<p>What are some universities that offer good merit aid for someone of my stats? (3.73~ GPA, estimated 30-31 ACT) I have already looked at all of the ones in the Automatic Full Tuition/Full Ride lists, but I'd like to know some other options that may not be full tuition.</p>
<p>My intended major is physics, and I plan on going to grad school. I would prefer a smaller university but research opportunities / upper level classes in my major would take precedence. I would also love to go to a liberal arts college but I feel there may not be as many opportunities for me there in terms of what I want to do. </p>
<p>If you have any ideas please do not hesitate to share. I have looked at UAH, and UA, and I can get fairly substantial scholarships automatically given my current situation. Thank you for your time</p>
<p>Also - a question about "competitive scholarships". Suppose I would be able to attend X university if I were to be selected for one of their competitive scholarships, but I would not be able to because of monetary reasons if I did not receive the scholarship. Can I still apply, and are you notified if you've won these scholarships before you actually accept the acceptance?</p>
<p>Scholarships are typically used to attract desired students to the universities, so any university with any sense will notify scholarship recipients before the May 1 decision deadline.</p>
<p>You could try some midrange LAC’s where your stats are in the top 25% but it will be an ‘apply and wait to see your financial offer’ situation. Look at Lawrence University, in Appleton Wi, small and they are supposed to have a great Physics program. I don’t know how they are with merit aid but you would be in good position being slightly above average.</p>
<p>You usually get financial offers with or shortly after your admission. Then you can compare offers and make a decision. Unless you ED somewhere, of course.</p>
<p>You should retest to get higher scores. And also take the SAT. (edit, I see that your scores are estimated…wait til you have real scores).</p>
<p>How much merit do you need? In other words, how much will your parents pay each year? That will let you know if you need “full tuition”, or more or less.</p>
<p>For instance, if your parents will only pay $15k per year, then you need a full tuition award so that your parents money can pay for room board books, etc. </p>
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<p>That is usually only true if you apply ED or you applied to schools that release decisions in the spring. For other admissions, you’ll get your acceptances rather early, but have to wait til spring for FA pkgs.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses.</p>
<p>I’m not entirely too sure on how much we are able to spend. I’m just looking for colleges that I could potentially look into that would offer good merit aid since I haven’t really explored this type of thing yet. </p>
<p>I have several options down that my mom says we’d be able to pay for, (We have a special connection, 2/3 off tuition at SLU, plus I would be commuting), the full tuition scholarship at UAH, and Missouri Uni of S&T. We’re able to afford all of those based on that and I would not mind going to any of those three.</p>
<p>While we haven’t run the net price calculator yet, my mom (single parent) makes just enough to make it so “we don’t get THAT much”, so she tells me. But I don’t think we’ll be able to know really until we actually do those calculators.</p>
<p>Are you a National Merit Finalist (or do you think that you will be)?</p>
<p>Nope. I didn’t really do too well on the PSAT.</p>
<p>I do plan on taking the ACT more than once more likely, it will depend on how well I start out of. I’ve been getting pretty consistent scores on practice throughout. Would a 32 get me to “the next level”?</p>
<p>Yes, 32 is the typical bar.</p>
<p><<<
While we haven’t run the net price calculator yet, my mom (single parent) makes just enough to make it so “we don’t get THAT much”, so she tells me. But I don’t think we’ll be able to know really until we actually do those calculators.
<<<<</p>
<p>Talk to your mom about how much she can spend. None of those schools “meet need” no matter what your EFC is.</p>
<p>And have your mom run the NPCs on each school’s website. Full tuition may not be enough if she can’t pay $10k+ per year (and you borrow $5k per year)</p>
<p>Ok thanks.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any ideas of schools that would offer substantial merit aid if I were to get a 32 on the ACT?</p>
<p>In my search for merit, there were a few full ride scholarships available, then there were many full tuition scholarships available, and then there were a bunch of scholarships of around 20K available. You need to know how much money your family will be able to provide to know whether you need a full ride, full tuition, or 20K in scholarships. At our income level, only the first two of these were really helpful, except at our state flagship. Often if the school would offer D a 20K scholarship, or even a 30K in one case, the merit amounted to about what D would have gotten in grant aid and we were still left paying 30-40K per year. Everyone’s family finances are different, so you really need to know what yours are. Talk to your parents before you go any further.</p>
<p>There are schools that will give you more merit, but you need to find out from your mom how much she’ll pay.</p>
<p>YOU can only borrow $5500 for frosh year, so you can’t fill a shortfall with a big loan.</p>
<p>Also take the SAT…some do better on that.</p>
<p>Thanks for responses. Does a family’s estimated EFC determine eligibility for the majority of these scholarships?</p>
<p>the main reason I am currently searching for stuff like this is so I can find opportunities where I can save $$ even if we would be able to afford something more. Mostly just scouting around for additional ideas, not really taking anything too seriously. I’ll try to get those infos soon.</p>
<p>The first thing to do is discuss finances with your mother. How much can she pay a year? Then you know your restrictions. You will have that, whatever Pell your are eligible for when your run your FAFSA forecaster, and access to Federal Direct Loan. Then you can search and see where you can save money.</p>
<p>EFC doesn’t determine anything. It is just a federal calculation. That is why you have to use the Net Price Calculator. That will tell you what each college will expect your family to pay. You will see the need based aid there. Some college will also show merit aid. (Some call each of these types scholarships.) But usually you will have to wait for acceptance and your financial offer to see merit. Sometimes merit depends on your family income but not usually or always. Really you should read the top of the Financial Aid forum where the pinned posts are, for how aid works.</p>
<p>University of Rochester, Case Western, & Gonzaga are some ideas. But you need to get your scores up to warrant large merit money at most schools. </p>
<p>I will look into those universities, I have been interested in UR as well.</p>
<p>I am looking for universities and colleges that have historically offered significant merit aid to people with similar stats to me. There probably is much less but as I intend on raising the ACT score maybe that can change. That is what I am looking for. That is simply all I am asking. Please I beg you. Thank you.</p>