<p>I am not sure if I should apply for them.
I have a 32 ACT score-not very high, 3.98GPA, but I'm from North Dakota.</p>
<p>The need-based aid is good enough right?</p>
<p>The scholarships are pretty hard to get from what I hear. They only pick a handful of applicants. I have lower stats and I’m applying for them fyi. You never know!</p>
<p>Oh and I applied for need-based aid and as for me, my family makes less than $60,000 a year so if I get in WashU pays for like everything including no loans. So if you’re in my situation, need-based aid is good enough.</p>
<p>My financial situation is worse than yours. So I probably won’t apply for any merit based just because they’re hard to get and I’m lazy.</p>
<p>They are very hard to get. My D’s stats were higher and she did not get one at Wash U.</p>
<p>Hard. Need based aid at wash u is pretty good. The only person I know here who has a full ride is a kid who got accepted to all the ivies and had a 36 act.</p>
<p>My D was lucky enough to get one. All the kids that were finalists had Ivy league acceptances and some did not win the full ride. Some did turn down the scholarship to go to Harvard, Stanford, and the likes. I don’t know what the scholarship committee is looking for but I think that you would have to be in the top of the incoming class to garner an interview for the scholarships.</p>
<p>krug: Besides stats, how did your D stand out?</p>
<p>I would love to know myself what made her application stands out since I have younger kids with similar stats who would be in heaven if they could stand in her shoes! With over 500 applicants for each of the academic scholarship, you would think that the top 10% of applicants are all deserving and stellar. After almost a semester at WashU and seeing the caliber of kids there, she feels very humble and extremely lucky.</p>
<p>My S applied for the only award he was eligible for last year. (His GC had never heard of the Danforth scholarship, or he might have been eligible for that, too.) There were only eight kids who were chosen for the award he applied for: 4 1/2 tuition and 4 full tuition. Anyway, it’s a separate application and he spent a lot of time on it. He didn’t get selected and ended up deciding to go to his 2nd choice that gave him a $15k merit award, even though he was accepted at WashU. The cost different was over $20k / year.</p>
<p>The other schools that he applied to offered him a smallish ($10k - $18k) merit scholarship with no additional application, and it would have been nice for my S if WashU had done that. WashU doesn’t need to, though, since they can get great kids without them.</p>
<p>Does any one know how much the merit-scholarships are determined by academics versus other stuff?</p>
<p>I have good stats (4.0, 2200, 35), but my extra-curriculars are only about average to maybe a little above average (math team captain, orchestra, link crew, NHS, tutoring, some other volunteer work)</p>
<p>I am going to apply for the engineering scholarships and the John Ervin and Anna Rodriquez scholars programs. I’m white, so I don’t think I have that great of a shot at the last two. </p>
<p>Do I have any hope of getting the merit scholarships? Is there any point to even bothering to do it?</p>
<p>Also, I was wondering if any one knew if a recommendation from my math team coach (who is a teacher at my school, but has never been my teacher and is also the supervisor for the volunteer peer tutoring that I do) would count as the non-teacher rec for the engineering scholarships. I know that they really want someone you did research with or something, but I haven’t done anything like that.</p>
<p>The Ervin and Rodriguez Scholarships - while aimed at multiculturalism - are in fact awarded to plenty of non-minority students. I would definitely encourage all applicants to apply for them! Those scholarship programs (along with the Danforth) seek really strong students in all senses (academic and extracurriculars), so if you feel like your academic stats are only slightly above average, you can definitely still shine through with your essays, teacher/mentor recommendations, and extracurricular achievements. </p>
<p>mngirl - I would call Jaydee Amoloza in the Engineering Student Services office (I believe she still handles the paperwork for the engineering scholarship applications) and ask her for her opinion on the recommendation; she is extremely kind and helpful.</p>
<p>Read all of the info about John Ervin and Anika Rodriguez on the WashU website. They are looking for people that fit the mold of the people the scholarships are named for (and I don’t mean racial). Determine what these two people accomplished and how you can achieve similar objectives. These are not academic only awards (although top academic credentials are important). It is more about the total applicant rather than a narrow set of criteria. Your accomplishments and goals along with recommendations and essays are very important.</p>
<p>It is fairly difficult. I’m on a full scholarship with the Danforth Program and I can tell you that my fellow Danforth Scholars are definitely the most diverse and intellegent group of kids I’ve met. It’s not impossible though! As long as you have good grades, and test scores along with passion and enthusiasm, you shouldn’t lose hope!</p>
<p>probably harder than getting into ivies…</p>