<p>So I have really worked hard in high school. My school is not too prestigious, but it enables one to make it as challenging as he or she wants. I took advantage of the opportunities, and consider my experience to be a successful one. For example, I'm en route to being valedictorian, am taking 6 AP classes as a senior this year, high ACTs, 4-year tennis team captain, etc.
Anyway, I'm absolutely terrified of not getting any merit-based money. What if I don't get anything? Then it will seem that all my persistence and participation will have been all for naught, you know? Like it wouldn't be worth all the time I spent studying to pull off good grades. If I get nothing, then I will wish I had just blown high school off like everyone I know. </p>
<p>Yeah…not really experiencing this problem either, sorry. I know that there’s plenty of colleges in affordable ranges that will be more than willing to accept me, even if I don’t get my first choice.</p>
<p>I’m sure that, with all you’ve described, some great college somewhere will be dying to have you and be more than willing to provide merit money.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are being a little paranoid - but that’s probably the stress talking. You have done everything you can at this point to make yourself a top notch candidate, and it looks like you have the stats. Are you applying to some schools with guaranteed merit aid based on your stats? That would guarantee that you would have at least somewhere affordable on your list, even if not your top choice. Other than that, you have done everything you can with grades, ECs, and test scores that you can at this point. Focus on your essays, that stop stressing about it; there’s nothing else you can do about it, so don’t waste mental energy on it.
You will be fine!</p>
<p>I’m a NMSF and 95% of NMSFs become NMFs, and so I’m probably guaranteed large scholarships from Northeastern and Drexel. Otherwise I’d probably be pretty scared, because my financial situation sucks and I’ll probably end up needing a lot of merit money.</p>
<p>I feel exactly the same way, except I’m just under salutatorian. For me, going to college depends on how much merit I get, and I hope not being in the top two won’t hurt me. Good luck I’m sure you’ll be fine.</p>
I’m sure you’ll be fine.</p>