I thought it might be useful to try and compile a list of cohort-based full ride (or full tuition plus) competitive merit scholarships, as I’ve not seen anything comprehensive on that topic, and awareness seems to drop off rapidly once you get beyond the most famous scholarships like the Jefferson, Robertson and Stamps scholarships. I’m particularly interested in the competitive cohort-based programs (as opposed to auto merit for stats like the yolasite list) as those are usually merit rather than need based and seem like the most likely to provide an experience which could rival that at tippy top schools for families that might balk at paying $300K for college, but have a student who would be competitive for admission there (though it is even more difficult to win some of these scholarships than to get into HYPSM).
So if people can add to the list below, giving details of scholarships they know about/have experience with (how many awarded, number of applicants if known, benefits, etc.), I think it could be a big help to some of the people asking about merit scholarship opportunities.
I don’t have time to post details, but I’ll list a few and let others get and post the details.
Ole Miss - Stamps
Ohio State - Morrill and Eminence
Indiana U - Fry (diversity, business) and Wells
UNC-Charlotte - Levine
SMU - Hunt
TAMU - Brockman (not well established so will be growing pains)
UTD - McDermott
USCarolina - Top Scholars
American - Fredrick Douglass
(UGA is Foundation Fellowship/Ramsey Scholars. Only a few are also Stamps)
I would say that these are mostly high reaches for everyone with award rates below 5%, sometimes well below 1%, and an interview invite mostly determined by factors other than numerical stats (ie, very unpredictable).
There are many more full rides, but the cohort scholarships are few.
Daniels is a ‘last dollar’ program so it might pay 100% COA (unlikely as there is a need component to the scholarship) or it could pay just that last $.
One issue with highly competitive “cohort scholarships” is that they’re not simply super-stats based. One can have perfect stats and still not get one. JMHO but they seem to get awarded to students who the schools think will be accepted to HYPSM and these awards are attempts to poach them. And being a high stats URM could be a big hook.
@mom2collegekids All true. Almost every student in my D’s cohort was accepted to one or more Ivy+. And students that were offered the scholarship but declined, did so for Ivy+. The average stats of the group exceeds the average stats of all but a couple of schools, but the kids all have something extra. High stats URMs (kids in the same range of scores and rigor as the pool with good ECs) definitely have a hook, though far from a guarantee. Some years there are no URMs in the cohort; other years several. That something extra is key. I’ve helped non-URMs with less than stellar stats get some of these cohort scholarships. They are all looking for similar type kids.
One of the most successful cohort scholarships programs due to its fantastic outcomes increasing Graduate level degrees in STEM disciplines for underrepresented minorities has not been mentioned yet. The Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC gives up to tuition, room & board to Maryland students, and other smaller scholarships). That program is being emulated at several other schools. https://meyerhoff.umbc.edu/
The Bonner Scholars Program with its community service focus is at many schools so I will attach info about that program: http://www.bonner.org/apply
@itsgettingreal17 Just wanted to say you are my hero when it comes to knowing where to find the money and touting some of the other advantages of cohort based scholarships (Summer Bridge Programs, extra enrichment opportunities, emphasis on study abroad, etc.) that give cohort based Scholar Programs even more value.
@ChangeTheGame UMBC looks like a great program for future STEM PhDs. Why the range in awards (all are less than full tuition, btw)? Is there a financial need component?
@itsgettingreal17 The lack of full scholarships has been a relatively recent change (maybe last 5-10 years). I have family members who were Meyerhoff Scholars and the cohorts used to be about 50 students who were all given full ride scholarships. I am not sure what caused the change but I visited the Meyerhoff Scholars office at UMBC 2 years ago and the most they offered was full tuition, room and board for Maryland students, and full tuition for OOS students (they also offered smaller scholarships as well). Looking at the website today, it looks like they may lowered the financial support even more where even Maryland Students do not get tuition, room & board.
They talked about helping my daughter find other scholarships to “stack” on top of the Meyerhoff, but it was disappointing to see that the level of financial support had changed. I assumed that the issue was funding and wanting to spread the wealth (Meyerhoff Scholars cohorts are larger today than 10-15 years ago) and not so much about the student’s financial need component being the reason why. But I have seen 1st hand that they get results (I went to one Meyerhoff family member’s wedding/reception) and seeing over 75 young minorities with STEM Masters degrees, MDs, PhDs, and MD/PhDs with others still in grad school at the wedding/reception was inspirational for my then 13 year old daughter whose current goal is to work towards a STEM terminal degree. The fact that 10% of all African American MD/PhDs in America over a recent 15 year stretch have come from a secondary state flagship school in Maryland (More than double any other school) is an amazing feat, but I do worry that the funding cuts may stop future cohorts from getting the tippy-top group of students that the program once attracted as my family members turned down schools such as Stanford, Duke, Princeton, etc. to become UMBC Meyerhoff Scholars.
@ChangeTheGame , this is happening everywhere. It’s a moving target. UA, Temple auto awards changed from just 4 years ago. Pitt, when my oldest was applying to college had auto Honors college admits and Chancellor Scholarships at levels that are now much higher for even CONSIDERATION for those awards. It’s getting increasingly difficult to get a full ride.
There is an old thread in the archives started by a mom who specifically looked for auto full rides for her kids. Used to be a pinned thread, I think, but the info now is so obsolete, it’s all buried in the archives.
What’s important in looking st these full rides, or close to it awards is to know how many are given out. If it’s just one lucky ticket holder, you might as well play the real lottery. But at least you know is at least one such award in the offering. Some schools have zero so if that’s what you need, it’s a waste of money and time to apply to them.
I’ve also noticed a lot of private schools offering much larger awards than I’d encountered in earlier years. Like $20k awards are given the way $5k ones were back 10 years ago. I guess it makes sense with the way prices have risen.