Is the budget $10k (in title) or $18k? We can update the title if it has changed.
(Sorry, I’ve been away from CC a few days and have not kept up with the most recent posts.)
So this won’t give you all because it’s a bit dated - but if you see a school of interest, then you can check the school’s website and see what they are offering.
Selective Colleges Offering National Merit Scholarships (■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■)
Do you mean just financially or academically too? The acceptance rate is 30%, so I put it square in the target range.
No, my budget is still $10k. I’m not sure where the $18k figure came from, although I think my parents could agree to up to $15k if it’s for a school I’m really interested in.
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When most of us refer to safety, we are considering affordability along with admissions chances. It is no good having an acceptance that is not affordable. That needs to be the mindset of any student with budget constraints. I hope that does not sound harsh. I know it can be a disappointing realization for high stat students.
But your glass is way more than half full! You have NMSF options that so many kids do not. I hope you can let go your geographic preference and embrace your amazing financial and academic offerings in other parts of the country. /Said kindly
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Have you looked at UMaine?
https://go.umaine.edu/23-24-first-year-out-of-state-merit-scholarships/
You may find good info in this thread about NMSF schools.
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I would assume both - as you should have Bright Futures - right?
If your budget is 10K, then you need to go to the meets needs schools - and fill in the calculators like you did for MIT - or rather have your parents do it. Do any schools that meet 100% of need- from Franklin & Marshall to Miami to BU to Princeton to wherever - do any come at $10K?
Otherwise, you need to take advantage of the national merit opportunities or instate opportunities.
They may be at schools you don’t want - but when you have a tight budget, that’s the tradeoff for the cost effective education. This is why an Alabama is loaded with NM scholars.
Have you looked at Tulsa - they’re a free ride with NMSF.
Short of UVA and UNC, there are no “prestigious” public schools that should get a look.
Yes, UF, UCF, USF, FSU, FAU Wilkes Honors - all great.
I don’t know how room and board works with bright futures but wouldn’t get you free tuition?
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Yes. Bright Futures is already secured with the 1590 SAT, and I’m waiting on more information about NMSF (I think that’s in September).
One point in favor of FIU is that it’s a National Student Exchange school. (The only three in Florida are FIU, New College, and FAMU.) This means that you could spend up to a full academic year at another NSE campus (without additional cost), which includes some strong CS schools in the northeast such as UMass, & SUNY (Buffalo or Stony Brook). National Student Exchange - Campuses / Location
The full ride at UTD is still very much worth considering, IMHO. It has a very different vibe from the FL publics, in a way I think you might like. I understand the downsides of Texas, but it’s a terrific school for CS.
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What’s the downside of Texas ?
Not a big fan of the environment haha (both people and climate-wise). But I guess it does depend on the city.
For a student who prefers both the political and the meteorological climate of the northeast, Texas is… not that.
One of my kids did go to Texas for college, so I’m hardly dismissing it as an option. But I’d think harder about it now than I did ten years ago, given the issues re: reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, open carry, and so on.
Obviously, one person’s downside is another person’s upside. But I was trying to speak to OP’s context.
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I asked - because if we’re talking about Florida - I mean, you got too similar political environments and both humid. At least one doesn’t have alligators.
OK
I thought for @sparkling_water - whether it’s $10K or $15K, you have to be realistic. You are either going to a:
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Private, meets need school if they determine you have need to the level you believe. If MIT said $18K, then it’s unlikely they will. The same goes for UNC/UVA - you have to run the net price calculator.
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A Florida Public - It can be as small as Wilkes Honors College at FAU or as big as UCF.
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An out of state with insane merit but more likely an OOS with a fantastic national merit offer.
Anything else is noise - so your Va Techs, etc.
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Yeah that’s mostly how I’ve been compartmentalizing it so far. I think category 2 is covered by schools like UCF, FSU and UF for Match(?) and FIU for safety, whereas category 1 is covered by… well, a lot of schools, but i’m considering category 3 so I can get away from the social politics and general climate of Florida.
Good point with Fordham, though. Even if the Cunniffe scholarship turns out to be a viable option I’m concerned about it taking up valuable time from other applications (and, of course, it’s still a gamble for a safety)
I personally see all the Florida publics as a safety - but certainly UCF is a safety.
But if you can go to an Alabama and having free housing and tuition or to a Tulsa and pay nothing - and not sure what UTD or Maine are offering - why wouldn’t you grab one of those and run (once you verify NMF). For Tulsa, just NMSF.
Those are gifts!!!
And Bama will still be cheap with being hispanic. UAH is another where you’ll hit budget.
At some point when you’re financially strapped, you have to take the offer someone is making.
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Those all sound like fantastic options. Thanks!
Of course, if the other choices are in states like Florida and Alabama, those aspects of Texas may not be that different.
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A 4th category might be schools that don’t usually give a lot of merit but have a few (very competitive) full ride scholarships. Like Stamp at GT and BK at UMD. It’s a long shot, but OP has high stats, is a URM and FG/LI - so stands a good chance.
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University of New Mexico has competitive scholarships that could be up to a full ride, and is in a state with different politics from Florida, Alabama, and Texas:
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That is true, but then again would Texas not be more expensive because of OOS? At that point, UF is already a pretty well ranked CS school with free tuition. The only problem really would be getting in.