Any chance at merit aid?

Colleges and Universities A-Z American University
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<p>Hey guys, so I’m applying RD to AU, hoping to major in International Relations. AU is one of my top choices, but I really can’t afford it. Unfortunately, I don’t think I would get any need-based aid. Is there any chance at a merit scholarship?</p>

<p>Middle Eastern male, school doesn’t rank, but top 10-15%, very competitive high school, in the top 30 in the nation, famous for grade deflation.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.71 (hopefully 3.75 by end of semester)
WGA: 4.27 (hopefully 4.33 by end of semester)</p>

<p>SAT: 2280
720 Math
760 CR
800 Writing</p>

<p>SAT IIs: Spanish w/ Listening 790 ; World History 710
ACT: 33</p>

<p>APs:
Sophomore year - Gov/Politics, 4
Junior year - Environmental Science, Spanish Lang, 5’s on both
Senior year - Psychology, Spanish Lit, Micro/Macro Econ (also taking honors English and honors Calculus)</p>

<p>ECs:
-Founder/President of the Global Students Association
-Officer of Spanish Honor Society
-Model UN
-National Honor Society
-FBLA
-Key Club
-German school on Saturdays</p>

<p>Honors:
-Maryland Commended Scholar
-National Merit Commended Scholar
-AP Scholar
-German language diploma (this would let me study at German universities)
-Black belt in Taekwondo (though I got this before high school so I don’t know if it counts)</p>

<p>Internships:
-Internship at Global Media Trail, foreign media analysis company
-Internship at Radio Free Europe, contributed significantly to (name will also be published on it) a think-tank presentation/report for foreign policy makers regarding the threat of Islamist militancy in Central Asia
-Internship at the Office of Rep. Chris Van Hollen - constituent contact, correspondence with government agencies and US Embassies
-Internship at Yeager & Etkind, LLC - immigration law firm, worked on asylum cases from Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America</p>

<p>Languages:
-Fluent in Farsi (Persian)
-Fluent in Spanish
-Fluent in German
-Fluent in Portuguese, completely self-taught
-Learning French/Italian</p>

<p>-Completed intensive German language course at Goethe Institute in St. Peter-Ording, Germany
-Presented the International Declaration of Human Rights in Spanish and Portuguese at the International Human Rights Day Rally in 2010</p>

<p>I eventually hope to become a Foreign Service Officer, and there’s no better city than DC for that. I would love to go to AU, I love the location, the campus, the programs, the location, the attitude, the location, etc. I just NEED merit aid to be able to go there. What do you guys figure my chances would be?</p>

<p>Thanks to anybody who took the time to read all this!</p>

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<p>Your SAT and ACT are definitely in the range for merit aid. Last year, AU lowered the amount of their top scholarship - the Presidential Scholarship - from $27,500 a year to $20,000 a year. Don’t know how much aid you need in order to attend. For the Presidential, they take GPA and SAT/ACT into account - pure numbers. There are smaller amounts as well - $15,000 and $10,000 a year. Good luck - hope you get what you need. AU is a fabulous school.</p>

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<p>@newjerseymom: does that mean no matter what you can’t get over $20k? there goes my only shot at being able to afford american (my family can’t afford to pay our efc and since merit aid gets taken away from your need based aid at most schools we’re still going to be expected to pay way too much) :(</p>

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<p>I don’t know what the Presidential Award will be this year. Last year the highest amount you could get for merit was $20,000 a year. Maybe they will raise that amount with this years class - until someone receives an award announcement we will not know. People have gotten merit plus need based aid to arrive at a higher amount. However, I understand what you are saying about your family not being able to pay the efc. If you like American then you should apply and hopefully you will receive a package that works for your family.</p>

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<p>haha aid from AU…</p>

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<p>If you’re really interested in AU after you get your aid offer if it’s not enough you can try calling your admissions officer and basically explain your situation and they might bump up the aid offer. I know a few colleges do that for their top applicants, which you seem to be one of (fluent in four languages?!?)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input, everyone! And @xleadinglifex, that’s interesting, I had never thought of doing that. Now that you mention it, it seems like a great idea. Like basically verbally committing to the school on the condition that I receive enough aid? I’ll definitely try that if it ends up that way.</p>