I am trying to narrow down my college list by cost. I will probably not qualify for any financial aid, and I wanted to know details about the merit scholarships at GW (i.e. amount) and the likelihood that I would qualify for them.
Hi cram545!
Sometimes it depends on where you live (scholarships can be given out to attract students from places they don’t have many students from) and sometimes it’s your SAT/GPA - or if going score optional I would think a strong list of extracurriculars would be important too.
My son was awarded the Presidential scholarship and they offered $24,000. I don’t remember exactly at this point but I think he held a 96’ish average and 1450 on the SAT. He had 2 AP’s (his school only offered AP’s in senior year and seniors were only allowed to take 2), he had a job, volunteered with the nature conservancy, track all 4 years, science club, did an internship in a cancer lab over the summer at the end of his junior year, and published a book on Amazon. He didn’t have a ridiculous amount of EC’s or hundreds of hours of volunteering, but he did the same EC’s all throughout high school and they were consistent with his interests (science).
Good luck!
Thanks! I have higher stats than your son, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
@cram545 - one other thought: you should also double check on whether GWU considers interest during the admissions process as well. Unless a school specifically says that they don’t consider “demonstrated interest” in their evaluation, it’s a good idea to request information on the school using their website, sign up for a campus visit, maybe shoot your area’s admission’s counselor a “thoughtful” question (that you can’t find an answer to online). You want to ensure that they understand that you’re genuinely interested in the school.
Otherwise you could have great stats and amazing extracurriculars, but if you show no interest beyond sending in an application, you may find yourself waitlisted or rejected if they suspect you’re only using them as a safety for that “other” school in DC 
Hi there! Presidential scholarships are need blind and look solely at your academic history, and can range from a couple thousand dollars to $25,000. There are also several related to specific areas of study, and yes several that have to do with family association or where you live. In general there are not a lot of types of merit aid, but a good amount of students, including myself, receive any range of presidential scholarship if their academic credentials are high enough. For me, GW was the most expensive school I applied to, but after my scholarships it cost less than two other choices - just something to keep in mind! Best of luck 
@abbygwu they upped the top amount for the presidential scholarship. My son was admitted this past admissions cycle and was awarded the presidential. It was $30k per year for up to 5 years of study. He applied to SEAS, was a legacy and at the top of the applicant pool.
My S19 had a 3.7 W GPA and a mid 1200s SAT. He accidentally checked the box in the Common App that he would submit his SAT to GW. He called and explained that checking the box was an accident and he did not want to submit. They explained that since he checked the box, he MUST send his scores but not to worry - they take a holistic approach and he shouldn’t be concerned about his score.
He was accepted with a $18,000/yr Presidential Scholarship. He had no hooks but has a great story (cancer survivor). Ultimately he decided to attend another college, but this outcome made me a believer in GW’s merit aid offerings, and also their test-optional program.