I also want to add that I said my budget was around 20-30k including my savings, loans, scholarships, and parent contribution. However, after speaking with my dad who is my only working parent he has told me he will not help me with college.
My dad and I live together with my mom but we do not speak. Attending a school where I donāt have to live at home is very important to me because of our relationship and how things are at home. However, I know without his/anyoneās help this becomes almost impossible. I do have a preference for schools where there is stuff to do, diversity, and a larger population.
Iām sorry to hear that. This places further limits on your options, and requires more effort for you to navigate the situation. Given your excellent academic record I remain hopeful.
Colleges generally donāt care if a parent is not willing to give money. Theyāll calculate financial aid based on family income & assets, regardless. So affordability is your biggest bottleneck, so Iād start there. Worry about psych vs. crim major after you have a list of schools you can afford. Soā¦
#1 ā make sure you run NPC with accurate info from your parents and yourself.
#2 ā run NPCs at all in-state schools.
#3 ā run NPC at as many liberal arts colleges as possible, in hopes that there might be a few that you can afford.
Hopefully between #2 and 3 you can find several schools that you can afford!
EDIT: I see this shaking out one of two ways:
Scenario A: your parentsā income & assets are low enough that you find several schools where NPC is very low, say $0 to $10k, and you pay with your savings and/or student loans (max $5500/yr).
Scenario B: your parentsā income & assets are high enough that NPCs at most colleges say your family will have to pay $20-30k/year. Except your Dad does not want to pay. Then your options are very limited. You can try getting a merit-based āfull rideā scholarship at various colleges/universities but those are long shots (for anyone). But def worth trying for. If that doesnāt pan out, given that you want to move out, then your only other option is to move out, get a job, and try to pay for college yourself while working & studying. Thatās pretty tough to do. In that case, living/working near an in-state college or a community college (for the first two years) is probably a good idea.
You live with both parents, and only father works.
Do you know how much he earns? Do you know what they have in savings? Do you know if they own property? Does he own a business that has assets? And most importantly, is he willing to fill out the FAFSA form, and if requested by the school, the CSS?
I understand that you would desperately want to get out of that miserable household. But if your father refuses to fill out the FAFSA, you cannot even borrow the federal direct loan of $5500 the first year!
You might want to look into your stateās National guard. If you go with them, theyāll pay I think 9K/yr in VA towards tuition (which is at least 75% of tuition) and pay you something, too. Between that, and a part time job starting now, and full time plus overtime, or a full time and a part time job over the summer, and if your parents will file the FAFSA, you could probably manage to go to a 4 year public in state, living at college.
If they wonāt file the FAFSA, and National Guard is not an option for you, then your only option is commuting to community college from home, with hopefully a plan to transfer to a public 4 yr college after the first 2 years. Meanwhile, try to fill your time with studying at the library and a part time job, so that youāre out of the house as much as possible.
@starlene you havenāt said much other than that your Dad doesnāt want to pay for college. Well, you did say you guys donāt talk. Hopefully your parents are at least willing to fill out the FAFSA. But if they seem resistant you could try a couple of things. First let them know that completing the form does not commit them to paying anything, it just lets you be considered for financial aid. Second, you could ask if you could help them fill it out ā you guys need numbers off your parentsā 2025 tax form and the most recent/current balances of assets. For many people itās just their checking and savings. If you guys own a vacation house in the Swiss Alps, it gets complicated.
I just wanted you to know itās very do-able. I hope itās not a road block for you.
starlene would still need to complete the FAFSA to attend a local community college unless the plan is to pay for all tuition, fees, & textbooks out-of-pocket. If the student does not fill out the FAFSA, the student cannot receive federal, state, or institutional need-based financial aid for college.
The other option for someone with no ability to pay is a job at a Starbucks or Target. They will support you going to school on line on their dime. Starbucks is affiliated with Arizona State. They have forensic psychology.
Not everyone can afford college, sometimes simply because their parents refuse to pay. So find alternatives.
I am sorry you find yourself in this situation. Is there a trusted adult who can help you and possibly even speak with your dad? Aunts, uncles, clergy leader, hs counselor, etc?
Someone made the good point that filling out FAFSA does not obligate your dad to pay for college, but it opens up financial aid possibilities for you. Iām assuming he wants you to go to college, but you do have to make sure heās willing to fill out the fin aid forms.
I would not consider the military unless you are certain you want to serve the country. Are there any family members who you could live with while you attend college, whether in your current state or elsewhere? You might also consider working and attending college part-time.