<p>what does it actually mean? :(</p>
<p>Well I use "full ride" with the understanding that it encompasses paid EVERYTHING (tuition, room+board, etc...) except your personal expenses, since those are out of the university's control.</p>
<p>thank you very much :D</p>
<p>You could get a full ride through need base or merit. Most first tier schools only give need base aid.</p>
<p>Adding to that, if your EFC is zero, does the money top tier schools give you (excluding Stanford; Ivies, schools like UChicago, LACs, etc.) count toward room/board too?</p>
<p>Arduouspallor- Yup, if you have a lot of need they might cover both tuition and room/board.</p>
<p>I use "full ride" when the college meets the COA (cost of attendance) in full with no loans or work study.</p>
<p>I've seen full-ride used to describe full tuition scholarships.</p>
<p>full ride is usually tuition, room and board and fees, ie. tech fee, health fee. it doesn't include personal or travel expenses. my s recvd full ride to wash and lee univ--it also covers study abroad, and they can live off campus and still recv room and board portion of the scholarship in $ to use for an apartment etc. so grateful for this opportunity--good luck to all!</p>
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I've seen full-ride used to describe full tuition scholarships.
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Our State has a program where if you earn under a certain annual amount in the years the kids are in 8-10th grade you can sign up and they get free tuition at the State schools. They advertise it widely as making it so 'everyone can afford college'. But it is by no means a 'full ride' as the tuition part of the State Us costs is maybe 1/5 of the total costs - the fees alone are almost as much again - a lot of people don't realize that until senior year and are happily thinking they have a full ride. Nice to have I am sure (we did not qualify at the time - would now) but still leaves @$14-15k to find at the large unis.</p>