<p>I am coming upon the end of my junior year of high school. Which, naturally, means I have completely gotten into the college frenzy. I am really looking into hopefully getting a full ride somewhere. I want to know my true chances, though, by those of you who have some insight on getting these rare full-rides. </p>
<p>STATS:
ACT: 33
GPA: 4.0 on a 4.0 scale</p>
<p>EC's and community service:
-Varsity softball (varsity for 3 years, probably future captain)
-Varsity soccer (varsity for 3 years, captain)
-Varsity basketball (varsity for 3 years, probably future captain)
-Yearbook Staff
-School Office Worker
-Teens for Christ chapter member
-Ministry Team
-Fellowship of Christian Athletes (president)
-Student Council
-H.O.S.T.S. Mentor for elementary kids
-assists with youth soccer and basketball camps
-assists with youth softball and soccer teams
-National Honor Society
-Latin Club (co-founder/co-president)</p>
<p>Also, I have a part-time job. Oh, and will be going to Honduras this summer on a missions trip.
I am taking honors classes, with my senior year having things such as physics, anatomy, AP English, Latin IV, AP Psychology...
Looking at my stats, I feel I have a pretty good shot at a great scholarship. But I could be naive on this, so help me out!
If it helps any, I'm not picky about level of school. I'm somewhat looking into Xavier. Also, other small schools in Ohio such as Kent State, Youngstown State, MVNU, etc. My parents are considered higher middle-class, so need based scholarships are out. My older sister didn't qualify for financial aid, meaning neither will I. So I really need this full-ride! Is it too far of a reach?
Be brutally honest</p>
<p>Start reading the stickie (the top thread) of this forum and you find much information. There are threads with families who did look for money before selectivity. Look for merit aid that is granted based on GPA and standardized test scores. That type of aid is often granted before finaid forms are submitted and you should qualify for some money at places like Kent State and Youngstown State. A full ride? You’ll need to be willing to look far and wide. Given a family income in the low 6 figures when there are families with zip, zero, zilch? Hard to predict.</p>
<p>Are you talking about totally FREE college or are you talking about tuition? You should look at the financial aid sections of the websites for your schools. See if there is any place where they talk about scholarships that are given AUTOMATICALLY based on SAT or ACT/GPA. Some schools have these awards and some do not. </p>
<p>Remember too…that most schools will still require a student contribution. And your “free ride” will likely include at least the Stafford loan at the schools you listed.</p>
<p>With your stats, you could probably get free tuition and probably a bit more at some schools. A total free ride is probably not likely unless it’s at a low tier school where you may find yourself frustrated because the students are all commuters and go home every night/weekend. </p>
<p>Let me repeat that in another way…You DON"T want to waste your scholarship chances by grabbing some full-ride at a low tier commuter school where you’ll want to transfer out immediately. At that point, you’ll have lost your chances for any other big scholarships because the big scholarships for YOUR stats are ONLY given to incoming freshmen - NOT to transfers. </p>
<p>You’ll need to be sure to apply to some schools that give ASSURED scholarships for your stats. you can also apply to some schools that have competitive scholarships - but those are iffy and you might not get one. So, to protect yourself, you need to include some schools that will give you assured big merit.</p>
<p>At my kids’ college, The University of Alabama, you would get free tuition (including out of state costs). Also, if you major in computer science or engineering, you’d get an additional $2500 per year. Those are assured scholarships. And, if you get selected for one of their elite honors programs, you could also get money towards housing (that part is not assured.)</p>
<p>How much can your parents contribute? $5k per year? More? Less? It sounds like they can’t afford their EFC, so you’re looking for big merit. </p>
<p>As Thumper states, you’ll probably need to take out a Stafford loan to cover some uncovered costs.</p>
<p>How did you do on your PSAT? Are you a likely NMSF? If so, you could get a full-ride that way.</p>
<p>Look into University of South Carolina too…if you receive one of the OOS scholarships, you also get a reduction to the instate rate. When my DD was accepted there four years ago, we would have been paying about $$10,000 per year…total for her COA there. GREAT school and if you get accepted into their honors program there are a lot of nice perks (application is a BEAST but well worth doing).</p>
<p>Because of your test scores you are promised full tuition at the University of Alabama. If you can find other outside scholarships you should be able to get your full ride.</p>
<p>If you are a National Merit Finalist or National Achievement Finalist, you will also get $1000 a year scholarship, One time allowance of $2,000 for use in summer research or international study, and a free laptop.</p>
<p>Have you looked at the scholarship information on the websites of the schools in Ohio? For instance, you would be a VERY strong candidate for the Leslie H. Cochran University Scholarship at Youngstown State. This is a full ride scholarship and there are 40 of them per year. Also, a 33 ACT qualifies you for an automatic full tuition scholarship at Ohio University. This type of information is readily available on the websites of most colleges and universities.</p>
<p>My daughter has similar stats to yours-many EC’s, 4.0, etc, but a 35 ACT. No full rides that I could find. She did get a full tuition scholarship at Auburn along with a technology allowance and a $4000 study abroad scholarship. She also got a departmental scholarship there. You need a 3.75 GPA and a 33 ACT to qualify. Good luck and keep searching college websites to see what they offer.</p>
<p>Yes it was merit based, I believe need was considered but I didn’t even submit the FAFSA </p>
<p>American University</p>
<p>GPA (Unweighted/Weighted): 3.5/4.7
Ranking: Top 10%
SAT: 2310
SAT IIs: 800,800,740
Hooks: URM, interesting community service project</p>
<p>I’m far from Ivy material, I was rejected from Rice and U of Chicago</p>
<p>In my experience stats will only get you so far. Your numbers will get you in the door and from then on essays and interviews play a more important role.</p>
<p>The scholarship was looking for “diversity” (including socioeconomic) but it didn’t require financial information, so if you had an EFC of zero it would probably help you but it wasn’t necessary.</p>
<p>Good question about church-related schools, but also keep in mind that many of such schools are quite ecumenical - they often don’t care what your religion is. At many of such school, no one is going to pressure you to join a particular church. :).</p>
<p>I disagree with M2CK, or at least the very first part of her statement (not the rest). I had a full-ride scholarship at a second-tier liberal arts college (Spelman College) where most students were residential and had a fulfilling experience, and my stats were lower than yours (3.6 GPA, 800 v/660 m (no writing at the time), a couple of intense ECs and volunteering experience but the list was not as long as yours)</p>
<p>There are several great, residential second-tier liberal arts colleges and universities that offer large merit scholarships to students with your stats. I also got a full tuition scholarship at Agnes Scott, but students with stats like yours got full rides (and I was told if I appealed, I could’ve gotten one too, as many of the full rides declined to go to other places).</p>
<p>Look into Oglethorpe University’s James Edward Oglethorpe scholarship program - not full rides anymore, but full-tuition scholarships offered to applying students. Oglethorpe is a pretty little university in Atlanta. The University of Georgia also offers great scholarships to students with your kinds of stats.</p>
<p>I think you are getting a lot of good tips on this thread. You do need to cast your net wide and look for schools where your stats are way up there or you have some special hook that the school covets. </p>
<p>My son’s SATs were very high and he did get some nice merit offers, but only one full ride, and that was at a school where he had to be one of the very top students. It was also a SUNY, a state school. At the private schools even a $30 award left over $20 that had to be funded, and that is a pretty big merit award.</p>