<p>Hello everyone! I've been lurking on the forum for a few months now and have learned a lot of great information about college - the process and the experience in general. My family and I are having a hard time taking a step back and examining our situation honestly...and so I decided to post my situation here and see what all of you make of it.</p>
<p>I am a rising Senior at a small High School in rural Oklahoma. My best ACT Score is currently the following:
Math: 20
Science: 28
Reading: 35
English: 31
Composite: 29</p>
<p>My High School cumulative GPA is around 3.83. I have great extra-curricular and community service involvement...Unfortunately, I don't qualify for any financial aid.</p>
<p>I always knew I would either be using loans or hoping for a full ride on some great test scores...from what I have seen, a 29 is just not enough to get such a thing...especially since I really want very much to go Tier 1 - the University of Oklahoma.</p>
<p>Everybody dreams of the “full ride”. Actually, instead of a big bedspread that covers everything, most people stitch together a patchwork of small scholarships, financial aid and work to cover the costs. </p>
<p>If you don’t quality for financial aid (a bad assumption – it can be wise to fill out the FAFSA and see what happens), then you may qualify for merit aid. </p>
<p>Here’s the deal. Many colleges have departmental and family sponsored scholarships that will be distributed to the incoming class. You won’t know that you qualify for the Bessie Best Pig Calling Scholarship until you 1) apply to the college, and 2) tell them all your EC’s (including that county Pig Calling title) and 3) are accepted and 4) it is late March or early April. That’s when you get the letter saying “Congrats and here’s this lovely scholarship for you.”</p>
<p>What if no Pig Calling Princess applies this year? Well, it will depend on how the scholarship sponsor wrote the donation. It might say “to go to the most promising Pig Caller in the freshman class.” or it might say “To go to a student with a background in Pig Calling or Sports Medicine” , in which case the administration will look through the applicants and see who qualifies. There’s no way you (the applicant) get to see all the files on all the possibilities. </p>
<p>Believe me, colleges want to give out the money they have donated (makes the family happy, makes the students happy) – so there are often jungle rumors out there that “Happy College is good to oboe players” or “Joanie Smith got a great award for soccer at Peachy University.” – but there are bits and pieces that are not so well advertised too – you won’t know if there is money there for you until you apply.</p>
<p>It is very unnerving. You know there is a lot of expense coming – and it is very hard in September to forecast what your actual costs will be. Do your best – and see what April brings.</p>