<p>does that mean I still have to apply for scholarships? I heard top universities like Stanford and MIT give free tuition to those accepted under a certain income amount. Thus, if I am applying to many of the colleges that have this policy, isn't applying for scholarships unnecessary?</p>
<p>Those schools are incredibly selective, and nobody should assume that they will be accepted to one. In the event that you get into a school that provides you with a mix of grants and loans, an outside scholarship may reduce the loan portion.</p>
<p>I think the right term is “applying for financial aid,” because F/A is determined by need. Those that give “free tuition” to low income families, are giving F/A, not scholarships.</p>
<p>Scholarships are typically determined by grades/test scores.</p>
<p>Or, are you asking…should I apply for merit scholarships at schools that meet 100% need without loans?</p>
<p>When you say that you’re in the $45k and under bracket, are you saying that you are independent? or are you saying that is your parents’ income?</p>
<p>And…as the above post says, those generous F/A schools are very, very selective, and all those who “qualify” don’t get accepted, therefore you’ll need to apply to some “back-ups” which might require some merit scholarships.</p>
<p>What I am asking is that if I apply to schools that give 100% financial aid (0 tuition cost without loans) then should I even have to worry about scholarships? Also by 45k and under, that is my parents income, I have no income myself.</p>
<p>However, I do see what you are saying. If I don’t make it in to Stanford for example, then if I went to a different college that does not provide 100% FA, then a scholarship would help.</p>
<p>Thus, does winning a scholarship help your admission chances? What about the PSAT merit scholarship? I took the PSAT this year and am very confident that I will be a semifinalist, but I heard that many Ivies do not accept the scholarship.</p>
<p>Ivies don’t offer NMF scholarships. Most of the NMF scholarships are offered by certain colleges. Sometimes you can get a NMF scholarship from a parent’s place of business.</p>
<p>Other merit scholarships are typically offered by a college after you are accepted. So, it helps to apply to schools that you know offer good merit $$ to those with your stats.</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>It sounds like you’re a junior. That’s good because you have plenty of time to learn more about the college app process.</p>
<p>Even those with perfect stats and good “hooks” have a hard time getting accepted to ivies and similarly ranked schools - especially many of those who provide 100% of need without loans.</p>
<p>So, if your stats are high, you should apply to some of these colleges that will meet demonstrated need without loans. But, you also have to apply to some financial safeties - schools that will give you good merit scholarships.</p>
<p>If you’re accepted and full need is met without loans, the scholarships usually don’t help you. In that case, most colleges will take the money and reduce their grant by the same amount. I say most because it is possible a school would reduce your summer work component or something like that, I don’t know. </p>
<p>If loans are in the package, most colleges would allow you to use the scholarships to reduce the loan portion. </p>
<p>If you win scholarship money and are accepted at one of those schools, you can always call the scholarship provider and ask them to give it to someone else. </p>
<p>I do not believe that winning a scholarship helps you in the admissions process. They are usually won too late in the game to be a factor.</p>
<p>The schools with which I’m familiar will allow the student to replace his summer work and term-time work with scholarship money.</p>
<p>Being a first generation student helps as well.
Good luck with those schools!</p>
<p>“What I am asking is that if I apply to schools that give 100% financial aid (0 tuition cost without loans) then should I even have to worry about scholarships? Also by 45k and under, that is my parents income, I have no income myself.”</p>
<p>Yes, because the few schools that give such generous scholarships are places like Harvard and Stanford and are the most difficult in the country to gain admission to, admitting as few as 1 in 9 or 10 applicants even though most applicants have such excellent stats that most colleges in the country gladly would accept them.</p>
<p>You also will have to file the paperwork to be eligible for scholarships at those schools. This includes detailed info based on your parents’ tax forms.</p>
<p>The majority of colleges in the country aren’t able to meet the full demonstrated need of most of their accepted students. Even if they are able to meet full demonstrated need, it’s important to realize that the college, not your family, determines whether your need is met. Your financial aid package likely will include loans, work study as well as grants. It won’t just be grants – scholarships – that you won’t have to pay back. </p>
<p>For most students, the most affordable way to go to college is by living at home and going to one’s local 4-year or 2-year public university. Tuition for out of state publics usually are much higher than for in state residents, and few OOS publics provide need-based aid to students. The few are UNC, UVA and William and Mary, all of which are very hard for out of staters to gain admission to.</p>
<p>Yes, because the few schools that give such generous scholarships are places like Harvard and Stanford and are the most difficult in the country to gain admission to, admitting as few as 1 in 9 or 10 applicants even though most applicants have such excellent stats that most colleges in the country gladly would accept them.</p>
<p>Exactly. If you ONLY apply to schools that give 100% aid without loans, you may find yourself with a pile of rejections, since those schools reject kids with super stats all the time.</p>
<p>Therefore, you need a strategy. </p>
<p>If your stats are high enough, you’ll need to apply to reaches that meet need w/o loans (or with small loans). </p>
<p>And, you’ll have to apply to match/safeties that will be affordable by aid, merit scholarships, and perhaps small loans. Depending on your stats, if you apply early in the fall to schools that give the best merit $$, you could receive a nice scholarship. :)</p>
<p>What is your home state?</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>This is a good place to start: [Project</a> on Student Debt: What’s the Bottom Line?](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php]Project”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php)</p>
<p>However, it is extremely common for these schools to have a student contribution between 1k and 3k per year. Scholarships could reduce your student contribution or reduce loans.</p>
<p>I doubt this person is going to come back… this thread is from a few months ago lol.</p>