<p>I realize that this is kind of a D'Oh question but I swear to God, it seemed like all of the senior friends I had last year were getting rides all over the U.S. I'm going to be a senior this year and I'm trying to go out of state (specifically I want to go to WSU, but idk if it will happen). My test scores and GPA are just as good as anyone else's (34 & 35 on the ACTs, 4.0 GPA unweighted, numerous extracurriculars & leadership positions, blah dee blah), but I don't have much financial backing from my parents, who can't do much over 10k a year. If I appear as both a merit and a need-based candidate, will they just fork over the money?</p>
<p>Again, I'm sorry if this is totally naive. I'm an only child and I might as well have CLUELESS pasted on my forehead this year. :(</p>
<p>Not very common, but they happen more than many CC'ers will tell you. The thing is the vast majority of CCers are not eligible, because the CC community is for the most part more affluent than average. Full rides are almost always need-based, not merit, and you'd need to be an EFC=0 candidate, or close to it. If your parents make over 30-40K total, you're almost certainly out of the running for a true full ride (no loans, no work study), except at some of the Ivies that have programs with specific income threshholds.</p>
<p>Find threads started by the user curmudgeon. He researched merit scholarships extensively when his daughter was applying to college 2 years ago, and shared a lot of information with the CC community. She ended up getting a full merit scholarship to Rhodes. </p>
<p>In brief -- there are a handful of highly selective schools that have a limited number of full-ride merit scholarships -- Duke and Emory, for example -- but these are very competitive and hard to get. If you don't qualify for need-based aid but need/want large merit awards, apply to schools where your stats place you in the top 90% of applicants.</p>
<p>It also depends on what you consider a full ride. Generally, two characteristics are necessary: no loans and no parent contribution. Some still consider a scholarship to be "full" even if the student has some work-study. In the latter sense, HYPS (and probably some more) will give full scholarships to low-income students--no loans or parent contribution, only a little work-study.</p>
<p>My DD had classmates this year that got the Duke Robertson? (I think that was what is was called) and also Emory Scholars, and also Foundation Fellows at UGA. They are all full rides, and all had stats similar to yours. Are you wanting to stay in a certain geographical area?</p>
<p>Though merit awards are not uncommon among high stat kids who apply to schools that give them out, getting a "substantial" amount is what is tough goings. My second son got many scholarships, but they were all under $5K which were not big considerations, given the cost of private tuition. The shocker came this year with S3. He got what I would consider very nice sized amounts of awards. BUt the sad thing is that even a $20K scholarship leaves $32K on a $52K COA which is what a number of these schools cost these days. We are fortunate enough to have a low cost state system that is about half the cost of that amount WITH that scholarship, and with a few grand off that sticker price, the state schools were by far the best option even without a full ride state offer. OOS publics did not figure in our search as the cost of the few we investigated came to over $30K. There are some state schools that are still bargains for OOSers but they are becoming scarcer.</p>
<p>"Full-ride" generally means tuition and fees, plus room&board. DS got offered one at a big state U. It was a combination of an automatic school-wide scholarship based on SAT scores and class rank, plus a 4-year departmental scholarship. If you have very good stats, some of the big state schools have these - but you may have to do some hunting through all the lists of scholarships at each school's FA department to find them.</p>
<p>Having received both merit and need full rides this year, I can tell you that
most top colleges have fin aid officers who are looking out for your
financial health (some exceptions come to mind). If your parents
are capable of 10K (say it comes up as your EFC) the only way you
will get a full ride is with merit or augmentation via external
scholarships.</p>
<p>Caltech give a full ride on merit (regardless of need).
A.B. Duke is a full ride on merit but you have to attend Duke.
If you are 100% Pell eligbile, you might get a full ride at MIT.
H,P will have a minimal expectation of $1250/Semester based on
work study (hence not a full ride but as close as you can get).</p>
<p>One thing to remember, if your aid or scholarship is more than Tuition and fees plus books and supplies, the extra actually counts as taxable income.</p>
<p>The McNair Scholarship at U of South Carolina is a merit based full ride scholarship that covers room/board/some expenses and even a laptop computer. It is NOT need based in any way. Neither is the Pogue at UNC-Chapel Hill. Read threads by getouttabuffalo...who got some great merit scholarships that covered most of the cost of attendance.</p>
<p>I will say that I don't agree with the statement that full ride scholarships are need based. Many that I've heard about and/or read about are actually MERIT based and are used to attract highly qualified students to a school.</p>
<p>University of Delaware has the DuPont Scholarships -- it is a full ride (tuition, room & board, books etc.). You have to be the top 120 applicants and they are invited for a weekend of interviews etc. They give out 10-12 per year. If you don't get one, they offer other scholarships (usually covering the out of state tuition) so all the applicants showing up for the weekend get something.</p>
<p>First son got a full ride for sports. Second son got full tuition at a private university for merit. We still have to pay room and board. Second son knows about five kids out of his class of 800 who got full scholarships (not including athletes) this year. Why not try this- Call your regional admissions rep at WSU and ask him/her what types of merit aid scholarship programs they offer and see if you match up. With your stats, it seems likely that you can meet your goal of not spending more than 10 grand per year. In addition to the thread suggested, someone named texasmom or momof three (or something like that ) had a thread stickied here that discussed her merit aid search for her boys who had average stats. Anyone remember who that was? </p>
<p>On the one hand, I do not think full rides are common. On the other hand, it never occurred to me that both of my kids would get such big scholarships so I have to say that lightning does strike and people can get awards. Search this site and school websites to carefully target where you fit in as the cream of the crop and then apply. You may want to apply to a few extra schools so you end up with as many choices as possible. Good luck.</p>
<p>The public universities in the state of Washington do not give grant aid to out of staters.</p>
<p>Washington State University is part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange, so coming from Colorado you could get a discount on tuition there. See: WICHE</a> - Student Exchange Programs</p>
<p>If you are a National Merit Semi Finalist, you will probably qualify for a full ride at Arizona State U.</p>
<p>Since you have time to plan, I suggest this approach: apply to comparable schools to your deam school, only be sure these other schools have large endowments and generous financial aid policies. Once you have your very best financial aid offer in hand, you can appeal the financial aid award from your #1 school, should it be less than what you hope for.</p>
<p>Right now the Ivy League schools are competing to have the best financial aid policy. My daughter's Ivy matched a nearly full ride from a non-Ivy competitor her freshman year. This year they gave her a no-loan package.</p>
<p>Do not be afraid of applying to expensive private colleges. They can be surprisingly affordable. </p>
<p>It would have cost my daughter almost $20,000/year to attend our State University. The out of pocket cost at her $53,000+/year Ivy is a bargain by comparison. </p>
<p>Some public schools can only reduce tuition. A well endowed private college can, at their discretion, reduce room, board, fees, transportation, books, etc.</p>
<p>You must have a good offer in hand from a legitimate competitor of your #1 school to show the financial aid officers. Chances are they will want to keep you. Your stats should make you a strong applicant at many schools.</p>
<p>As a Washington State resident, I'm appalled at the poor scholarship programs at our state schools. I not surprised that nothing is offered to OOS students...they barely offer anything of real value to in-state students.</p>
<p>True full-ride scholarships based 100% on merit are uncommon at highly competitive schools. For one thing, many schools refuse to offer them on principle. </p>
<p>GA2012MOM, the Robertson Scholars program is at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill and is as you mentioned an example of a 'true' full-ride in that it covers tuition, fees, room and board, books, travel, and other expenses. info: Robertson</a> Scholars: Homepage</p>
<p>(full disclosure: I am a recipient of the Robertson)</p>