I qualify for no financial aid anywhere.. which schools have substantial merit scholarships for OOS?

Paying for College
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My stats are not high enough to get into top tier schools, yet not low enough to be satisfied with paying full tuition for bottom tier schools. My extracurricular activities are definitely above average though, and I have shown a large amount of leadership.

SAT: 2300, SAT II: Chem 780, Math 740
GPA: 3.68/4, 4.62/5 UC GPA: 4.0/5.0

My question is, will I qualify for OOS merit scholarships for traditionally not so competitive public schools like UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCSD, or mid-tier schools like Emory, Rochester, Case Western Reserve, USC etc…
Is it even worth applying to lower tier UC schools? Do I have a chance with stellar leadership/extracurriculars but lackluster GPA/SAT?
Thanks!

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Only on CC would someone say that a 2300 SAT is lackluster - lol. That score is at the 99th percentile.

Most financial aid at UCs is need based. If you are OOS, however, you will not receive need based aid to cover the $24,000 OOS tuition supplement.

All campuses offer a highly competitive Regent’s Scholarship, but most campuses award differing quantities of money for that award depending again on financial need.

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Haha, sorry for perpetuating the CC standards… but what I meant was my GPA was average.

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The UC’s offer little merit aid for OOS applicants. Regents is available for the top 1-1.5% of applicants but the most money you will receive would be around $10K from Riverside. The other campuses listed give less. There are other scholarships listed on each schools website that may be possible but you need to do some research. None of these are automatic and many not only involve competitive stats but leadership and volunteering. Have you looked at this link for automatic scholarships?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html?highlight=automatic

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Have you applied to University of Alabama? I believe you would get a very decent merit award there.

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It is not possible to evaluate your credentials in a way that would be helpful because you have omitted important information. The very best and/or most competitive schools look at how your GPA is configured. Did you get great grades in STEM but tank in Romance Lit? Some could care less. (sorry to readers dedicated to humanities). What courses did you do well in? Was the 740 in Math for the Math 2? If you have outstanding ECs you may be competitive for the top tier schools. That may come with a cost-in that they are usually need blind (except Wash U which I’m not sure is at quite the level I’m writing about anyway) and often don’t give merit money (cause there is no way to differentiate as all the students would be worthy) but I think worth pursuing if possible (for most but not all students).

In terms of great schools like Rochester, I think you would be a great catch for them. So yes, I would guess they’d go a long way to try to nab you. But if you would rather go to an even more competitive school, it is probably in reach for you-depending upon specifics that you don’t include-like just how good those ECs are and which classes you nailed and which you tanked. If you have a solid record in your STEM classes (with great ECs), well I think you would be very competitive for some very top schools.

Don’t sell yourself short.

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Your UC GPA is on a lower side for most of UCs. You will probably get more aid from privates.

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qualify for OOS merit scholarships for traditionally not so competitive public schools like UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCSD, or mid-tier schools like Emory, Rochester, Case Western Reserve, USC etc..

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Your GPA is the issue.

No, you won’t get much/any merit at the UCs…you’re OOS and your GPA is an issue. And those UCs are competitive.

How much merit do you need?

how much will your family pay each year?


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mid-tier schools like Emory, Rochester, Case Western Reserve, USC etc..

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I wouldn’t call USC and Emory “mid tiers”. Your GPA might be an issue for both of those schools for merit and admission. Case and URoch might give you some.

What do you need your net cost to be???

What is your major and career goal?

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economics/business or molecular biology on the premed track.


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Ok…you’re premed…take off ALL Calif schools. You’re OOS. No OOS premed should go to a Calif undergrad. Too crazy there with way toooooooo many premeds.

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http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/

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@mom2collegekids Thank you for your advice! Do you mind clarifying why OOS premed should not attend UC undergrad?
@“Erin’s Dad” Thank you for the very helpful websites!
@Ballerina016 Thank you for your advice! Do you know of specific private schools that I would have a chance getting decent merit aid at?
@lostaccount Thank you for your insights! But do you think I have a chance at top tier schools like Ivy League with that kind of GPA? I am even unsure about second tier schools.

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Miami of Ohio

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Thank you for your advice! Do you mind clarifying why OOS premed should not attend UC undergrad?


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@generalw There are too many premeds in Calif. The competition is intense. The weeding is intense.

Getting into Calif med schools is very difficult, particularly for OOS students. There are far too few med school seats in Calif for the state’s size.

The UCs don’t write Committee Letters. Premed advising is weak.

You’d be full pay for no benefit at all. You might as well tie a weight to your shoes.

Why would you want to go to a UC as an OOS premed?

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I think it depends on what your grades were in key classes like in STEM classes.

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Yes, I’m inserting an eye roll on that, too. LOL