<p>Also, Mt. Allison in Canada is quite cheap compared to American LACs (and has produced the most Rhodes scholars of any college in Canada) but may still be out of your price range.</p>
<p>Lafayette College in Easton, Pa unveiled a new merit scholarship this year for top applicants: the Marquis Fellowship which awards $40K/year +$4K for study abroad. Their Marquis Scholarship is awarded to the top 15% of applicants and is worth $25K + study abroad $$. The Fellowship is an invitation only weekend competition experience. LC is an LAC with engineering about 90 mins from New York City and Philly.</p>
<p>Good luck with your search! </p>
<p>BTW, is Fordham small enough?</p>
<p>They have a competitive scholarship for National Merit in the top 10% of the class (but evidently people who apply early enough get them?):
<a href=“http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/”>http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/</a></p>
<p>Hi @redfeather from another Granite stater. We didn’t consider our state flagship because of the cost - both our boys are at small LACs. Have you thought about Hampshire College in Amherst Mass? They’ve been quite generous with merit and need-based aid for our older son and are very strong in environmental studies. Hampshire is part of the Five College Consortium (along with Amherst, UMass/Amherst, Mt. Holyoke and Smith) so course and major possibilities are endless. My younger son is at Bates - no merit money but they are good with need-based aid. </p>
<p>Did you daughter eliminate the women’s schools, especially Smith and Holyoke? Merit aid can be good and the consortium opens up social opportunities.</p>
<p>Oh right. The women’s colleges like Agnes Scott, Hollins, Scripps, etc. are more likely to give merit money for the same type of student than comparable co-ed LACs.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I was also going to suggest Smith and Mouth Holyoke. Great, great schools, and there is merit money there. I know some kids just won’t consider single-sex, but maybe take a drive through and visit sometime this fall. Having easy access to 4 other terrific colleges with lots of men and lots of amazing academic and cultural and social possibilities is pretty cool.</p>
<p>@PurpleTitan, in response to “The big Hamilton scholarships are mostly to meet financial need.”</p>
<p>How do you know? I checked the Hamilton website, and it claimed that the first scholarship is presented “regardless of [a student’s] financial need.” <a href=“http://www.hamilton.edu/admission/tuition/scholarships”>http://www.hamilton.edu/admission/tuition/scholarships</a>
Does anyone know anything else about these scholarships? Or are they perhaps new?</p>
<p><a href=“Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid - Graphic - NYTimes.com”>Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid - Graphic - NYTimes.com;
Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid</p>
<p>Muhlenberg College in PA has merit aid and honors program. </p>
<p>Hey BTMell, great to see another granite stater on here! Bates is definitely on her short list. She met several interns from there this summer at the St. Paul’s advanced studies program. Without exception, they were some of the friendliest and most helpful folks she met all summer. Researched Hampshire early on and really liked their course offerings (especially in international./peace studies and environmental studies). Got the feeling the student body was a little “edgy”, hipster. D is pretty quiet and studious (nerdy) and wasn’t sure how she’d do in that environment. Of course, we haven’t visited, so I could be totally off.</p>
<p>MidwestSalmon, thanks for the link. Really appreciate her strategy.</p>
<p>With regard to women’s schools, we visited both Bryn Mawr and Ht. Holyoke because it seemed that a women’s college would be a great fit for D. Though impressed with the academics and the friendliness of the student body at both, D just really could not see herself at either. We visited Haverford right after Bryn Mawr and she loved it. Nothing concrete, just strongly preferred the vibe at one over the other. </p>
<p>@atm28vacations : if you look at the big Hamilton scholarship descriptions, they promise to meet full financial need.</p>
<p>@PurpleTitan Right, I’m mostly concerned w/ merit aid. My family might qualify for a tad bit of fin aid, but only if it’s a notoriously generous school like Grinnell (my fav). Otherwise, merit aid might just have to make the cut.</p>
<p>If no one else has posted this, try this link: <a href=“Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;
<p>and generally the links within this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1678964-links-to-popular-threads-on-scholarships-and-lower-cost-colleges.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1678964-links-to-popular-threads-on-scholarships-and-lower-cost-colleges.html</a></p>
<p>You can look at the competitive scholarships thread and go state by state and college by college to look for the different schools that offer full tuition/full ride scholarships; but read the comments for addenda to the main list compiled by BobWallace. And follow up on the actual websites of the colleges for updated information.</p>
<p>Also, you may want to check out Furman University, which also offers some good merit-based scholarships: <a href=“Furman University | Top Private Liberal Arts University in Greenville, SC”>Furman University | Top Private Liberal Arts University in Greenville, SC;
<p>Thank you both–these links are great! However, I’m not interested in schools south of VA, but the list of schools per state is quite helpful :)</p>
<p>Great links gandalf78! Thanks so much. We have a nice list started now of financial reaches, matches, and safeties to choose from. I had no idea there were so many hidden gems out there.</p>
<p>Hi @redfeather S2 is a very happy Bobcat all the way around. It’s been a great match for him there as is S1 at Hampshire (my boys couldn’t be more different). Hampshire is a bit edgy but there are also lots of quiet kids who fit in and like it. S1 was sure he wanted to attend college in a bit city. We toured Hampshire as an afterthought. Parked next to a cornfield and the admissions chat is in a red barn and I’m thinking “way to go - he’ll cross this off his list immediately”. So you just never know.</p>