Merit aid? (And chances)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Virginia
1

<p>Does UVA offer any merit aid upon acceptance? I'd love to attend if I get in, but paying for it might be a problem. I saw on UVA's website that there are some scholarships available for people who maintain high grades and do well once they're attending, but is there any possible way I might qualify to have my tuition somehow reduced upon matriculation? (Other than being a Thomas Jefferson scholar, which I'm not in the running for.)</p>

<p>On another note, anyone care to chance me? I think I have a good shot at getting in, but my guidance counselor insists that it's not a lock... I admit, I really just need to feel a little more secure about this; please don't smite me for arrogance ;)</p>

<p>*SAT I: 800 CR - 790 M - 780 W (2370)
*SAT II: 800 physics, 800 Math II-C, 800 US History, 780 biology, 780 chemistry (top three 2400)
*UWGPA around 4, weighted 4.86 (4.9 after midyear grades)
*Rank: 2/303, maybe 1/303 after midyear grades
* AP: Four 5's: Computer Science A, US History, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics. Self-studied the economics ones
* Senior Year Course: Six AP's: European History, US Government and Politics, Spanish, English Lit, physics, statistics. And gym.
Awards: Academic Decathlon first and second in region + lots of other awards, Columbia book award, NHS, National Merit Semifinalist, New Jersey Science League top 10% (three years), County Math League first in group, cross-country player of the year.</p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<ul>
<li>Extracurriculars: SADD (president), GSA (treasurer), cross-country (varsity), winter track, spring track, politics club, earth club, recycling club, community service club, science league, state and county math leagues, flute choir, Bible quizzing, Academic Decathlon (defunct), quiz bowl, helping developmentally disabled teens (grades 9 and 10).</li>
<li>Job/Work Experience: Tutoring.</li>
<li>Volunteer/Community service: Library volunteer, recycling through school, community service club activities.</li>
<li>Summer Activities: Cross-country camp, calculus BC through CTY Online.</li>
<li>Essays: Common app was good, I think, but I'm struggling with the UVA ones.</li>
<li>Teacher Recommendation: One said I was among the best students he’d ever taught, not sure about the other.</li>
<li>Counselor Rec: When she was holding it in front of me I sort of saw something about “boundless intellect,” but since I wasn’t supposed to read it I didn’t try to see more :P</li>
</ul>

<p>Intended Major: Physics.</p>

<p>Oh, and I'm a legacy but I'm out of state, sort of hoping they'll cancel out.</p>

2

<p>re: merit aid: please SEARCH the forums you will find this has been asked 2309482039482309 times in the past (answer is basically no - unless you find outside scholarships).</p>

3

<p>Whoooops, sorry, and thanks for the tip. :)</p>

4

<p>no problem, good luck :) also being a legacy makes you in-state for admissions purposes (not tuition purposes though). more on that can also be found via searching. :)</p>

5

<p>based on your supplied info, I think you are exceptionally strong. I have followed a lot of discussion threads where I learned a lot about diverse applicant profiles for nation's top colleges like MIT, U Chicago, Penn, etc including the profiles of those who got early acceptance. Your stats are good enough to give you a fifhgting chance at any of the top schools. I am not surprised that the admission counselor told you that this is not a shoe in. No responsible counselor will tell you that you have a near 100% chance for anything. </p>

<p>I am a bit surprised that you have such a modest expectation: after all, UVA is not even close to these top schools except for the Jefferson Scholarship competition, which is an entirely separate thing.
Are you not applying to any of the top colleges?</p>

6

<p>By the way, you still have a chance for Jefferson Scholarship competition. Thoug the majority of the contestants are nominated by their HS, they do invite a few from the general application population to compete for the scholarship based on the strength of the submitted application. As you probably know, Jefferson Scholarship is a full ride scholarship, and in my opinion, the most prestigious full ride scholarship out there.</p>

<p>Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised. Good luck.</p>

7

<p>"Are you not applying to any of the top colleges?"</p>

<p>I am; I actually got deferred EA at Yale and applied to some other "top colleges", but UVA is probably still my second choice. I'm having a hard time figuring out my chances, though, since it's not that well-known in my area.</p>

<p>As for the Jefferson Scholar thing, I'll definitely look into it if invited to compete. It didn't initially appeal to me enough for me to look into seeing whether my school could nominate someone this year, but it would still be really hard to turn down something like that.</p>

8

<p>The deadline to submit the scholarship application online was November 3. I think you are probably too late.</p>

9

<p>I think the admissions office forwards their best candidates to the Jeff Scholars Foundation so it may happen yet.</p>

10

<p>yeswecan is correct. Nov 3 deadline is ONLY for the contestants who are entering the competition through the route of high school nomination. UVA admission office picks a few very promising candidates among those who apply to UVA in general, and submit them for consideration to Jefferson Foundation. If you get chosen this manner, you still have a chance. By the way, there is NOTHING you need to do right now (no separate application etc) other than applying to UVA as you are planning to do anyway.</p>