Looking for a college that gives merit scholarships to a student with a 3.65 and act of 24. HELP!!

Paying for College
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<p>What is your home state?</p>

<p>There are two University of Maine schools that have COAs around 20k…and they give merit. If you got merit, a Pell grant, a student loan, summer work, being thrifty, and parents couple thousand, I think it would work.</p>

<p>The University of Maine at Fort Kent and the University of Maine at Presque Isle
today unveiled a new tuition structure for out-of-state and international students that offers competitive pricing in those markets and also acts as a catalyst for economic development in Aroostook County.</p>

<p>For those students, that means their tuition would see a 40% reduction from $16,560 a year to $9,900 a year. Local economic development leaders are welcoming the rate change and what it means for the area.</p>

<p>OOS Tuition $9900 per year (and there are some lenient merit offers that could further reduce)
COA $20,592</p>

<p>(full-time) 24-36 credits $9,900
Fees 2 $975
Health Insurance 3 $997
Books & Supplies 4 $1,000
Subtotal: $12,872
Residence Hall Room 5 $4,150
Board (19-Meal Plan) 6 $3,570
COA…$20,592</p>

<p>You need to ask your parents…if they are giving a couple thou to brother, can they double that when two are going to college?? They may only be able to split what they are currently giving. </p>

<p>Others can chime in here…would they qualify for tuition tax credit for two kids? If so, maybe they can give that money to their kids?</p>

<p>Also, look at University of South Dakota…total cost is low there. Maybe merit, too.
<a href=“http://admissions.usd.edu/cost-and-aid/upload/USDAdmissions_31694.pdf”>http://admissions.usd.edu/cost-and-aid/upload/USDAdmissions_31694.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I just looked at U South Dakota’s scholarship calculator. You would get a small award. When you look at the above costs, it might be doable with Pell, merit, student loan, parents, job, etc. Do you have health insurance? If so, you might get that cost waived.</p>

<p>Also …look at this list</p>

<p><a href=“VERY LOW COST OOS COA universities......less than $25k COA for everything! - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>VERY LOW COST OOS COA universities......less than $25k COA for everything! - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;

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<p>This is another idea- Salem College- a small women’s college in NC would award merit aid for a student with your stats. In addition to need based aid, it might be doable. </p>

<p>This may be one that you don’t know for certain what the financial aid is until you apply, since there are different endowments that might be awarded to applicants. They may be willing to waive the application fee if you asked, so it may be one to try and see what happens. </p>

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<p>@skygirl97 My daughter is attending Mount Holyoke and she had a 3.46 unweighted GPA at the time of application. (She did have a 2100 SAT score and terrific recommendations.) So I do not think that MHC is too much of a reach for you. And they are a meet-100%-need school (grants, work-study, federal subsidized loans). I absolutely encourage you to apply: it is a wonderful, wonderful school. You should really try to get an interview with the representative for your area when they are in your area. (Google Mount Holyoke Admissions and your home state to find who it is, and email them!) Also do try to visit if possible, and do an overnight and/or sit in on classes. “Demonstrated interest” does count.</p>

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<p>A 2100 SAT is equivalent to an ACT 32. That is quite different from an ACT 24. I’m not saying that the OP shouldn’t try, but it does sounds like it would be a big reach. </p>

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<p>Yeah but MHC is test-optional, so OP doesn’t have to submit her ACT. But you are right, I specifically mentioned my D’s score because that may have helped bolster her low-ish GPA. That said, though, OP’s GPA is higher than my D’s… so I don’t think it’s total fantasy for her to consider MHC. She may even improve her GPA by January. Of course she should also find some more match and safety schools, but I think she should apply to MHC :)</p>

<p>I feel for OP because we were in a similar situation: B+ student with high financial need. It’s tough, especially if you’re looking for a highly intellectual, small LAC environment like my D was. Luckily OP is not being so picky, so hopefully she will be able to find some other choices.</p>

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<p>Look at Moravian, Elizabethtown, College of St. Rose, Albright.</p>

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<p>What intetesting about the Top tier test optional colleges is that the SAT score of their admitted test opitional students is much different then the Test scores which were submitted by traditional applicants. </p>

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<p>^^</p>

<p>Where are those numbers published? I thought one purpose of TO is to avoid having those lower test scores reported and hurting their middle quartiles.</p>

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<p>Since you’ll consider Florida, you might want to look at Flagler in St. Augustine. It’s already inexpensive as far as privates go, and I think you’re exactly the sort of student they try to attract.</p>

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<p>@mom@collegekids I believe the purpose of TO is to select candidates who are more prepared on holistic level for ta changeling LAC course of study–a program which requires, creativity, leadership, focus and strong sense of committed purpose – not simply scan-tron masters. </p>

<p>While I can’t speak for every TO school, many of the Top Tier require “admitted students” to disclose test scores (if available) for reporting and tracking purposes. My D was asked on her enrollment forms and she complied. </p>

<p>While the idea of Test optional is fairly new, many schools have published studies, tracking cohorts of TO admits v. TS admits. These same schools also track Cohorts banded upon test score. While the higher SAT?ACT students do better the first year, the results even out by year four. What does that tells us? Do SATs really have value in predicting college success? Or, were the other attributes of the low SAT admits (primarily focus and persistence) enough to compensate for low scores? Or, do the Top Tier schools just do an excellent job of education college students in general? </p>

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<p>My guidance counselor gave me a list of test optional schools. She does not think test scores are as important as GPA , class rank, and extra curriculars to many better colleges.<br>
She supports the idea of applying to Mount Holyoke!</p>

<p>Is Saint Rose the same Saint Rose that talk show host Jimmy Fallon attended? I remember that he said that he earned all “all Cs”: in high school and that Saint Rose “was the only college that would take me.”</p>

<p>I’ve been in honors track since Freshman year. I’m not a “C” student. I’m just “newly poor”. :wink: </p>

<p>Moravian sounds interesting though! :smile: </p>

<p>GC is encouraging Alfred University and Elmira College, because they have lower tuitions. She thinks that they give good aid to students such as myself. </p>

<p>Any feedback?</p>

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<p>Elmira’s COA is $51K. Alfred’s is $45K. The average ACT at those schools is 24. They do meet, on average more than 75% of need with average grants running in the mid $20K range. So I don’t know where your counselor gets the idea that the costs there are that low. However, GCs often do know of schools that have been good to grads of a given high school. If that’s the case, add those schools to your list. Does GC have some idea of what your family EFC is and how much or little your parents can afford to put towards your educationn? “Low” cost, “good” fin aid are relative terms that may not mean the same to everyone. </p>

<p>Regardless of what you do, make sure you have some local state schools on your list that are definitely affordable and achievable. You never know what schools will end up giving in aid packages and merit awards, unless they are truly guaranteed by formula.</p>

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<p>Also, want to add, that some of the test optional schools, Fairtest schools are NOT needblind for admissions/and may not be al that generous with fin aid. My experience with them is that merit money from those schools tend to g to high test scores reported. </p>

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<p>TO is a new concept which, obiviously, is misunderstood by many.<br>
Sky, make sure your parents are prepared to file out the CSS profile using last years tax return. They can also take advantage of each schools NPC–which will give a ball park cost. This is your parents job. Your job is to tighten up those apps and schedule interviews. Best of luck. </p>

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<p>They are filing it. They have done this before. I am working with a woman who is a college counselor - not affiliates with my school - so that I can polish my essay. </p>

<p>Does Albright really meet needs? GC says that it does, as of this year.</p>

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<p>^ They try to according to their web site. <a href=“Financial Aid – Albright College”>http://www.albright.edu/admission/financialaid/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>^ Wow, that’s pretty cool for a school that isn’t “very” or “most” selective… looks like they have a lot of visual and performing arts majors, too. I am going to remember this one for some of the high school kids I know who are starting to look at colleges. What’s the reputation there? Vibe?</p>

<p>Edited to add: I’m not sure their “meets full need” is what we think. This is entirely anecdotal, but I just read this on another thread on CC: “Albright claims to meet full financial need-however their idea of meeting is the PLUS loan.”</p>

<p>If that’s true, is that legal? Certainly not ethical.</p>

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<p>I saw that post. But the poster is looking at schools not at awards itself. According to what the new push is, it will be meeting full need, and PLUS loans are not considered financial aid in the common data sets. They are outside loans, not counted. Of course, what they actually do, we aren’t going to know. </p>

<p>EDITING: I called Albright’s financial aid office and one of the officers confirmed to me that PLUS is not included in the financial aid package and is available for parents to use to meet their EFC, not what Albright defines as need. </p>

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<p>^Great news, thank you for getting the full story!</p>