<p>Cermi - they have not finished the notifications. They gave you a small amount of time, as they did everyone, because they are doing them in groups.</p>
<p>As best as I can piece together from this and other threads, the three rounds of notifications and due dates so far have been:
email rec’d 12/18 or 12/19, materials due 1/4
email rec’d 1/9, materials due 1/18
email rec’d 1/21 or 1/22, materials due 1/27</p>
<p>The first two rounds definitely had more time than the last round. Looks like people in the first batch were given the most time of the three groups.</p>
<p>The last one had materials due by 1/25!!!</p>
<p>I was in the first batch that had a few more days, but the timing sure wasn’t easy. Both Christmas and New Years fell into that scheduling, which is I’m sure why the extra days got added.</p>
<p>Anyways, I’d like to ask you something - do you think that it increase my chances for “regular admission” if I am selected a semifinalist?</p>
<p>… or decrease my chances if I am not selected?</p>
<p>I read on the Richmond Admissions blog that all candidates were notified as of last week. Guess I can only hope my daughter qualifies for the President’s Award–otherwise, Richmond is probably to spendy for us!</p>
<p>Jah, if your daughter was not selected as a semi-finalist and applied by December 15th, I hate to be a debbie downer but the chances of her getting a President’s scholarship are pretty much null because they almost entirely go to Richmond Scholar finalists and semi-finalists who don’t make the final cut.</p>
<p>But I wouldn’t count UR out just yet- I didn’t get any merit aid, but have almost a full ride due to my financial aid package.</p>
<p>While it’s not a full ride, Bonner’s Scholarship is pretty decent. We’re optimistic about my D qualifying for that.</p>
<p>So, what you are saying is that the semi’s who do not get the Richmond Scholar award of full tuition, are first in line for the $15K Pres. Award. What about all the students who will be offered either award, and decide to go elsewhere? That money would seem to have to trickle down, right?</p>
<p>I though my daughter had a chance of merit $$ at Richmond-- top 10% of very competitive suburban h.s., 32 on her ACT, 700’s on subject tests, I am assuming very strong recs, 2 varsity sports, runs her own business, leadership roles at school, etc. Maybe kids like her are just a dime a dozen, who knows?</p>
<p>“That money would seem to have to trickle down, right?”</p>
<p>I don’t think it works that way. Colleges always make their merit offers with the knowledge that some will choose not to attend. In other words, if someone is offered merit money and chooses not to attend, the merit money isn’t necessarily put back into the pot to re-distribute.</p>
<p>Re Mammy (Post 82). D was in “the first batch” last year. She rec’d e-mail on 12/19, which was the last day of classes. Had to scramble to get all the materials together from school (graded work portfolio was kept by the school) over the Christmas holidays, which were booked with travel. Wasn’t easy. Actually, it was a disadvantage.</p>
<p>The money doesn’t trickle down because they offer merit aid to more students than who actually will be getting it, just like how they offer admission to many more students than the actual target class size. There are supposed to be 50 Richmond Scholars, but they offer the award to about 80 because they know not everyone will accept. So there is no left over money.</p>
<p>The finalists who don’t make the cut to become Richmond Scholars are first in line for the Presidential money, THEN the very top of the semi-finalists, THEN really good applicants who probably would have made it far in the Scholar rounds but didn’t apply in time.</p>
<p>Jah, I had very very VERY similar stats to your daughter and made it to the semi-finalist round but no further in 2008 and did not receive any merit money. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that UR receives many competitive applicants and chooses to distribute their merit money in huge chunks rather than small scholarships.</p>
<p>Kellieb–thanks for the depressing, but realistic input on my D’s chances of getting $ (and therefore, really being able to consider Richmond)–I kind of regret letting her apply–I just have read and heard so much about Richmond’s attempt to make the school affordable for as many kids as possible–they have to know that $50K is really not affordable for most.</p>
<p>jah, I would certainly not regret your decision to apply because the great thing about U of R is that you will only have to pay what you can afford (based on FAFSA and Richmond in Reach.) So if you can’t afford the $50K then you won’t be paying it (as confirmed by kelliebm.) Frankly, it is one of the reasons why I applied to the school. Merit $ certainly is a plus because it won’t be dependent on your family’s financial circumstances, but U of R offers incredibly generous and unique needs-based aid that is much better than most schools of its caliber. (I have two siblings in college and their schools’ merit and needs-based aid policies aren’t nearly as good.) Obviously, if you can afford the $50k tuition, but would prefer not to pay it, that’s a different situation (and would require merit or loan money.) Good luck!</p>
<p>nelly- well, I am guessing we will not qualify for any aid, but maybe I am wrong. We do have another daughter in college. But, just because we don’t qualify for aid, doesn’t mean we can afford to pay and prefer not to. There is a big gap between not qualifying for aid, and when paying $50K a year makes financial sense. We have a younger son too.</p>
<p>Since a good percent of the class size are semi-finalists, does not qualifying mean having extremely slim chances?</p>
<p>Jah, I would just hold out for the financial aid package before you get too discouraged. UR gave me much better financial aid than any other school I applied to, many of which were also selective liberal arts schools.</p>
<p>Tagbanda- are you referring to your chances of being admitted? No, it doesn’t make your chances slim at all… it’s not like they accept 800 people to make a class of 800. They will likely accept around 2500 people out of the 8500 applications.</p>
<p>anyone else surprised that they were not considered for the scholarship?</p>
<p>thanks kellie–could I ever pm you with a few questions?</p>