster brother)… your older brother and sister will likely not count since they do not live with you and are adults… and an income of $45000 a year with little savings or home equity, you may qualify for a partial federal pell grant (maybe around $2600 per year), and if you go to a SUNY or CUNY full time a small TAP award (maybe around $700 - $800 for the year). You also will be eligible to take a loan in your name for $5500 for your freshman year. Some if the interest on the loan likely will be subsidized.</p>
<p>So – assuming the numbers are correct --you may qualify for around $3300 in federal and state grants (if you attend a state college in NY), and be able to take out a loan for $5500 for the freshman year. This would give you a budget of $8800 for the year before paying any money out of current income, college savings (if you have them), or any small scholarships you may be able to obtain from organizations or the colleges themselves. See if any of the colleges in NY state have small talent based scholarships for which you can audition.</p>
<p>This amount would likely allow you to pay for a local SUNY (and certainly a CC for the first two years) to which you can commute to from home. </p>
<p>Have you talked to your family about what they may be able to help contribute for college?</p>
<p>Sit down with your parents and run actual numbers through online EFC and Net Price Calculators for schools (both the ones in CA and ones in NY State) to get a more accurate sense of EFC, and cost of colleges on your list. Remember that the EFC is the minimum that a college will expect your family to pay for you to attend. Most schools gap students, and many families end up paying more than their EFC.</p>
<p>You sound like a motivated, bright, and passionate young man. You may or may not be able to go to college in CA right now, but you are sure to succeed wherever you end up if you continue on the positive path you are currently on. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>You should apply to instate colleges too. Consider a community college where you can live at home to make it more affordable.</p>