<p>Already in to UNC-Chapel Hill and UMichigan-Ann Arbor. Is it worth it to send in my application to University of Miami as a financial safety?</p>
<p>Here are my other schools I applied to:</p>
<p>Harvard
Tufts
Columbia
UPenn (deffered ED)
UConn (instate)
Washington Univ in St. Louis
Rice University
Duke University</p>
<p>I was applying to UMiami to see if they would give me a huge scholarship incase I didn't get in anywhere else that I really wanted to go. I don't have a clear #1 anymore, so I just want to see the financial aid and list of acceptances before I make my choise. I already sent in CSS/SAT Scores to UMiami. </p>
<p>** Should I bother sending in the application/supplement/ $65 check? **</p>
<p>$65 doesn't sound like a lot compared to the $thousands it might be worth. Most FA is need-based and so merit-based aid at UMiami might not be real likely. Even without merit-based aid, though, it would still be a possibility for better need-based aid. On the other hand, UMiami is no cheaper than UNC or Michigan. Isn't UConn your financial safety? If there is no way that you would go to UMiami, then there is no reason to apply.</p>
<p>Where have you seen that most of aid at Miami is need-based, dufus? It might be but Miami says that about 50% of admittees get merit-based aid... I don't know if it it's worth it from a financial standpoint Pongo, because even if you get like a 1/2 tuition scholarship, which isn't a lock, that's still about the same as out-of-state tuition for your 2 schools.</p>
<p>It is just said everywhere that the vast bulk of FA is need-based as opposed to merit-based, but you are right that I should not have immediately applied that to UMiami. I am aware that Rutgers will basically give in-state tuition to anyone with 1250/1600 who is in the top 10% of their high school class. Since UMiami is private, that won't explain it. However, I did find this website:
<a href="http://www.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/0,1770,29532-1;40341-2;29913-2;29467-3,00.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/0,1770,29532-1;40341-2;29913-2;29467-3,00.html</a>
UMiami is very generous with merit-based FA. It probably doesn't matter to people qualifying for need-based aid since those people would get no doubt get need-based grants anyway and so the merit-based tuition discount is irrelevant, but it is a good deal for people who can't qualify for need-based aid.</p>
<p>What I was really focusing on in the OP is that the poster is looking for a financial safety, and he/she is applying to UConn. UConn should be enough of a financial safety. Using my 2004 guide, the OOS tuition at UNC is $14K and the OOS tuition at Michigan is $24K and the UMiami tuition is $24K. They probably all have gone up.</p>
<p>if you're going to hunt for merit-aid, then i'd suggest investing the $65, especially if there's a chance that you might pick UMiami over UNC or Michigan</p>
<p>My son just received his acceptance from UM. he's ranked in the top 10 of his class, 4.02 overall GPA, 1480 on SAT without the writing part (Miami doesn't require it this year). He was accepted and received a 3/4 scholarship which brings down the overall cost to around $18K per year. so go ahead. But first think about what you want to study. Does Miami have a program in what you want to do? In my son's case it did, so it was a good fit.</p>
<p>It appears that a "3/4 scholarship" means you still pay 3/4 of tuition, not that the college gives you 3/4 of your tuition. Is this common vocab or did the poster get it wrong? Just want to know so I know people are sayin when they mention that stuff in the future? Is the convention to say "an x scholarship" where x is how much is left for you to pay?</p>
<p>chibearsfan, UMiami costs $40K of which $30K is tuition. 3/4 of 30 is $22,500. $40-$22,5 is $17,500 or as the poster said @$18,000. What are you talking about? 3/4 tuition scholarship means he doesn't pay 3/4 of the tuition. LOL. He pays 1/4 tuition and then R+B.</p>
<p>UMiami does have excellent merit-based aid, but I want to make the point that for most people who qualify for need-based aid, that is still cheaper. My son is currently at Emory, for example. Emory has a cost of attendance of about $43K of which $30K is tuition. We got a FA package of $29K and so tuition is basically free. I will say in this case that my income is in the $75K range. Financial Aid does drop off significantly as family income approaches and surpasses $100K.</p>
<p>I am wondering what kind of need-based aid UMiami has. The tuition discounts at UMiami are not, relatively speaking, that hard to qualify for. I know it is hard to be in the top 5% of your class with a 1400, but that doesn't usually get you a 3/4 tuition break. If this is on top of the need-based aid that Miami provides, that is excellent. If UMiami is not meeting the need for most need-based applicants, then it is as if they are using their finan aid budget to attract better applicants as oppose to help people who can't afford college. I am not saying that UMiami doesn't give great need-based financial aid packages too. I don't know.</p>
<p>I don't know what the need based packages are at Miami (or anywhere else for that matter yet, they aren't out yet since the federal forms aren't due till next week). but in my case as the previous poster said, 3/4 means that 3/4 of tuition is covered. The problem that I see with need based financial aid is that in many cases the buld of it is made up of loans (subsidized or unsubsidized) where you still need to pay them back. Of course there are cases where a large bulk of need based is grants, but I think this is the exception rather than the rule.</p>
<p>Miami says they will meet everyone's need based needs but again, I would think they will be in some form of a loan. I'll take a scholarship any day of the week since it doesn't have to be paid back. For those that get need based grants, thats the cream of the crop. </p>
<p>In the case of Miami, my son had a 1480 on the SAT (790 on math), is in the top 10 (not %, top ten) of his class, has all 4's and 5's on his 6 AP classes, has worked an average of 20 hours per week for the last 3 years, and has been on the soccer team at school for 4 years. The 3/4 scolarship is not the highest one Miami give's either, its the 2nd highest. </p>
<p>Since I make a fair amount more than the $75K mentioned earlier, the scholarship was about the only thing I could hope for...</p>
<p>One more thing, the scolarship will be on top of whatever need based aid is offered. Miami doesn't preclude one from the other, you can get both. They apparently decide on the two independenlty, not in conjunction.</p>