Merit scholarships

<p>When does MU typically notify you of OOS merit scholarships?</p>

<p>michmom…many of the automatic scholarships are posted on their website.</p>

<p>I do not know about OOS, since we are IS. Miami has many private Merit $$ available, D.'s IS tuition has been covered . However, her package has increased after she indicated her plans to attend. I do not recall any private Merit scholarship mentionning state of residence.
Also, please, be aware that filing FASFA is very important for increasing chances at Merit $$ at Miami. And make sure your student apply to Returning Student Merit scholarships every year while at Miami if college GPA is high - very significant additional merit $$ (most kids neglect to apply to this, leaving more $$ for those who do).</p>

<p>I thought FAFSA was used to determine financial need and therefor “need” based aid. MU is using FAFSA to determine who receives “merit” aid?</p>

<p>The merit scholarships for incoming freshman (except for the Harrison) at Miami are “automatic” based upon ACT/SAT and GPA. To receive the automatic scholarship you still need to complete the FAFSA - As to why, I didn’t get a good answer. The office said they want to make sure we get all money we are eligible for - even when I said we are a 99,999 EFC family. Free money is free money, so I completed the FAFSA.</p>

<p>I am awfully glad to know that the automatic scholarships require FAFSA completion. That money is critical for my son’s attendance. I would not have completed FAFSA otherwise.</p>

<p>My DD received a letter in today’s mail letting her know she received a merit scholarship.</p>

<p>Evidently merit scholarships can/are awarded without filing FAFSA. However, to be sure you “get all money we are eligible for” you should file FAFSA just in case there is some need based aid you are also eligible for.</p>

<p>MU will cost 10K per year over his instate option with the MU automatic scholarship. Our son is splitting the difference with us, so will be borrowing 5K/year. I imagine that he should complete the FAFSA app for that?</p>

<p>IMHO…everyone (except International families) should complete the FAFSA if for no other reason than you will at least be eligible for Stafford Loans. Plus…who knows…maybe MU will find some “extra” money laying around that they may decided to give you.</p>

<p>We have received snail mail before D. started at Miami stating that if D. wants to recieve full range of Merit $$, we should file FASFA. We are nowhere close to be eligible to need based, not only because of income but also because of absence of debt and no other dependents.<br>
MU is not the only place to use FASFA for Merit $$. Most Med. School reguire FASFA to be considered for Merit Scholarships. </p>

<p>It is easy and very worthwhile, strongly recommend to file every year.</p>

<p>OOS son received a letter today offering $7k per year merit scholarship. We’ll still file FAFSA just to make sure MU doesn’t have some more money with our name on it.</p>

<p>We just got son’s award letter today. YEA!! He needs to make up some of the difference between MU and IU, which will be made up with Stafford. So we’ll file a FAFSA. But we are very happy with the initial award!!</p>