<p>I agree with Curmudgeon - the competition for the top scholarships is tough indeed. Never ever think you can count on getting one, or on getting one to a/the school you like. While your kid may be the best of the best at their hs, they may be one of hundreds, or even thousands, in a particular applicant pool.</p>
<p>Plus, you never know with a state school how the crazy people are going to decide who gets a scholarship. Our local state u decided to take the 250 kids who qualified for their top dog scholarship (where they invite 25 for a "weekend" wine and dine, and give 10 of those the full package) and rank them according to their ACT essay subscore (not the 36 scale score, the 12 max score you get on the essay itself) and the top 25 essay scores were the ones invited for the weekend. So even with an ACT 35, 4.0, NMF, etc, D didn't get an invite from the local u (she got an 8 on the essay). Her friend who got into MIT also did not get an invite.</p>
<p>I am still mad about it, can you tell? Anyway, something totally crazy may still eliminate your darling genius from someone's selection list, so don't "count" on anything.</p>
<p>Thanks. It's not like these were not smart kids. You needed an ACT33 or higher and a GPA of 3.8 or higher to be considered. They used to use a written essay to "further sort" the group, but last year decided to go with the new ACT essay instead, and apparently then just "sorted" everyone by the essay score (D also got a perfect on the multiple choice part of the writing section, but an 8 out of 12 on the essay). I guess that made it easier on state u to just use these number scores, as it saved them all the time they used to spend reading the responses to university prompts. But it does show that even with what look like killer stats you can still get left out.</p>
<p>There wasn't anything in writing by the state u saying they were going to do this, but when it became obvious D wasn't getting a letter, I called up in curiosity (hearing the whirl of the helicopter?). The girl asked what her essay score was and then said that an 8 would have put her "too far down the list to make the top 25". Oh well, she didn't want to go there anyway, but it still stinks imo. Just an example of how much of a c**p shoot the whole process is.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Top scholarship competition at top 100 schools makes HYP look like open admissions. Success rates are often below 1% of qualified applicants. Amost all of the most prestigious scholarships require interviews and weekends and all sorts of nebulous holistic considerations that you just cannot predict the outcome.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I guess we can now add after "all sorts of nebulous holistic considerations " the following: </p>
<p>"or weird last minute unpublished freakshow ratings based on standardized testing crap that doesn't matter to anyone". ;)</p>
<p>I chose scholarship recipients in my long-ago job. Someone else made up the scholarship application forms, and they really didn't give me much besides "stats." I might as well have put them all up on the wall, blindfolded myself, turned around 3 or 4 times, and thrown a dart to pick the "winners." </p>
<p>Actually, I TRIED to see differences between the applicants, but it's tough. All those smart, talented kids ran together after awhile!</p>
<p>Even I wouldn't have used that darn essay, though! Especially when my own D's subscores for English & Reading were 36. The essay (9) would have been her downfall ... which would be fine IF she couldn't write! I am not a fan of the writing process ACT prefers (2 supporting ideas & a counter-argument/rebuttal combo, if what I have been told is correct). After all that drilling about 5-paragraph-3 supporting ideas! </p>
<p>Ah, well ... but did all turn out well in the end for you & yours? That's all that counts in the long run, because it IS all a crapshoot.</p>
<p>Everything turned out fantastic for her. She really didn't want to go to state u, mostly 'cause she wanted to go oos, far away, up north east coastish in a big city. She got a full tuition scholarship, plus an engineering scholarship, and is now happily ensconced in Pennsylvania, 1200 miles away. She and her friends are happy as fleas on a dog. Everything usually works out for the best. Like the song says, "you don't always get what you want, but you just might get what you need"</p>
<p>What could have been a sad story ended well. I try to hold on to the belief that things happen for a reason (of course, that might just be my defense mechanism for coping when I don't get what I want). There are stories throughout these threads of disappointments with wonderful aftermaths!</p>
<p>It's just hard when a great kid gets passed over for a dumb reason, though.</p>
<p>This is me:
Michigan State: 6K per year University Scholarship and a one-time 5k Study Abroad Scholarship
University of Arizona: 2k per year
Northern Arizona University: around 3500 per year
Arizona State (where I am going): nothing...yes, nothing. So now I am applying to a lot of private and local scholarships. </p>
<p>My son got a Global Citizen scholarship from Goucher ($15K per year, contingent on good grades) and a Dean's scholarship from Lewis & Clark ($10K per year). While he might get a little merit money at a few others (when/if he gets the NMF status) that will be it for us. I knew what to expect because of hanging around CC.</p>
<p>Our HS seems to always give the big RPI award to kids who (though very deserving) don't want to go to RPI.</p>
<p>My daughter was awarded the Honors Scholarship at Kansas State University -- amounts to about 1/2 of non-resident tuition and fees for all four years. Her stats are 3.9 weighted GPA, 31 ACT. She has also completed about 40 semester hours of college credit while in high school. She's applying simultaneously for early admission to K-State's college of veterinary medicine.</p>
<p>DS is National Merit Semifinalist (pretty sure he'll be finalist). 35 ACT, 2300 SAT (800 math). 3.9 gpa, #4 in his class, great recs, excellent jazz piano player other ECs.</p>
<p>So far he's been awarded $1500 Univ. of Michigan Regents scholarship and a boatload of full rides from all those colleges that give free rides to NMF. From MSU he's been invited to honors college, and awarded money there both for honors $2000 and to do the Professorial work study thing. Also accepted at U. Chicago. Hoping for some bigger scholarships but from the sounds of things on this thread, not likely to happen. He also applied to some other schools hoping one of them will pop for scholarships.</p>
<p>I got a $3000 merit scholarship specifically for out-of-staters from Evergreen State. 1 year, and then you have to reapply. But it's still something. </p>
<p>3.9 UW GPA, 2110 SAT, top 5% of class, yada yada yada :-D</p>
<p>D received the Presidential scholarship ($9000/yr) at Lawrence University; this follows on previously noted $7K/yr at Illinois Wesleyan and at Otterbein, $11,000/yr at Saint Louis U and at Drake, and $16K/yr at Ohio Wesleyan. She interviews at Beloit in early Feb, the school that is her favorite just now. Two more acceptances to go.</p>
<p>DS got letter today from University of Michigan's college of Literature, Science and Arts, awarding him $40,000 over 4 years! We are thrilled. Because he is in state, and already received the $1500 Regents (1yr only) this means next year he can go there for less than $10,000! </p>
<p>White male
In state
35 act
2300 sat
3rd in his class, small rural school
3.9 gpa--took latin online for 4 yrs and all AP courses available
great recs
good ECs--music related, but planning on pre med.</p>
<p>U of M is a great school. This is a fantastic opportunity. He's worked so hard for this so we are very proud!</p>
<p>Congratulations on the U of M $40k scholarship. I know lots of great kids who are going there, and none of them got that one! You must be very proud.</p>
<p>Kelsmom, thanks so much.
We are indeed proud and he is very honored. It feels great to have this somewhat settled. Pending any other fantastic offers, U of M is likely the place for him. I love it because he will be only 5 hours from home, so that means we can visit, he can visit, and we can be our typical helicopter parent selves! Just kidding--really ready to let go in lots of ways. Read about LSA scholarship online--they give only 90 out of 9000 admitted students--a fine group of kids so he is feeling pretty darn special. Go blue!</p>
<p>My D received $10,000 (Deans Scholar) from Onio Northern with possiblity of more after scholarship day in a few weeks. She received $10,000 from Ohio DOminican and asked her to apply there. Waiting to hear from others.</p>
<p>rank 3/361
3.9 uw 4.2659wt
5 of 8 Ap's district offers, AP scholar
ACT 26</p>
<p>My D has been offered a Trustee's Scholarship at Allegheny of $50,000 over 4 years. (Rank and GPA somewhat random, due to her overseas schooling. 2080 SAT.)</p>