<p>Sorrel, First let me congratulate you on your maturity and wisdom, it will serve you well your entire life.</p>
<p>A phrase that gets shared a lot here at CC is “Love thy Safety.” For you, that will include financial safeties. Yes, it makes the process more complicated but it’s well worth it when you find yourself choices you can afford. Hopefully those choices will include your reaches and matches, but even if they don’t, loving thy safety means you have a sure thing that you are excited about. </p>
<p>My son is attending Northeastern in the fall on a National Merit Finalist Scholarship, which covers tuition. They also have an award that covers tuition, room and board. As has been said, check out the National Merit schools. My son wound up having serveral really good choices that were affordable, including our state’s flagship, an OOS public, and several privates. Not all colleges came through with the $$$ but enough did. </p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck, although I don’t think you need it.</p>