Merit Scholarships

<p>Macalester gives merit scholarships but is there any way to predict how much you can expect (apart from the National Merit winners)? They say around 50% get some merit money, but how can you predict how much? It's kind of a big deal after all.</p>

<p>Most colleges that give merit aid do not reveal their formula. A few scholarships are automatic at some schools, but generally the college like to retain the ability to distribute as they see fit behind the scenes. What are your stats? What can you afford? You might get some feedback from people who applied in the last couple of years with comparable information on what they received.</p>

<p>My Stats:
SAT:2340
GPA: 4.0 unweighted
Class Rank: 1 (unweighted), maybe 2 or 3 weighted (we give a little extra weight to AP’s)
SAT Subject Test: Math 2:800, US History:800, Physics: 780
AP: 5’s on APUSH (self-study), AP World, AP Chemistry, AP Physics B (C not offered), AP Calc AB (BC not offered), AP Lang, AP US Gov
Current Classes: Calc 2 and 3 joint enrollment, AP Bio, AP Micro, AP Macro, AP Lit, Newspaper, couple of grad req’s, self-studying AP Euro</p>

<p>EC’s: Newspaper for three years and now managing editor, Founder and editor-in-chief of school literary magazine, NHS, French Club (VP junior year), Academic Team Captain and may go to nationals, 1st place state science fair, did research and have an abstract published in a professional journal, won a journalism scholarship to go to DC for a week, write for a professional sports website</p>

<p>State: South Dakota (moved from Georgia after sophomore year)
URM: No</p>

<p>pde54003, Our daughter had less spectacular stats than yours, but more unusual ec’s that fit into Macalester’s international focus. She got $16,000 in merit aid plus $16,000 in financial aid. </p>

<p>I think the moment of truth for her came when she wrote the “why Macalester” essay for the Common App and realized how perfect the fit would be. It was a surprise to her at the time, but everything she has experienced so far seems to be substantiating that initial impression. She is terrifically happy with the program, the faculty, the other students, etc. Finding the right fit is very important – although funding (aid) makes it possible at all, of course.</p>

<p>That’s great to hear @ardentgarner. Our EFC is really high (just below 60K), but we can only afford to pay 25-30K. Clearly merit aid is going to be key unless I take a ton of loans. Anyone else?</p>

<p>OP, last year my D had slightly better test scores, but a lower GPA and class rank. And was local, not from South Dakota. She got $13,000 in merit from Mac and would have had $2,000 for NMF as well. Our EFC is similar, and she did not get any need based aid. She was offered $2,000 in work study and loans. I’d be surprised if you could get more than a total of $20K in merit aid from them; I PMed with some NMF applicants the year before about their merit awards to see what the range was, and I think the highest I heard was not more than 20K total (sorry, don’t have the exact figures, had to clear out my mailbox and those PMs are gone).</p>

<p>Just FYI, her best financial deal from an LAC came from Lawrence. She got a total of $23K/year plus work study, and their cost of attendance is lower to start with. Another school she considered and did not apply to, but that would have been pretty reasonable was St. Mary’s College of Maryland (the public honors college of Maryland). It is very “LAC-like”. It is quite rural (VERY rural), but on the St. Mary’s River and is almost summer-campish in the campus feeling. They have some merit awards, too, which could bring the cost down. Maybe not all the way down to $30K, but closer than some other schools.</p>

<p>The kid received a NMSF letter from Macalester which, if I recall correctly, indicated that to be eligible for merit aid beyond the NM scholarships, students must fill out the financial aid application. Did I read this correctly? Does anyone know if there is a need-based element to larger merit awards at Mac? </p>

<p>Edit to add: we do not qualify for need-based aid.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, I see that a couple of people are citing their “EFC.” If that EFC is based on the FAFSA, you might consider that you will also have to fill out the CSS finamcial aid application form for Macalester (as for many other colleges). While the CSS is far more intrusive, it also gives you a better chance to explain the (possibly painful) details of your financial situation. It probably helped us to get a better financial aid package.</p>

<p>Thanks, but we were not planning to complete the FAFSA or any financial aid documents, as we know we will not qualify for need-based aid anywhere. So my question is, are the larger merit awards from Mac to some degree need-based? And must the student complete the FAFSA (or CSS) to be considered for those larger merit awards?</p>

<p>Looks like everyone is considered for merit.</p>

<p>[Merit</a> Scholarship Awards - Financial Aid Office - Macalester College](<a href=“http://www.macalester.edu/financialaid/about/merit/]Merit”>Merit Scholarships - Macalester Financial Aid)</p>