Of schools offering full tuition to Natl Merit Finalists--which excel in math,science

Parents Forum
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<p>Our daughter just got notified this month that she is a National Merit Semifinalist and we expect her to advance to finalist status -- since 15,000 of the 16,000 semifinalists do. </p>

<p>Other Stats include:<br>
"new SATs" score: 770 verbal, 770 written, 720 math</p>

<p>SAT lls: US History 800, Literature 790, Math (level 2) 710</p>

<p>AP scores: Chemistry 4, Language and Comp 5, Calculus AB 5, US History 5, Physics-B 5
(D planning to take AP tests this spring in Spanish, World History, English) </p>

<p>Class ranking: 4th out of 565</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 4.7 weighted</p>

<p>ECs: in school's Dance company, theatre (both high school and community), church youth orchestra, tutor captain at local library x 3 years (about 270 hours), President of Christian club on campus, spent 7 weeks in Thailand this past summer doing construction work and teaching ESL, Who's Who Among High School Students 2004 - 2005, Calculus Student of the Year 2005, Trig Student of the Year 2004, Alegebra ll student of the Year 2003.</p>

<p>I would appreciate it if some of you could please look at the following link (sorry didn't know how to automatically link it so that you automatically go there) and let me know which you think would be the best schools for d to pursue. . .she is especially interested, at least at this point, in math and science. </p>

<p>We will not qualify for need based aid, so we are interested in merit scholarships. . .and obviously, getting full tuition sounds pretty appealing, if the schools are good. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>This link shows all the schools that supposedly offer full tuition to National Merit Finalists: <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Below is the list of schools that supposed give full tuition to NMFs which I got from CC elsewhere. Which are the best in science and math? </p>

<p>If your son or daughter is a Nat'l Merit Semifinalist, note that not all will give full tuition automatically but some do. (For example , I got this email from the Univ of Tulsa this morning: "The University of Tulsa will offer 75 scholarships this year. As a NMF you will be considered for the scholarship you will not automatically get the scholarship which has been the case in previous years. This year every one in 8 incoming freshmen is NMF. TU has a very stron math and science program.")</p>

<p>Full Tuition Scholarship
National Merit Scholarship Finalist</p>

<p>Alfred
Alabama
Abilene Christian University
Baylor
Eckerd College
Tulsa
Oklahoma
Arizona
Arizona State
Nebraska
Southern Mississippi
University Of New Orleans
Freed Hardeman University
Bowling Green
Houston
Henderson State (Arkansas)
Southeast Missouri State University
Fordham
Texas Arlington
University of South Dakota
Arkansas
Wright State
University of Minnesota Morris
University of Texas at Dallas
Cal State Fullerton ......California residents only.......complimentary parking permits!!!!!!!!!!
Kentucky
Auburn
Louisana State University
Birmingham-Southern
Westren Kentucky
Loyola of Chicago
University of North Texas
Oklahoma Christan University
Texas.......Not "full" but not bad
Long Beach State....California residents only
Texas A&M......seems a bit complicated to me
Florida....Not "full" but not bad
University of Central Arkansas
University of Louisana Lafayette
Oklahoma State
Faulkner University
Liberty University
University of Texas Tyler
University of North Alabama
Ohio State.........see Distinguished Scholarship Section....In state tuition plus
Rochester College....Michigan
Oklahoma City University
University of Maine
John Carrol University
Oakwood College
Utah State
Cleveland State........The Mary A Spisak Scholarship
Florida A&M .....The Distinguished Scholars Award
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire ..............resident tuition
Sterling College Kansas
University of Charlestown ....West Virginia
Evansville
Troy State
Mississippi State
New College......Florida
Grace College.....Indiana
Delta State........Mississippi
University of Acron
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Newman University ......Kansas
University of Vermont ........must be a Vermont resident
East Texas Baptist University
Urbana University....Ohio
Westminister College.......Utah
Northern Illinois University
Atlantic Union College
C. W. Post
University of Sioux Falls
Central Florida........click on how can I be considered for a natonal merit scholarship at UCF
Youngstown State......with 3.5 gpa 30 act or 1340 SAT
Doane
Memphis State
Hannibal-LaGrange College
Grand Canyon University
Southern Arkansas
Eastren Kentucky University
Virginia Commonwealth University ......Presidental Scholarship in state tuition room and boar
Wesleyan College for Women .....Georgia
Texas Tech
Purdue see The Indiana Resident Top Scholar Award</p>

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<p>\begin{plug for my school}
Olin offers free tuition to anyone who gets in, although nothing is linked to NMF. You said she likes math and science, so I don't know if she wants to study engineering or not, or if she would want to go to a school with only 300 students, or if MA is too cold for her.
\end{plug for my school}</p>

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<p>mof,</p>

<p>there's an "actuarial science" thread on cc. check those schools. they'd likely have good "math" programs.</p>

<p>another good thread on "up and coming competitive schools". you might contact those about their offerings to NMF's.</p>

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<p>I don't have time to look up all of the sciences for you, but Rugg's Recommendations of the Colleges lists the following schools from the list you gave above as having particularly strong math programs:</p>

<p>Arizona State
University of Arizona
Birmingham Southern
UT Austin
Texas Tech</p>

<p>Doesn't mean that some of the others aren't good as well, but these were the only ones specifically on the math list. </p>

<p>However, it is likely that your daughter may be eligible for consideration for substantial merit money from many schools that are good for math and science so I wouldn't focus just on full-rides for NSF schools. A few suggestions to look into: Case Western Reserve, Boston U, Brandeis, Bucknell, Colgate, Carelton, Dickinson, Duke, Kenyon, U of Rochester, St. Olaf, Rice, Wake Froest, Willamette, RIT, U of Oregon. </p>

<p>Just a note: drop Liberty unless you want a very evangelical Christian environment.</p>

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<p>Carolyn;</p>

<p>Thank you for the suggestions. I appreciate your insight and wisdom as we march though the college selection and app process.</p>

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<p>My daughter was a NMF last year and chose U of Arizona for it's Astronomy and Physics program. She may also major in math there. I just got an email from her and she is very glad that she chose to go there. The only thing she is having a tough time with is the heat, but she is getting used to it.</p>

<p>I really don't know how good their math and science programs are over all, but the astronomy program is very good.</p>

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<p>My son was offered a full scholarship to Texas Tech NMF; and about 1/2 to UT-Astin ..went to a Service academy instead. Also accepted with merit aid to Purdue, Ga Tech</p>

<p>Take a look at the Texas Tech site here especially math.engineering and their Honors college --some comments on the cc spot for Tech. You probably get a better education at Tech v. UT; certainly better name recognition at UT</p>

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<p>D was a NMF who took the free ride to Arizona State,but was a music major.Best friend also NMF was a math major,with interdisciplinary humanities minor.The experience is what you make of it,but the opportunities to shine will be there.Inorder to graduate from the Honors college there,students must complete a Senior Honors Thesis.This served as D's writing sample for Grad School apps.Internship and research opportunities are readily available. The Honors College staff goes over and beyond to provide opportunities and mentoring. Theres an office specificaly for prepping for National Scholarships,like Fullbrights, and the results have been quite good.D had access to graduate faculty I'm not quite sure she would have had at a smaller institution.Sometimes you have to look past the "name" stigma and see what opportunities the institution will provide if you are considered "special" for them.
ASU just enrolled over 150 new NMF freshman for Fall06. Their deal is great(tuition + stipend of 5,500 a year which will cover room costs),but there must be more reasons than that why the kids keep coming there.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the suggestion about ASU. I have heard it is a wonderful school.</p>

<p>After talking to D further, D says that if she goes to a school outside of California, D wants to go further than a neighboring state and would like to experience the change of seasons (at least more change of seasons than Calif offers).</p>

<p>Anyone have any suggestions for schools mid sized offering good sized merit aid from about on the Eastern part of the US? How is Brandeis? We are also looking into Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest a little more closely. Today, D said she would a small enough school that she could pursue her interest EC-wise eg. NOT AS A MAJOR (taking courses for fun, etc) in the fine arts area of dance and theatre.</p>

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<p>look at carnegie mellon and university of kansas. think maybe both have dance/theater offerings.</p>

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<p>It sounds like she may be a good candidate for a Carswell or Reynolds scholarship at Wake Forest. They both cover all expenses, and approx. 10-12 are awarded each year. There are lots of other great merit scholarships at Wake too. The key is that a separate merit scholarship application has to be filled out, and sent along with the admissions application by Dec. 1st. (That was the date last year; I assume it's the same this year.) So if you wait, you lose out. My son wasn't thrilled about spending his whole Thanksgiving break last year working on those applications, but it turned out to be well worth his effort. He's really happy at Wake - lots of opportunities for fine arts involvement. He's already been in one play and is rehearsing for another.</p>

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<p>Is your son majoring in theatre? Hmm, Wake Forest sounds like a good possibility to investigate further. Does anyone know how good their program is for math and science?</p>

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<p>The difference with the schools you have listed is that they aren't automatic merit scholarships just for winning the NMF.Your D will be competing for the merit $$ with the general applicant population.While they hand out full ride scholarships,it won't be a guarantee.
A good strategy would be to include 1 full ride guaranteed NMF schol along with her others. This is what S will be doing this year.
You don't have to let them (NM) know your first choice school until May 1.Hold on to that little postcard they sent you in the package,thats what changes the school for you.This gives you plenty of time to compare offers from the non free ride schools and time to make some visits.</p>

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<p>Cathy;</p>

<p>where is your son planning to apply for the full tuition ride scholarship? And why did you choose there--I would appreciate getting your thought process. </p>

<p>Is the list I posted earlier an accurate list of the schools that offer a tuition free ride?</p>

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<p>remember - full tuition and full ride are two different things:)</p>

<p>full tuition - only tuition</p>

<p>full ride - tuition, room, board, books</p>

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<p>mom of four,
I sent you a Private Message</p>