Advice?

Hey, I'm also a current junior who has faced similar challenges, and I hope my research nd this response can offer some insight. Firstly, there's no set income cut-off to qualify for federal financial aid, so I still recommend applying next year as a senior. Secondly, if for whatever reason you choose not to apply for federal aid, consider exploring scholarships. They're another great way to help relive some of the stress of paying for college and test scores may not always matter for scholarships unless they're specifically test-score based. Also your overall GPA and ranking are strong, which is a plus as many schools offer scholarships based on these two factors alone. Since you're interested in attending UNC, I suggest researching the scholarships they offer, as there are plenty available. You can visit the following link to learn more: studentaid.unc.edu/incoming/what-aid-is-available/academic-scholarships/

Lastly, don't lose hope; there are always options available. Speak to your school counselor or reach out to the financial aid offices or admission counselors at schools you're interested in. Also if you decide to apply for independent scholarships, don't be discouraged if you don't succeed on the first attempt be persistent and eventually it'll pay off.

I totally agree with what @Gigialv wrote. Focus on finding and applying to as many scholarships as you can! Some helpful scholarship-search sites is Appily, Niche, CollegeXpress, Bold.org, and ScholarshipPoints. Also, know that most scholarships are targeted for seniors, so keeping track of which ones you could apply to in the future is helpful.

Also, I would say, as also a junior, I have my dream school. But I also figured out that there are so many awesome colleges out there, yet to be discovered. Some maybe just as good as the dream college. So, try to be open to the prospect that there is a college that is a better financial fit for you, while still having your desired major(s). Keep conducting college searches, so that if you don't get into UNC, you'll have an alternative that you can still get excited about.

Hope that helps. Good luck!