<p>I just got my MCAS results back today. I scored in the advanced category in all sections. I'm curious to know how much UMass Amherst would actually cost with the scholarship. Also, are my MCAS scores relevant in the admissions process at all? Would any private or out-of-state schools even look at them? </p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship gives you free tuition at UMass Amherst. The catch is that tuition is currently $857 per semester (the rest of the cost is made up of “fees”). So altogether that’s $1,714/per year for scoring well on the MCAS. Your actual MCAS scores aren’t relevant to the admissions process at UMass or anywhere else. </p>
<p>Very helpful 
thank you very much</p>
<p>It ain’t much, but it’s $1714 that doesn’t have to come out of your pocket.</p>
<p>Lots of folks are confused as to why tuition is so low but fees are so high at UMass. Here’s how it was explained to me by a financial aid official during an accepted students day: tuition goes into the state’s general fund–state house politicians get to spend it however they please. Fees, supposedly, stay on campus in Amherst. Hence, UMass benefits financially with the current system. </p>
<p>Now whether or not this it true…it does sound reasonable.</p>
<p>Interesting–thanks MADad for that information!</p>
<p>My understanding is that in addition to scoring Advanced in the MCAS you also need to be in the top 10% of your class in order to be eligible for the John and Abigail Adams tuition waiver. There is another tuition waiver, whose name I can’t recall at the moment, that is awarded for MCAS scores and achieving a certain score on two SAT II tests, AP tests, or a combination thereof. Ask your guidance counselor.</p>
<p>twobugs—are you thinking of the Koplick (sp?) scholarship??? Same monetary amount as the J/A Adams scholarship. </p>
<p>@twobugs - You don’t need to be in the top 10% of your class, but you need to be in the top 25% of your district. Over half of my son’s class got the scholarship this year. Very nice for them even though it doesn’t make much of a dent in the cost. I’ve also heard that if you qualify for financial aid, the Adams scholarship will be part of your aid package, so it doesn’t give you anything extra. So, it really only helps people who can afford to pay anyway.</p>
<p>I was told that kids with good grades taking AP courses but didn’t make the cut for an Adams scholarship at their high school are invited to apply for a Koplick scholarship.</p>