My chances for merit-based aid

Paying for College
1

<p>I live in SC. I'm from a fairly low-income family, so I'm staying in-state because SC gives this $6700/year award for high SAT scores & GPAs.</p>

<p>Applying to: Furman University, Presbyterian College, Winthrop University, South Carolina Honors College/University of South Carolina</p>

<p>School Type: Public
Race: Caucasian
Gender: Female
Prospective Major: Modern Languages
Unweighted GPA: not sure on the 4.0 scale, but it's 98.4/100
Weighted GPA: 4.96 on 5.0 scale
Class Rank: 2/296</p>

<p>SATs
Math: 740
Critical Reading: 670
Writing: 660</p>

<p>I'm also taking SAT II tests in Match II-C and U.S. History next Saturday.</p>

<p>APs
Calculus AB: 5
English Language & Composition: 3 (but our teacher sucked)</p>

<p>EC's, briefly:
Yearbook Staff: 3 years. Co Editor-in-Chief this year. 11th-Student Life Editor, 10th-Staff Writer. Attended the prestigious Carolina Journalism Institure (a week long camp at USC). 10+ hours/week.
Marching Band: Color guard member 9-10, Received Letter and Bars. Up to 30 hours/week.
Theater: Cast Member in Musical "Aladdin Junior." 7 hours/week.
Student Government: Homeroom Representative-10, Senate Member-11.
Church Youth Group Member: 9-10. Attended twice a week.
Church Bible Study: 10. Attended once a week. Led some lessons.</p>

<p>Service:
Community Kids Kamp Volunteer-9. 20 hours.
Church Nursery Volunteer-10. 3 hours, once a month.</p>

<p>Awards:
National Merit Commended Student
B-27 Club (Honor Society): 9-12
Rotary Club Student of the Month
College of Charleston Cistern Scholar
Columbia College Scholar
Converse Junior Scholar
Wofford Scholar</p>

<p>Recommendations: excellent</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure I'll qualify for some need-based aid, but what about merit?</p>

2

<p>...anybody?</p>

3

<p>Have you looked at those colleges web sites to find out who qualifies for merit aid? Have you tried googling or looking in CC's archives to find profiles of students who got merit aid at those colleges?</p>

<p>What about Wofford, which has some nice merit aid for community service minded low income students? You also might qualify for admission nice financial aid and possibly merit aid at places like Rhodes and Vanderbilt. Being low income and National Merit commended may open some doors for you.</p>

<p>I also suggest that you retake the SAT to try to raise your CR score. Most colleges will combine SAT scores when they consider your application. They will combine your top subscores, so if you raise your CR score, that raised CR score will be what they'd use along with whatver writing and math subscores are your highest.</p>

<p>Many private colleges are more likely to meet a low income student's full financial need than are public universities. The private colleges may provide a higher proportion of financial aid in grants, while publics may provide a higher proportion of loan-based aid.</p>

<p>Also read the scholarship info threads pinned to the top of Parents Forum.</p>

4

<p>Nice record!</p>

<p>What NSM said!!!</p>

<p>I realize it is expensive, but I would try to take the SAT's again. It is just easier the second time. </p>

<p>I hate to open up the can of worms, but you might well qualify for some merit aid such that an out of state school could end up being cheaper than the instate school even with the $6700???</p>

5

<p>DePauw, URochester, College of Wooster, etc...will give you merit aid. Others will too, so I'd suggest you apply. BTW, if you're near the 75% or above it, you'll likely get merit aid if the school offers it.</p>

6

<p>Wofford has several nice merit aid packages. So does Furman. You have good stats. I believe both Furman and Wofford will match the Palmetto Fellows if you attend. In addition, look up the big scholarship programs at both schools and apply directly to them. Furman has the Lay/Duke scholarship weekend. In addition, 20 (SC students only) applicants are qualified to compete for the Hollingsworth which is $100,000 total. Clemson has the Clemson National Scholars, look that one up on their site. USC also has a flagship scholarship, (McNair?) forget the name. Wake Forest, Davidson and Elon also have nice scholarhips. Be sure to get in touch with the admissions officer for each school that you are interested that is responsible for your area (W Columbia). Good luck!</p>

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<p>Two years ago my S applied to USC with stats similar to yours. He was offered a Coopers scholarship (we're OOS...NC) and invited to join the Capstone program which also carried some scholarship money.</p>

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<p>BIG mistake to stay in-state, unless those schools have the absolute best possible curriculum for you! That's why you go to a particular college, not for the cost! You're smart, have #'s many elite private schools would accept, and if you're family's asset base and adjusted gross income (AGI) are modest and you're broke as well, private schools will meet your financial need 100% in scholarships, loans, grants and work-study.<br>
Don't cheap out - many elite schools would hold out a welcome ($$$) helping hand for a salutatortian such as yourself!</p>

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<p>Look at colleges that gurentee to meet need. Some LACs include: Amherst, Williams, Davidson, Grinnell, Wesleyan U, Swartmore, Haverford, Vassar, Hamilton, Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Connecticut C, Trintiy C. Some Univeversities include: Penn, Yale, UVA, URochester, Dartmouth, Brown, UChicago, Tufts, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, CIT, Rice.</p>

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<p>Do I really have a chance at places like Brown, Harvard, Dartmouth, etc. Don't you have to have like perfect SAT scores and oodles of ECs?</p>

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<p>See, I don't go to college if I don't have the whole thing paid for.</p>

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<p>Doubtful you would make it in to Harvard, Yale, etc but some other colleges mentioned are probable fits (Wooster, DePauw, etc). What Isleboy was trying to let you know is, if you are low income don't be afraid to apply to some top schools. Scholarships there are need based and you would qualify.</p>

13

<p>Your question about stats needed for Harvard, etc. : Check the individual college boards here and look at the stats, ECs, etc. of those rejected and accepted.</p>

<p>As for your statement that you won't go to college unless everything is paid for, you are being very unrealistic. It certainly is possible to go to college if one is very low income. </p>

<p>There are options such as Americorps, which in return for one to two years of fulltime volunteer service (that you get paid a stipend of about $200 a week for doing) gives you about $4,700 a year for up to two years of college.</p>

<p>There also are some similar programs that allow you to volunteer while you are in college, and to get some money toward your college expenses.</p>

<p>There's also Teach for Americorps: You teach in a low income school after college and get part of your college loans paid off.</p>

<p>With your stats, at the very least, you should be able to go to an in -state community college for free for 2 years, Afterward, you could transfer to a 4-year public institution.</p>

<p>Most college students take out some loans to help pay for their college, so expect to do that. The average amount of loans that students take out is $20,000 to pay for 4 years of college. It is reasonable to do this because obtaining a college degree will boost the income that you can make. Check a thread on the parents forum that will let you know how much of an income boost a college degree gives you. </p>

<p>You also could work fulltime and go to a 4-year or 2-year college part time.</p>

<p>Anyway, if you want to go to college, there certainly are ways for you to do so even though it's very unlikely to expect that you'll get a totally free ride.</p>

<p>Since you are religious, also check out Berea College, a well regarded Christian college in Kentucky that provides free tuition to low income students.</p>

14

<p>OP, please look at Rhodes. They have some very inventive scholarships that you may like. The one I keep thinking about specifically requires fairly low income, and pays big money ON TOP OF YOUR NEED AWARD. Very cool. It could be just the ticket. (Most scholarships do not work this way.) I'll post a link. </p>

<p>I do like Clemson, USC,Wofford, and Presbyterian and Furman though so you are not in bad shape in state.</p>

15

<p>If you have fellows(the $6700) Presbyterian if free(as are North Greenville and Anderson-not sure about Anderson).My sister is a soph at Presbyterian. Its a nice school but doesn't have what I want or else I'd go there. I believe they pay tuition, room+board, and fees. Pretty nice. I've heard Furman doesn't give much money to instate although I'd still apply. Personally, the only instate I am applying to is Wofford.</p>