I am applying to the best colleges possible for me with the intent to major in Aerospace Engineering or Computer Science. I come from a low-income, single-parent household and am the eldest of three siblings. Despite financial challenges, I have maintained a 3.9 unweighted GPA (4.3 weighted) and a 1490 SAT score, however when i first started me being not taught very well and my dad dying at that time led to me being put in remedial math. I did eventually ace ap calc but i don’t know how this looks to colleges.
Extracurriculars:
• Founded an AI-based business, generating $10,000 in profit over four years.
• Created a tech news website featuring over 500 articles on technology and politics, authored by myself and collaborators.
• Captain of the Speech and Debate Team, qualifying for nationals.
• President and founder of my school’s Science Fair and Olympiad Club; qualified for the ISEF.
• Worked a part-time job, dedicating all of my earnings to support my family’s grocery needs.
• Directed multiple amateur films.
• Authored a political philosophy book with 20 five-star reviews.
• Interned at Idaho National Laboratory, conducting research in aerospace.
• Interned at a startup, where I integrated AI systems to improve efficiency.
• Completed 100 hours of community service.
• Varsity tennis player.
My family is making around 20k so I’m hoping for some pretty substantial financial aid. I am ok with taking on some debt, and I will be working during college to pay some of it while in school. I am aiming for a college outside of Idaho because the opportunities here do not align with the point I want to reach in my career. Do you have any in mind that you think would be a good fit?
I would definitely apply in state for safeties but I think you also should try some reach schools that meet full need without loans. Forget aerospace, and shoot for MechE. Being from Idaho will be a little bump in some places.
Notre Dame comes to mind. They have just announced that they’re need blind and loan free.
Lafayette College
Rice in Houston
Washington University in St Louis
Finally, I would look at WUE. While the big schools are still expensive, some of them come in quite low.
Although you may want to look into which ME departments offer additional aerospace relevant in-major electives, since ME departments sometimes have such offerings when there is no specific AE major.
Aerospace engineering puts me in mind for University of Alabama at Huntsville. Your GPA and SAT scores should put you in an excellent position for their out-of-state academic scholarships.
And since you are from Idaho, I will mention that during our tour of University of Tennessee Knoxville for engineering programs, the guide said that Idaho was the only state they did not have a currently enrolled student from. They have an excellent engineering program, but I can’t speak to their scholarships.
If there is some concern on going too far away from home, then oregon state and university of utah are both good options. I have no idea if the finances will work out.
I would definitely look into the Rice Investment. Rice offers full tuition scholarships to those with family income under $140,000 and if you are under $75,000 they cover living expenses as well.
It’s definitely worth a shot! You have a great profile, a unique story and you’re from an underrepresented state. It’s not a likely acceptance but it absolutely is worth the chance. Same with the other reach schools I mentioned, all of which would be very low cost for you if accepted.
I agree! Rice is a reach for everyone but it’s worth a chance! And, they have a really good speech and debate team if you are interested in continuing in college.
I would definitely ask your high school counselor to mention some of your personal story regarding your Dad, overcoming such a tragedy, etc in their recommendation letter.
I am so sorry about your losing your dad, being poorly placed for math, and fighting every day such an uphill battle with life. Although your strength carried you it must be exhausting at times.
(BTW NO college will hold it against you that you were placed “wrong” and in fact will use it in reference to your actual achievements as evidence of your resilience and intellectual potential.)
Could you consider applying to Rice ED?
Is your application ready? (there are essay readers on this website, look for the appropriate forum and they’ll get back to you with suggestions to help your essay make you stand out).
With such low income, you need a full ride+ (covering tuition, room, board, fees, books, transportation) preferably without loans.
Rice would offer this - all costs covered plus $2,500 in work study (working on campus, with the hours scheduled around your classes - the jobs can range from helping in a research lab to working in the cafeteria).
You wouldn’t need to take a loan but you’d still be eligible for one if you wished to “bank it” just in case.
If you like Rice that’s the way to go.
Otherwise indicate what you would like and people will try to point you to another possible ED. Someone upthread already mentioned Lafayette and Notre Dame, 2 very different colleges (from each other and from Rice) and there are more
As a first step, join the mailing list for each of these colleges, open what they send you, click on links of interest, and decide what you like about them. Btw Lafayette has ED2 so if you like it but Rice doesn’t pan out, you can apply there and benefit from the same advantages as ED1 at Rice.
In any case run the NPC and choose your favorite for ED among the colleges that show your net price as 0 (zero).
The best chance for scholarships is in your home state. If you’re low income, you have a shot at some scholarship money at U of I or Boise State. Being a programmer myself, you don’t need prestige to have a well-paid career in computers. You just need the skills to get your foot in the door. Virtually all of your credentials will be built on the job over the years. You would definitely qualify for plenty of financial aid at any in-state university.
Actually, for low income students, private universities offer better financial aid packages because they offer full rides without loans, which public universities don’t offer, plus specific resources&support public universities don’t have the funds for.
It’s that uncommon situation where the instate public is more expensive than the top private college. Prestige is irrelevant, it’s just smart to attend a university where you don’t have loans and receive money for clothes, travel, and books plus personal expenses (some universities, such as Duke or at that level, even provide money to cover students going out together, so that the low income students can also go to a restaurant with their friends without being excluded).
Private schools tend to be a mixed bag of worms, though. Some schools would give generously, others not so much. I always consider them to be a reach until the stars line-up. But a good failsafe is an in-state university.
And not just socializing- the well endowed private U’s have “in the know” Deans in Housing, Student Life, etc. who have funds to help students with an emergency plane ticket home for a grandparent’s funeral, a stipend to cover the cost of replacing a broken pair of eyeglasses, etc. Things that the affluent classmates just put on mom’s credit card without a thought-- the less affluent classmate is waiting for the next paycheck to refill their allergy meds.
