Acceptance without Merit is feeling like a denial

<p>I'm a mom and this is my first time in the college process.
My D got accepted to 5 out of the 6 she's applied (still waiting on the last one).
She received merit scholarships from 2 out of the 5.
It's starting to feel like the acceptances without merit are rejections. Not sure if I should be looking at it this way without the entire financial package that will come later.
Anyone else feel this way?</p>

<p>I’m sorry to say that is complete rubbish.</p>

<p>I get that. I had a very similar feeling when my daughter was a senior in hs.</p>

<p>I’m not saying it makes sense or has any kind of validity, but the question was, “Anyone else feel this way?” So, yeah, I did.</p>

<p>Yeah, me, too. DS got accepted into WUSL, but there was no way we could afford it, even with the $20k/year in merit aid. He was really disappointed, but we told him we couldn’t go into that much debt with his two younger siblings going into college before long.</p>

<p>mudmother, I completely understand what you mean. (Not sure why BrownParent is being so dismissal…) My parents’ EFC is almost twice what they are willing to pay, and I need to come up with enough merit money to lower the total cost to $25k or less. And sometimes that scholarship money doesn’t come through. Then the college is not financially possible, so it does feel like you’ve been “rejected” as you have to remove it from consideration.</p>

<p>So far I have been accepted to 3 colleges. One of them awarded me a half-tuition scholarship. This sounds very nice, but it only brought the COA down to $38k/year (yikes!) so I am no longer considering that college. It did sting a little, but I am grateful that I was accepted (sort of a “we liked you and want you to come” ego boost).</p>

<p>If your D is on the hunt for merit aid and she has a balanced list, she will receive merit from some but not others. Just like she will be accepted to some and not others. My parents have been very encouraging and supportive, which has helped for me. If the lack of merit makes the colleges financially impossible, try to move on and look at your other, probably wonderful and affordable options.</p>

<p>If you qualify for need-based aid, then wait for the FA packages but try to fall in love with the definitely-possible colleges now :)</p>

<p>Thank you all for responding.
Definitely trying to focus on the positive. It’s wonderful to be accepted, just hoping we can make it happen without merit $.</p>

<p>Yes, Mudmother, it is a big issue when you know that $X per year is the limit. If you don’t get the money in some form or other, it’s not doable. My kids were great about it, but it did cause me some pain.</p>

<p>There is truth to what you are saying. Many schools will adjust their financial or merit aid based on how much they really want you to attend. So someone with the same need may get much more money, making those who do not receive as much, feel rejected.</p>

<p>Back in the day I was accepted by Franklin and Marshall but denied financial aid, even though I was going to be the third sibling in college (not much federal aid back then). I think that it would have hurt LESS to be rejected outright instead of knowing that the school was out of reach for me.</p>

<p>I hope your daughter finds a place that is right for her.</p>

<p>Totally off-topic, but when I first read the topic line, I said to myself, yeah, I know of a few acceptances without merit this year, and they usually involve the ability to handle a football, but then I realized the OP had a different definition of merit.</p>

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<p>It is only an effective rejection if the scholarships and financial aid are insufficient bring the net price down enough to make the school affordable.</p>

<p>If the OP is thinking that her D’s schools award merit to everyone that they want, then maybe she doesn’t understand how merit is awarded.</p>

<p>IF her D’s test scores are within the upper 25% of the school, AND the school DOES award merit, then merit can be rather expected (and may still get awarded). However, if her D’s test scores are in the middle quartiles, then the school “wants” your child, but her stats don’t warrant a merit award. </p>

<p>Most merit-awarding schools are awarding merit to a rather small group of students. And, of course, there are schools that don’t award merit, or only award a small number of awards. </p>

<p>However, if your child’s stats are well inside the upper quartile…AND the school does award a good number of merit scholarships, then I can understand the OP’s concern. </p>

<p>Does anyone know how often merit scholarships just “show up” in FA pkgs without earlier notification?</p>

<p>Is it Assumption College that is the issue? Were your D’s test scores well within the top 25%?</p>

<p>I know that feeling. Even the difference in size of merit packages can feel like that (one school gives $15K, another gives $20K). You really have to put that aside, though, and just compare the full package of merit and need based aid on the table for all the schools once she has them in front of her, and final cost of attendance. And do final visits to her top choices to be certain before she accepts. Money isn’t everything in the college selection process. By this time next year it likely won’t matter to you, but I understand that right now it feels personal. </p>

<p>By the way, if you have two colleges with comparable academics and widely varying FA/merit packages, ask the college with the lesser offer if they will “review your FA” again given that the cost of attendance at a similar college is X lower, but your D prefers their college. We netted an extra $10,000 in FA last year doing this. But the colleges have to be comparable academically, they typically won’t award more for a college they don’t consider a peer. And some colleges just won’t make a change no matter what, but you can try it.</p>