<p>Are these real? Can they happen for people who aren't poor as dirt? I understand that you'd probably have to be a genius to get one, but how many geniuses get the chance? Do top-notch schools give them or do they not need to award money in order to reel students in?</p>
<p>full rides are no myth buddy..a "full ride" can be comprised of a combination of funds. Usually, they include institutional scholarships, grants from the government, outside scholarships and work-study (depending on individuals financial situation). I was offered many full rides based solely on academics and some from a combination of funds. For example, at the college I will attend in the fall, I was awarded a renewable full tuition and fee scholarship ($46,000), the gates millennium scholarship ($36,000), the wal-mart scholarship ($1,000), the NFIB scholarship ($1,000) and some local scholarships. I would advise everyone to start looking for scholarships that apply to you early on in your high school years. Don't wait two weeks before graduation to search for scholarships. Most organizations that offer scholarships have the same criteria each year. Apply on time and make note of deadlines and when winners will be notified. Call your prospective college and ask questions early. Good luck finding money..its out there for everyone, not just the poor.</p>
<p>anyone can get the money. i have a friend who is NOT in any serious financial desperation for college who got a full ride to manhattanville college. i'm pretty sure it was only on academics because he is in the tope ten and he was only a member of the school bands and not much else. on the other hand, i know a boy who got a full ride to CUNY (not prestige but money for college is money for college). he is also in the top ten of his class and involved in almost every student organization/leadership activity in our school.</p>
<p>When I say full rides, I was really referring to money handed to you by the school- not including outside scholarships. From what I hear, those are really the way to go, though. I haven't had much luck finding them. Not a lot applies to a white middle class girl who isn't the leader of anything (You don't get elected at my school unless you play several varsity sports, which I don't). I do have very good grades, the IB program and other extracurriculars, though.</p>
<p>Thanks, though. threepointnineseven. I'll look.</p>
<p>If you did get a full ride, please post advice. Thanks muchly.</p>
<p>Ivies give only need based aid, but many very good schools do give merit scholarships where family income is not at issue. You don't need to be a genius to get one, but you do need to be at the very top of the school's stats. Colleges use merit scholarships to attract top students that would otherwise have gone to a higher ranking college in general.</p>
<p>From many elite schools--which are usually need-based--a full-ride is only for the low income. But many other schools give out full-rides to certain applicants, sometimes for a combination of need and talent, sometimes purely based on merit. I got one from Brandeis. (Zagat: it didn't work on me. I'm going to Brown!)</p>
<p>I know you can def. get a full ride to a state school, but Im not sure about elite schools - Im pretty sure you have to be a poor genius.</p>
<p>"I haven't had much luck finding them. Not a lot applies to a white middle class girl who isn't the leader of anything (You don't get elected at my school unless you play several varsity sports, which I don't). I do have very good grades, the IB program and other extracurriculars, though."</p>
<p>There's plenty of $ available, but to get it you have to:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Apply to colleges that offer merit aid (Many of the very top colleges, including Ivies do not).</p></li>
<li><p>Be at the top of the college's applicant pool. Thus, if your stats are within the 25th through 75th percentile, you're not likely to get merit aid unless you have something special the school wants: exceptional talent in an area that's needed, add geographic diversity, are a female applying to a school or program where females are underrepresented.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If you have the stats that make, for instance Emory a reach school for you, you are not going to get merit aid from Emory. You might, though, get merit aid from a tier 2 college that offers merit aid.</p>
<p>full ride at Tulane--i didn't apply for need-based aid b/c i'm almost positive we couldn't get any--i don't play any sports, either, if that matters
almost full-ride (2/3 tuition) at Emory</p>
<p>So basically, if you want merit money, you should apply to places where you're above average/unusual in comparison to the other prospective students because they'll want you. Hm.</p>
<p>Anyone know if places like Sarah Lawrence, Carnegie Mellon or Vassar offer good merit money?</p>
<p>Being a minority helps.</p>
<p>Furman University (SC) has a full ride (the Lay Scholarship), but it's very difficult to win. They only award 3 per year (they also offer lesser scholarships), and as stated in another post, the winners are usually students who are also exceptional and who are looking at the Ivies. But it's worth a try and it's a great school.</p>
<p>My friend got practically a full ride to Duke. He got just under $160,000 for four years from Duke alone. Estimated expenses are about 41/42 grand a year. He isn't really that rich, but his house is much nicer than mine and my household income is about $60,000. He isn't a genius, nor a minority.</p>
<p>In reality there is no such thing as a full ride because all monies over the cost of tuition (even a need based scholarship/grant) is considered taxable income by the IRS. So depending on how you do financially you may have to beat the IRS. But the other side of the coin is what you pay the IRS will be less than what you pay the school.</p>