Do Harvard, Duke, UPenn, or Cornell have any special scholarships or programs for low-income, high-achieving students? I understand these schools give out incredible financial aid, and with a household income of ~$50,000, they would likely be able to offer me a lot. However, I’m looking specifically at scholarships that are particular to these institutions that might be able to offer me more. The only one I’m familiar with is the robertson’s scholarship at duke.
Oh and I’ll likely qualify for national merit as a semifinalist, because i got a 227 on my psat in florida this past october. So NM-specific scholarships are cool too.
These schools all meet full financial need. Harvard, Cornell, and UPenn do not award merit aid. But if you are low income, your aid should be pretty good at these schools…esoecially Harvard which has very generous need based aid.
Duke does have the merit awards, but I believe the merit award would just reduce your need based award. I don’t think you would get both in full.
You should run the net price calculator on the website. You are likely to get full expenses covered, what more is there to get? Only Duke offers merit, the Ivys don’t offer merit or scholarships, only need based aid. And you have to be high achieving just to get in, so everyone who attends is high achieving.
Look in the pinned threads at the top of the forum. There is a thread with a list of large competitive scholarships.
According to other threads, the poster lives with her mother in Florida, And her father lives in NY. I’m guessing the parents are divorced. That being the case, the net proce calculators will not be accurate.
Giraffe, is the $50,000 household income your mom’s income…or is that a total for both parents. As you know…the schools you have listed use the CSS Profile, and will require your non-custodial parent information, as well as your custodial parent information.
@thumper1 Oh I didnt know my father’s income would be considered! Thank you for taking the time to point this out to me. But yes, they are divorced and my father is remarried. My father is disabled and receives money from social security from the gov’t equal to about 22K a year I believe. My step-mother makes about 27k a year in wages/salary. They are a household of 6, and they just had a kid last September. My mother makes 43k a year with about 10k in social security for a household of 2 and a kid in college, but because of the birth of my half-sister last september (I’m not 100% sure on all the details of why it affects the social security payment, but it does), the social security payment will be reduced to ~3k this upcoming year.
Include both parents’ and their spouses’ income and assets in the net price calculators for these schools. Also, be sure to ask to make sure that both will be cooperative with financial aid forms.
Giraffe, those schools all require the Profile. Your mom will comolete that. It will include her income and assets and any income and assets of her spouse if she is married. Your dad will complete the non-custodial parent Profile. That will include his information as well as the information for his wife.
For,the FAFSA, you will use just your mom and spouse…if she is married. Any spousal or child support will be listed on the FAFSA.
Have you considered University of Chicago? They started a new initiative for low income students…FAFSA only, and a short form of their own. It might be a favorable financial option for you.
“birth of a half sister”
did your mom remarry? If so, then your step-father’s income counts too.
Why was your mom getting Social Security if she’s working? Is the father of the new baby deceased?
It’s her dad’s new baby, not her mom’s.
It is a bit confusing…I was scratching my head trying to figure out how her mom is old enough for social security and just had a baby.
I’m guessing the SS money the mom gets is auxiliary benefits because the father is disabled. That money will end when the child turns 18 or graduates high school.
@giraffeinatree The auxiliary benefits are split between you, your father’s current wife and any other children. They cannot exceed 180% of your father’s total benefit no matter how many people get benefits so everyone’s share will be reduced with each new dependent added.
@Dragonflygarden Yes, that’s precisely the case. I only had a very vague understanding of the situation, but you were able to articulate it very well. Thank you.