<p>I think your chances of being accepted are excellent – but can you pay? I’d worry that the family-owned restaurant might cause some issues with calculation of need-- that is, your parents might be seen being financially stronger than they actually are. Also, does family income fluctuate from year-to-year? If you are accepted at a school ED you will be given a tentative financial aid award for the 2015 school year based on 2013 income and projections submitted with the CSS Profile, whereas the FAFSA will be based on the 2014 tax return. If income goes up, then you could be in the position of accepting an ED spot in December that turns out to be unaffordable in May. If income goes down, you could be in the position of turning down an ED offer because the aid was too low, based on outdated information.</p>
<p>Your income from your export business also adds another very tricky financial aid wrinkle – I’d assume that the income from that also fluctuates from one year to the next. </p>
<p>It’s very risky to apply ED for financial reasons. I’d encourage you to apply RD instead-- I think your chances are excellent, you have all sorts of great stuff going for you - but keep your options open and be sure to apply to some schools that represent a financial safety for you (generally an in-state, public option – but you might also be a good candidate for merit aid at many colleges). </p>