<p>Hi, I'm trying to think of schools for a St. Louis area girl who is a good student with very good grades and rigorous HS record (many APs), who will have some in-state tuition support but who would like to graduate with minimal debt as an education major. Any suggestions for nearby schools with good odds for merit scholarship support? Test scores pending. Need-based aid not likely. I doubt that the family will support a far-away location, but probably will support a drivable distance from St. Louis. TIA!</p>
<p>What’s wrong with Truman State?</p>
<p>How many hours/miles would they consider “drivable”?</p>
<p>Where does she want to teach?</p>
<p>Doesn’t St Louis U offer some good merit scholarships?</p>
<p>Westminster in Fulton, MO, about two hours from St. Louis. Good to very good merit aid possible ([Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.westminster-mo.edu/admissions/finaid/Pages/Scholarships.aspx]Scholarships[/url]”>http://www.westminster-mo.edu/admissions/finaid/Pages/Scholarships.aspx)</a>) with a relatively low starting COA for a private LAC (~$28k/year for tuition, fees, room, and board; [Tuition</a> & Fees](<a href=“http://www.westminster-mo.edu/admissions/finaid/Pages/TuitionFees.aspx]Tuition”>http://www.westminster-mo.edu/admissions/finaid/Pages/TuitionFees.aspx)). They have an Ed major ([Education</a> - Westminster College - Fulton, Missouri](<a href=“http://www.westminster-mo.edu/academics/majorsminors/majors/education/Pages/default.aspx]Education”>http://www.westminster-mo.edu/academics/majorsminors/majors/education/Pages/default.aspx)).</p>
<p>MO state Us offer lots of merit money to top students, but without the test scores it is impossible to predict what will be available to her. If she scores >34 on ACT, she can get MO Byrd scholarship (1500/year)- can be taken anywhere, and the bright flight is 1500/year as well (if she stays in MO)</p>
<p>The “discount rate” (the amount of scholarship a school offers and to what percentage of students) is pretty high at Rockhurst in KC.</p>
<p>*Doesn’t St Louis U offer some good merit scholarships? *</p>
<p>SLU seems to offer a lot of $15k per year scholarships…nice…but the remaining cost is more than just paying full freight at one’s state school. I’m guessing the OP wants a situation which is less than a state school.</p>
<p>OP…do you know what the student’s test scores are? It sounds like the GPA is good, but as we all know, a good GPA won’t get you merit without good test scores (in most cases).</p>
<p>When you say that the location should be in the SL area…do you mean like a 3 hour radius or what? </p>
<p>I agree that Truman St may be a very reasonable choice.</p>
<p>Truman is good - nice town, I lived there for awhile. I would have chosen the ‘old’ Truman (Northeast Mo State U) , but probably not the new…</p>
<p>UMKC has an education department. If you agree to work in one of the inner city schools for a specific amount of time, they ‘forgive’ your loans. It’s not in the greatest part of town…right between a very shady area & the Plaza. I know a couple of kids there in pharmacy and they like it. We took a tour there looking primarily at their 6 yr med program, but did go by the education department.</p>
<p>What about Washington in St Louis?</p>
<p>Southeast Missouri State is close to St. Louis and I know several who have gone there for education. SEMO offers quite a few scholarships and depending on test scores may pay for tuition and possibly even more. I had a high school teammate (from Illinois) who went to SEMO for free.</p>
<p>I like Westminster. Very nice LAC, if you like LAC’s. Nice moderate vibe. New science facilities. Happy students.</p>
<p>Re: Truman State University</p>
<p>If I am not mistaken, the education degree is generally a five-year program. Students major in the field of their choice, then complete a master’s degree in education. If this student has significant advanced standing from AP exams, perhaps she could do it in four years. (That is a guess.)</p>
<p>[Undergraduate</a> Majors, Minors, and Programs of Study - Office of Admission - Truman State University](<a href=“Admission | Truman State University”>Admission | Truman State University)</p>
<p>I know several current freshmen at Truman State. All like the school, but not all like the town. Most have some merit scholarship money. Really good records can result in significant merit money.</p>
<p>We live in Missouri and I have been to nearly every campus in the state. Truman is a great school but there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to do in Kirksville. One movie theater, one non-fast-food restaurant. We have friends whose kids go there and love it, but they grew up in a small town. Several of them will graduate in three years debt-free due to AP credit and merit aid. Two of them paid no money for their Truman degree and got a stipend to study abroad. But they are not “social” kids. The town is a huge drawback.</p>
<p>Southeast Missouri State. More great merit aid. Cape Girardeau is in the bootheel so it has the most “southern” feel of all the state campuses. Town is a little better than Kirksville. Better sports. I think they are moving to D-1 in basketball.</p>
<p>Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri) in Springfield. Straight shot down I-44 from St. Louis–about a 3.5 hours. More great merit aid. Largest of the directional campuses. Many kids from our high school go there and like it very much. D-1 basketball and the next leve; down in football (not D-2, the other one that used to be D-1A). Springfield has an Ozark southern/country feel. MSU draws students from Arkansas and they attend at a reduced rate. More Baptist churches and Chinese restaurants than any town in the state.</p>
<p>University of Missouri (Mizzou) has a great education department but as the flagship, merit aid is much less. Our son could attend either of the three schools above nearly free. At Mizzou, he will get about $8,000 max in merit aid and that includes National Merit. Mizzou gives 10 Mizzou Scholars grants worth $10,000 per year. Just 10–and this year 350 kids qualified to apply (33+ on the ACT.)</p>
<p>I think the post above nngmm has the wrong ACT figure for Byrd and Bright Flight. It is 31 and above, up from 30 a few years ago. It’s based on the statewide ACT average.</p>
<p>Our son received merit aid information from William Woods (formerly the sister school to Westminster in Fulton, now co-ed itself), William Jewell in Liberty (a four-hour drive from STL) and Rockhurst in KC. I don’t think the merit aid at SLU would make it equivalent in cost to a state school. Tuition plus room/board is over $40,000.</p>
<p>I am a current Truman student with a fair amount of merit scholarship. Most students I know received at least some merit-based aid.
Just to give some perspective, I received $13,500 (with an opportunity to interview for a full ride, which I did not take) in scholarships, based on the following statistics:
ACT - 35
SAT - 2250 (M800, CR690, W760)
SAT II - 800 Math II, 680 German
HS GPA - 3.96 (unweighted), 4.78 (weighted)
6 APs - 3 4’s and 3 5’s
While I am not a huge fan of the town, the college (especially the music department) is very good. The school is one of the best I found as far as giving merit-based aid.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’d be careful with the sports comment. Women’s gymnastics is good and baseball is decent. Football team was awesome this year, but been bad in the past. Basketball has struggled since moving to DI in 1991.</p>
<p>My son goes to Mizzou. He did not receive any merit aid. Our HS is A+ and he did receive a very minimal $1000 for it from Mizzou. (CC gives you full tuition for 2 years with A+ - BUT it is CC).</p>
<p>Also agree with Missouri State in Springfield. It has always been good but seems to be in an ‘up & coming’ era. I keep hearing good things. I know a couple of kids from our HS that go there.</p>
<p>Boliver also has a good program. I always forget about them - but do know 2 kids that go there. (Brother & sister - so the family must be pleased)</p>
<p>a 34 ACT does not automatically qualify you for a Byrd Scholarship in MO. It depends what congressional district you come from.</p>
<p>Our school district seems to value degrees from Truman and Mizzou. By far, Truman offers more merit aid and the opportunity to receive your Masters in 5 years. However, Truman is not for everyone. The town seems to be the biggest drawback, and the size of the school is too small for some.</p>
<p>Mizzou offers the “flagship experience” but LACKS in the merit department.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>Any comments on merit at Stephens College in Columbia, MO? It has been commented on favorably before on CC.</p>