How much financial aid would I probably receive?

<p>Hello, everyone. I asked a similar question ~7 months ago, but I was in a very different situation then and was looking at very different colleges. Now my circumstances have changed and I want to stay as close to home as possible. </p>

<p>My info (abridged): </p>

<p>-Incoming senior in high school (age 16, white female)
-unweighted GPA of 3.8 (junior year GPA 4.0)
-latest SAT 2220 (660 math, 790 CR, 770 writing)
-class rank 7/~200 (boonie high-school with few APs / honors classes)
-volunteer at animal shelter
-volunteer with environmental conservancy organization
-copy editor for historical magazine
-one of two students in school selected to attend sessions in state capitol
-highest scores in school on a lot of state-mandated end-of-course tests...
-volunteer to work with mentally-handicapped children and help orchestrate events for them
-low income (household income <$30,000/year)
-first-generation college student
-my teachers ADORE me (like, to the point where I get embarrassed about it) </p>

<p>I mention my income level because financial aid is a MUST. There is NO way that I can go to college if I or my family have to come out-of-pocket for it, because quite simply... there just isn't any money there. Lol. (This is the reason I have few ECs. Up until June I did not have a car, and my mother works too much to ferry me back and forth from ECs.)</p>

<p>Colleges I am heavily considering:</p>

<p>-Emory University
-Agnes Scott College
-Clemson University
-Furman University
-Davidson College</p>

<p>Clemson is close to me and I like a rural environment, so that is my first choice. I've heard, however, that they can be pretty stingy with financial aid and, like I said, that is just something I can't afford (no pun intended). </p>

<p>So, long story short, can anyone give me a rough estimate of what sort of financial aid I'd be looking at getting from these schools?</p>

<p>What is your major?</p>

<p>What is your PSAT? Are you a likely NMSF?</p>

<p>Some of the schools on your list may want to know what your dad’s income is if he’s alive. Do you have a non-custodial parent?</p>

<p>I did not take the PSAT due to very… strange circumstances I was in at the time.</p>

<p>My dad does not work AT ALL. He was in prison for several years for embezzlement and money laundering, but now he has Multiple Sclerosis and is pulling disability. He’s not a… nice person. He and my mom divorced when I was ~5.</p>

<p>My major would probably be Mathematics. It’s not the thing I’m best at, but that’s why I want to go to college-- to become better in things I’m not great at.</p>

<p>GIven the information in your post, you would be likely to get a generous package from those schools that can do so. You have a nice selection of schools there with some that guarantee to meet full need and some where your stats give you a good chance to get it as well. As a Carolina resident, Duke might be a good addition to your list as it gives generous aid and gives preferential treatment to those from the Carolinas. You should also look to your state flagship for aid to since both Carolinas have some generous packages for students with good stats as you have.</p>

<p>*My major would probably be Mathematics. It’s not the thing I’m best at, but that’s why I want to go to college-- to become better in things I’m not great at. *</p>

<p>It’s one thing to take some Math classes to become better at math…it’s another thing to major in math. It is a very hard major and I can’t imagine majoring in math if I didn’t have a knack for it.</p>

<p>What are you good at?</p>

<p>I am good at history, writing, reading, gardening, and arguing… in ascending order, lol. However, I don’t think horticulture would exactly provide a great income, I don’t intend to become a teacher, and every teenager likes to argue, so that’s not exactly indicative of anything, lol. XD</p>

<p>I am actually pretty good at math (95+ in all math classes). It’s just not my forte. I do cryptology for fun in my spare time, but since I spent my earlier years with my nose in a book for ~6 hours out of the day (I broke reading records at my middle school), I’m always going to be better at reading/writing than most other things I can do.</p>

<p>Why don’t you have U South Carolina on your list? (You’re instate, right? or am I confused?)</p>

<p>If you’re instate, I think it should be affordable thru the aid promise to low income kids in that state and federal aid.</p>

<p>Well, I do live in SC, but USC is about 3.5 hours from me. Atlanta, at 2 hours, is much closer to me than Columbia. Also, USC is a HUGE school. I just… don’t savor being part of that. I probably will apply there, though, just out of practicality.</p>

<p>This student should do the scholarship/honors college application to U of South Carolina. They also offer some a full ride merit award to students with high stats…I believe it’s Carolina Scholars (McNair is for OOS, I believe).</p>

<p>Also, I used to live in Atlanta, and know my way around pretty well. My grandmother lives in close proximity to Agnes Scott and Emory, so if I went to either of those, I’d be able to see her frequently. And all of the schools that I’ve chosen are in an area I am familiar with.</p>

<p>I think you should apply to Loyola-Maryland since it says it meets need.</p>

<p>Furman has a few named scholarships that you can apply for; one covers full tuition and room and board, another covers full tuition. Guessing that your EFC would come out low you would mostly likely receive additional money. Also I believe SC residents receive money towards school. Palmetto? Or something. Furman allows you to combine named scholarships with FA and the state incentive.</p>

<p>Emory is great with FA as well, so lots of options there too. </p>

<p>Good luck to you!</p>

<p>Im an international student and trying to study in Grinnell college. Can you tell me what are my chances to be admitted with full-ride scholarship?
My SAT score is 2040(verbal+math=1360)
GPA 4.0
Head of student council
Captain of my school at intelectual contests
Gold medal candidate
Volunteer job 100 hours
Third place at national studying olympiad in my country(in one subject)
Winner of many contests
Played basketball
Playing the piano(graduated from musical school with honor diploma)
Danced national dances at choreographic ensemble and so on
I think I will have really good recommendations from teachers, etc
My family cannot really pay for my studying even 15000$, I need full-ride scolarship
Please, estimate my chances…</p>

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<p>Kurt…No way to say what your chances of a “full ride” at Grinnell are as an international student. The above quote leads me to believe they are need aware in admissions (as they say competition is more competitive as need increases).</p>

<p>This section of this forum is not typically a “chances” section. Questions here usually relate to financial aid issues. BUT I’ll venture a guess. You will be competing with other international students for admission AND you need SIGNIFICANT aid to attend. That reduces your acceptance probablilities. You might get accepted and you might not.</p>

<p>Now back to the topic of the original post of this thread…OP…your family income indicates that you would be eligible for maximum federal aid. At a school like Davidson (which meets full need), you would likely get a significant need based award IF you get accepted.</p>

<p>I really want to go to Clemson because it is very close to home. I don’t really mind that it’s not the most prestigious school in the world…</p>

<p>Would my stats get me good fin. aid there? Since it is a public college I assume it is more stingy, but I would really like to go and I thought that if my profile was good enough, they’d want me to come anyway…</p>