So the federal government considered your family a low-income family and you got no help off need-based? I know of plenty of people getting free educations because of coming from low-income families and they did a lot poorer on their tests than I did x_X. I know a guy who did really well on ACTs plus was classified as "low income" and he's getting paid $5,000 a year to goto college (on top of full tuition/books cost/meal ticket/student parking, etc.). That's extra grants and stuff. Another friend is getting $1200 extra a year.