<p>“Superscore” means to take the highest score for each subject, and then add them together as if he had gotten the highest scores all together. I don’t know the sub-groups for the ACT because my kids took only the SAT, but to superscore the SAT, for example: if he takes the test three times, you add the highest math score to the highest critical reading score to the highest writing score. Sometimes that adds up to a higher “score” than the best of the three tests.</p>
<p>Thank you KKmama. Superscoring only brought him up to a 27, so he’s just going to have to spend a lot of time preparing and improve that score. </p>
<p>Another option we’re going to have to consider is using some of son #2’s 529 money to cover some of S #1’s college costs. We’ll be in a better financial position by the time S1 is a sophomore in college, and S #2 is much more motivated to do well in school and pursue the NROTC scholarship. Even if he changes his mind about the military, he’s on track to have much better scholarship opportunities than S 1. I still wouldn’t send S 1 to a college that is out of reach financially, but if we can find an affordable school and have to use both of their 529 money to get through his freshman year, it might be the only way. </p>
<p>If I would miraculously find a decent job by next fall, then we could relax a little and plan on using my income to cover the gap between aid and cost, but we can’t count on anything yet.</p>
<p>It’d be pretty rare for a state school to superstore ACT. I’ve seen the occasional private do it. And remember, if a school superstores, it does so for everyone, driving up the averages and the score needed for top quartile. It’s probably most advantageous when you have a kid with wild swings across several subtests.</p>
<p>And while the majority of students will improve their ACT, some don’t; you really shouldn’t count your chickens. Find schools you can afford with the stats your child has right now.</p>
<p>You may also have noticed this, but the 5500 in auto scholarships is broken down into 3000 non res and 2500 combined ability. It isn’t two scholarships. If you’re looking for very reasonable priced 4year schools, although these are nowhere near top tier, try the Nebraska state college system. Your son is above the ACT cut off for out of state scholars. I think total direct costs, in state, are around 12K and yes that includes room and board. With a 5500 hundred loan, you can get pretty close to an affordable price. There may be scholarship money there, too.</p>
<p>It’s a tough situation when one is in that income range where the PELL is just out of reach, and the students stats are just a bit too low to get the juicy merit money. Hopefully, your son will get something, as a lot of the NPC are averages, and for state schools, sometimes the mere act of getting that application in early for admissions and also getting the financial aid stuff to that office quickly ups the odds of getting some of the goodies. But you can’t be sure of any of those things, so it would also be wise to look into some local options that are definitely affordable with no caveats. When you have those in place, you can go to town with the schools that have any number of possibilities with impunity because you’re covered.</p>
<p>It’d be pretty rare for a state school to superstore ACT.</p>
<p>True…and many state schools don’t superscore the SAT either…especially for merit purposes. Largely because they don’t want affluent students to have the advantage of being able to test and retest, mix and match scores to get really high superscores.</p>
<p>Here is a list of colleges that superscore. [Colleges</a> that superscore the ACT » College Admissions Counseling](<a href=“http://www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/college-testing/colleges-superscore-act/]Colleges”>Colleges that superscore the ACT - BS/MD Admissions by College Admissions Partners)</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Superscoring for ADMISSION is often very different from superscoring for merit awards. I’ve rarely seen scores superscored for merit. Awards are usually based on the best ACT sitting or the best Math + CR score from one sitting.</p>
<p>Guessing based on your username - is he eligible for Tulsa Achieves? It’d get you two years at TCC for free, and if you’re eligible, you by definition live close enough for him to live at home. [Tulsa</a> Achieves | Tulsa Community College](<a href=“http://www.tulsacc.edu/tulsaachieves]Tulsa”>Tulsa Achieves Scholarship - Tuition Free | TCC: Tulsa Community College)</p>
<p>Tulsa-OSU commuting is possible with the Big Orange Bus ([Oklahoma</a> State University-Tulsa - BOB - The Big Orange Bus, OSU shuttle](<a href=“http://www.osu-tulsa.okstate.edu/bob/index.php]Oklahoma”>BOB - OSU's Big Orange Bus | Oklahoma State University)), so that might knock the price down some.</p>
<p>Allyphoe, he is eligible for Tulsa Achieves. He’s planning on taking concurrent classes at TCC next year, but I hadn’t heard of the Tulsa Achieves program until now. I actually started talking to him last night about how we have to make cost and aid our priorities in choosing a college, and he said “why not just go to TCC for two years for free”. That’s the first I’d heard that it was free and the first he’s mentioned living at home for two years to save money. I have to say, I was shocked and impressed at how easily he accepted that he might have to do that. It’s not what he or I wanted for him, but that will be our safety. I’m going to continue searching like crazy and he definitely wants to retake the ACT and take the SAT, because if I can find something affordable (with the aid) and I land a job in the next year, he can go somewhere besides TCC.</p>
<p>As far as the Big Orange Bus, he told me he’s not really interested in a large university. He wants smaller classes and to be challenged in a way that his high school classes have not done, and OU and OSU just don’t appeal to him. His dream would be to go to school in Oregon or Washington, and he’s accepted that won’t happen, at least for the first couple of years. </p>
<p>It is just a huge relief to have a solid back up plan, even if it is community college. Of course I hope our situation changes and/or we find a school that offers him enough aid, but I needed that back up plan to keep my sanity.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that his best aid and/or merit pkgs will be as an incoming frosh. If he goes to a CC first and then tries to transfer, then his affordable options may only be the big instate schools. If he wants to go to a smaller private, then he should try as an incoming frosh.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, that’s another reason why I’m going to keep searching and why I’ve strongly encouraged him to spend as much time as he can to prepare for the next ACT. I did read somewhere on this forum that the merit awards aren’t offered to transfer students. I really don’t want him to go to the CC first, not because I think CC is a bad option but I know my kid and he will do better if he can go to a school that will challenge him. He is bored in school now even with AP classes, and the only thing motivating him to work hard is the thought of going to college, so if college is essentially the same as high school I can see him wanting to give up. The only way we’ll go with the CC option is if 1) he doesn’t get enough aid from ANY school that he is even remotely interested in AND 2) if I don’t have a job by the time he starts college. If he gets enough aid from a smaller school or if I get a job and can contribute that to his education, then we don’t have to worry about money as much. It’s just that I may not know about my job situation until much closer to the time we have to make a decision, so I’m hoping he can get enough aid somewhere. We will definitely try to get as much aid as possible from schools he’s interested in - can’t hurt to try. </p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>For those of you discussing Truman State, here is just a quick note of how it turned out for us. I have two kids attending currently. They are out-of-state students and received no financial aid, but they did get some of the competitive scholarships offered by Truman. One had GPA 3.9, ACT 35, and receives $14,000 a year in scholarship money. The other had 4.0 GPA, 31 ACT, and receives $7,000 a year in scholarships. They really like it there. It has been a good choice for our family.</p>
<p>I am wondering about all this too as you are with your junior. Does it help to do an early admission application? So for us it would be Fall of this year. My S in a junior. I wonder if anyone can tell us if they apply early does an above average student get better financial aid??? I also wondered about out of state schools waving the higher tuition fee. An option to get the heck out of PA. (Outrageous tuition costs)</p>
<p>Does it help to do an early admission application? So for us it would be Fall of this year</p>
<p>Many schools that give the best merit scholarships require applicants to apply early in the app cycle. Many have scholarship deadlines of Nov or Dec 1. So, yes, get all those apps in early. </p>
<p>My kids’ undergrad, Alabama, gives large merit scholarships for high stats, and it’s application opens in July. Many apply as soon as the app opens. Therefore, many students have their acceptances and scholarship offers in hand by September.</p>
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<p>There are merit awards for transfer students, but they are much more limited in both availability and amount. </p>
<p>Anyone looking for large merit aid is much better off as a freshman applicant than as a transfer applicant.</p>
<p>Yes, there are some merit awards out there for transfer students, but you really have to look for them, and even ask specifically at a school. They may be departmental awards, and so contacting the department of you student’s major is something on can do. It’s is more difficult to to get merit awards and financial aid packages meeting close to need when one is a transfer student. </p>
<p>But then, you’ve saved money on the first two years of college and you also have a student who has demonstrated that he has the stuff to do college. Borrowing for such a student to finish up is not as risky a proposition.</p>
<p>However, one of the things I wish I could change is availability of aid for transfer student. I’d like full ride met for all transfer students to state universities from CCs and other smaller state schools. That is a reform high on my list of what should be done. As far as I’m concerned those kids who have done well and outgrown their local college options should be first in line for any financial aid. They’ve proven their mettle are are worth the investment. Any one in any position to make these kind of changes, and reading this, please take note!</p>
<p>{My kids’ undergrad, Alabama, gives large merit scholarships for high stats, and it’s application opens in July. Many apply as soon as the app opens. Therefore, many students have their acceptances and scholarship offers in hand by September.}</p>
<p>Could someone please tell me when can I start the FAFSA ? To refresh, S is a junior in HS now. Looking for early enrollment Fall of this year. I can’t do the FAFSA now can I? Is that too early?</p>
<p>If your son will enter college fall of 2014 the earliest you can do fafsa is 1/1/14. If you want to see how it works you can go through the formula:</p>
<p><a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091312EFCFormulaGuide1314.pdf[/url]”>http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091312EFCFormulaGuide1314.pdf</a></p>
<p>There is likely to be some adjustment to some of the table values etc. next year.</p>
<p>Stuckinpa, if you are looking at schools and scholarships like the one you have referenced for Alabama, you do want to apply early, but you won’t be able to get your financial aid forms done until much later. You won’t get much if anything from Alabama and a number of the the state schools as an OOSer anyways. It’s the merit money that is the stuff you want. For those awards that not strictly defined in terms of gpa and test scores, earlier is better to get the awards. When they are gone, that’s it. Also, it’s a good idea to apply early for PSU, and sadly the financial aid is not good even though it is an instate school for you. You just can hope that there is some merit money–this year there was an unexpected cache of some awards. I would take a look at Ole Miss as well and look at what Temple has to offer.</p>
<p>Great, thanks. I know Pitt and Penn St. don’t seem to want to offer in-state students much aid. I was curious about the FAFSA. Will try to acheive merit aid. I understand if we apply early some schools don’t need a firm answer right away. Early action vs early decision. Something to that effect. We will have to read up on those terms. Thanks again.</p>