Wondering if anyone knows of any 3rd party scholarships based on high (top 1%) SATs/ACTs/PSAT scores.
Those don’t really exist, to my knowledge. Sponsor companies don’t want to give students money knowing only their scores.
There’s the Presidential Scholars program, but you have to be nominated, and that’s already over.
The outside scholarship season itself is just about over, honestly.
Presidential scholars don’t get monetary rewards.
There are schools that give major scholarships for being NMF, full tuition or full ride, but it might be too late in the app season.
What is your career goal? Where all have you applied? What is your home state? What can you afford and what are your stats?
I saw from some of your other threads that you are a junior and from Nevada.
In that case you can apply to schools that will give big scholarships to NMSF or NMF.
Some helpful links here:
And if your GPA is very high…you can also apply to some colleges with guaranteed merit awards.
@CourtneyThurston this student is a junior, and an athlete, although unclear whether recruited will be possible…or not. Wants to attend a top ten school. Brown and Stanford are her top choices. Unweighted GPA 3.8. Weighted 4.2. ACT 35. Not a URM.
To the OP the very best scholarships are given by the scholarships themselves. That being said…the Ivy League schools do not give merit or athletic scholarships.
Also, I may have missed it…but did you take the PSAT as a junior? Are you in the range of NM in your state? If so, you will also need to take the SAT.
@CourtneyThurston this student is a junior, and an athlete, although unclear whether recruited will be possible…or not. Wants to attend a top ten school. Brown and Stanford are her top choices. Unweighted GPA 3.8. Weighted 4.2. ACT 35. Not a URM. Says she is from an upper middle class family.
To the OP the very best scholarships are given by the scholarships themselves. That being said…the Ivy League schools do not give merit or athletic scholarships. They give need based aid only.
Also, I may have missed it…but did you take the PSAT as a junior? Are you in the range of NM in your state? If so, you will also need to take the SAT.
Are you saying you would not qualify for any need based aid from schools like Brown and Stanford which guarantee to meet full need for all? Stanford is a very generous school when it comes to need based aid.
What will your parents contribute annually for you to attend college.
@CourtneyThurston can probably provide you with a list of possible outside scholarships…but there are many that also have a need component.
ETA OP also posted this…so being recruited at the very top athletic schools (like Stanford) is not likely for scholarship purposes. But she could very well receive athletic scholarship money from other places. Just not likely those top 10 Division 1 schools.
If your family isn’t low income, or doesn’t qualify the aid that it wants, and your goal is a tippy top school that doesn’t give much/any merit, then your chances of finding/winning 3rd party awards to pay for college are low.
And if you did win any, and you also received “some” need based aid from your univ, then the school would reduce their aid.
What is your situation?
@CourtneyThurston, @mommdc, @thumper1, and @mom2collegekids
I did take the PSAT last October, and expect to be a National Merit qualifier. The reason why I’m looking for outside scholarships is because it’s unlikely my dream schools, which are out-of-state and very competitive, will give me substantial aid. I will have to go figure out the details of exactly how much they can award me, though.
And yes, my parents will be able to help me through undergrad, but I would rather be able to provide for myself to some degree, and I’m looking to attend law school after that, which is pretty expensive.
Thanks so much for your input, guys. 