@CaliCash You are really barking up the wrong tree. You got into Northwestern with a 1900-something SAT score after a helluva lot better education, so please quit sounding so high-and-mighty. For being such a good writer, I’m surprised your reading comprehension isn’t better. OP is trying to figure out college on sooo many levels coming from a very screwed up background and we are trying to support her, give her some guidance, and cheer her on. Caltech is a several year off dream that OP knows perfectly well may never come true. She isn’t fixated on Caltech - I don’t know why you are.