<p>Is it possible to find out what the requirements for merit aid is at the various schools? At the schools we have visited so far, the admins seemed to speak in very vague terms with respect to merit aid. </p>
<p>Again,thanks so much for all the help. D is my oldest, we are doing all of this for the first time.</p>
<p>Most school’s web sites will list the criteria for Merit Aid. Here is a link to a “for example” from Fordham. [Traditional</a> Rose Hill and Lincoln Center Fordham University Aid](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/tuition__financial_a/undergraduate_studen/types_of_financial_a/traditional_rose_hil_2158.asp]Traditional”>http://www.fordham.edu/tuition__financial_a/undergraduate_studen/types_of_financial_a/traditional_rose_hil_2158.asp)</p>
<p>You sometimes have to dig a little but the info is out there.</p>
<p>Another suggestion is Seton Hall University which has an excellent Catholic Studies program and very good merit assistance. Best of luck.</p>
<p><a href=“College of Arts and Sciences - Seton Hall University”>College of Arts and Sciences - Seton Hall University;
<p>*Is it possible to find out what the requirements for merit aid is at the various schools? At the schools we have visited so far, the admins seemed to speak in very vague terms with respect to merit aid. *</p>
<p>The below link is for schools that give ASSURED merit scholarships for specified stats.</p>
<p>ASSURED SCHOLARSHIPS…$$$ CC Important links to Merit Scholarships given for stats… </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a> </p>
<p>There are a few kinds of merit scholarships…</p>
<h1>1) Those that are awarded to every student that meets a certain criteria…such as having a certain minimum SAT/ACT, GPA, and applying by a certain date. the school’s website should be written in a way that you know that all qualifying kids will get these scholarships… (see link above).</h1>
<h1>2) Those that have competitive merit. The school selects a few high stats students from a larger pool of high stats students. The school may only award 10 or 20 or so. The school may look over its pool of high stats students and choose those that add to ethnic diversity or regional diversity. Or, the school may give out many merit scholarships, but you don’t know how much you’ll get in advance.</h1>
<h1>3) subset of #2…these require an on-campus weekend interview. A school may invite 100-200 kids for a weekend of interviews, and then award a small number of scholarships.</h1>
<h1>4) A subgroup of #2 are schools with competitive merit that also look at financial need.</h1>
<p>*At the schools we have visited so far, the admins seemed to speak in very vague terms with respect to merit aid. *</p>
<p>That is not a good sign. That suggests to me that they don’t offer much/many so they don’t want anyone to expect much/any.</p>
<p>As a contrast…at my kids’ school, the scholarships are ASSURED for stats. We knew UPFRONT what our kids would be getting. No surprises. 
Their school posts exactly what you get for various stats…they show it on campus visits…no secrets!</p>
<p>[Majors</a>, Minors & Programs - Stonehill College](<a href=“http://stonehill.edu/x12485.xml]Majors”>http://stonehill.edu/x12485.xml) Majors </p>
<p>[Scholarships</a> & Grants (Gift Aid) Stonehill College Admissions](<a href=“http://stonehillcollegeadmissions.org/college-financial-aid/gift-aid/]Scholarships”>http://stonehillcollegeadmissions.org/college-financial-aid/gift-aid/) Merit </p>
<p>[Tuition</a> and Fees Stonehill College Admissions](<a href=“http://stonehillcollegeadmissions.org/college-financial-aid/tuition-fees/]Tuition”>http://stonehillcollegeadmissions.org/college-financial-aid/tuition-fees/) Cost of attendance </p>
<p>Stonehill College (MA)</p>
<p>[Theology</a> & Religious Studies - Emmanuel College | Boston](<a href=“http://www.emmanuel.edu/departments/theology_and_religious_studies.html]Theology”>http://www.emmanuel.edu/departments/theology_and_religious_studies.html) </p>
<p>[Emmanuel</a> College](<a href=“http://www.emmanuel.edu/Tuition_and_Aid/Scholarships_and_Financial_Aid/Grants_and_Scholarships/Merit_Scholarships.html]Emmanuel”>http://www.emmanuel.edu/Tuition_and_Aid/Scholarships_and_Financial_Aid/Grants_and_Scholarships/Merit_Scholarships.html) Merit Aid </p>
<p>Emmanuel College (MA) in Boston, another smaller Catholic school.</p>
<p>[Assumption</a> College: Theology](<a href=“http://www.assumption.edu/academics/programs/theology/default.aspx]Assumption”>http://www.assumption.edu/academics/programs/theology/default.aspx) Theology </p>
<p>[Assumption</a> College: Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.assumption.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financialAid/scholarships.aspx]Assumption”>http://www.assumption.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financialAid/scholarships.aspx) </p>
<p>Assumption (MA)</p>
<p>Dayton used to have the grades and scores required for different levels of merit scholarships but they seem to have removed that info.</p>
<p>^^^
[url=<a href=“Admission : University of Dayton, Ohio”>Undergraduate : University of Dayton, Ohio]Affordability[/url</a>]</p>
<p>
This is correct. IIRC, the 10 boarding school regions pertain only to schools where 50% or more of students are from out-of-state and board during the term at school. Their cut-offs are set to be equal to the highest state cut-off in their region. (In the case of NE boarding schools, that is almost always MA.) All other schools, private and public, are grouped by the state in which they are located. If the OP’s daughter has PSAT scores in line with her SAT scores there is a fair chance she will qualify for NMSF. Announcements are made in late August to mid-September.</p>
<p>She won’t qualify. I dug out the PSATs and she only scored a 195. She did not prep for it at all. She did a lot of prep for the SAT after the dismal PSAT showing. BTW, I was a NMSF and it did not help me at all get into any of my dream schools and the money I received as the result of that status from my dad’s employer wasn’t that much. </p>
<p>My other question is whether we need to visit all of the schools on the list. We have been to quite a few but I was wondering if there is a distance cut off as far as school visits are concerned. For example, you don’t need to visit ant school more then 3 hours away. Thoughts??</p>
<p>
Yes, NM scholarships, while helpful, are typically not large. The exceptions occur at schools that intentionally recruit NMF’s, such as the U of OK.</p>
<p>Here is the US News list for schools extending most merit aid:
[Most</a> Students Receiving Merit Aid | Rankings | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/most-merit-aid]Most”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/most-merit-aid)</p>
<p>The following are the schools on the list I have identified as Catholic. The percentage indicates the portion of students on merit aid. This could mean, however, that average merit aid is not high.</p>
<p>Benedictine University, Lisle, IL, 44% [Benedictine</a> UniversityBenedictine University](<a href=“http://www.ben.edu/]Benedictine”>http://www.ben.edu/)</p>
<p>St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA, 40% [Saint</a> Joseph’s University | Philadelphia, PA](<a href=“http://www.sju.edu/]Saint”>http://www.sju.edu/) </p>
<p>University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, 40% [University</a> of Dayton - HOME](<a href=“404 : University of Dayton, Ohio”>http://www.udayton.edu/)</p>
<p>St. Francies University, Loretto, PA, 38% [Saint</a> Francis University](<a href=“http://www.francis.edu/]Saint”>http://www.francis.edu/)</p>
<p>Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, 37% [Gonzaga</a> University, Spokane Washington](<a href=“http://www.gonzaga.edu/]Gonzaga”>http://www.gonzaga.edu/)</p>
<p>St. John’s Univeristy, Collegeville, MN, 34% [College</a> of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University<a href=“men%20only%20-%20but%20partnered%20with%20College%20of%20St.%20Benedict”>/url</a></p>
<p>Loyola University of New Orleans, New Orleans, 34% LA [url=<a href=“http://www.loyno.edu/]Loyola”>http://www.loyno.edu/]Loyola</a> University New Orleans](<a href=“http://www.csbsju.edu/]College”>http://www.csbsju.edu/)</p>
<p>University of Dallas, Dallas, TX 34% [University</a> of Dallas - Home](<a href=“404 - Page Not Found - University of Dallas”>http://www.udallas.edu/)</p>
<p>Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD, 32% [Mount</a> St. Mary’s University](<a href=“http://www.msmary.edu/]Mount”>http://www.msmary.edu/)</p>
<p>Avila University, Kansas City, MO, 31% [Kansas</a> City undergrad, graduate and MBA programs | Avila University](<a href=“http://www.avila.edu/]Kansas”>http://www.avila.edu/)</p>
<p>Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 31% [Welcome</a> - The Catholic University of America](<a href=“http://www.cua.edu/]Welcome”>http://www.cua.edu/)</p>
<p>Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 30% [Xavier</a> University - Cincinnati, Ohio](<a href=“http://www.xavier.edu/]Xavier”>http://www.xavier.edu/)</p>
<p>College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN, 29% [College</a> of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University<a href=“women%20only%20-%20but%20partnered%20with%20St.%20John’s%20U”>/url</a>
Note: merit aid at CSB averages $10,821 and is given to 79% of students without need</p>
<p>In addition, these Catholic schools give particulary large average amount of aid to its merit recipients but do not spread merit aid widely.</p>
<p>Providence College, Providence, RI, $26,886 [url=<a href=“http://www.providence.edu/]Providence”>http://www.providence.edu/]Providence</a> College - Home](<a href=“http://www.csbsju.edu/]College”>http://www.csbsju.edu/) given to 14% of students without need</p>
<p>Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, $24,997 given to <1% of students without need.</p>
<p>Let me especially highlight the College of St. Benedict for you which seems to match very much what you are looking for save for distance. The school is unique in that it is a separately administered women’s college that has its curriculum completely integrated with the nearby (5 miles, connected by frequent shuttle) St. John’s University (a men’s college). Classes are co-educational but campuses (with respect to living arrangements) are not. St. John’s has an excellent doctoral-granting school of Theology but otherwise both schools are solidly in the liberal arts mode with a solid biology program. The CSB campus is modern, tasteful, and immaculate and both the dorms (especially for upperclass students) and the food are excellent. Her scores and grades are above “range” so I believe she would be a good candidate for merit aid which, as you can see, is generously offered.</p>
<p>The setting is small town, but ten minutes from St. Cloud (population 100,000) and an hour from the Twin Cities, so city amenities are available. If you can see your way to visiting I think you and she would be pleased.</p>
<p>That said, I do not think you need to visit every school, especially before applying. However I would strongly advise visiting a school before deciding to matriculate.</p>
<p>Decartesz,</p>
<p>That is a great list! Thanks so much. It has certainly given us more options to consider. The college of St Benedict looks really wonderful for what my D wants.</p>
<p>SJU, BTW, has had a certain amount of national notoriety in the past few years because of the St. Johns Bible, the first complete illuminated and handwritten bible in five hundred years.</p>
<p>[The</a> Saint Johns Bible](<a href=“http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/]The”>http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/)</p>
<p>Some of the books have been doing museum tours but most of them are housed on campus. Worth a visit regardless of faith perspective.</p>
<p>Ponygirlmom, Have you considered looking into other Christian schools… besides Catholic schools? There are some excellent schools in California that offer great merit-scholarships. For example, depending on the student’s GPA and scores, I believe Chapman University’s merit-scholarships can range around $16,000-$25,000 per year plus grants and is renewable up to 4 years if your child qualifies. Best of luck in your search!</p>