<p>I can see on the website a listing of freshmen merit scholarships - presidential, dean’s, leadership, and a few others. However, unless I am missing something, I can’t determine what the amounts of those are and what the criteria are for receiving them. Could someone please give me a run-down on these scholarships? Are they competitive or cut and dry based on grades/test scores? Are they limited in number?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any info.</p>
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<p>AU doesn’t publish the amounts because they can vary from year to year. For several years, they were increasing and the Presidential Scholarship was $27k/year. Then, beginning with the Class of 2015, they cut the Presidential to $20k and other scholarships similarly. Last year, they announced intentions to direct more funds to need-based aid and less to merit-based aid, but it seems as if they’ve kept the Presidential at $20K, so perhaps they are awarding fewer of them rather than further shaving the amount.</p>
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<p>As recently as two years ago, we were told they were based on grades and test scores, but they are not “cut-and-dry,” in the sense that they don’t have set criteria that guarantee you will receive a merit scholarship.</p>
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<p>Yes</p>
<p>Other things to know:
<p>These are the terms of my daughter’s scholarship. Others with students who graduated prior to her class year may have had other terms.</p>
<p>Thank you Deskpotato!</p>
<p>Any idea what the test cut-off scores might be for consideration for each level of scholarship? I see that you say no set criteria for each level…just wondering if there is a ballpark minimum for each level?</p>
<p>My daughter got offered $10K (Dean’s scholarship?) with a GPA 3.8 (w), SAT 2180 (w/writing), subject tests math II 780, and some interesting extracurriculars and a story (LD, Jewish girl at Catholic school, 9 years with the same semi-professional children’s’ theater group, with multiple service awards and religious involvement, and major health issues). I’m fairly certain that the award was not cut and dried by any means in terms of just the numbers, in her case.</p>
<p>Our problem is that the school is probably perfect for her, but she has an offer of over double from another private school across the country. Not as good a program for her future plans (though it has family advantages) but will be affordable to us thanks to her hard work.</p>
<p>I’m just reporting what an admissions officer who used to post on this board told us about how merit aid is awarded. Things may have changed with implementation of the test-optional pathway, but he told us it was on test scores and grades. (They use CR+M, not writing, on the SAT.)</p>
<p>To the extent that you believe that merit aid is used to attract students who will increase the school’s ranking, by increasing measures like test scores and grades, then you could understand why a school that is trying to move itself up the list would focus on these tangibles, rather than the intangibles. Schools that are already at the top probably have the luxury of using merit scholarships to “shape the class.” Who knows what American’s priorities are these days?</p>
<p>Anyhow, if you want a rough idea of who got merit scholarships in this or past class years, look on the “official” admissions threads for each year and read through. Many students are generous to reveal the details of their own credentials and the scholarships they were awarded.</p>
<p>You also can look at American’s very detailed databook that tells you the breakdowns in test scores and “school-reported” (usually that means weighted) GPAs for their applicants, admits, and matriculants. You’d probably feel fairly confident of being a merit aid candidate if your test scores and GPA both put you in the top 10% of applicants, but, as I said, they are reducing merit aid in favor of offering more need-based aid, so there are probably no guarantees.</p>
<p>[Academic</a> Data Reference Book | OIRA | American University](<a href=“http://www.american.edu/provost/oira/Academic-Data-Reference-Book.cfm]Academic”>Academic Data Reference Book | OIRA | American University | American University, Washington, DC)</p>
<p>About 13% of applicants had CR+M of 1400 or above, so someone well above 1400 is probably in reasonably good shape, assuming a commensurate GPA. 22% had a GPA of 4 or higher (see, it’s weighted). Above 1500 puts you in the top <3% of applicants, so, very good chance there.</p>
<p>I was told today that the merit aid was given to the top 15% of the class. They admitted about 40% of the applicants and you know that they’re expecting attrition. Some of those may be scholarship winners too.</p>