<p>I’ve pretty much decided that I want to major in engineering in college, if I can. </p>
<p>However, my grades aren’t too stellar, and I know I might not get in to the more prestigious Quest Bridge partner colleges, like MIT or Stanford or Northwestern. My mom doesn’t even want to talk to me about colleges, she doesn’t want to do taxes, and all she says is that she can’t pay anymore than $3,000 a semester. </p>
<p>I’m pretty confident that my grades and scores can qualify me as a finalist, but are there any less-popular-but-has-good-engineering-programs colleges that I could possibly turn to? I’m afraid that if I don’t get into some kind of college during Quest Bridge’s early round, I won’t have another chance at college, yet I do want to pursue engineering in the future.</p>
<p>What kind of grades and test scores do you have?</p>
<p>Other options:</p>
<ul>
<li>Look for full ride merit scholarships (a few of which are automatic if you have high enough grades and test scores – e.g. Alabama - Huntsville, Louisiana Tech, Prairie View A&M, Howard).</li>
<li>Community college, then transfer as a junior to a state university.</li>
<li>If your mother is unwilling to do financial aid paperwork, wait until you are 24, married, or a veteran of the military, when parental income and assets are no longer considered for college financial aid purposes.</li>
</ul>
<p>The schools you mentioned are all needs-met schools, which means that if you can only pay 3,000, and the EFC agrees - then that’s all you pay. Also, isn’t the Questbridge Program designed to give the underprivaleged - and underfunded - a chance to attend these schools? So, if you can get in - you are guaranteed the funding. Tell Mom not to worry. </p>
<p>So quit hanging out here, and read up some more on how the programs work!</p>
<p>Good Luck.</p>
<p>There is a whole sub-forum just for Questbridge inside the Financial Aid Forum.</p>