<p>I was just wondering how generous Wash U was in distributing the visits with flights paid for...Did they give them to everyone? Half the those admitted? 30 kids? Anyone have any inside knowledge?</p>
<p>My D just got a voucher for free airfare to visit WashU again despite the fact that she interviewed there in August of last year, applied RD yet got accepted at the same time as the ED kids. We did not qualify for need based aid, she was her school's nominee for Danforth and applied for a few of their other scholarships. She was a NM finalist,first in her class with some above average ECs. She has not been offered a dime from them so I am becoming very disillusioned.</p>
<p>^^ WashU provides airfare vouchers for visitation weekends to a few hundred people for sure. I can't give you an exact number, but if I had to guess, probably somewhere around 500?</p>
<p>^ I did not receive a merit scholarship at WashU (applied for Moog and Danforth) and was pretty disappointed since I thought I was fairly qualified (NM finalist, 4.0, 2370, numerous national award, etc.). However, after I got to meet some of the students that did receive the scholarship, I realized I was seriously outclassed. The top scholarship winners are really extraordinary. I'm not saying that your daughter is not qualified, just that the caliber of the other students competing for these scholarships is extremely high.</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat. I have 2280 SAT, 4.1 GPA, and very strong EC's, and I applied to 5 merits, and got none, plus no need based aid. I've been trying to bargain/plead, so I was just seeing if their offer to fly me out was any indication of how much they want me. Doesn't make it much less disappointing, but I had also heard that the kids who get them are basically incredible.</p>
<p>Yeah, I've been trying to gauge how much it says about their interest in me, too...not for FA, but I just JUST dropped an elective and changed my history to an audit. Long story with a very very good explanation, but basically trying to figure out if they'll rescind their offer when I tell them.</p>
<p>I was invited to the Multicultural Celebration Weekend, but I can't make it. If I call to schedule a customized visit, will the airfare still be paid?</p>
<p>I'm fairly certain they will pay. Some students got the offer for paid airfare, but weren't invited to any specific event. Just call and ask, they're pretty accommodating.</p>
<p>xiv21 and hope4freeride; I too was pretty disappointed when I was not even named a finalist for any of the three merit scholarships or the USP in business that I applied for. I have pretty strong stats (3.9 GPA at Public Magnet, 2380 SAT, 2390 SAT II, nine 5's, and one 4 on AP exams) and what I feel to be even strong EC's (Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol Leader; member of two committees at City Hall, one of which I chair; public works management intern at City Hall over the summer, etc.). I received an early admit, which I thought was a clear indication that the University was intersted in me. Yet I did not receive a signal dime.</p>
<p>I have three theories as to why this happened:
a) I straight up was outclassed by other applicants. I find this hard to believe, not out of arrogance or pride, but the simple fact that the University was so keen on my application that they thought to accept me early, yet this was not afforded to those who were actually named finalists. And face it, these scholarships are a way of marketing the school to top tier applicants, as were the early acceptances. Yet somehow these groups seem to be mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>b) WUStL. wanted to save money. I didn't apply for need-based aid; they may have thought, for this kid money isn't an issue (it is, I simply just don't qualify for aid under most formulas), and for another kid we can save some money by giving him 10k in merit aid and other 5k in needbased, and not have to give him 15k in needbased and bulldoghopeful 10k in merit aid (okay so my unrequitted love for Yale probably didn't help, but they didn't know that when they were reviewing scholarships.</p>
<p>C. WUStL's computer system is messed up and somehow by being accepted early we were taken out of the running for scholarships. I think this would be the most ridiculous reason, but also a plausible one (I think b. is the most likely, but for agument's sake let's consider c). My friend applied to SEAS, yet his acceptance letter said Olin Business School, and he clearly showed why he wanted to engineering in his activities and essays. Also, we both attend a magnet school for engineering, how the heck did he end up in the B-School? Moreover, at some point and time (and right now) I was no longer able to view my admissions decision. The only thing I could do was check up on my enrollment status (which meant my admission hadn't been rescinded). </p>
<p>All in all, the scholarships finalists were VERY qualified. Yet somehow, I have a feeling that between xiv21 and hope4freeride's D, that we were right up there with them. Perhaps the dice didn't roll our away, but I guess that's just life.</p>
<p>Trust me, I am a current senior at WashU, and all of the scholarship recipients I have met are all pretty incredible. I can't say that there is a single one that I know of whom I believe is less qualified than me. While I can definitely sympathize with the feeling of disappointment, sometimes you have to admit that there are just a lot of people out there better than you.</p>
<p>I probably need to clarify my position a bit. I did not really expect that my daughter would be finalist for the signature scholarships, but I did hope that since they accepted her so early RD that they could have thrown us at least a small bone!
Congrats to those who did make the cut and got those scholarships. I am in no way envious, just sad that she didn't get at least a little bit!</p>
<p>bulldoghopeful - Sorry to dissapoint you, but you are wrong on all 3 points.</p>
<p>hope4freeride</p>
<p>She might still get an offer for visit for at admitted students weekend (those came later, and separately last year)</p>
<p>Edit: just reread your post, and saw that she got one already...</p>
<p>ST2, could you enlighten me as to the "right" reason I, along with the other people I mentioned were not offered merit-based scholarships? I feel like I address all three possible scenarios a) I simpy wasn't good enough, b) there simply wasn't enough money, c) some random accident that is beyond my control or the scholarship committee's control.</p>
<p>You seem to be the guru on all things WashU so I really would appreciate your input and discussion.</p>
<p>Back to the point of this thread - my daughter was also offered a paid flight to visit and we have scheduled her trip. When I called to schedule the visit I was told she could not stay in the dorm; then when the visit packet arrived the letter said she would stay in the dorm, but no instructions on how this would happen. I called to clarify and was told she received the wrong letter and would not be able to stay in the dorm. Then today she received a phone message asking if she was staying in the dorm. We're perplexed. THe letter also included taxi vouchers but not the instructions on how to use them. Anyone else have similar questions or answers?</p>
<p>blah...i've gotten two paid visits (including the accepted one) but then they shafted me on financial aid. kind of makes it feel like a pity gift.</p>
<p>DS got paid airfare, but not for a special event or a stay in the dorm. We visited last summer and decided last week that there really wasn't any point in visiting again. Great school, loved the area, but at 20k/year more than all of his other options (he received merit aid from every other private LAC he applied to) it all comes down to the cost and a visit won't change that :(</p>
<p>there were detailed instructions - what number to call for the taxi and where to meet the taxi. If it didn't come in your package, you should call them for the instructions.</p>
<p>but I am also wondering if the paid visit is offered to all accepted applicants too. Its very generous if its more than a just a few hundred. Does anyone know?</p>
<p>bulldoghopeful - I hardly think there is such a thing as a washU guru - if there is, then it certainly is not me. I try to be informative whenever possible. I probably should have been more precise in my answer. Without knowing more specifics, it is obviously not possible to provide an accurate answer. But in general it was probably the first sentence of your point a. Other applicants were better suited or qualified for the particular awards that you applied for. Just because you were offered early admitance, may not mean that you were the best or strongest candidate. I am sure you were an excellent candidate, but as much as you might not like it, you obviously were not considered to be among the strongest candidates. As I previously stated, it is not possible to give a precise annalysis of the specifics. Considering that you have no or minimum knowledge of the other candidates and their qualifications, I hardly believe that you are in a position to judge their qualifications.</p>
<p>There is no doubt that merit programs are used by many schools to attract top tier students. EA is another recruiting tool used by many schools. But the two are not always the same and may or may not be used to attract the same students. Not all EA applicants are offered merit awards. Nor are all merit awards offered only to EA applicants. There are many top tier RD applicants that may be stronger candidates for merit awards. Despite what you may think, these groups are not mutually exclusive. </p>
<p>At WashU, merit award decisions are made independent of admission decisions. Admissions handles admissions and independent merit award panels decide on merit awards. Just because one falls one way, does not mean that both decisions have the same criteria. I don't know if this is a satisfactory answer or not. Unfortunately, given the lack of data, it is about the best I can do. I certainly wish you well and you sound like a great potential addition to the WashU family.</p>
<p>ST2 - maybe it would help if you outlined how it is you know so much about the inner workings of Wash U. Have you worked there? Know someone that does? You seem very confident in your statements.</p>
<p>fallenchemist - By the way I love your handle. All I can say at this time is (not to sound melodramatic) but, I know of what I speak. If you or anyone finds the info to be of use then use it, if not then ignore it. I doubt that you will find anything in my posts which is not accurate.</p>