Have you worked any jobs yet? If not, I would get one now and save all your earnings, as that money may be really essential for your college goals.
In looking at your Massachusetts options, this is what the costs look like.
| School | Tuition | Room & Board | Sticker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester State | $10,786 | $13,245 | $24,031 |
| Westfield State | $11,500 | $12,894 | $24,394 |
| Fitchburg State | $10,921 | $13,516 | $24,437 |
| Framingham State | $11,380 | $13,160 | $24,540 |
| Bridgewater State | $11,051 | $14,162 | $25,213 |
| Mass. Coll. of Liberal Arts | $11,590 | $13,632 | $25,222 |
| Salem State | $11,978 | $14,954 | $26,932 |
| UMass-Lowell | $16,182 | $13,930 | $30,112 |
| UMass-Amherst | $16,952 | $14,123 | $31,075 |
| UMass-Dartmouth | $14,854 | $16,493 | $31,347 |
| UMass-Boston | $15,132 | $16,896 | $32,028 |
Unless the UMass schools give significantly larger merit aid packages than the other state schools, they may not be your best bets. I’d take a really good look at Bridgewater State, and then also Worcester and Westfield.
Is your 3.8 GPA weighted or unweighted? At Bridgewater, you may be eligible for the Crimson Merit scholarship of $5k/year which is for students with a 3.7 or above. If you have a weighted GPA of 4.0 or above, there are several $11k/year scholarships available there, which would be great in terms of financial feasibility, as that would cover nearly all of your tuition.