<p>My dream is to go to Stanford or Harvard but I realized something how would one living a world away from Harvard with no financial support from the family be able to even afford a plane ride to Ivy Leagues a world away. Right now I’m a high school freshman and my dad refuses to save any money for me so technically I am in a rock and a hard place. Any tips I have four years left to go. Going to Stanford or the UCs may not be hard for me(if I somehow get accepted) but I also want to get a chance to go to Duke,John Hopkins or Harvard. Also I do not want to get a job homeworks is piling up on me like a pyrimid.</p>
<p>Dream…someone is going to have to pay for your college education. IF your family is lower income, AND you end up having the academic credentials to get into Stanford or Harvard (which accept about 10% of applicants…meaning that 90% do NOT get accepted)…you might garner enough aid to help you. BUT those schools DO expect a student contribution (translation…summer job money you earn that goes towards your college costs) and most of them award work study as part of the financial aid package (another job). I think you need to PLAN to work at least during the summers to be able to meet your student contribution OR to buy other things you might need for college (those plane tickets or a computer for example).</p>
<p>Right now you are a high school freshman. I would suggest a few things. First, concentrate on getting the best grades you can possibly get. Do the best you can possibly do on the PSAT when you are a JUNIOR. Find some schools that your family CAN afford…don’t just fall in love with Stanford and Harvard. When you do create your college application list (sometime in 11th grade), make sure it is a broad one that has schools that are safeties in terms of admissions and which also are going to be affordable to your family.</p>
<p>You need to understand that need based aid is largely based on your parents’ income and assets. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>*with no financial support from the family be able to even afford a plane ride to Ivy Leagues a world away. Right now I’m a high school freshman and my dad refuses to save any money for me so technically I am in a rock and a hard place. *</p>
<p>Aid from these tops schools is based is financial aid. If your family has a decent income, but won’t contribute, then that will be a problem.</p>
<p>At least you know NOW that your family won’t contribute.</p>
<p>BTW…how DOES your dad think you’re supposed to pay for college???</p>
<p>Do you have any idea what your likely EFC would be? </p>
<p>Quick EFC
[FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Quick EFC - Finaid) </p>
<p>In the meantime, keep your grades high and get high test scores (especially on the PSAT) and you can get a big merit scholarship to some other schools.</p>
<p>Also, get summer jobs and start saving.</p>
<p>*Going to Stanford or the UCs may not be hard for me(if I somehow get accepted) *</p>
<p>Even going to these schools could be difficult if you can’t afford them. The UCs are costing $30k per year these days…they’ll be higher by the time you go.</p>
<p>My dad wants me to go to the military or navy but he says he hopes I will be smart enough that I don’t need to go if I don’t want to. wWhat annoys me he spends his money on somking and gambling and lottery. Unless he somehow wins in the latter two I don’t know what to do. I love him but he can be a bum no offense. Oh and lets just say what would happen if they reached retirement age the time I go to college.</p>
<p>First, it’s your parents’ money and they can spend it any way they choose (including gambling and the lottery, and smoking). I know you wish they would save for your future, but if they don’t, they are NOT the only parents who aren’t. I will guess that the vast majority of college students do NOT have parents who saved for college.</p>
<p>Second…if your parents retire before you go to college, their retirement income will be used to determine your family contribution.</p>
<p>Third…right now, you need to work hard in school, try to do the best you can do, and prove to your parents that you are responsible. If you do this, perhaps they will be more willing to help you with college when the time comes.</p>
<p>What about the California community college system for the first two years? There is nothing wrong with that. The Cal States are less expensive for instate students than the UCs. You might want to consider that too.</p>
<p>Also, to really save money, can you commute to college from your family home? I know that isn’t what you might be wanting to do, but if that is the way to get a college education, it might be a good option to at least consider.</p>
<p>Above all…keep you options OPEN. And discuss your post high school plans (pleasantly) with your parents from time to time.</p>
<p>Yeah but my friends breifly mentioned to me that cc transfers are harder now and that fact is supported by the fact that less than 1/4 of students transfer to university.</p>
<p>And I would like to add that I plan on becoming a doctor would a college’s presitge(medical school and undergraduate) be a significant factor in employment.</p>
<p>Please focus on your education first. As a freshman, work on your grades and improving your writing style; that’s what will improve your chances of getting into a great school. </p>
<p>Comments like, “I do not want to get a job homeworks is piling up on me like a pyrimid” and the cracks about Dad make me wonder if this is a legit post.</p>
<p>Your strategy for now needs to be…</p>
<p>1) Assume that you’ll get little to nothing from your parents (what about your mom? What does SHE say? )</p>
<p>2) Get the best grades and best test scores that you can. </p>
<p>3) Since your parents won’t pay their EFC (and may not cooperate with FAFSA anyway), you’ll need to look for schools that will give you big merit.</p>
<p>4) Don’t overwelm yourself to the point that your GPA suffers. For many merit schools, it’s not important to have 12 APs. It’s important to have a good schedule, but since GPA is important for merit, you need to protect that.</p>
<p>5) Get yourself some ACT and SAT practice books. Since your dad seems to want you to get merit, maybe he’ll pay for those. Keep those books by your bed and study a few pages every night. Study the vocab as well in the SAT books. </p>
<p>6) Also, find out if your school will let you take the PSAT as a sophomore. That won’t be the official one, but it’s good practice for the one you’ll take junior year that will count. If you become a National Merit Finalist, there are schools that will give you a free ride.</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>Can you use this to find out what your EFC might be?</p>
<p>Quick EFC
[FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Quick EFC - Finaid) </p>
<p>Do the above. Maybe your EFC is low enough that you’d get great aid from a school like Stanford.</p>
<p>*cracks about Dad make me wonder if this is a legit post. *</p>
<p>I’m guessing that it’s legit. There are many kids who get frustrated to see their parents say that they can’t pay for various things, yet the parents will blow money on booze, cigarettes, bingo, gambling, and other non-essentials. </p>
<p>That can be very frustrating for a kid if it means no help for college (and maybe no eligibility for aid) - even if it’s a parents’ right to spend their money however they want. Heck, I’ve seen parents do this and then sign their kids up for free breakfast and lunch at school. (Now that is disgusting).</p>
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<p>Right now, your goal should be to graduate from high school.</p>
<p>Then you need to attend college AND graduate with the highest possible GPA AND the lowest possible debt. The “prestige” of your undergrad school won’t matter as much as your GPA and your MCAT scores. So…study for those too…and do the best you can when the time comes.</p>
<p>There are TONS of doctors in this country who did NOT go to an Ivy League school (or equivalent) for undergrad school.</p>
<p>And lastly, most medical students pay the full cost of attendance which is VERY high for medical school…and most take loans to do so. And in some cases, did you know that the schools will also expect your parents to put their financial information on the financial aid application forms for med school…regardless of your age or otherwise independent status?</p>
<p>Please, you are a nineth grader. Concentrate on high school right now. Do the best you can do there.</p>
<p>Where you go for undergrad will have little to no impact on “employment” as a doctor.</p>
<p>Many successful doctors went to state schools for undergrad and got into very good and top med schools.</p>
<p>My son’s orthopedic surgeon went to a low tier Florida public for undergrad, then went to Duke for med school, and then did his residency at the Mayo Clinic.</p>