I really want to go to OSU, but the tuition is just too expensive without this scholarship. Since there are no more tests available for me to take due to the November 1st deadline, I have a 1320 on the new SAT a 29 on the act to offer for OSU. I originally was fine with my 1320 until OSU upped the requirements a little. I only took 1 act (this September) to recover from my lacking sat score. So my question is when applying should I only submit my act score since it’s the only score that meets the requirement? I’m right on the dot for minimum for this scholarship so I need as much help as I can get to improve my chances.
@almosthavoc - If I am understanding your post correctly, you have attempted ACT only once with a Composite of 29 and getting this scholarship could be a decision factor for you.
If that’s the case I would submit that ACT + App + Transcripts etc. You can always take another round of ACT in Dec and submit those scores too for consideration. I would not hold back on ACT = 29 just because the deadline is close.
Also, the 1320 on SAT equates to 29 on ACT (see link below), so no harm in submitting both (if that’s what you would like to do).
http://collegegrid.com/sat_scores_by_score.asp?score=1320
Hope this helps!
I can do that. Submit my app then take another act to possibly better my chances of the scholarship?
@almosthavoc - Yep, my friends did it. BTW, I am freshman at OSU.
Have any National Buckeye Scholarship recipients come from high schools who don’t rank or provide class percentiles? Either because that is just their policy or because the high school is small? If so, how did Ohio State evaluate you for the Natl Buckeye if you meet the minimum SAT/ACT, since they state you must ALSO be in the top 25%?
@Nova88 this is completely false- my high school did not do any class rank and still offered me the National Buckeye Scholarship. I had a 3.27 GPA with a 2200 SAT.
Metalmonk28, thank you. Hoping that is still the case, since S meets the scores and has an 3.75 GPA.
I have a 3.48 uW and a 4.02 W. My act is a 31. How d
*how do I look for the scholarship? My school does not provide class rank.
You will get it because you have the score.
@almosthavoc Personally I would not send the SAT score and only send the ACT score since that does meet the stated criteria while the SAT does not. Although the link that dreamed provide might say an 29 ACT is equal to a 1320 new SAT, OSU has clearly stated their new SAT requirements are 1350. And OSU might very well make a decision about your application before you even take the December ACT test if you submit your app prior to Nov 1. Acceptances started being released as early as 11/20 last year. If they accept you you may be able to ask them to re-consider scholarship award if you submit a later improved test score but I don’t think you can assume they would.
@mkat12 anyone who submits an application to OSU is automatically evaluated for the scholarship. You do not need to “look for” it. This page on the OSU website gives you all of the facts about the OSU merit scholarships.
https://undergrad.osu.edu/cost-and-aid/merit-based-scholarships
@soyunchico - no one should assume they are definitely getting the Buckeye. There are examples of students from the last admission cycle who met all the stats but were not given the scholarship - see post #14 in the attached.
Even though it may sound like an auto-scholarship, OSU states on their website: "Ohio State’s merit-based scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and are not guaranteed. ".My son was awarded the National Buckeye Scholarship last year and he comes from a high school that does not rank but someone looking at his application could have reasonably assumed he was in top 25%.
He also received the Maximus scholarship which requires a higher SAT and higher class rank (top 3%). His SAT met the criteria but there is no way anyone looking at his file could have reasonably assumed he was in the top 3%. None of us will know exactly what other information, aside from test scores, OSU takes into account when determining whether to award the Buckeye or not to a student who does not have a class rank. I have often wondered whether the “profile” of your high school is taken into consideration as my son comes from a nationally ranked public school (for whatever those rankings are worth).
And there is always the possibility that they simply run out of money to award.
I should have been clear, I meant how do my chances look for getting it haha. But thank you for the in depth reply!
Hi everyone - my first post here.
Question - My son’s application is in but the recommendation letter from teacher is not in yet - is there any danger that OSU will not consider for scholarships just because letter is not in yet or that they will run out of funds if the teacher does not submit the letter soon?
Thanks for your help.
@jmack4 - The letter of recommendation is required material for admissions consideration. They will put your son’s file in regular decision if they do not get all materials in before Nov 1 deadline. I would think that would impact not only admission decision but also scholarship considerations for your son. So I strongly recommend getting that last piece in.
Two questions:
(1) chance of acceptance from OOS with 3.8 gpa at competitive private northeast HS (doesn’t rank), 29 ACT (taking again), Multiple varsity sport athlete, community service, job since junior year,6 APs (4’s on exams taken so far) honors for rest, sibling is an alum.
(2) assuming accepted, chances for National Buckeye?
Thanks!
My ds is a freshman this year at OSU. He was right at a 28 for ACT (the minimum last year), with a very strong GPA, honors and APs classes, upper 15% in a class over 600 for class rank, and he did not get the Buckeye. Applicants were so competitive, it went way higher than base requirements. From many posts last year, we found we were not alone in our disappointment. If you are at minimum requirement in any of the criteria just be prepared that it may not come through depending how strong the applying class is. We were led to believe that at long as you hit the benchmarks, you had a good shot. The people posting they were awarded the Buckeye were much higher than the minimum. Unfortunately, he was completely sold on OSU from the beginning, so we are painfully paying OOS tuition. Fwiw, lack of class rank didn’t appear to be an issue from former posters.
@Bridger4 Thanks. I am trying to get my S to cast a very wide net for exactly that reason, the pool of OOS applicants is getting tougher each year, Nat’l. Buckeye isn’t a given by any means. That being said, improving scores will help…so if he REALLY wants it, keep on testing!
I hope your S is loving his freshman year in every way. OSU/Columbus is an awesome place to spend 4 years 
FYI… ( I know it’s a bit late for this) the last ACT score that OSU would have accepted for consideration for the National Buckeye Scholarship and most other merit based scholarships (for Autumn 2017 start) was the September test. They require that all materials be in by Nov 1. You cannot take the test after September wth the hopes of getting the 29 that is needed because once the score is received at OSU after Nov 1, you go into the regular decision pool. Those applicants are not eligible for the scholarship. But you can use those scores to help you get admitted to the school; however, they come in too late for consideration for the merit scholarships.
My student attends a ranking school that is a top-100 school nationally. Nearly 1/10 of each graduating class is a National Merit Scholar. As a consequence of being at such a competitive school, my student is not inside the top-25%. At any other school in the local area and probably 90% of schools nationally, my student would land in the top-25%.
I was told that 50% of all applicants come from non-ranking schools and they have a proprietary method to assess rank. 95% of all applicants are from the top-25%, too. My student has SAT scores in the top-25% of all tOSU applicants.
That all said, because the school ranks, my student will not likely receive the National Buckeye, yet far less qualified students will.
Did anyone get National Buckeye or Merit in the mail today?