<p>I’ve heard the Jesuit colleges/universities are great for that. I’m going to one of them (Le Moyne) and although my stats weren’t stellar (2.97 uwGPA and 23 composite ACT), they gave me a merit scholarship of $10,000/year! Tuition is $25,000 and room and board is about $9,000. I have a friend with better stats (not sure what) who got a merit scholarship of $19,500/year.</p>
<p>In my eyes, Ivy-league school sounds great, but some mid-major programmes like Cal, Boston College and Kansas are still decent education with affordable price.</p>
<p>My S is a senior this year with ACT36, SAT2390, All A’s, rank 1 in high school. Illinois. But I doubt he can get any need-base scholarships. He was the national finalist pianist. I don’t know if he apply double majors in Northwestern (music and engineering school) , if he has a chance to get a scholarship. He initially target HYPS, but all of them only provide need-base scholarship. I want him apply for U Chicago if U Chicago offer merit scholarship.</p>
<p>KL-Mom…Your post is very confusing. You say your son will not qualify for any need based aid. That would mean that your EFC (expected family contribution) is very high. Is that correct? If so, what is the issue? Can you help your kiddo pay for college or not? If not, well then those top schools which do not provide merit aid are out of the question. </p>
<p>There are plenty of lower ranked schools that would provide merit aid to your son. If you are really looking for a financial aid package above all…then look a couple of rungs lower on the competitiveness threshold than where you are looking now.</p>
<p>Being a double major is challenging in music.</p>
<p>thumper1, my family income won’t qualify for the need-based scholarship. Since my son is a top student and a pianist, I just hope if he can use his talent to pay for his own education. My son was joking that he rather have a poor family which he can get full ride for HYPS.</p>
<p>KL-MOM…the most important thing you can do for and with your son is to discuss just how much you DO plan to pay for his college education annually. If your EFC (because of your income) is so high that no need based aid would be forthcoming, then hopefully you have some of that income to put towards your son’s college education. Of course, we all wish our kids would get huge scholarships…but sometimes that isn’t the case.</p>
<p>You need to have financial safeties…schools that you would be able to pay for without aid…or where merit aid is GUARANTEED (some schools award merit aid based on SAT/GPA combinations).</p>
<p>I’m not sure that your son’s piano playing will help him gain any significant money for college as he is not planning to be a music major. His academic achievements could help him…but you will need to look at schools that are down a tier or two where he will shine stats wise to net merit awards that are more of a sure thing.</p>
<p>He could also apply for the McNair Scholarship at U of South Carolina or the Pogue at UNC-Chapel Hill…both full rides. Or a Jefferson Scholarship at Washington and Lee.</p>
<p>KL-mom-
Your kid sounds very talented. Why doesnt he apply to OUTSIDE scholarships and then can choose where he wants to go. He may win several scholarships that might add up to more than you’d get from one school alone. Flip side, you might have to pay for part, or possibly all of his education, depending on the choices you/he makes. You are fortunate that you are in a position to pay for college. Many are not.</p>
<p>Correction…the Jefferson Scholarship is at UVA. The Johnson is at Washington and Lee. Sorry.</p>
<p>Folks -</p>
<p>Check out my previous post #374 for a method you can use to identify schools that offer more merit aid, along with a list of examples schools.</p>
<p>The method uses the USNWR big book to identify schools that awarded larger amounts of merit aid to a high percentage of students (e.g., Grinnell 32% average award of $10k.) From that larger select the schools that fit your academic profile (e.g., check out U Rochester for engineering).</p>
<p>Happy research!!</p>
<p>Kei</p>
<p>thumper1, thank you for the input. I was prepared for my S’s college fund. But the financial down tune cut the fund in trouble. Bottom line, I have the 529 tuition plan. So if my S can’t get any scholarship, he can always go to U of IL. I just hope he can use this money for his post graduate study.</p>
<p>Kei-O-Lei, the list is very helpful. We’ll pick schools from ur list.</p>
<p>Don’t know what their Merit-based aid is, but worth looking at if that is his interest.</p>
<p>Cyberadius: Could you commenbt on Northwestern a bit further?</p>
<p>My D is a junior thinking about Northwestern, and I am wondering how they do for families from CA who have higher incomes, but still challenged by tuition. I have 2 in school with her, and contary to the earlier comment, I think Stanford has been fair with aid. But they have an endowment rouhly twice the size of Northwestern’s.</p>
<p>Anyone else had experience with FA at Northwestern?</p>
<p>basically rich schools give more, i’m glad i worked this out eventually…</p>
<p>Hi everyone- my daughter scored perfect 800 Reading SAT and 660 in Math- top 1% of her grade- etc etc- my oldest daugter is 2 years into Rutgers with Presidential scholarship (almost free ride) - she was the Valedictorian and we couldn’t pass up the free ride (shes in honors engineering and Loves Rutgers - thank God). </p>
<p>Anyway, my wife and I don’t have alot of money saved, and middle income , about 100k a year - so won’t get much if any financial aid.</p>
<p>If my youngest gets 40 more points in next SAT on Math - shes going to Rutgers on Presidential.</p>
<p>But if not she’s probably looking for Liberal Arts school-</p>
<p>Question is what Liberal Arts schools in the northeast give LOTS of merit scholarship for the credentials my daughter has.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Check out post #374 for a method you can use to identify schools that offer more merit aid, along with a list of examples schools.</p>
<p>You can also easily go to the College Board site, search for colleges, then select the “Cost and Financial Aid” tab; then scroll down to the Financial Aid Statistics and you’ll see the “average non-need based aid”</p>
<p>Here’s Lehigh’s: $11,100
[College</a> Search - Lehigh University - Cost & Financial Aid](<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board)</p>
<p>Kei</p>
<p>P.S. How do you know you “won’t get much if any need-based aid?” Data or hearsay?</p>
<p>thanks for the response- I know the need based because I’ve been through the fAFSA for 2 years</p>
<p>Kei, you suggest looking at the “average non-need based aid” number reported on CB website, but what does that number really mean? I checked out the number for John Hopkins and it had over 30k, but does that mean that they can offer one 30k scholarship and report as such? Then I went and read the following thread where people suggested many other schools with smaller number but according to them had much better merit aid than JHU:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/johns-hopkins-university/546997-hopkins-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/johns-hopkins-university/546997-hopkins-merit-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>I guess my question is, what is a good way to find financial safety school for a decent above average student but not exactly a 4.0 valedictorian?</p>
<p>
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<p>I don’t agree. I think most of the so-called “rich schools” mostly only give out “need” aid…not “merit” aid.</p>
<p>
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<p>If you want some “financial safeties”…I think you need to look at schools that have automatic scholarships…and if they are state U’s, then you need to look for those who give to OOS.</p>
<p>Have you looked at UDayton, UAlabama, MissSt? Off the top of my head, they give good merit $$ to students with good stats…There are also some privates in Calif…</p>
<p>What are your child’s stats? If they are strong…over 3.5 GPA and high ACT or SAT, some merit money should be available. If you list your child’s stats, we probably could find some for him/her.</p>
<p>For example…for Out of State students at UAlabama (in-state student requirements are lower)</p>
<p>** Out-of-State Scholarships for 2010-2011 **
Please review our FAQ section for details on the scholarships listed below.</p>
<p>Capstone Scholar
An out-of-state first-time freshman student who meets the December 1st scholarship priority deadline, has a 27 ACT or 1210-1240 SAT score and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Capstone Scholar and will receive $1,500 per year ($6,000 over four years). </p>
<p>Collegiate Scholar
An out-of-state first-time freshman student who meets the December 1st scholarship priority deadline, has a 28-29 ACT or 1250-1320 SAT score and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Collegiate Scholar and will receive $3,500 per year ($14,000 over four years). </p>
<p>UA Scholar [this scholarship pretty much covers the OOS part of the tuition]
An out-of-state first time freshman student who meets the December 1st scholarship priority deadline, has a 30-31 ACT or 1330-1390 SAT score and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a UA Scholar and will receive 2/3 tuition for four years.</p>
<p>Presidential Scholar [full tuition, including OOS costs]
An out-of-state first-time freshman student who meets the December 1st scholarship priority deadline, has a 32-36 ACT or 1400-1600 SAT score and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Presidential Scholar and will receive the value of out-of-state tuition for four years.</p>
<p>BTW…NMF from in-state or OOS get the same great scholarship…full tuition (including OOS costs), housing, laptop, $$ for study abroad, and $1000 stipend.</p>