Chances for merit scholarships (full ride?)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'd appreciate any input on the schools I am planning on applying to!</p>

<p>Gender: Female
Race: Caucasian
School doesn't rank -highly competitive, large public school on Long Island, NY
GPA: 3.9 (UW) 4.2 (W)</p>

<p>APs:
AP Euro (10th)- 5
AP US History(11th)- 5
AP Physics B (11th)- 4
AP Eng. Lang (11th) - 5</p>

<p>Current Schedule:
AP Chem
AP Calc AB
AP Microeco
AP Spanish
AP US Gov
Syracuse University Project Advance English</p>

<p>SAT: NOT OFFICIALLY SENDING, however as per school policy they will show up on transcript anyway (not happy with this)
CR- 720, M- 680, WR- 700
Chem- 730, Bio- 710, Math II- 700</p>

<p>ACT: This is what I am relying on and officially sending
English: 35 Writing: 11
Math: 35
Reading: 33
Science: 34
Composite: 34</p>

<p>Honors/Awards (nothing special here):
National Merit Commended Student (12)
National Honor Society (12)
AP Scholar with Honor (11)
Spanish Honor Society (10-12)
St. John’s University Women in Science Award (10)</p>

<p>Athletics:
Softball (9-12)
JV 9th grade, Varsity since 10th </p>

<p>ECs:
National Art Honor Society (9-12)
-Vice President of Freshmen (9)
-School Visuals Committee Chairperson (10-12)
Ken Literary Magazine (11-12)
-Original poetry and short personal narrative published in the school’s biannual student art and literary magazine
The Pulse (school newspaper) (9-12)
-Staff writer</p>

<p>Volunteer at Central Park Conservancy (11-12) 6 hrs/week, summer
Volunteer at Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center (11-12) 3 hrs/week
-Kids in Special Services Department
-Teacher’s aid in socialization classes for children aged 3-5 with developmental disabilities </p>

<p>Work Experience
Starbucks Coffee Company August 2006-Present
-15-20 hrs/week
Day Camp Counselor for children with special needs- summers of '05 and '06</p>

<p>Independent research: “Parental Approaches to Therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorders"- created my own survey and gave to parents to understand more about what they have to go through and what is most commonly used to treat the rapidly spreading disorder (entering Intel)</p>

<p>Internship with the Consortia of Learning and Service to Special Populations
-received training and earned college credit through C.W. Post University, attending 5 3-hour long classes during the school year, educated on working with children with special needs </p>

<p>Will have a great counselor rec, pretty good teacher recs, hope to write unique and possibly off-beat essays</p>

<p>Looking to get the most merid aid possible from the best possible schools. Also have some reaches, but the chances of me going even if accepted are slim because can't really afford, but I may have to find a way if I do get in.</p>

<p>Applying to:
SUNY Binghamton(instate)
Tulane- personal app, early
Michigan State University- rolling
U. Pittsburgh - rolling
U. Maryland
UVA
USC
Tufts
Wash U.
U. Chicago- EA</p>

<p>What are my chances of a) getting in, and b) getting money at those schools?</p>

<p>I would also appreciate if anyone had any other suggestions as far as schools to apply to that would be generous with money given. I'm interested in a middle-sized to large university, with good research opportunities and flexibility as far as area of study (don't know what I will major in yet, and am also considering pre-med).</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>Quick question, why are you applying to MSU when I think you have a very good chance at U-M? While they are very similar and also different schools, U-M is generally thought of as the better school in Michigan. If you’re going to be paying out of state money, even with merit scholarships, why NOT try for Michigan?</p>

3

<p>Well that’s sort of the point, UM is less likely to give me money. Also I know people from Michigan and they say that UM has a pretty snobby and less diverse campus..while I haven’t visited either yet, I get the impression that I’d be happier at a larger and more well-rounded atmosphere of MSU. I’m not necessarily concerned with prestige, but I recognize your point and I know its true, I just sort of have this perception already based on what other people have told me.</p>

4

<p>Univ. of Michigan is a wonderful and diverse school. I have never heard Mich. described as anything but an invigorating environment with tremendous opportunities and a highly selective honors program. I don’t think that Mich. awards much merit scholarship money, but I really don’t know. Tulane was very generous last year and may be a good bet for substantial money this year. USC has some great merit scholarships. Also check with Vanderbilt( these may only be minority scholarships, but,again, I am not sure.) Pitt has a good deal for honors students.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for all the input so far everyone. </p>

<p>Anyone else have any suggestions or comments, please?</p>

6

<p>Cvjn, why would you question why droseh is applying to MSU and not UM. Wouldn’t the better question be: why didn’t she ADD UM as oppose to asking why she didn’t eliminate MSU in favor of UM? And why wouldn’t you question why she’s applying to some of the others, some I consider MSU as good or better than, rather than simply questioning droseh’s MSU app?.. I just think it’s a tad snobbish for some (and I emphasize, some) UM people to always question why any good student would want to ever go to MSU… it’s not like there aren’t plenty who are there and have MSU degrees.</p>