<p>Can one assume that the % of grants & scholarships compared to self-help in a financial aid package indicate how much the schools want them?</p>
<p>With that said, the Smith College softball team spent their spring break
in California and to make a long story short, my D receives a post card
from one of the seniors on the Smith College softball team while the team is in Calf. </p>
<p>How should we read this at this late date? </p>
<p>Does anyone have knowledge of a similar scenario relative recruitment of a D-3 athlete and financial aid?</p>
<p>What you're describing is "preferential packaging." Schools which practice this give slightly sweeter aid packages (that is, more grant, less loan) to students who are the most desirable. It helps them yield these students. However, not all schools do it. I don't know what Smith's policy is.</p>
<p>The postcard tells me that the softball coach really wants your daughter to come to Smith. I don't know if that will effect her aid package, however.</p>
<p>Most of the top schools provide 100% of the
demonstrated need, Smith being one of them.<br>
Is it not logical that a desirable student would
be offered more grant aid then loans?</p>
<p>I have heard that Smith gives very generous aid- more grants than loans for many students.
The friend of my daughters who attended Smith- was given a full ride for 4 years upon admission. Another womens college Mt Holyoke also gives very good awards.
While my daughters school doesn't give good aid to some apparently as per stories on the boards, they do meet 100% of need for her and her package is much heavier on grants than loans</p>
<p>It is a given knowledge that The Ivys
do not offer athletic scholarships, as
well as D-3 schools such as Smith & MIT.
Do these schools leave open a window
to compete with peer institutions for
desirable students with grants v loans
ratios in award packaging?</p>
<p>THis is from the Smith College financial aid website
I would say that yes- they do offer awards to attract desirable students
[quote]
Merit-based Scholarships</p>
<p>Dora Windes Zollman Scholarships: The college's highest academic scholarships, are awarded to fewer than ten first-year students based on their exceptional promise for Smith. The scholarship is equal to half the cost of tuition. Zollman scholars are also invited to participate in the STRIDE paid research program.</p>
<p>STRIDE Scholarships: Offer students with outstanding academic and personal qualifications a close working relationship with a faculty member during their first two years at Smith College. This scholarship of $2500 per year for four years is awarded to approximately 35-40 students per year. In addition to the scholarship, students are also given an annual stipend of $1700 per year for two years that is linked to paid research with faculty members.</p>
<p>The Springfield/Smith Partnership: Provides up to three full-tuition scholarships for students from Springfield, Massachusetts, public schools. All students who apply to Smith from these schools will be considered.</p>
<p>Smith International Scholarships: Each year several students with outstanding academic records are selected to be Smith International Scholars. In addition to participating in a campus program designed specifically for them, SIS students receive a $4,000 award in the form of a $2,000 summer stipend for each of two summers, selected by the student from the three summers between academic years. These internships are within the student's field of study and may take place either in the United States or abroad. Students select and apply for the internships with the assistance of the Smith College Career Development Office.</p>
<p>Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships: Scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 (maximum of three per year) are awarded to eligible transfer students based on recommendations from the Office of Admission. There is no special application form.</p>
<p>The Jean Picker Fellowships for the Study of Engineering: Students who have identified themselves as prospective engineering majors are also considered for the Jean Picker Fellowships for the Study of Engineering. These $10,000 awards go to several highly qualified first-year domestic and international students. In addition, Picker Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend for a research project or internship. Picker Fellows are selected on the basis of academic merit and personal achievements.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you can find posts by or send a PM to Mini or TheDad, they would really be helpful in giving you info about Smith's financial aid, as both of their daughters are first year students and i think that both got the Strides Scholarships and are very happy at Smith.</p>
<p>I also agree with EK that Smith does give generous need based financial aid. (I don't think they give athletic scholarships) Depending on what your EFC is I think they will give you a package just as good as or maybe better than the other package you posted.</p>
<p>Let's not confuse the issue--yes, schools like Smith offer merit money IN ADDITION TO need-based aid (although not athletic scholarships). They also meet 100% of a students demonstrated need. </p>
<p>However, preferential packaging is a separate issue. It means if you have two students with the same overall total need and same amount in need-based aid offered, the college might offer the two students a different balance of gift aid and self-help aid.</p>
<p>Yes, schools do offer preferential packaging within financial aid packages. I worked at an admissions office at a selective school many years ago, and their method has not changed at all, as they are open about it to any who ask. When you apply for admissions and are accepted, you are designated an "A", "B", or "C" candidate. The designations are meaningless except for a few things. I do believe the "A"s are invited to some special event where they are entertained and get a special tour of the campus and fed. Otherwise the only difference comes if the file has to be then forwarded to financial aid which is a total and separate department from admissions at this school. I never saw any collusion between the two departments except the letter designation put on the files, and consultation at the very end of the process when the aid money had run out and there are some "C" left that needed aid. The "A"s got the sweetest aid packages including merit within aid awards though true merit awards are integrated with the financial aid for those in that category. The "B"s got whatever grants are left, but still tended to get 100% of need met though more self help aid was in the package. The "C"s had packages with small grants, lots of self help, and were either gapped or turned down if it did not look like a doable deal. Less than 5% of the kids are turned down for financial reasons, and that is done if they feel the gap is just too much and there are no available funds to help it.</p>
<p>Now the "A" were not just "skim 'em off the top" academic kids. The school had a number things they wanted, and athletics is one of them. D-3 schools do have the disadvantage of not being able to offer scholarships to their athletes, yet some do havea very competitive teams. The top D-3 teams are more competitive than many D-1 teams in specific sports at specific schools. So athletic prowress is certainly included in the profile of a kid considered for preferential packaging in financial aid, along with any merit awards, particularly those described as looking for "an asset to the community", "well roundedness", community service rather than specific academic guidelines. I can tell you that my older son who got a merit award had to have had sports in the picture for that award,as he was not particularly up there in academic profile.</p>
<p>Jamimum...
Do you know if U of Michigan practices preferential packaging within financial aid?</p>
<p>Musicalthtrmom, I don't know about that. My son applied to UMich and I listened to some of the parent presentations that addressed financial aid for the musical theatre group. First of all, there is very little merit/talent money in this program is what was directly said, and one reason given was that the program does not need to attract appliicants and students. The other thing that was made pretty clear was that the financial aid picture is not good for out of staters as the in state kids get first crack at the money. But I cannot directly answer your question.</p>
<p>Do you think it would be acceptable to ask admissions if they do practice preferential packaging? Don't want to cross any line I shouldn't, I'm just interested...based on our aid package. Thanks for your input, Jamimom.</p>
<p>It is absolutely appropriate to ask. They will not divulge info they do not want to let out, but they will certainly give generalities. I have seen articles is some college magazines that give great detail on how they dole out the financial aid and the preferential packaging. Almost all schools, even one that do not give out merit aid, have specific merit scholarships (even Harvard) that have some requirement to receive. Sometimes you can get more than your need covered at these schools through preferential packaging. You are already accepted and already have your package. They are not going to take that away from you unless a real problem (false credentials, wrong numbers on financial statement) arises. You might as well get all the info you can. I suggest you ask that a director or asst director call you back when he has a few minutes to talk rather than trying to get answers from whoever answers the phone or get someone on the fly.</p>
<p>I don't think U-M does. It has some pools of merit/need money which has the effect of sweetening the aid packages for some students, but the student is informed of that. I don't think they do anything else. </p>
<p>I will tell you that the applicant pool this year was really strong (overall, that is-- I don't know about the music school specifically). If your child didn't get any merit funds it may have more to do with the large number of super-qualified people admitted (and taking up the limited merit/need money out there) than with how relatively desirable he or she is.</p>
<p>to answer the original question.....yes competetive D3 programs will dish out their money to let them play for you....check out Smith's softball record and the championships that they have won (if any) and info on the coaching staff..that will give you a heads up as to what they will do.....in addition help them out and see if you could obtain a merit scholarship, or if there is grant money that you can qualify for...i kno from personal experience that D3's can be nice with fin aid packs....lol.....</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input. Hoedown, D actually did get $$ from U-M...way more than we ever thought was possible. We're kinda curious how we lucked out considering all I've heard about out-of-state financial aid packages that are skimpy.</p>
<p>Well, congratulations to your D! You're right, out-of-state financial aid at Michigan can feel skimpy because the school can't meet full need not nonresidents. </p>
<p>Music may have a pretty good pool of its own dollars to offer; I'm less familiar with departmental and school dollars.</p>
<p>FWIW, Columbia, which as an ivy-league school does not award merit scholarships, does finagle a bit by granting its John Jay Scholars financial aid in the form of all grants and work-study, no loans. i.e. what would have been loaned is given as grant aid.</p>
<p>So that's one example of a school trying to lure its top applicants with a higher % grants.</p>