<p>My son wants to either go to UC Berkeley or Stanford as a Classics major. I have heard that many colleges offer merit aid to Classics majors. Is this true?</p>
<p>Neither of those schools give merit scholarships for Classics majors. </p>
<p>Stanford doesn’t give any merit scholarships. UCBerkeley mostly only has Regents for mostly instate students and it’s for small amounts (if I remember correctly).</p>
<p>If you need/want merit scholarships for your son, then he needs to look at lower ranked schools. High ranked schools get enough high stats kids so they don’t need to offer any merit incentives.</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>What are his stats?</p>
<p>Do you need/want merit scholarships to help pay for college?</p>
<p>Rhodes College is one: [Rhodes</a> College | Other Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards](<a href=“http://www.rhodes.edu/finaid/1409.asp]Rhodes”>http://www.rhodes.edu/finaid/1409.asp). Look toward the bottom of the list to find the Spencer Fellowship in Greek & Roman Studies.</p>
<p>Lives in California.
Currently in 4th year of Latin (IB HL 2).
A+s every semester so far.
Has got 6’s and 7’s on practice IB exam.
SAT II Latin: 770
Currently in 3rd year of Ancient Greek (IB SL - only three schools in the world offer this)
A+'s every semester so far.
Top Latin and Greek student!</p>
<p>Other Stats:
Competitive Private Catholic High School in Orange County (this may be to his disadvantage)
UW GPA: 4.0
W GPA: 4.8 (honors, AP, and IBS count as 5’s)
Class Rank - 4/392 (all a’s but full ib kids get to take ib philosophy instead of religion so they get a gpa boost)</p>
<p>Junior Schedule:
Religion 3
AP Lang - 5
AP BC Calc - 5
AP US History - 5
IB Latin HL 1
Ancient Greek 2 H
AP Physics C: Mechanics - 5</p>
<p>Self Studies:
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism - 4
AP Psychology - 5 </p>
<p>Summer:
General Chemistry at CC - A
Environmental Science at CC - A</p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
Religion 4
AP Lit
AP Stats
AP Macroeconomics
IB Latin HL 2
IB Ancient Greek SL
AP Biology</p>
<p>Self Studies: AP Microeconomics</p>
<p>Academic Awards:
Top Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Latin, and Greek Student!
Scholar Athlete for Soccer and Tennis 4 years in a row!</p>
<p>SAT: 2300
ACT: 34
SAT II Chem: 780
SAT II Physics: 750
SAT II Latin: 770
SAT II Math II: 800</p>
<p>ECS:
4 years soccer (1 frosh, 1jv, 2var)
Won the US Youth National Championship in Boston, 2008
4 years varsity tennis (captain junior and senior year)
MUN (4 years, traveled to London, Boston, and China, 7 gavels)
President of Futbol 4 Dreams Club (sends decorated soccer balls as well as cleats, jerseys, shorts, and other soccer equipment to underdeveloped countries around the world/1,500 balls sent so far)
President of Kiva/Microfinance Club ($1750 loaned so far to over 20 countries)
Member of Ping Pong Club
CSF 4 year member
NHS 2 year member (tutored for NHS throughout junior and senior year)
Link Crew Leader (Freshmen Transition Program)
Member of Lion’s Heart (community service organization for teens, president for 3 years, 500 hrs)
Special Camp for Special Kids counselor for 3 summers (planning to continue summer after senior year)
Fluent in Spanish
Conversational in German</p>
<p>what were his PSAT scores. were they above 219[ the Calif cut off score?]
If so then look at the long list of colleges that give 1/2 / full tuition scholarships to NMF’s
His stats / athletic skills are inline with accepted students at Stanford, which loves scholar athletes. But lots of kids from all over the country and world are just as qualified.
If he wants to be a classic major he should also apply to U of Chicago, which does have a few [ 30] merit scholarships, and has one of the strongest Classics depts of any US University.</p>
<p>*Competitive Private Catholic High School in Orange County (this may be to his disadvantage)
*</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Why do you think that is a disadvantage? </p>
<p>I went to a Catholic high school in Orange County and I think these schools do a fine job getting students into good universities… </p>
<p>however, I don’t think your problem is going to be getting him into very good schools. I think your son’s school can do this (I know which school he goes to - I have a nephew there. ). However, if merit money is wanted, then the bigger issue will be finding those schools and whether those schools will be acceptable for someone who wants elite schools.</p>
<p>What is it that you want/need? Do you need for your son to get big merit scholarships for college? If so, then you’ll need a strategy to find those schools. However, many won’t be elite schools like Stanford or UCB. USC might give him merit for stats.</p>
<p>BTW…it’s not a good idea to look for scholarships based on a major because if your son changes his major, he’ll lose his scholarship. It’s better to find a scholarship based on his stats. That way he can major in whatever he wants.</p>
<p>What was his PSAT for junior year?</p>
<p>He got a 230 - Math 78, Critical Reading 75, Writing 77</p>
<p>he’ll definitely make NMSF. And, as long as he keeps his nose clean at school and does the NMSF paperwork next fall, he’ll make NMF.</p>
<p>There are many NMF scholarships…USC would give him a half tuition scholarship…about $20k…that leaves about $35k per year. Some schools would give him a lot more.</p>
<p>What is your situation? Do you know how much you can pay each year?</p>
<p>The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has a very nice academic program for Classics and some of their scholarship opps are a full ride. UT, Knoxville has their very own Board of Regents and they are a “semi private” University. I give them a good five years or so before they go “full on” private. </p>
<p>A big secret to my home state of Tennessee is that some of our public schools teach Latin at the high school level.</p>
<p>[UT</a> Knoxville | Department of Classics - Scholarships](<a href=“http://web.utk.edu/~classics/scholorships/scholarships.html]UT”>http://web.utk.edu/~classics/scholorships/scholarships.html)</p>
<p>If he is willing to look farther afield than UCB and Stanford, he will find that there are some very good schools that offer merit scholarships to students with profiles similar to his. That is not to say they all offer good classics programs, though.</p>