Do merit scholarship have deadlines??
First off…there is nothing urgent about this. Unless you missed the deadlines to apply. No caps needed.
Yes, applications for merit scholarships have deadlines.
Is that what you are asking?
Here is your other thread. Did your ACT score improve? It was a 22. Not many schools would offer merit aid to a student with a 22 ACT score.
It might not be urgent to you, but it is to me, and yes I meant applications for merit scholarships. Do you know the latest date for them? I know it depends on colleges, but I want to get an approximate.
Edit: I’m using my SAT, not my ACT, which I did check and I do apply for some.
If you are applying for merit awards through the colleges…you likely have missed the deadlines for merit awards for the fall, 2017.
Are you asking if it’s too late to apply NOW? For merit for fall 2017? Yes…probably everywhere.
Today is May 1. Students must chose which colleges they will attend by midnight tonight. Colleges have awarded their merit aid by now.
Institutional need based aid would also be limited…those deadlines are long gone.
If you complete a fafsa now, you would be eligible for a $5500 Direct Loan…and any portion of the Pell Grant to which you are entitled.
Adding…
The schools with generous merit awards typically have an early application deadline for admission…usually BY December 1. That is for the more generous institutional merit awards.
Some schools award other merit awards based on the strength of your application. Those awards come with your acceptance typically.
There MIGHT (might) be some smaller local scholarships for small amounts with deadlines fast approaching.
Then, if it is too late to apply now, when is the next deadline for the merit scholarships? Next year? Would not applying for next year make me ineligible?
Can you afford to pay for college now? Or do you need a merit award or need based award to attend.
You have until midnight to decide.
Here is what I wrote on your other thread. I will add…
If you apply for fall 2018, you can also retool your application list to include schools with merit awards possible. In addition, you can and should get your applications for admission AND your applications for financial aid done as close to October 1 as possible. You can submit regular decision applications…just get them done early.
And here is my response from March.
@Blankeed have you been admitted to a college for Fall 2017?
I can not afford college, my family is poor. I also don’t want all my efforts and achievement in high school to go to waste, that is why I need and want merit scholarships.
So, according to what you said, It is still available for me if I apply a year later? Just want to confirm.
@MedSciBud No, I have not.
If you take a gap year…and do NOT take college classes…you will be applying as a freshman for fall 2018. The best merit awards go to incoming freshmen. Not to transfers or continuing students.
If your family is poor, you also need to look at whether your state has any grants for low income students.
What was your FAFSA EFC this year? Was it less than $5000?
Did you receive any need based financial aid from the colleges to which you applied?
@Blankeed - we are assuming that you are a high school senior now. Like @thumper1 said, you should still be able to apply as a freshman next year (though you graduate from high school this year), if you don’t take college courses this year. You should, however, check with the colleges of your choice.
What you need is need-based aid. Most colleges meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. Even the Ivies offer full-ride to people who can’t afford to pay. Check each college’s website and apply to those who meet 100% financial need.
OP, did you ever retake your ACT? You are going to need to bring that way up to get into merit range.
Not all - or even most - schools meet full need. The only two in Ohio that do are Kenyon and Oberlin.
So I would be applying as an incoming freshmen if I take the year gap? Making sure there’s not a difference between ‘‘incoming freshman’’ and ‘‘freshman’’
@MedSciBud So, you’re saying that merit scholarships don’t matter in my situation, but rather the need-based aid?
Wouldn’t applying for both get me the best financial help?
@MedSciBud this is NOT true…
There are over 3000 colleges in this country and about 300 of them guarantee to meet 100% of need for all admitted students. The rest do NOT make this guarantee. The very vast majority of colleges provide federally funded aid primarily, state aid, and a little of their own.
The colleges that DO guarantee to meet full need for all are amongst the MOST competitive in this country. The OP had an ACT score of 22. He says his SAT score is better, but really…to be a competitive applicant at most of those meet full needs for all schools…he would need to have a very high SAT score. VERY.
@Blankeed are there any public universities within commuting distance of your home? If so, see what the tuition cost is…some of the public universities in Ohio have relatively low instate tuition costs.
You say you are low income…but HOW low? What was your FAFSA EFC this year (did you submit the fafsa?)?.
Can your parents help you out at all with college costs?
- It is too late for Fall 2017 now. There may be few options for Spring 2018, but best bet would be Fall 2018. Remember, Fall 2018 application starts August 2017. For early decision / action, deadline is November 1. For regular decision, deadline is Jan 1.
- You should consider both, but from what you have said, I believe you will qualify for need-based aid. Again, you have to be admitted to a college to be considered for need-based aid from that college.
- From what I know, most colleges consider all applicants for merit-aid. If there is a separate application, the specific college will notate that on their website.
- There are other scholarships, including QuestBridge, available. QB is a very good option for low-income, high achieving students. There may be others. Just google it.
I have not done the FAFSA, but my family income is way lower than $5,000/month.
To be considered for need based aid…
- You need to apply to...and get admitted to the colleges. You can apply REGULAR decision...but get your applications done ASAP after October 1. Don't wait like you did this year. Get them DONE.
AND
- You need to apply for need based aid. The FAFSA for the 2018-2019 school year will be available for filing on about October 1, 2017...and will use 2016 tax return information. Get your FAFSA done ASAP after October 1.
If your college requires the Profile…get that submitted too.
Send in ALL required financial aid requested items.
- For merit aid....look at EACH college website. They will tell you if you need to complete a separate application. They will tell you the DEADLINES you must adhere to for your application and scholarship application.
Get everything done on time. In fact…plan to get it all done early. Don’t wait until the last minute.
IMPORTANT…the vast majority of,schools will not allow you to stack need based and merit aid awards. Some will…but most won’t. This means that if you get a merit award, it has the possibility of reducing your need based award…because you have less need.
Please don’t assume that you can get BOTH merit and need based aid from the college. That might not be possible.
Also, unless a merit award is guaranteed for YOUR SAT score and GPA, don’t just assume you will get it.
See if there are schools where you can get guaranteed merit awards.
Look at schools to,which you can commute. Ohio has a ton of public universities…any near you?
OP, they weren’t asking about income. The $5,000 was in reference to your EFC, the estimated contribution expected of a family. On each school’s website there is a section with a series of questions. The resulting number is your EFC for that school. If your EFC is less than $5,000 you are eligible for additional federal aid in the form of a Pell Grant.
@Blankeed, there are a lot of people who can help you find a college you can be admitted to and that you can afford. Why don’t you post a little about yourself, your scores and gpa, where (region of the country) you’d like to attend, the kind of school (big, small,public, private), your home state, your family size and income, what you want to study.
If you qualify for federal financial aid, and you want to start at a community college, it might not be too late for fall. If you want a big merit scholarship, you are too late for this fall, and we’ll be able to tell you if it is unrealistic to expect a scholarship with your stats…
@Blankeed there is a Net Price Calculator on every college website. I believe that is what @NerdMom88 is referring to.
So…go to a college…and in their search, type in “net price calculator”.
You will get a series of questions about your family finances. Answer these ACCURATELY and you will get a decent estimate of what your potential financial aid will be…and the remaining net cost to your family.
If your parents are divorced, your parents own a business, or if your family owns real estate other than your primary residence…the NPC might not be so accurate. But for regular income earned at jobs, etc. it will be close.