<p>What amazes me is when students or parents from HYP, MIT etc seem to get defensive about how good the schools are. Geez--are you getting people who haven't heard of your schools?</p>
<p>What chiefly amazes me is how many people are happy to trash HYPSM, and suggest that these schools should not get any credit for educating already stellar students. They'd do well anywhere. Yes, of course, they're stellar, aren't they? It doesn't mean the schools sit back and do nothing for them except take their money and provide them with a diploma.</p>
<p>sorry, marite</p>
<p>I'm defensive, but no one out here has even heard of my kid's school. Doesn't that give me a better reason for feeling defensive? (smiley face). They've heard of Harvard..and most of them think anyone would be crazy to not go there if he/she could. You aren't one of those people, but I guess it surprises me that there's anything left to explain when your kid is going to Harvard...or MIT. It wouldn't be better for my kid than the one he's chosen, but it sounds like it's great for yours. I guess we all have a right to our defenses.</p>
<p>Going back to the well rounded question. Based on my experience (2 kids with heavy duty merit packages at top 20 schools) - most of the kids they met that were part of their merit programs were very well rounded. If there was a common thread, it was leadership or the ability to stand out. Most of them demonstrated leadership in multiple areas. Top musicians, soloists, team captains, entrepreneurs, organization officers, started major service projects and so on. A big factor seemed to be "what did you do to change things or make a difference". Obviously this is based on a very limited sample - but I have heard the same from people at other schools.</p>
<p>ST2: I would agree with your post above, especially the leadership qualities and the question you pose, "what did you do to change things or make a difference."</p>
<p>
"See a problem, fix a problem." They want doers, not people who are getting ready to do. As usual, ST2 you are spot on. (and as usual , hardly anybody is going to believe us. LOL)</p>
<p>Bethievt:</p>
<p>No need to apologize. S1 would not even dream of applying to Harvard. He wanted a LAC. S2 would also have liked a LAC if he could also have had the range of offerings Harvard has. My take is that mid-sized research universities--not just HYPS-- are a good compromise between LACs and large universities. Most of the mid-sized research universities also happen to be excellent, which makes them highly desirable.</p>
<p>More importantly, it is just not possible for Harvard ( or Yale or Princeton) to have only stellar students who were acclaimed performers, published authors, patented inventors before they were 18. I'd be willing to bet that the large majority of students are BWRKs. The BWRKs from the Northeast may be at a disadvantage, but those from other areas may have an easier time getting in.</p>
<p>As a matter of fact, I think my kid is a BWRK with a few standout qualities--writing a play, directing 2 plays, captain of academic team, volunteering for progressive political stuff and being described by teachers as someone who would make the world a better place.</p>
<p>^^He sounds pretty wonderful to me!</p>
<p>When I read about the kids--and parents--here, I am awestruck. That's why I keep coming back--or is it the addiction of someone always being here for me?</p>
<p>Going back to the original thread...
Any parents here that have laureates of national olympiads who got into Ivy/Top schools and got significant aide or a full ride?</p>
<p>I know of several--but they had need-based aid. I also know of at least one who passed up a full ride at a top university to attend another university where his parents are paying full fare.</p>
<p>Once again--Ivies do not give "merit aid" even if you are a National Olympiad winner, published novelist, Tchaikovsky Piano Competition winner, or Nobel prize winner. :) Financial aid based on your family's need, yes. </p>
<p>It is a valid question for all other colleges, however.</p>
<p>Marite - Can you write what univerisiteis are you talking about. And something more about the student?</p>
<p>See post #124 above. Two kids - top 20 universities - one almost full ride - other full ride. It is available and can be done - look for the key characteristics posted above.</p>
<p>Again, ST2, what universities?</p>
<p>Kelowna,
I think the problem is that this question has been asked and answered many times before. You need to do some searching on your own. There are several sticky threads on this and the FA forum about schools with good merit aid. There are also likely threads with lists of 100% of need schools, it's a fairly short list. The merit list is longer, but where you look will depend on the stats of your kid.</p>
<p>
Kelowna, maybe this will help. Assume the student is God. Assume the student is applying to Pomona, Harvard, and Princeton (all need-only schools). Assume further that the student is ineligible for need based aid because of the income and assets of his/her parents (or in this case being God and all, his/her own assets;)). God would not get merit aid even with a Pulitzer, an Oscar, and a Nobel Prize in Physics (the Big Bang was a heckuva research project ;)). Hope this once and for all puts an end to your "confusion". </p>
<p>Kelowna, I know you don't like the answer but it won't change even if you keep asking the question. Good luck. </p>
<p>Search out merit aid granting schools. Forget Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, as well as Reed, Pomona, and Notre Dame, if you have to have a merit award to attend. I've got lists of probably close to a hundred great schools that give merit aid if you search on my name and "merit aid" .My kid officially received awards of well over $900,000. (Unofficially over $1,000,000.) She is attending a Top 50 LAC on a full-ride and is doing very well, both academically and socially. She's happy and content and stomping on the terra. There are plenty of kids that are capable of doing exceptional work at her college. Enough that she does not lack for intellectual stimulation. The opportunities she has had to stretch herself have been phenomenal and the number of activities look to be growing, not shrinking.</p>
<p>^^^Curmudgeon, that has to be the most hilarious analogy I've seen on CC!</p>
<p>Kewlona,
NorCalDad's post #31 on this thread is an excellent starting point for you:</p>