<p>I live in the Dallas area, so although I’m ok staying in texas UTD is just too close. Also, like 75% of my high school goes there. I’ll look at U Tulsa though!</p>
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<p>Try asking on the school-specific forum how difficult such a switch would be. Often, switching from a more popular major or division to a less popular major or division is easy, but switching from a less popular major or division to a more popular major or division is difficult. But both engineering and economics tend to be popular at state flagships and more selective universities.</p>
<p>Trinity awards an additional $2000/y above and beyond any other merit aid.</p>
<p>The new Center for Science and Innovation is beautiful and nearing completion. TU also has additional scholarships STEM students may apply for, and FAST grants, as well.</p>
<p>After Rice, TU has the highest SAT/ACT scores in TX. It’s got economics, too. I believe the only major one must declare on application is engineering, since it begins in the first semester. Otherwise one declares and the end of sophomore year.</p>
<p>Good Luck, billy</p>
<p>After further review, I’m not going to apply to UT Austin. Reading about their internal transfer policies is just disheartening, as I’m so undecided. In addition, there are SO MANY different apps I’d have to do with multiple essays each, 2 for admission, 2-3 for honors, 2 and a lot of short answers for 40 acres, etc.</p>
<p>I’m looking closely at the University of Pittsburgh, if you have any info about that school please share your experience! So far I like that there’s a university wide honors program, so that if I decide to do an internal transfer I won’t have to hassle with trying to transfer honors programs too like ut austin.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the support everyone. :)</p>
<p>Take a look at Oklahoma University (Norman, OK). It used to have full rides for NMF. I am not sure if it is still true.</p>
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<p>Everyone who has gone there that I know IRL has loved it and has decent jobs. You’ve got a great chance for substantial merit aid. Switching majors is relatively easy. Nice sports, both college and pro (in the city). You can also take classes at other Universities in Pitt if they have classes you want and Pitt doesn’t offer them. The Cathedral of Learning is super impressive (that’s where the Honors College is).</p>
<p>It is most definitely an urban campus.</p>
<p>In the end for my middle son, Pitt was his second choice. (He ended up at the U Rochester.)</p>
<p>I did not read the thread, do not know if anybody mentioned, Case Western is known for very good Merit packages. However, Case focuses on engineers and pre-meds more than other majors.</p>
<p>billythatkid, just wanted to say that you are doing a great job. In your position casting your net wide and far is exactly the right thing to do. So sorry about the position you are in.</p>
<p>Right now my EA list is as follows:
Case Western
UChicago
Alabama (rolling)
Pitt (rolling)
MIT
Georgia Tech
University of Rochester</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your input everyone! I think there are some good chances for merit at those schools and then there’s always RD. :)</p>
<p>Oh, also, I keep second guessing whether or not I want to apply to LACs… Any thoughts…?</p>
<p>^^^ Get Pitt’s in ASAP. They also give out their merit $$ in a rolling fashion. You should hear about initial merit about 2 weeks after you hear about acceptance. Then there are competitive higher awards I expect you’ll be invited to compete for. (Time will tell on that, but you’ll want a good initial offering.)</p>
<p>Yeah I’m going to get that in by the end of the week hopefully! I just sent scores and transcripts. </p>
<p>In other news, I’m filling out the first bit of Rochester’s app and it asks you to check off all of your academic interests. “None” is an option. :D</p>
<p>“Oh, also, I keep second guessing whether or not I want to apply to LACs” - It probably depends on how serious you are about the engineering major. There is lots of time between now April to decide… so maybe you could add LAC, especially if good chance of merit aid.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Pitt’s policies have changed a bit with the new honors college dean. The scholarship awards are not always sent as quickly as they once were. Also, I do not know whether this was mentioned, but Pitt only offers a few small NMF scholarships; tuition scholarships are not tied to NM. However, being from a different region is helpful.</p>
<p>I would add that for your Chicago app be sure to do the optional essay, and if you are a writer, musician, or have some other talent, send a supplement.</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>
<p>Note that University of Chicago has no ABET-accredited engineering degree programs.</p>
<p>You may want to include at least one automatic full ride (for your stats or National Merit status) in your application list in case the worst case occurs with the divorcing parents’ finances (i.e. no actual ability or willingness to contribute, but high enough income to eliminate need-based financial aid).</p>
<p>You may want to try for NCSU and its competitive full ride Park scholarship.</p>
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<p>Our experience with Pitt is from last year. Have they changed for this year? If so, I’d seriously like to know so I can update my thoughts…</p>
<p>RPI, in Troy NY is a great engineering school, and they give excellent merit packages to top students. My son is there this year. Initially Case offered more in scholarship money, but RPI came back with additional funds, and Case did not. Things I have read con vice me that it’s extremely difficult to get merit aid as an out of state student at GT. If you decide to apply to RPI, and they do not come back with enough for you, you can appeal their decision, explaining your hardship. From what I understand their business school is also “up and coming” which may interest you. Good luck… There are many parents who simply refuse to pay for college once they get divorced, but it doesn’t make it any easier on you to deal with this, especially after you’ve worked so hard. You should be proud of yourself.</p>
<p>University of Miami offers both full tuition and full ride scholarships to top students. There is no separate application or essays, but applying EA is advisable. My younger D is a sophomore there and loves it.</p>
<p>Creek land, in your post you said it was two weeks at Pitt from acceptance to scholarship notice. While that was true for some kids, not all heard that quickly last year. My intention was not to contradict, but to clarify. I also think that things are evolving there, so changes will continue. </p>
<p>My daughter was in the last class to have Doc Stewart as a professor. She is a senior. Her sophomore year there was an interim dean, and then her junior year, the new dean took over. My point was that things may continue to change.</p>
<p>Thanks MDMom. I’m in PA and we have kids at our school who consider Pitt - therefore, I wanted my info to be as up to date as possible. I don’t know that it was exactly 2 weeks from acceptance to merit aid for my guy, but it was fairly quick - less than a month for sure for the initial award. It could be because he had nice stats. Who knows?</p>
<p>Things can certainly always change, but so far, Pitt isn’t a school where one wants to wait to apply if hoping for merit aid.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>Billythakid, my son is also applying to U of Roch and hoping for merit. From what I’ve heard U of R likes to see interest, if possible you want to visit (probably not possible in your case) or set up an off campus interview. They travel all over the country, I know my son has already done his interview, so I would check the web-site to see if they will be nearby any time soon.</p>