@“Classiest2002@me”
Thank you for coming back and posting your answers to the many questions.
First of all, the most recent cost of attendance is posted on each schools website so here are the COA’s for the CSU’s you are interested in applying. Is Cal Poly SLO your local CSU? If so, apply even if you feel your stats are not good enough since you get priority.
http://www.fullerton.edu/financialaid/ugrd/coa.php
https://admissions.sdsu.edu/about_sdsu/costs_of_attendance
http://www.sjsu.edu/faso/docs/1920_COA_ugrd.pdf
https://web.sonoma.edu/finaid/cost_of_attendance/2021_costs.html
https://www.csun.edu/financialaid/2019-2020-fall-and-spring-cost-attendance
https://www.csulb.edu/financial-aid/undergraduate-costs
CSU’s offer little to no merit aid but very good need based aid if you combine the Cal grants and Federal aid which would cover your tuition, books and maybe some housing. Work study is an option due to your Dad’s income so you can work on campus while attending.
Have you run the Net price calculators on the schools? If your finances are straight forward, they should give you a pretty accurate estimate of costs.
I did a quick NPC for SDSU based on your info. SDSU requires all students to live on campus for 2 years if not local. Your total costs are $27, 000 and you would get $14,000 in grants which leaves $1 3,000 to fund through savings, parent contribution and federal loans.
If you can commute and live at home, your costs would be $150.
If any of the CSU’s you are applying are not local, room/board costs are in the Neighborhood of $15K (double tuition) and you are required to live on campus if not local that is why commuting is the most affordable option.
Post your stats and the CC posters can give you an idea of other schools where need and merit aid could cover the majority of your college costs. Taking out the minimum federal loans is also an option so [Bold] Do not wait on filling out the FASFA.