My son is currently a high school junior, with a 3.4 unweighted and 4.38 weighted GPA. His SAT score is a 1300 (660 verbal and 640 math). Class rank is 100 out of 636. His EC’s include National Honor Society, 4 years of school lacrosse (2 years JV and it will be 2 years of varsity). He will also have 4 years with a local Lacrosse club. He’s done 100+ hours of community service mainly focused on youth sports mentoring. He has a Bronze Congressional Youth award. 5+ years of piano. 2 years of work experience as a Lifeguard at a neighborhood pool. We live in NC and are an upper middle class family. Can afford in state with little to no aid. He is willing to look out of state if he can get some aid and keep loans to a minimum (but is willing to take out some). He is applying to UNC-CH, NC state, Clemson, VA Tech, UNCW, and Univ. South Carolina. Is there somewhere else east of the Mississippi that we should consider? Good schools that offer merit aid to a kid such as this? Schools comparable to NC State and or Clemson? Help…
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We live in NC and are an upper middle class family. Can afford in state with little to no aid
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Are instate costs about $25k per year and that’s what you can pay without student loans? Sounds like you’d be full pay at UNC-CH with no need based aid and no merit scholarships. Would his stats get any merit at NC State? Or would higher scores be needed? Would he get merit at UNCW?
I know that Clemson OOS is quite high, and I don’t think much merit would be given for a New SAT score of 1330, since that is about an ACT 28
Maybe Miss State would give enough merit to be similar to instate. USouthCarolina might give some merit.
What is his major and career goal?
Yes, I am assuming full pay at in state schools. Would need some aid at Clemson, and as you pointed out, his current SAT is a little low for that - he is planning to retake in June. I am not sure if he’d get any merit aid at NCSU. He is undecided on major, but really seems to like science or maybe business. Will look into Miss State and USC further…I do think USC would give him some merit aid. Any others?
Does he play lacrosse at a level where he is recruitable and does he want to continue playing?
He’s been recruited at small D2 schools but doesn’t wish to go to any of them. I think he’d prefer to finish out high school lacrosse and be done.
University of Alabama gives very good merit aid.
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Yes, UA does, but he’d need higher test scores to get the better merit awards.
West Virginia.
His current test scores are actually within range for a 7500.00 scholarship at Clemson, but he would have to have a rank in the top 10% and he currently is ranked in the top 15%. Even with higher test scores, unless his rank significantly increases the likelihood of merit is small. Clemson is very numbers based when distributing merit. ECs carry little to no weight . Aid at University of SC would probably be tuition reduction to instate rate .https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/tuition_scholarships/scholarships/nonresidents/index.php
https://www.clemson.edu/financial-aid/types/scholarships/clemson-scholarship-recruiting.html
The problem with Clemson is that the out of state tuition is so high to begin with that even with a $7500 scholarship, tuition is higher than a lot of other places before any scholarships are factored in. And its recent football success gave it a lot of publicity and cachet, which might make admission more competitive.
Wake Forest is a test scores optional school. Maybe he can get good merit merit aid there. Not as big as some of the schools you are mentioning but it has Division 1 sports.
Wake Forest is on his list. Yes Clemson would likely consider him for the merit aid of $7500 even without being top 10% (see their asterisk for more on this). They’ve gone outside for quite a few people I know. But that is an excellent point about their football program. They will see a large rise in applications this year due to that.
@chb088 Clemson is pretty consistent with their 10% ranking when distributing funds. IME, when they make exceptions , it is with students that have exceptional test scores and GPAs. His scores fall in the 50% range.
I don’t think Wake Forest will give him merit. Maybe Univ of Richmond, but I think they are known for FA, and they seem to be getting more competitive. James Madison might be within your range. If you want merit, look into Rhodes College in Memphis or Rollins and Eckerd in Fl.
I’ll second my alma mater Rhodes. It is barely east of the Mississippi. I chose it because of a generous merit scholarship I received. The school is very small but has fine academics and great merit aid. The school has a terrific community service program. Your son might be a good fit for the D3 lacrosse team there.
My 35 ACT high stats D was offered no merit aid from Wake Forest back in 2014, although they did 100 % of her need. She did get full tuition from the University of Richmond and attends there. UR’s average ACT is 32, so no merit likely there.
I think his stats are probably too low for merit aid from Richmond as that school has become very competitive even to get into. He would have a shot at between $15k - $25k per year at U Miami with his stats, particularly if he applies ED or even EA. If he likes the atmosphere the NC and SC state schools then he should like Miami. Also, another option is George Washington University in DC or Elon University where he might merit money with his stats.
Good luck.
My nephew got the $7500 scholarship without being top 10% and his test scores were the same as my son’s, so I don’t really put much in your theory. Our high school is one of the most competitive in the state, offering 24 different AP classes and a 4.0 unweighted GPA doesn’t even get you into the top 10%. That said, applications will go up this year, so the test score needed will probably go up as well. I do think private schools offer more aid in general than the big state schools. We probably need to look at a few more of those.
@chb088 my “theory” is data provided to me at multiple information sessions provided by Clemson representatives. Many other students also attend extremely competitive high schools throughout the country as well. Unfortunately , students are competing for admission and aid against students from all over the country , not just their high schools.
@carolinamom2boys I’m speaking strictly from experience. But time will tell. Thank you.