<p>I just joined this forum because i'm worried about my future. I'm currently a high school sophomore at one of New York's prestigious high schools. Brooklyn Tech.</p>
<p>Would i qualify for financial aid or a scholarship towards college if:
I have a single parent - mother.
Annual income - $5000 </p>
<p>My grades aren't that grade but are getting better.
During freshman year, i messed up and got a 75 average for both terms. (Due to family problems) Now, my average is 93 for sophomore year term 1. (which only makes a 80 overall on my transcript so far. </p>
<p>What can i do and what aid or scholarships do i qualify for?</p>
<p>Hey, Amesco. You already go to a great school, and you appear to be back on track with your sophomore grades. There is much you can do to ensure you get great financial aid and scholarships in two years when you apply to University.</p>
<p>First, focus like a laser on your studies. Your class grades are the single most important element in getting into a great school WITH MERIT SCOLARSHIPS or getting in to a top need blind school with full financial aid. So, whatever you do, raise your GPA/grades and see if you can rank in the top 10%. Remember, it is not too late. You can explain away freshman year due to Mom’s illness, everything from here on in must be sterling</p>
<p>Second, make sure you do well in the SAT/ACT/Subject Tests.</p>
<p>Third, make sure you have some ECs/Community Service where you can display your passion and leadership. This is fairly important.</p>
<p>Fourth, apply to two sets of schools. The first group will be your need blind category (the Ivies, MIT, many LACs): they typically don’t offer merit aid but if they admit you you can get full aid. The other group are many state universities and others that offer generous merit scholarships – this will depend on your GPA/scores + SAT/ACT scores.</p>
<p>Your essays – especially on overcoming adversity and thriving at a top school will be VERY IMPORTANT. Make sure these are COMPELLING.</p>
<p>Finally, the best scholarship for you is QUESTBRIDGE. In your junior year ( a year from now) – apply to their junior scholarship which will give you a fully funded summer program after your junior year as well as let you know about the full QUESTBRIDGE scholarship when you apply to the top schools. Go to their website and learn about the best scholarship for high-achieving, low income students. In the fall of your junior year, you begin applying early – you can apply to as amny as 8 top schools among 28 partner institutions (incl. Yale/Stanford/Princeton/MIT/Wellesley). If you are matched, you are get a full ride for four years. Nothing tops that. </p>
<p>Go for it. It is within your reach. Best wishes to you and your Mom.</p>
<p>as long as u continue to shop improvements in your gpa you should receive scholarships. I graduated from tech and many friends had 80 avg and received many scholarships…helpful hint alot of money is offered by NYU POLY and St. Johns Place…They are very generous to tech students!!</p>
<p>to: brassring
Thanks for the advice and help.
I really like this scholarship but, It says i have to be within the top 5 to 10% of my class. I go to one of New York’s prestigious high schools, Brooklyn Tech and there are apprx. 1,500 in my gradulating class. And, after counting the freshman year grades. If i can continue to receive a 95 throughout the rest of sophomore, junior and senior year. My overall transcript will only be a 88.
I have over 250 hours of community service credit (working at the local library) and I’ve been going to ALOT of tutoring for SAT tests. (I took many SAT practice tests and i think i can get an almost or perfect sat score) </p>
<p>Are there any other scholarships that i could be eligible for?
And, Is it beneficial to take all the SAT subject tests and the ACT? Or can i just take the SAT?</p>
<p>to: rainsplash
really? do you still remember which scholarships you or your friends applied to? And what major did you choose? I have to choose majors next week.</p>
<p>many applied to random scholarships such a mcdonalds, quest, BP scholarship, burger king, coke cola, lowes to name a few. Most were in Gateway-biomed major. However, the scholarship they mostly received were merit scholaships from the college itself. Based on gpa and sat. Junior Gpa counts the heaviest. example 85 gpa with m&v sat of 1200 had $16-18k scholarship from nyu poly and st. johns gave them from $10-15k. Remember that community service is also considered for merit scholarships from school. The major wasn’t important it was a combination of gpa,sat and extra curriculars</p>
<p>Amesco: Questbridge is ideal for you. There are some 10 essays on the Questbridge form that will help you tell your LIFE’s story – not just your school achievements but also paint the full context including family life, your helping Mom in her illness, how perhaps you worked part time to support the family, how you contributed to keeping things running – they will allow you to describe tradeoffs you made, where you suffered, and help you tell the Adcoms what you learnt from these experiences, how you grew as a person.</p>
<p>Remember, overcoming adversity, or even struggling to overcome the odds – these are the kinds of experiences from which compelling essays are born.</p>
<p>It is yours, if you investigate and put in the hardwork to make sure you present your case in the best possible way and get it. Go for it, and don’t let your freshman record stand in the way. You can always point to your sophomore and junior years.</p>
<p>Because Tech is a vigorous curriculum they are more generous. Also if u get an advanced honors regents diploma u can get an ACG -academic competitive grant from the government
$750 first year and $1500 second year</p>
<p>to: rainsplash
When do you start applying for scholarships? Was it the end of junior year?
And yeah, i have 250 community service hours and am in several clubs at Tech. How was your overall transcript when graduating from Tech?</p>
<p>to: brassring
I’ll try to apply for it. I have to start focusing on my school work and test grades throughout the next 2 years at Tech. Thanks for the advice on this scholarship, I have about an year to improve and prepare for this.
If i can receive this scholarship, it’d be really great. My mom wouldn’t have to struggle to pay for tuition and i wouldn’t have to worry about financial costs.</p>
<p>And, Is it beneficial to take all the SAT subject tests and the ACT? I was wondering if i should just take the SAT and try for a perfect score than take all the tests.</p>
<p>The SAT Reasoning Test or ACT is very important. Beginning this year, you can take SAT as many times as you want without having to report scores from all your SAT appearances. You can simply report the highest. The same goes for ACT. So, getting a high score in either SAT Reasoning or ACT will help a lot. (The two tests are different in their make up)</p>
<p>As for the SAT Subject Tests. most schools require you to submit at least two subject tests. A few schools require three. If you are going for engineering or science (biology) you may want to make sure you take Math 2 and Biology or Chemistry or Physics. You can take (and should try) as many subject tests as you feel comfortable. The schools will evaluate the two in which you score the highest.</p>
<p>Finally, a word on Questbridge. It is unique because first during September of your senior year you really submit a full detailed application to Questbridge to qualify as a “finalist” in October. Then in November, you submit the same Questbridge application + individual college supplements to upto 8 colleges from Questbridge partner college lists. This is among the best of American universities. If you are “matched” or accepted by any one of your eight schools you will get a full ride scholarship for four years. You will know by December 5 if you are matched. If you are not matched, you can still apply to other partner institutions for RD as well as any university of your choice. If accepted, you are likely to get very generous financial aid (as the matched finalists) but your financial aid would be renewed (not guaranteed) every year. This does not mean that financial aid will be withdrawn. It simply means that a college will reserve the right to examine your family finances every year – if it is the same you get the same generous financial aid. So, go fir it. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.</p>
<p>Best of all, next year in February as a junior you apply to get the Questbridge junior scholarship – which is a good 10 K to 15 K – which covers summer after junior year and offers help with the Questbridge application process outlined above.</p>