Need suggestions for niece's college--w/ merit

Parents Forum
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<p>Hi, I'll lead by saying I don't have exact stats, but niece is a NMSF. She has very good but not 100% perfect grades, and some knock out ECs. Amazing pianist (has placed in national competitions) and gifted in theater. My sister has Ivys in mind, and I guess that might be a possibility but I want to be sure niece has some good options come spring (she's a senior).</p>

<p>Right now, list is Ivy-league and one or two state schools that niece would be okay w/ going to, but not excited about. There must be something in the middle--a nice LAC w/ merit (they prob won't qualify for much/any aid).</p>

<p>Interests--sociology, psych, music, languages. Probably not going to MAJOR in piano, but would like to continue it in some fashion. Would love to be able to at least have a shot in auditioning for a play during college. </p>

<p>Midwest is best area.</p>

<p>Anybody have any ideas? I was thinking Oberlin but not sure about merit there. College of Wooster maybe? Earlham? Ideas welcomed!</p>

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<p>Have her poke around the CTCL schools (many in the Midwest). Lawrence has a music conservatory.</p>

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<p>Schools that have serious theater programs tend to have their offerings for those in the program. I know so many gifted pianists and string players that are just a dime a dozen in college if they are not in the programs as such. So that a school like OBerlin has a conservatory on campus is not helpful for those not majoring in the performing arts as they will have more than enough such kids and many of them so dedicated that they are focusing their college studies in that area. Better you go to a college where music, drama are not so segregated and the general population has access to those resources. My son found this out when he was looking at Performing Arts schools and programs. It does you no good being the outsider looking in.</p>

<p>College of Wooster, Kenyon, Denison, all have strong academics and good merit possibilities. Northeastern has Boston as its campus and offers free tuiion, maybe more for NMFs. What they have in terms of theater and music opportunities, one has to check, but I am sure there is something there.</p>

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<p>Off the usual lists…Lake Forest in Chicago? There is a lot of access to community theater. Also Northwestern.</p>

<p>If she would look in Pennsylavania, maybe Muhlenberg or Dickinson? Both are generous with merit aid, and Muhlenberg especially is known for theater.</p>

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<p>To derive these lists I have used Kiplinger’s list of “Top 100” private liberal arts colleges. That list is determined by a combination of academic measures, total cost, and financial aid (both need- and non-need based)</p>

<p>1) taken the percentage of non-need based aid receiving students and multiplied it by the average non-need based aid received to derive a “total merit aid per student” number (this calculation could be made for 97 of the 100 entries on the Kiplinger list)
2) filtered to colleges in OH, IA, MN, WI, MO, and IL (no schools in KS, NE, ND, SD on the source list)
3) pulled off the top 12 (eliminating Wabash, a men-only school)</p>

<p>Thus, these are schools more likely to award higher amounts of merit aid (starting with the most likely).</p>

<p>The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
DePauw University, Greencastle, IN
Denison University, Granville, OH
Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA
Hanover College, Hanover, IN
Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
Lawrence University, Appleton, WI
Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL
Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA
Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
College of Saint Benedict, Saint Joseph, MN
Goshen College, Goshen, IN</p>

<p>By these criteria, Oberlin is 18th. I will note that, like Oberlin, Lawrence also has a music conservatory. I will also add that the first seven on this list also finished in the national top 12 for the “total merit aid” calculation at private LAC’s, with the top three also being the top three in the nation (on the source list).</p>

<p>In the next list I have used the same total merit aid calculation but subtracted it from the total annual cost. Again I eliminate Wabash and also Principia, whose mission is educate Christian Scientists. These are schools most likely to be least costly after merit aid is awarded (starting with the least costly).</p>

<p>Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
Hanover College, Hanover, IN
Goshen College, Goshen, IN
Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA
Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA
Hope College, Holland, MI
The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
DePauw University, Greencastle, IN
Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
William Jewell College, Liberty, MO
Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
Knox College, Galesburg, IL</p>

<p>Oberlin falls much further down on this list as it has a relatively high total annual cost. Earlham is not on this list but its non-need based numbers should be available on its common data set. In this listing, The College of Idaho in Caldwell, ID finishes first in the nation but midwestern LAC’s occupy five of the top eight places.</p>

<p>Edit: If you want to scope in PA colleges, Ursinus, Juniata, and Allegheny fair best under the “total merit aid” calculation.</p>

<p>For reference, here is the source list: <a href=“Kiplinger | Personal Finance News, Investing Advice, Business Forecasts”>Kiplinger | Personal Finance News, Investing Advice, Business Forecasts;

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<p>Besides the above suggestions,look at the NMF forum. [National</a> Merit Scholarships - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/]National”>National Merit Scholarships - College Confidential Forums) Make sure your niece and family read this forum, because it gives great advice about how to specify your #1 choice–important for NM merit money.</p>

<p>Macalester is a midwest LAC that (last I checked) gives some guaranteed merit money to NMFs. There are other midwest LACs that also offer NM money. Given the piano interest, she could also look at USC and U Rochester. Lots of options besides Ivies and state schools!</p>

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<p>OP - My kid was NMF this past year, strong B average in full IB program, no national or state awards, some interesting ECs and academic competition. She got merit aid from every college that accepted her. (more than 10, but I forget exact # now) From the colleges already mentioned here, Denis0n gave a $20k merit award and Earlh@m gave $15,500 merit award. After looking at all her choices, she decided on Earlh@m for various reasons. </p>

<p>I remember looking on their website for a friend for info about their theater program. There’s also a community theater in town that some students do stuff with too. Our campus tour guide in the spring told us that tons of students participate in musical activites even though most of them weren’t music majors. </p>

<p>Beloit also offered merit aid (I forget the amount right now!) and emailed her to say that NMFs automatically get a $5000 grant. I can’t remember if it was NMF or NMSF for that but I think it was NMF. Also, Earlh@m gives something like $2500 for NMF but my kid’s other FA from them made that unnecessary. We most likely have a lower income than your niece’s household so the whole FA package is different but if she makes NMF, that $2500 would be available to her as merit beyond what they would’ve already offered her. (my kid didn’t put her first choice NMF school in until late so didn’t get that letter about the extra NMF $$ from her college until maybe some time in May or June)</p>

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<p>Look at Case Western. I have heard it is a good environment for kids who are interested in music but not music majors. Nice scholarships.</p>

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<p>University of Evansville has strong music and theater programs and NMF’s are awarded full- tuition scholarships.</p>

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<p>Denison has the Paschal Carter Scholarship that is $40,000/year for NMF’s. Caveat: student must visit the campus by Jan 31st & the funds can’t be used for a semester abroad: [Academic</a> Scholarships - Denison University](<a href=“http://www.denison.edu/admissions/academic_scholarships.html]Academic”>Denison University | A top liberal arts college located in Ohio)</p>

<p>I’ve also heard good things about Juniata’s NMF award. </p>

<p>Miami of Ohio just upped their merit aid for OOS students. Not a huge NMF scholarship, but I’d assume that a student who scores high enough on the PSAT’s to make NMSF would score high enough on the ACT/SAT to qualify for the automatic 1/2-full tuition scholarships: [University</a> Merit Scholarships | Miami Scholarships | Scholarships | High School Students | Financial Aid | Admission | Miami University](<a href=“http://www.miami.muohio.edu/admission/finaid/high-school/scholarships/miami-scholarships/merit.html]University”>Costs, Scholarships, and Financial Aid | Miami University)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>jonri raises hand…I have a question. Did anyone ask you to come up with this list of schools? If not, why are you doing this? It’s a recipe for arguing with your sister, her H and your niece. If they DID ask you for help…then carry on!</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone–fantastic ideas!</p>

<p>Jonri–niece asked me. It is a little tricky. I want to just suggest a couple good possibilities for niece to look at. My sis is kind of overwhelmed with the whole process, and is leaving it to niece to come up with other ideas. Sis also thinks niece is a shoo-in for Ivy, and she might be, but it’s not a sure bet for anyone, and I don’t want to see niece in the lurch. No husband in the picture–he’s an ex, and not involved in their lives much at all–lives across the country.</p>

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<p>Nice of you to help out in this way paperplane. You might also warn your sister that the ex’s income will be counted in the FA equation for the Ivys.</p>

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<p>CC forums are littered with posts from Ivy (and similar) rejects who thought they were “shoe-ins”. Not a good premise on which to build a list no matter how accomplished she is.</p>

<p>You are very wise (and supportive) to pursue alternatives. Good luck to her!</p>

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<p>Grinnell College offers merit aid.</p>

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<p>My daughter with under 2000 SATs, nowhere near NMSF, no hooks was offered 20K merit at Denison, Juniata, and Wooster, and 15K merit at Oberlin and Dickinson last year. Anecdotal, but there you go.</p>

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<p>How much merit does she need? Just enough to make it no more expensive than her state school, or is the Cost of Attendance (COA) at her state school too much for the family?</p>

<p>The midwest is full of charming LACs, many of which have decent theater and/or music programs. Most of those places are rarely mentioned here, but her own HS guidance office and her teachers should have some suggestions. Here’s mine: Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. Great music program, decent theater program, good regional academic reputation.</p>

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<p>Does your sis think her D will get lots of need based aid? </p>

<p>If she has an ex, then many schools will look at the ex’s income as well…(sis may not have considered that).</p>

<p>Ivies tend to want very high test scores AND high ranking…doesn’t sound like the niece has the high ranking</p>

<p>The niece needs to protect herself by applying to a couple of schools that will give her ASSURED big merit.</p>

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<p>St Olaf awards $7,500 to NMSFs. My son receives both that and the Presidential Scholarship. He loves the school and feels challenged and happy there. They are known for their music departments.</p>

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<p>I was just going to suggest St. Olaf!</p>