OOS Merit Awards at Large Publics?

<p>I've done some poking around on college sites and am getting a little frustrated. Could any of you please save me a lot of searching? </p>

<p>Based on his current grades, scores, EC's, etc., he should be a competitive applicant next year. He's interested in science and/or engineering. Most of what I've seen so far appears to be based on merit AND financial need but we are looking at merit only. Son is interested in info from Berkeley, Michigan, NC Chapel Hill, Virginia, Illinois UC, Georgia and Wisconsin, plus any we might have missed. Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>over30: UNC-CH offers a number of merit scholarships, not based on financial need. Here's a link that will give you information about their non need-based scholarships: <a href="http://studentaid.unc.edu/studentaid/type/ssa_scholarships.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://studentaid.unc.edu/studentaid/type/ssa_scholarships.html&lt;/a>
If you have any specific questions, particularly about the Robertson or Morehead Scholarships, feel free to pm me. I'm not familiar with the scholarships at the other schools you mention.</p>

<p>Isn't there something called Moorehead Scholars????</p>

<p>University of Michigan's info on merit scholarships:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.finaid.umich.edu/Types_of_Financial_Aid/Scholarships/scholar.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.finaid.umich.edu/Types_of_Financial_Aid/Scholarships/scholar.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Most first year merit aid at UW is for minorities. There are a few general scholies available. More merit aid is available later to proven students. Also the local alumni clubs give modest merit awards (1-3,000)</p>

<p>Link to list
<a href="http://www.finaid.wisc.edu/scholarships.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.finaid.wisc.edu/scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Indiana U - Bloomington has faculty awards which are for OOS admits only and are merit-based. Automatically awarded upon admission to attract kids with great stats. Can be up to $7000/year for four years or $28,000 total.</p>

<p>As far as Michigan, check out this site also if you're applying to LSA:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.lsa.umich.edu/lsa/students/scholarships/new/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lsa.umich.edu/lsa/students/scholarships/new/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>We did not know about it, and thought OOS son was not qualified for any UM scholarships, till he was offered one out of the blue from LSA (at the time it was 15,000yr).</p>

<p>UVa has the Echols, invite only, no application
Berkeley has alumni $, they invite every one to apply (I think) and you can get $500-$2000 annually, you must reapply every year, it is merit based upon leadership</p>

<p>Most states offer the Byrd scholarship, it is different in each state, so google yours, I believe it can go to any university</p>

<p>Morehead Scholars are severely restricted, only available to graduates of certain high schools.</p>

<p>True on the Morehead, but UNC-CH also offers a Pogue Scholarship that is quite good and not as restrictive. Open to both in-state and OOS students. There is a "special emphasis" on minority applicants, but it is officially open to all races.</p>

<p>Here's a link for Berkeley. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.berkeley.edu/applying/aid/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.berkeley.edu/applying/aid/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks everyone. Carolyn, I checked out the Morehead. At least in my state all of the OOS high schools are privates and I'm not sure he's "stellar" enough to be nominated by the admissions office. </p>

<p>Our state selects for the Byrd in a weird way, so he'll apply but there's no way of knowing if he'll get lucky. </p>

<p>He really likes Berkeley. We visited on our vacation and he's done some research on it. From what we have found about merit awards there it will still be quite costly even if he gets a scholarship. He asked today if his California aunt and uncle could adopt him!</p>

<p>At UVA, the only merit aid I'm aware of is for Jefferson Scholars. Students may not apply for the program; they must be nominated, either by VA high schools or schools on a list of elite, eligible OOS schools, public and private. A very small number of students who don't attend schools on the eligible list are nominated from the general applicant pool. There are local competitions for nominated students, and a final competition weekend at UVA.</p>

<p>The list of eligible schools seems kind of scattershot. As you might expect, in NY highly selective prep schools such as Brearley, Spence, Chapin, etc. are on the list. Quite a few schools in the Buffalo area are eligible, but none from the Syracuse area.</p>

<p>Here's the Jefferson Scholars website: <a href="http://www.jeffersonscholars.org/undergraduate/selection.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.jeffersonscholars.org/undergraduate/selection.html&lt;/a>
There are currently about 125 Scholars enrolled, out of an undergrad population of about 12K.</p>

<p>Echols is a wonderful honors program with several benefits, the primary ones being freedom from distribution requirements and a special Echols dorm freshman year. However, there is no merit aid attached to the designation "Echols Scholar." There is a separate but similar program, Rodman Scholars, for engineering students.</p>

<p>The majority of UNC-CH scholarships are open to both NC and OOS students, though there are some limited to NC students. The Morehead is open to any high school student in NC, though one has to be nominated from his or her high school, and the number of nominees sent forward from any one school can't exceed 4. Nominees for the Morehead from OOS are nominated from specific high schools only. The link below shows those schools by state.
<a href="http://www.moreheadfoundation.org/about/selection/bystate.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.moreheadfoundation.org/about/selection/bystate.html&lt;/a>
And the Morehead splits the number of Scholarships evenly between NC and OOS students, usually around 40 total each year.</p>

<p>The Robertson is open to both NC and OOS students, and although students can submit a supplement to their UNC or Duke application to express interest, one can't really apply for it. Students considered for the Robertson are initially chosen from the entire application pools, at both UNC and at Duke. Around 30 Robertson Scholars are named each year, usually split evenly between the two universities.<br>
And to the OP: Since your student is interested in engineering, he could also check out the Park Scholarship, offered at NCSU.</p>

<p>Over30, Just be sure you understand the full cost of the UC system for out of state students. I'm sure this won't be a problem for you, but I've talked to many parents and students who were confused about this. Out of state students pay an additional $18,000 or so over the estimated costs shown on the UC website <a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/payingforuc/costs.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/payingforuc/costs.html&lt;/a> That brings the total cost for out of state students over $40,000. Expect it to rise at least 5% or more each year, usually closer to 7-8% increase a year.</p>

<p>Just checked: the new UC budget for next year is now out. Here's the link: <a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2005/nov16a.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2005/nov16a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>And, one more note: most of the "merit scholarships" at Berkeley require that the FAFSA be filed by the March deadline, even if you don't qualify for or are not applying for financial aid, so be sure to check the requirements for any merit scholarships there that he thinks he might qualify for.</p>

<p>Thanks Carolyn. My son has done the math and we knew it would be $40,000+ which is why I'm so interested in scholarship information.</p>

<p>Luckily our school is on the list for the Jefferson, but I doubt if he would be competitive enough based on the students from our school who have been finalists. We have so many great students that it will be difficult to get the HS nomination for some of these scholarships.</p>

<p>Not sure about engineering, but U of Iowa and U of Arizona have OOS merit $$, and far lower total costs than the UCs.</p>

<p>"Morehead Scholars are severely restricted, only available to graduates of certain high schools."</p>

<p>I'm not sure that is completely true. Any resident from NC qualifies no matter what school they attend. Any applicant who applies prior to a certain date (in-state or OOS) may be recommended by the admissions committee to the Morehead Foundation for consideration, no matter what school they attend.</p>

<p>However, UNC may use the program to diversify the student body by offering the Morehead to students from certain ethnic backgrounds or geographic residences. In that sense, I agree that the Morehead may be "restricted".</p>

<p>1sokkermom, you are correct about the in-state portion of the Morehead. But since the original post was about OOS merit scholarships at state schools, Carolyn focused on the OOS aspect. With respect to OOS students who are "invited" to apply, you are also correct. I wonder what it takes to get invited (other than the factors you mentioned)</p>