Applying for college-specific merit scholarships

Paying for College
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<p>Hey everyone! I just finished college apps and now I'm looking at the financial aid situation. For Davidson, I found this merit scholarship form on the Common App and I applied for a departmental scholarship. For the UCs, I know that there are a couple of merit scholarships that I am planning to apply for (Regents, Leadership, Alumni). However, I'm having issues finding merit scholarship apps for my other colleges.</p>

<p>I know that I will get a financial aid package if I get accepted. I'm just wondering if it's normal to not find college-specific merit aid applications at this point. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Many schools don’t require a separate app for merit scholarships - check their website for that info. Good luck!</p>

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<p>many schools don’t give any merit scholarships.</p>

<p>which schools are you talking about?</p>

<p>And…are you instate for UCs?</p>

<p>I know that I will get a financial aid package if I get accepted.</p>

<p>Do you know if you qualify for much/any aid? Do you know if your schools give much aid? UC’s don’t give much aid to those with good incomes.</p>

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<p>Each college has its own procedure for awarding merit aid. Some require a separate application, some award merit awards (or certain merit awards) based on your application information, and some don’t have merit aid at all.</p>

<p>Davidson has VERY limited merit aid awards. Just FYI. They do, however, offer excellent need based aid if you are accepted and qualify. Just make sure to do the Profile and FAFSA.</p>

<p>You need to look at EACH college website. Look for “scholarships”…you should find this in the financial aid section of the website.</p>

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Why did you do it in that order?</p>

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<p>@Erin’s Dad: Thank you for bringing that up. I guess I phrased it weirdly. My dad has been looking at our need-based financial aid situation for a while, but I am now looking at merit aid apps. It has been a bit of a whirlwind after having been deferred from my ED school, if you know what I mean.</p>

<p>@thumper: I have looked on each college’s Financial Aid website but have only found info about the FAFSA, CSS profile, etc. not merit aid scholarships. Thanks for the info about Davidson.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids: I’m talking about: Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Rice, Haverford, Davidson, Carleton, Occidental, Chapman, UCB, UCLA, and UCSD. I am in-state for the UCs. We qualify for some aid. I have heard that Haverford, Davidson, and Chapman offer good need-based aid.</p>

<p>@sk8rmom: Thanks for your response.</p>

<p>The bottom line for me is: I’ve already chosen and applied to my colleges. My family will apply for need-based aid, and we can pay for what we don’t get from need-based aid. Since I have a couple of days left, I figured that I would apply for any merit aid college-specific scholarships that I could find. I just don’t want to miss out on any opportunities to get merit money just because I didn’t know about them.</p>

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<p>Glad you applied to the UCs since you are IS for them.</p>

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<p>If you looked at their websites, then you know that Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and Haverford give need-based financial aid only. There are NO merit scholarships at those schools.</p>

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<p>For Chapman, merit awards (if any) will come at the same time or shortly after your admission letter. There’s no separate application. If you applied Early Action, you should hear by mid-January.</p>

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<p>@Erin’s Dad: Yes, that was a good decision for me, I think.</p>

<p>@worried_mom: Yes, I did look at their website and I found what you said. I just wanted to make sure. Thanks!</p>

<p>@vballmom: Okay, thanks for the specific info!</p>