<p>If you are looking at really top schools, you may have trouble transferring in from CC. A better route might be a solid school that does award NMF money , followed by a transfer to a ‘big name school’. I think there are some very good schools awarding NMF money. U. Rochester and Case Western. I would also say that even if a school doesn’t award NMF money, having that on your child’s transcript certainly can’t hurt and requires only modest effort, assuming he/she has the scores.</p>