<p>I don’t remember looking at colleges being this difficult the first time! (then again I got waitlisted 5 times so I must have been doing something wrong )
Dream school is Smith college but I’m trying to come up with a few more schools to apply to for the fall if that doesn’t work out. </p>
<p>Here are my stats
Female White Sophomore at Colorado State University
College gpa 3.958 (but I’ve only been taking 12 credits a semester)
High School gpa 3.74
3 ap’s with scores of 5 4 & 3 + one college class with an A
Sat 720 reading & writing 560 math
EC’s=weak but improving, now mostly volunteer and work study but I was president of a few clubs in high school and worked 15hrs a week despite thyroid issues
Efc = 0</p>
<p>What I’m looking for
basically Smith but easier to get into/gives better aid…
this means I want a school that is
gay friendly & liberal
fafsa only would be awesome, home equity and loan cap is just as good (house is worth 200grand :[)
urban would be nice but for under 5k I’d look elsewhere
Offers a Religion major (not philosophy of religion thats my problem with CSU)
international relations or at least political science minor and might give my access to internships/work connections in this field.</p>
<p>I’ve got to pay for grad school too, so (given my not so lucrative major) unless its Smith or would really open the door for me to do international humanitarian type work, I’m really only looking for a school thats free or close to free (under 8k including board).</p>
<p>This is a really tall order. Is there another Colorado state school that would work (Boulder?) Another thought - move to the Boston/Cambridge area, get a job, and go to Harvard Extension. Tuition is supposed to be reasonable, and you could get a loan.</p>
<p>FAFSA only…I think that might leave out a lot of privates that would meet need. Is there a reason why you want FAFSA only besides your home equity concerns?</p>
<p>Do you know what your EFC is?</p>
<p>Does Mt Holyoke have your major? They seem to be quite generous. </p>
<p>Can your parents pay their EFC (if there is an EFC)?</p>
<p>I’ve been trying to figure out what my efc will be using the institutional methodology but from what I’ve learned it’s really going to vary depending on how they look at the value of my home. If they don’t consider it I’m thinking it will be less than 1k (which my parents would probably cover) but if they do, and don’t cap the amount based on my parents income, it could be more like 9k, which is more than my parents make in a year. </p>
<p>Boulders an option, though honestly it’s not that much better than CSU and the cost of living down their is astronomical in comparison. I’m not sure if it would be worth the price difference for my undergrad but I’ll probably do my grad degree there. </p>
<p>Do you know of any privates at which I might get financial aid and merit aid? That might make up for the home value consideration.</p>
<p>Oh! Yes, you’re correct. A paid-off mortgage is so rare these days that I didn’t even think about that. And yes, it’s unfortunately true that most colleges who have that information are going to look at the house as a big pot of college money.</p>