@ccfk1221 - Running the calculators is a critical part of the process for most students. Especially students who qualify for a lot of need -based aid.
@grod618 - Where would that extra $12,000 for NYU plus $1,000 or so for a college-year’s worth of metro cards come from? You qualify for Pell, so I expect your parents don’t have a lot of extra change hanging around.
Does your dorm plan at Macaulay include at least some meals? If so, you need to account for the cost of food that you will eat at home or brown-bag to campus if you commute to NYU.
Is there Work Study money in the Macaulay package, or just in the one from NYU? Work Study can be tricky. Somtimes students don’t manage to find a job, and never end up earning that money. Fortunately there are a fair nmber of jobs available in the greater NYC area! However, that 2 - 2 1/2 hour commute could make it tough to fit in a job on top of your classwork.
Yes a 3.5 GPA can be challenging to maintain, but you have the capacity to do that. Macaulay doesn’t admit people who aren’t ready for the program.