<p>Hey guys. I got my ACT scores yesterday and I made a 32 :D I am an URM male and plan on applying to Top schools such as Columbia, Yale, Stanford, and UofChicago through Questbridge! I just wanted to know if there are some reputable schools that give merit money at this score? I am in-state for University of Alabama and Auburn University so I will get full tuition and honors college at those places.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>P.S. I am a rising Junior.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your achievements! You have an exciting year ahead. </p>
<p>Are you familiar with the Questbridge section of the Financial Aid Forum? There should be some great information there:
[Questbridge</a> Programs - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/questbridge-programs/]Questbridge”>Questbridge Programs - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Also there is a thread at the top of the Parents Forum here on schools known for good Merit Aid. Keep in mind the thread spans several years, starting in 2005 to current. Awards change yearly but it will give you an idea of schools that do give merit. ALWAYS confirm amounts with the school. They do change from year to year!:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html</a></p>
<p>Best of luck to you!!</p>
<p>Congrats! That’s a great score. Do you mind sharing your GPA as well as your whether or not you think you’ll be needing a lot of need-based aid? The schools you mentioned will not give merit aid but they will meet full need.</p>
<p>^ Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>My UW GPA right now is ~3.9 :D</p>
<p>Tuition is covered at Ohio University in Athens for a 32 ACT score.</p>
<p>Also, if you qualify as a National Merit Finalist, there will be several more schools that will be free rides. Make sure you take the PSAT this fall.</p>
<p>Depending on how you do on the PSAT, you’ll need to decide on a strategy for QuestBridge, since the College Match process is binding. You should approach it like Early Decision.</p>
<p>^ It’s only binding for the schools who have regular ED program, all the schools I’m applying to (except for Columbia) are EA schools, so I’m not binded(unless I only get into Columbia) xD</p>
<p>woeishe,</p>
<p>You should spend a bit of time in the Financial Aid Forum, and take a look at the threads there on Guaranteed Merit-based aid. You will find some useful ideas there.</p>
<p>^ Arigatou!!</p>
<p>Congrats on your score and grades. I’m really no help but just wanted to comment that I read your alias on several threads and up iuntil this moment I thought it was some weird name pronounced woo-she.</p>
<p>Just now I realized it is “woe is he”.</p>
<p>Doh!!</p>
<p>You should have a lot of options. Auburn and Alabama are great choices. You should look at Pitt, Washington State, University of Oregon, Arizona State, UNC, UVA and Fordham.</p>
<p>^ Thanks! UNC and UVA are on my list (:</p>
<p>A URM with a 32 ACT as a rising junior can write his ticket almost anywhere that has merit aid. You are also well better than 50/50 at most of the Ivies and at all the top LACs (they don’t have financial aid, but Questbridge will cover it everything, so it will be the equivalent of a full “merit aid” scholarship) without any loans. </p>
<p>The bigger question is what do you want to study, and what kind of school you hope to attend.</p>
<p>I know I want to double major East Asian Studies with something else 
Most likely Math or Economics. Maybe get a job in Japan right after college or Law/Med School and then Japan because I’m very interested in both. :D</p>
<p>Congrats to you woeishe! :)</p>
<p>You might want to check into merit scholarships available at USC.</p>
<p>Look into the University of Rochester. IIRC, their big merit scholarship is called the Rennaissance Scholar.</p>
<p>If you are a Questbridge scholar, you won’t need a merit aid scholarship.</p>
<p>Stanford has exceptionally generous FA and is great for Pacific Rim kinds of things. No one is a shoe-in, but you’re certainly in their range!</p>