As we all very well know by now, there are a lot of people gaming the system, and some illegally doing so. So it goes with any system. Getting a full ride scholarship as an international student, legal or otherwise is not easy. Getting a full ride scholarship, as a US citizen, is not easy either, but there are more options out there.
I have every sympathy, respect and admiration for @HKimPOSSIBLE and truly hope that s/he gets a hit on next year’s attempt. My comments were addressing the lack of the likes of , say Barry College , when kids pursue the Stamps Awards, and all cluster with Swarthmore, and like going after the most selective schools in the country where admissions is highly unlikely even for the very top applicants. Here in NY, I know a number of kids who are either undocumented or DACA and are from low income families. They go to Community college part time and work. Some of them are very good student with excellent test scores but they need a full ride to go away to school. The cost of commuting and other expenses, along with family issues makes even full tuition schools too pricey for them. I’m looking at a cousin’s kid who is probably going to end up commuting even though it’s not a good environment for him to stay home.
This was something a lot of kids did of my generation. Paid for college bit by bit, part time and worked. My neighbor is getting her diploma from a CUNY next week. Took her a long time, paid for it because she had to work, had a family,etc and was not eligible for financial aid. My father who was in Education had a master college plan for his kids which entailed commuting to a satellite branch of a college for first two years and earning the money to go away the last two because he had a free tuition card for all of us there. He, himself, had gone to community college and worked, even with GI Bill before transfering to a 4 year school for a degree. No one is entitled to a free 4 year sleep away experience at any college regardless of stats and resume. In some situations, not even free community college , which our state pretty much has, but… not for everyone. There are caveats even for the most generous situations.