I was born here but my dad was born in India and grew up in India. My mom was raised here. So my dad might be alot more conservative in terms of indian culture.
The reason I want to take so many AP courses is for a few reasons (By importance):
- To keep a high gpa for college
2 To keep a high gpa for “the feel of it” … (competition, etc.) - To get college credit
- To get the awards for AP tests
“Why Brown? Why?”
Well there are a million reasons why I love brown and it seems to be a financial barrier for me. I made a new draft that is getting checked or something that clears things up and asks direct questions on this. But again, if you want me to I’ll write a few paragraphs on why I love brown over any other college basically in the country
OP, You are fixated on Brown yet you seem not to even know that Brown doesn’t award college credit for AP classes, they are only used for possible placement in higher classes. But that is moot, as everybody has told you that your family will be full pay and it doesn’t seem like your family will do that. I guess my initial point is, you need to research the schools you are looking at, not just assume things.
In regards to your #1, taking that many AP classes can indeed raise your GPA alot, it can also tank it if the workload is too much.
@vrmeenrajan To me it sounds like you are a great student and a great kid. I am very proud to have two daughters who are similarly smart and responsible.
At some level you need to do your best, and know that good opportunities will come to you.
When it comes time to apply to universities, my suggestion is to apply to UF, apply to Brown, and apply to a few other universities in Florida and probably a few other top schools. Then see where you get in. If you get into Brown, then see what it will cost and see what your father feels about it at the time. You might end up at UF for undergrad. If you do it is a great university and you can do very well with a degree from there. You will graduate as an adult who gets to make her own choices. On the other hand, you might find that you father ends up telling everyone how proud he is that you got into an Ivy League school, and suddenly discovering that he thinks that this is great. You will not know what will happen until it happens. Either way you will have great opportunities.
In the mean time keep your grades up and live responsibly. Try not to fight with your dad. None of us dads are perfect – we do not have much experience with being a dad.
To me it sounds like you are a great kid and I think that this will work out one way or another.
Best wishes for all of this.
OP’s father considers UF to be the only acceptable college, so Brown is out (requires his cooperation for the CSS Noncustodial Profile for financial aid). Any non-UF college will have to be one where the OP’s father’s money and cooperation is not needed, meaning that sufficient FA is given based only on the custodial parent, or where the OP can earn sufficient merit money.
“OP’s father considers UF to be the only acceptable college”
We are two years away from this. When faced with an acceptance to an Ivy League school, we cannot predict what OP’s father will say. OP’s father probably cannot predict what OP’s father will think at the time.
Yes, please do tell us “why Brown”
And your possible majors
Commonn misunderstanding. The “awards” for the AP tests are also just about meaningless. Top tier adcoms will look at the actual scores and those related to your major had better be 5’s.
I think it may take a year or more for this to settle in, but I think the issue is less your father than your own understandiing, at this point. High GPA is not what gets you into these top tier private schools. It’s a bar and they do cherry pick, but based on so much more substance than that. You can’t begin to fathom this yet.
When you set a high goal, a top holistic college,you have to dig deep, deep into how these colleges present themselves, not just what you like or what you want. You need to look for their self image and the sorts of students they tout- it’s not just major and awards, it’s their involvement outside academics, as well. Then various personal attributes that come through or not. All in one app/supp. One record that either “shows” you’re the package- or not.
A top tier admit, even the dream school, isn’t some prize that only the worthy get. So you use what you learn about a Brown sort of school to identify what it is and find the many, many other colleges that do offer this.
And if you go to UF, you can focus on doing your best, shining, and doing a grad program at one of the more selective universities.
All in good time.
Over two threads, it seems there was a lot I didn’t know about affording and prepping for college.
Here’s some context about me first: I am in my sophomore year of high school. I have a 4.83 gpa and am taking 4 AP’s. I plan to take 6 next year and get all A’s.(I haven’t failed to yet and I probably will get all A’s) I have started studying for the SAT because I really really want to be a semifinalist for the nmsqt. I’m gonna volunteer at a musuem for children. I play varsity tennis. Also I am a male (my name might have been confusing).
I WANT to go to Brown and maybe some other ivy league school. If not (probably not for financial and acedemic reasons) I was hoping to get into somewhere like Vanderbilt or UCLA that offer merit scholarship and are pretty high rated. These are things I may be able to afford because when in college I do plan to get a job.
My dad and mom are divorced with my mom being my custodial parent and where I spend most time at. My dad says my goal should be to go to UF and that I am not allowed to apply to any other college that is not in Florida. My mom is a little more open minded but still prefers I go to UF. They have a savings account that apparently I can use in other universities not in Florida. My mom makes 65k and my dad makes 210k.
Imagine ALL of the following happen:
- I get a job in college including tutoring and others ($20,000)
- I get as many scholarships as possible ($5,000)
- I get a really good score on both SAT and ACT (act 35,sat 1570)
- I do and get near perfect scores on two SAT subject tests ( Math 2, Bio Molecular)
These things itself might give me up to $25k. To attend a university like Brown I would need around $50k more from loans, grants, scholarships, etc… So the likelihood of that happening is slim to none. As for UCLA, Vanderbilt, and other competitive, less costing, and merit scholarship giving universities, I think they are the types of colleges I will probably attend. Not UF. UF for me is even behind FSU. So unless I get rejected and/or don’t get merit/need based scholarships from any ivy school, high rated merit scholarship giving university, and get rejected from FSU, I probably won’t be attending UF.
So my questions are:
- What scholarships can I get money towards college are there?
- Do I have any hope of attending brown?
- Am I preparing enough for top colleges and what more should I do?
Thanks 
(Also please try to imagine that those things happen. Even if both you and I know know the chances are low)
UCLA is unlikely to give you any money because it is a state school and you are out-of-state. That’s pretty much another Brown as far as finances go. You would be full pay, regardless of your parental income.
@Gumbymom, could you please advise the OP about his wanting to go to UCLA and get merit scholarships as an OOS student? You can give him the stark truth much better than I can. Btw, I am referencing his post #68.
IMO it’s way too early to be creating a college list. It’s great to hope and plan for As in rigorous courses and high SAT marks but you don’t have them yet.
Spend your energy on your academics and ECs. Show your parents your maturity and responsibility.
Prove to them that have you the maturity to go away to college if affordable.
Worry about the college list at the end of junior year when you have substance behind the wishes.
Then build the list from the bottom up. Safeties that you would be happy to attend and are affordable are the most important part of the college list. It’s easy to add reach schools but they are just that, reaches. Needing financial aid will make top schools even reachier.
I will tell you from my experience the top students in my D’s HS who needed aid went to southern and SW state flagships. That’s where the money is. Not at the schools you are naming. . The Val with perfect gpa and test scores and loads of ECs, research, etc got into Vandy but with no $. He’s in honors college at a big SW university and thriving.
You can be just as successful from UF than Brown. Maybe even more so depending on your intended major.
For now, take a break from CC and obsessing about Brown and like.
@vrmeenrajan: As an OOS student for UCLA, you can expect to pay full fees at $65K/year since UCLA is a public funded California University. UCLA gives good need based aid for in-state California residents.
UCLA does offer merit scholarships (Regents and Chancellors) but these are for the top 1-2% of applicants making them highly competitive.
Amount: Awards vary by campus and are not transferable if you transfer to another UC campus.
- UC Berkley $2,500
- UC Davis $7,500
- UC Irvine $5,000
*** UCLA $2,000** - UC Merced $7,000
- UC Riverside $10,000
- UC San Diego $2,000
- UC Santa Barbara $6,000
- UC Santa Cruz $5,000
**Historically, both UCB and UCLA have provided higher amounts for Regent scholars that have financial need however, it is not clearly stated if OOS and International students are included in the extra need based FA.
UCLA specifically states: The Regents Scholarship need-based award is determined annually and is designed to supplement the Cal Grant A and B programs, Pell Grant and other outside scholarship awards**
Cal Grants are for in-state CA students only and based on your family income, you probably not eligible for Pell grants.
$2000K/year is a drop in the bucket for UCLA.
As posters keep on pointing out, you need to get your parents cooperation in filling out the financial aid forms. If they are not willing to help you go to any OOS schools, then there is no way you would be able to pay for a school on your own like UCLA.
IF I get this or IF I do this means nothing until you can follow through. Yes it is important to have a goal, but no one on CC can make any predictions until you have actually accomplished everything you plan.
All you can do is work hard to reach your goal and try to get your parents on board with your plan. Without their cooperation, you will have an extremely difficult time reaching obtaining your dream.
OP, it’s 4 pages of the same drumbeat: $$ is the dealmaker / dealbreaker, and it’s too soon for you to be focusing on the finish line. Sorry to be cliché, but this is a marathon, not a sprint, and you have to take it in stages. Go back and re-read my earlier post. Better, go read this:
I’m going to ask again…WHY BROWN? You haven’t answered that question and you WILL be asked to answer it on your Brown application.
There are 3000 or so colleges in this country. What are the characteristic that make Brown your choice? What are they?
At the end of this…you need to identify other colleges with similar characteristics…that will help you formulate your college application list in two years…when you will actually be applying.
If all you are thinking now as a beginning 10th grader is Brown, Brown, Brown, you are closing your mind to all other options.
I haven’t heard ONE reason for you why you think Brown is the college for your…not one reason.
So…how about it…why Brown?
Most high school and college students are unlikely to earn $20k per year and save it to pay for college working part time and during the summer. Many colleges’ financial aid offices assume that students can earn $3k to $5k per year to help pay for college.
Realistically, the biggest way to fund college that students can earn is through merit scholarships, which can be up to full ride. However, merit scholarships are more likely if you aim lower on the prestige / selectivity scale of colleges, since colleges offer them to students who are at the top of the college’s range. Brown and other Ivy League schools do not offer merit scholarships.
You can take $5.5k to $7.5k per year in federal direct loans, but only if your mother is willing to fill in the FAFSA form.
Be realistic, forget about Brown. You would need your father’s cooperation and money to go there, and it is obvious that he won’t give it. And most applicants there do not get admitted in the first place.
You can take getting merit scholarships from Ivy League schools right off your list. These schools do NOT give merit scholarships at all. They give need based aid only.
They require financial from both of your parents so with $280,000 or so in annual income combined, do you really think you are a student with financial need?
You said your parents were forcing you to attend UF. Now you have FSU in the discussion. Will they let you go there?
@collegemom3717 is absolutely correct. It’s been four pages of what if, what if? The problem is you need money and your parents are the ones that have to give it to you. The bottom line is that no one else will. Most college funding comes from the Bank of Mom and Dad and you don’t seem to realize that. Also you have some really unrealistic goals.
I don’t know of any undergrad student, at a tough university, making $20,000 a year in tutoring, or any on-campus jobs and maintaining their grades. Studying in college is very different from studying in high school. Plus some of these colleges, you’ve selected, like the UC’s, are on quarter systems. Which means that you have 10 weeks to prove yourself. It’s very difficult for HS students to adjust to the quarter system. Fortunately, for California students, a number of them already are on quarter systems at their high schools.
You’re assuming that all the schools give a decent amount of merit and that’s just not true.
You are assuming that your parents are going to let you go out of state. How will you get across the country with no funds? The universities require health insurance that is not covered by financial aid. Most students just use their parents health coverage. Since you’re on shaky ground with your father, you might not have access to that. How will you pay for your health insurance on campus? You can’t register for classes if there is no record of your health coverage.
Also, your writing style, with the multiple errors that you’ve shown in misspellings and grammatical errors, indicate that your essays, when applying to these colleges, will not be strong. Focus on improving your writing.
Admissions officers will critique how well you write, and how well it flows. If your errors get in the way of your message, it will show them that you’re not ready for their college. They will have plenty of other students to select who do know how to write well.
You need to get off of College Confidential, focus on your coursework, and be nice to everyone, especially your parents.
I think @momofsenior1 's advice about building your list “from the bottom up” is a good one. If UF is not your idea of a safety, then search for a better one. Just to blow things up a little, look into some of the HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities.) Some of them have pretty reasonable sticker prices:
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcu
Note:
If you work full time over the summer you can make about $4,000. The most
I’ve seen listed for a job during the school year is $3,500.
Total: $7,500 which would pay part of room&board.
You can add a $5,500 loan as long as ypur mother fills put FAFSA.
After that, everything will have to be earned via merit scholarships.
These are offered by some universities only.
Vanderbilt’s merit Scholarships will rest on your achieving something extraordinary outside of school.