<p>If I demonstrate interest in two scholarships on my app (Paul Tulane and Dean's Honor), will they still automatically consider me for the merit based aid? (I have a 3.9 and 33 ACT) </p>
<p>Please answer ASAP as I plan on submitting my app today.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Yes, as those two awards are very competitive. </p>
<p>Awesome! Thank you</p>
<p>@trose220 </p>
<p>Just to expand on that a bit, ALL people that receive the DHS or PTA were first awarded one of the admission merit scholarships, and the vast majority received the highest one, the Presidential. If you do then get a DHS or PTA, it replaces the first merit award.</p>
<p>Besides, admissions doesn’t know for sure you will actually submit your DHS and/or PTA application, only that you plan to. They proceed without regard to whether you checked that box.</p>
<p>@fallenchemist - do you think the level below the presidential scholar would have a chance at the DHS? I’m sure it would depend on the project but I don’t want to encourage my D if she doesn’t really have a chance.</p>
<p>@1strodeo </p>
<p>Yes, especially this year with the Premier Distinguished Scholars. Prior to that level being created, some Distinguished Scholars winners have reported winning in the past. I would think that can still be the case. It is tough to win in any case, but I still encourage anyone at that level and up to give it a good effort. With so many $$ at stake, it is worth it trying.</p>
<p>Applying will never hurt you but if you don’t get the Presidential Scholar or Premier Scholar awards I wouldn’t hold out too much hope of getting the Dean or Paul Tulane scholarships. In years past people who did get Distinguished also got Dean or PT (fairly new also) but that was because they didn’t have Presidential and Premier awards. Most Dean and PT winners come from two top automatic merit awards sections. </p>
<p>
That is only half true. The Presidential has been around forever. My D got it 6 years ago, before winning the DHS. The Premier is new this year, but without any history I think it would be premature to dissuade people that received the Distinguished Scholars Award (non-Premier) too strongly. The difference in the stats of the people that get these top awards can be fairly small. Having said that, your last statement
is certainly going to be true.</p>
<p>It is always tough to balance encouraging (or discouraging) students that did not get the very top awards initially but are close versus the time and effort involved. After all, there is a lot of money at stake, and of course if they don’t apply, the odds are zero. It is a very individual decision, and as long as they are aware that most award winners did initially win the Presidential (and now the Premier Distinguished Scholars, most likely) so that they can make an informed decision as to whether to take the time and effort to proceed, I am comfortable giving a little nudge in the “you should apply” direction.</p>
<p>Of course the other factors that can enter into the equation between the time one applies in December and the time they are awarded in late February/early March is that grades can inch up if they have a great first senior semester, and some students also raise their test scores. The level of “automatic” merit award probably won’t reflect those changed circumstances, but the DHS and PTA judges certainly can take them into account.</p>
<p>D accidentally did not check any of the boxes on the application that asked about intent to apply for merit or financial aid/scholarships, but she will be applying. Does failure to check those boxes have any impact on the automatic merit aid amount awarded, or ability to apply for the scholarships? Thanks. She has been accepted (online) but awaiting letter.</p>
<p>No effect, it happens. But I would have her send an email to her admissions person saying that she does indeed intend to apply for the DHS and/or PTA, and for need based aid if that is true as well. Just to have the record straight.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>if you receive one of the automatic merit scholarships, does that influence your financial need package in the spring (lower it obviously)?</p>
<p>@TP2525 </p>
<p>Yes, the Merit Based Scholarship (MBS) is an asset that is Tulane specific. Think of it as essentially raising your Expected Financial Contribution (EFC, basically the amount you and your family are deemed to be able to pay towards college that year) by the amount of the scholarship. So how much the scholarship helps you and in how many ways depends on the difference between the Total Cost of Attendance (TCA) and your EFC. Let’s run through a couple of scenarios. Let’s assume the TCA for Tulane is currently $65,000 just to make it a round number.</p>
<p>Scenario 1</p>
<p>TCA=$65,000
EFC=$15,000
MBS=$30,000</p>
<p>Therefore the remaining amount that needs to be covered by need-based financial aid (FA) = $20,000. This could be covered by grants from Tulane, loans, and work study, or some combination of the three. So in this scenario, your family doesn’t save anything out-of-pocket, you/they are still paying the $15,000. Where the big benefit of the MBS comes in is that it has reduced FA from $50,000 to $20,000, which almost surely translates into having to take out a lot less in loans.</p>
<p>Scenario 2</p>
<p>TCA=$65,000
EFC=$45,000
MBS=$30,000</p>
<p>Now the EFC=MBS exceeds the TCA, or put another way the TCA minus the MBS = $35,000 which is below the EFC. So instead of writing checks for $45,000 every year, your parents are saving $10,000. Obviously in this scenario FA does not come into play, whereas without the MBS there still would have been $20,000 to cover via grants/loans/work study.</p>
<p>Of course there are thousands of scenarios possible, but I think these two are probably the most illustrative. Also, in both these scenarios I implied that Tulane is meeting 100% of need. They do not guarantee that. I believe the average is something like 95% of need, although they do meet 100% in many cases. Just wanted to be clear on that.</p>
<p>I hope that makes sense to you. If I can be clearer about anything, let me know.</p>
<p>I just found out I was admitted. I have a 4.0 GPA with 2150 on my SATs. Do you think I have a shot of any significant merit award? I guess I will find out in about two weeks, but frankly merit aid is the dividing line between whether I can afford Tulane or not. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Based on what other people are reporting with similar stats, you will most likely get a good amount of merit money. It seems like the letter takes anywhere from 4 days to a week to arrive. Good luck, and congrats on your acceptance!! By the way, what state are you from? </p>
<p>I agree with @zebrarunner. I don’t think you will probably get the top award, but more likely the $27,000. Just my guess, obviously. Let’s see how close I come.</p>
<p>We’re from PA. My hope is that there’s something meaningful forthcoming given that I am AS '82 and Law '85, and my nieceand nephew also attended. Got my fingers crossed.</p>
<p>To be clear, are you saying that a financial offer of merit aid DOES NOT come with the letter of acceptance? </p>
<p>Does anyone know the different levels of merit aid being offered to accepted students?</p>
<p>
I am not sure who you are talking to, but the merit based awards, except for the full tuition ones (DHS and PT) ARE ONLY announced in the letter of acceptance. They are not announced on Gibson. So if there is nothing about a merit scholarship in your paper letter, then you did not receive one.</p>
<p>Someone posted the levels elsewhere, but Tulane says on the website
I believe the levels this year are:</p>
<p>$32,000
$30,000
$27,000
$23,000
$20,000
$10,000</p>
<p>@fallenchemist are the merit scholarships stated in the email letter of acceptance? Or does Tulane follow the email with a paper package with more detail?</p>