Chance me for SMU Merit/Honors programs

Paying for College
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Hey! I’ll most likely be applying to SMU Early Action next cycle. I’m from Texas, and SMU looks like a great option, but because tuition is so high, I’d have to earn significant merit such as Hunt or Presidential to go. I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with these scholarships, and also with admissions to SMU’s various Honors programs. Possibly also the Pre-Law Scholars? I’m coming from a very small but accredited private school. I’m looking to be a polysci major with econ minor, and then go into law.

My (projected) stats:
34 ACT (36E/35W/35S/30M)
3.98 UW GPA: no honors or AP, but my school doesn’t offer any
No class rank
5 sciences and 5 math credits in high school
Projected ECs:
~Self-published a >100 page book on political economy
~Small YouTube channel on the same
~Speaker of the House in Model US
~Co-founder of Model UN
~President of my school’s chapter of our Honor Society, which is oriented around both service and academics (main service EC)
~Recreational tennis
~Work 20-30 hours a week at local grocery store as a checker
~Various low-profile political volunteering
~Various small service ECs
I’m an above average writer, so I think I can write good essays, but my letters will probably be average for a place like SMU. Due to my ECs, I can craft the essays around personal passion for politics and law, which should increase my chances.

Any advice would be appreciated!

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Edit. This popped up but just saw u wrote in January. Oops

Congrats on your accomplishments. I can’t comment on the specific scholarship but you will certainly get into SMU 90% certainty).

If cost is an issue, with your gpa alone you could look at Public Honors Colleges from U of SC to Bama to Miami Ohio to Arizona and Arizona State amongst many many more. You could even go to a school like Troy for free. Free including room and board.

As for other home run scholarships you might look at W&L, American, Seattle U and more.

Don’t know if you’ll get it at SMU. You might contact admissions and see if there’s a current recipient to to talk to. But it’s typically the things outside the norm that determine these. It could be ethnicity, essays, life outside of school, where you’re from as they look for geographic diversity.

So apply. And see. But have financial targets and safeties too because while SMU is highly likely for you, the scholarship is a reach.

Also you’d likely qualify at all the Tx schools too so you’ll find one right for you if you went that route. Tulsa (nearby) and Trinity are other aggressive privates to look at although I don’t think they have the home run scholarships.

Good luck