<p>Hi, I'm new here. I basically joined this site because I really want some good info on full tuition scholarships. I'm a junior with a 4.0 GPA and I am President of Key Club at my school, editor in chief of the school newspaper, participate in NHS, Rotary Club, UIL, Amnesty and HOSA. I was elected to be Lt.Governor of Key Club for district next year. I am taking a bunch of Pre-Ap and AP Courses as well.
What I am basically wondering is will all this help me in perhaps a full tuition scholarship? If so, where can I look for a full scholarship? I'm definitely considering in-state (Texas) and out-of-state universities (preferably on the East Coast) that will give me a full tuition and/or full ride. Help please!</p>
<p>There are sticky threads at the top of this fourm and the Parents forum that address Institutional (college based) merit aid. They're long, but will give you a lot of information.</p>
<p>About your question about grades, EC's, etc., yes all that plus test scores, essays and letters of rec will help you. The key to being in the running for full tuition and full ride scholarships is that you need to be at the tippy top of the applicant pool for the school that you are applying to. So, as a matter of definition, a scholarship school is not likely to be an academic reach, but rather a match or safety school.</p>
<p>it is also good for you to understand that you are looking for "merit aid" and not financial aid -- they are different. Many of the large outside scholarships (most valuable student, gates millenium, etc) have financial need as a component. If you don't show any need, you may not be eligible.</p>
<p>It is also important to understand that some of the top schools do not offer any merit aid at all -- the ivies don't.</p>
<p>If you are a national merit finalist, there are several schools that will give you a full ride.</p>
<p>Thanks you all for your advice so far. Unfortunately I am not a National Merit finalist. I'm just a South Asian kid with A+ grades, tons of extracurriculars, etc.,etc. My family is a typical middle-class family and I have 2 younger brothers who my parents have to look forward to paying too. The main reason I want a full ride is because I want to lessen the stress of paying for college on my parents. So I guess a academic/extracurricular scholarship would work for me? Plus if I have my application on time, I have a better chance?</p>
<p>my best advice is to work hard in all your extra-curriculars and if your parents do not make a ton of money, then you can get a pretty good ride to Ivy league schools since the financial aid office takes into consideration the fact that your parents have other children they will have to pay. Of course, it might be your siblings who will truly reap this benefit. But overall, your parents will be better off and so will you if you can receive an Ivy education. Or else, most [not all of course] schools that I know who offers full-rides are not where you will get the quality education and the job placement. Good luck!</p>
<p>I suggest you get a copy of the book 'What to Do When for College' 2008-2009 edition by Fiske, cost about $10-$15. It takes you from Jan 2008 to September 2009 when you will enter college. It has a listing of schools which offer merit scholarships in the index with the deadlines. The</a> Fiske Guides > Home Page</p>
<p>Also see:</p>
<p>FinAid</a> | Answering Your Questions | No Loans for Low Income Students </p>
<p>Other colleges:</p>
<p>Washington U in St. Louis - Ervin Scholars Program
Kenyon College - Multicultural/Diversity Scholarhsips
Mt. Holyoke College - Leadership Scholarship
Miami University of OH - Harrison Scholarship
University of Cincinnati - Cincinnatus Scholarship; Darwin T. Turner Scholarship</p>
<p>Good grades in a rigorous curriculum is your best asset along with your leadership positions. Remember to apply for local scholarships which are portable to any college, you can get a few thousand to cover books and travel expenses.</p>
<p>Check Rice University and Wellesley College websites for recent updates</p>
<p>I like Agnes Scott College which is in the Atlanta area, very nice merit aid packages. </p>
<p>I commend you for beginning the process as a junior.</p>
<p>University of NC-Chapel Hill offers the Pogue Scholarship. U of South Carolina offers the McNair Scholarship. Both are merit based...if you have high SAT or ACT scores, and high grades and GPA, you might be eligible for these. The McNair at U of South Carolina offers FULL everything...including a laptop computer. You apply to the university, and also to the honors college (it's a very challenging honors college application), and if selected, you go to SC for the McNair weekend which involves interviews, etc. Personally, I think U of South Carolina is a hidden gem and a rising star in flagship universities.</p>
<p>I was initially bothered by AY8888's post, particularly the part about full ride schools not providing a quality education and good job placement. However, there is part of it I agree with: that if your academics and ECs are tip top, you should apply to some of the very selective schools that offer excellent FA, partiuclarly with the new policies for middle and upper middle income families. There is no reason that you can't construct a college list that includes BOTH colleges that provide 100% of need and those with merit scholarships. Your reach schools would be those that provde good FA, while match and safeties should be schools where you have reasonable to excellent chances at full tuition or full ride scholarships. JMO.</p>
<p>University of Pittsburgh, a very good school, offers quite a number of full tuition scholarship to out of state students.</p>