<p>Anyone know when news about merit scholarships comes out?</p>
<p>The Furman website has not been updated recently. It appears from previous years’ posts that invitations to Scholarship Weekend were sent at the end of February.</p>
<p>If you’re applying for the Townes, Lay, or one of the other named scholarships, I believe that you’ll hear about that in the next month or so. </p>
<p>As long as you checked the box on the Common App to be considered for merit scholarships, you’ll be looked at for an Achiever scholarship. Those vary a bunch in terms of dollar amount; you’ll find out whether you got one when you get your acceptance letter in the mail (or maybe slightly afterwards).</p>
<p>Thank you for the update! I was just looking for info on scholarships. What are the values of Achiever Scholarships? General info would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I don’t know exactly what the range is for Achiever scholarships, but I believe that they vary significantly. I get between $15-20k per year, which is much more merit money than I was getting at other schools. I think that there are smaller awards being given out, as well as the bigger scholarships that have named benefactors.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, I had an interesting conversation with a prospective new faculty member for the Political Science department, and a trio of other students who were picked to help with the selection process. She asked why each of us had picked Furman and the answers were universal: “It’s one of the best LACs in the Southeast, and they gave me more money than anywhere else.” </p>
<p>That said, the financial aid department is really good about working with parents and students to come up with a way to get enough money to students. However, if you are on a merit scholarship, the school is completely serious when they say that you need to maintain a 3.0 (for Achiever) or a 3.5 (I think that’s the minimum for named scholarships). I’ve seen a number of students get scholarships revoked for poor academic performance. Sometimes, students can take a semester off to get their grades up, but that’s not always the case.</p>
<p>I notice this year that the NM semi-finalist scholarship is gone and very disappointed. I’m hoping furman comes through with good aid but I’m not sure they stack scholarships and that hurts!</p>
<p>Furman still gives scholarships to NM Finalists. Its scholarship website says:</p>
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<p>Also, I spoke to a financial aid office representative this past fall who told me that NM Finalists would receive $14K in scholarships. I cannot find this anywhere on the website, however. Perhaps this has been reduced to $1,000. That would certainly be disappointing after what I was told.</p>
<p>Can the amount of money you receive with the Achiever Scholarship increase or decrease proportionally with your grades?</p>
<p>No, the scholarship amount does not change from year to year unless it is revoked entirely for falling below the minimum GPA. Here is the renewal policy as stated on the Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Notice:</p>
<p>FURMAN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP RENEWAL POLICY: Academic scholarships are awarded on high school
academic achievement and evidence for success at Furman. Renewal requires a 3.00 cumulative GPA for coursework
completed only at Furman. These scholarships include Lay, Duke, Achiever, Honor, and Furman Scholar. Grades are
checked at the end of each academic year. Freshmen who have a minimum 2.85 cumulative GPA at the end of their first
academic year may have a one-time probationary period in order to earn a 3.00 cumulative GPA by the end of next
semester. If a 3.00 GPA is not earned, then the scholarship is canceled and non-renewable. There is no probationary
period for upperclassmen or transfer students.</p>
<p>schokalade: in the past Furman had a $14,000 scholarship for NM SEMIFINALISTs regardless of if they went on to NMF. It is no longer listed on site. Maybe that’s what the person you spoke to was talking about. I hope it’s still there.</p>
<p>My D was a NMF and attended Furman from 2006-2010, and she only received $1000. She did receive $9000 Achiever Scholarship.</p>
<p>Good luck to everyone! I’m keeping my fingers crossed!</p>
<p>Our kids, class of 2012, were sent academic scholarship letters within 3 weeks of regular admission deadlines in 2008. While Honors and Achiever scholar funds do not change, students also can be eligible for additional $$ based upon their major. DS had one friend who chose one major over another because of availability of scholarships with a particular program.</p>
<p>Here is one slight modification to Woody’s post about GPA requirements Unless it has changed, freshman with academic scholarships get until the end of their first 2 semesters to maintain requisite GPA. IOW, if first semester GPA is 2.8, student will have through spring semester to ensure GPA is at 3.0 or above. Furman has become increasingly generous with merit offers since our kids matriculated. We know of 4 2010 grads offered in excess of 25K in merit $ for same GPA and in fact, slightly lower test scores than our kids who were given significantly less money. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Thank you for the very informative post, Georgiatwins!</p>
<p>Yes, thank you once again, Georgiatwins!</p>
<p>Any scholarship news yet? Should be this week, I would think…</p>
<p>Got invitation to interview for Holllingsworth today and accepted.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!! What an honor.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your great news! </p>
<p>Were you notified by email, US mail or other?</p>
<p>us mail, purple slightly oversize envelope</p>