Chance Me for Merit Aid? Tulane, Boston College, PC

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Im a rising senior at a small private school in the midwest. My family is middle class but we don’t qualify for much/any at all financial aid and Im struggling to find schools where I would be a good fit and be happy but would also qualify for merit aid.

The two schools Ive looked into for Merit are Tulane and the Roddy Scholarship specifically at Providence College. For more background my top choice school is Boston College but Im nervous about aid there, and other schools are Villanova, Georgetown, UMass Amherst, Lehigh, Northwestern, UW Madison, McGill University, and a couple of ivies(Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth) as high reaches.

GPA: 4.15 W but my school weights on a 4.5 scale and the number of AP’s allowed is controlled. Ive estimated it would be about a 4.35 on a 5 weighted scale and a 3.9ish unweighted(our school only gives weighted)

ACT: 33(33/36/34/30)- retaking this July to get math up

PSAT- 1410(not submitting but I am commended)

SAT- 1450(720/730)- retaking in September because this score was done blindly beginning of Sophomore Year and I won’t submit if below 1500

AP(by end of senior year): AP Psych(4), AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Lit, AP Calc, AP Lang, AP Gov, AP Physics, AP French

EC: Varsity Dance Team for four years and two year captain of both fall and winter teams, Volunteer at local hospital(4 years), Internship at a vision lab at the U of MN(working on a project that I will be published in though probably not before applications are due), National Honors Society, Two week abroad shadowing program in the DR with surgeons, National Chemistry Olympiad Team Member, Summer Program at Georgetown

Awards: National Merit Commended, Villanova book award, Award for Service(3 years), Highest Honor Roll(3 years)

I would love any suggestions for more Match/Safety schools. Thank you!

2

What can/will your parents pay per year of college?

Have you run the net price calculators on the schools on your list? If so, what are the estimated costs of attendance?

What state do you live in?

3

The Ivies and NU only give need based aid.

4

Boston College offers 15 or so Gabelli Scholarships. They are invite only and requires a whole other level of application. Requires writing and an in person interview. So hard to get an offer and then really hard to win. It’s incredibly valuable and worthwhile with full tuition for four years. About $200,000 and other perks.

You also have to be admitted early if I recall. Not sure if it had changed with Ed and Ed2. Check it out.

You would be a very good candidate to be considered for admission but it’s very selective. The Gabelli is a different level goal. It would be most likely not realistic.

Providence is great school. I love close by and the students are fantastic. Not sure about merit. However you would be a highly qualified applicant.

Tulane has become very difficult to predict. Applying early decision seems to be very important. They will ask you to ed2 if you are deferred early. I’ve seen a lot of smaller merit. awards. Don’t know about the top awards at all.

Keep up the good work. You sound like an amazing student.

Take a look at holy cross too. It’s fantastic.

5

My parents haven’t given me a set number but I’m just looking for schools where I would have a shot at merit. The net price calculators have basically given me full price tuition at all schools. I live in MN but as for Mcgill I am a Dual Citizen so I get Canadian tuition prices.