<p>I was just accepted into the College of Engineering at University Park. I applied Out-of-State from Virginia. I was wondering how Penn State, or any school for that matter, goes about offering money towards my tuition.</p>
<p>I am African-American with a 3.92 GPA and a 2010 SAT (680/680 on both math and CR). So I'm hoping those three things can pay for as much as my education as possible.</p>
<p>I have heard of schools offering students with impressive credentials full rides, waiving out-of-state fees, or paying for a large part of their tuition. I am requesting more information on how students have received this type of aid. Do the schools send a letter saying that we are giving you x amount of dollars? When does said letter come? When you receive acceptance notification or after you have submitted a FAFSA?</p>
<p>According to the admissions people we met with last summer, PSU offers very little aid for incoming freshmen. However, we were told that once you get there and do well - there is a variety of scholarship money available. </p>
<p>My son has similar stats to yours (3.98 GPA and 2030/2400) and we were basically told not to expect anything. We are hoping, however, that he is admitted to the Honors College, which comes with a scholarship worth around $3500 or so for the year.</p>
<p>awilly: here is the link for engineering scholarships.You have great stats. I bet you will be offered a large scholarship. Diversity will help.Have you applied to the Honors College?</p>
<p>My son is at PSU on a full ride.</p>
<p>Grcxx3: Scholarships are also offered sophomore yr and beyond so tell your son to keep up his grades.</p>
<p>sax - sure would LOVE to get some scholarship $$$ for my son, but we just got the impression it wasn’t very likely the first year. Just keeping fingers crossed for the honors college.</p>
<p>Grcxx3
It’s not very likely you are right. Awilly is not only a great student but he adds to diversity so he has a step up. However, they do reward good grades. Also if freshman push a bit they can get involved in research. There is a ton of great stuff that might really interest him and it helps to get started early. They also let kids into schreyers as soph. and juniors too. Its a great program with kids getting into some top grad school.</p>
<p>Grcxx3 is right - PSU is notorious for being very tight with merit money. When our sons were applying, numerous people at the school (both in admissions and financial aid) warned us not to expect anything in the way of scholarships, despite our sons’ good stats. </p>
<p>Our oldest son’s stats were very similar to awilly’s and he got no merit money at all from PSU. (However, the fact that awilly is African-American will probably give him an advantage, as the school has really been trying to attract a more diverse student body, and has been offering more $$ to non-white students to help with that goal.) </p>
<p>In our case, we’ve been told that the odds of merit money increase in junior year when students officially enter their major, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed. </p>
<p>FYI: students who enter Schreyers as a non-freshman don’t get the $3,500/year scholarship.</p>
<p>hahaha…Grcc: sorry, I meant to say it IS very likely you are right! Don’t know where the not came from.
Momwriteris correct in everything she says too.</p>
<p>My sons scholarship was through the science college but it was contingent on him being enrolled in the honors college too.</p>