<<<
… That doesn’t change the fact that it’s based on merit. I’m pretty sure they aren’t excluding full pay students when making selections for this program
[QUOTE=""]
[/QUOTE]
Why are you “pretty sure” when everything says, “no.”
[QUOTE=""]
Did you actually read post number 35?
Yes, you can get selected for the Meing Scholars based on Merit.
However, you get the benefits based on financial need** the scholarship to reduce your need based loans and the replacement of summer earning (which are part of your need based FA package.
https://commitment.cornell.edu/meinig-scholars
Students who are full pay will not be eligible for the loan replacement and summer expected savings replacement
I think I can pay first year of IVY fee, after that I may need to apply for financial aid.
My son has done really well in high school. He has taken 8 AP subjects and passed all with As and B+, he is part of school Marching Band (which has traveled in China, Australia and all around countries including Disney in California and Florida). He is also leader (Drum Major) of entire Band. He has also collected 100+ volunteer hours in hospitals and he will be doing same this coming summer. With his leadership skills, involvement in school activities, GPA & SAT score , he thinks he might get selected in Ivies like Brown, UPENN , Cornell or Johns Hopkins for Pre-med.
I think no matter how much money you make, Ivies fees are out of reach for middle class families. I do not qualify for any help from schools as combine income is 100K+. I may choose either state college for undergrad or apply for Student Loan.
Is grant same as need based financial aid?
Bottom line: My daughter’s Meining Scholar letter states this scholarship is given because of her academic achievements so I’m more inclined to believe her letter than comments on this thread. Smh
Many of the need-based scholarships I received commended me on my academic merit, also – because I wouldn’t have gotten into the school if I hadn’t had great stats.
That does not make the award merit-based.
@URasSMART : among all students with financial need who applied, some were distinguished for exceptional merit and received this scholarship.
@saurabhlakhia : please run the npc on all icy league, Ivy League + and Little ivies - 100+k may mean full tuition scholarship based on need. If you make 250+k , odds are you won’t get any financial aid but below that amount you almost certainly will.
However, as for your child’s chances, he’s what is called on this site 'average excellent '. Look for a thread by @lindagaf
@RUasSMART,
No one is trying to diminish of take anything away from your child.
All everyone is saying that the the Ivies do not give merit money. The money that she received was based on her having a financial need and the loan being part of her need based financial aid package. Cornell itself states that. So if there is a problem, perhaps you should take it up with them
YES!!! she is a Mening Scholar because of her academics.
However, she has received **the benefits that come with being a Mening Scholar because of her financial need.
Have a look at the thread referenced above:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1878059-truthful-advice-about-getting-into-top-colleges-for-your-average-excellent-student-p1.html
I agree with @MYOS1634 that your son seems like an average excellent student.
@CourtneyThurston … I am not aware of your situation as I was referring to my daughter’s. Unless you are familiar with this honor from Cornell, you really cannot speak on it.
I have been an avid reader of CC this year but I just started minimally posting in order to add my two cents when warranted. My oldest daughter is a junior at Temple and my youngest will be attending Cornell in the fall. I am well aware of the difference between merit and need-based scholarships. My consensus of some people who regularly respond on this forum is that not only is there is no room for correcting their opinions but there is also a sense negativity in most of their posts and/or responses.
With that being said, there are positive aspects to this forum and for the most part it has been helpful for my daughters. Blessings to the OP.
<<<<
think I can pay first year of IVY fee, after that I may need to apply for financial aid.
<<<
that is a BAD strategy. There are schools that won’t let you apply AFTER the first year if you didn’t apply frosh year.
Apply for aid for the FIRST year.
^I second this.
This is not how it works.
Most top schools are need-blind for American citizens (they’re not for internationals). It means admissions decides without knowing a thing about your financial need. Whether you drain your savings or not doesn’t affect their decision. Offering to be full pay for a year will not help your child.
1° PLEASE run the NPC on EACH college (they all calculate differently, using different criteria with different caps) and calculate your EFC too, both federal and institutional.
If possible, copy/paste your EFC here and/or whether you can afford it. (Most families can’t).
2° Start reading the Financial Aid forum, don’t hesitate to ask questions (preface by saying: immigrant parent, trying best for child who’s a citizen.)
3° I’m sure the “average excellent” comment rankled, but please understand it’s not a way to diminish your child’s achievements, but rather to help you grapple with the best way of helping him make his college list; even if you’re dubious right now, read the thread that was recommended. You’ll see it’s actually a good wording that allows for sound college planning.
I can understand wanting to correct someone who has misstated a fact; this helps keep the discussion real and usually isn’t difficult to do. However, good luck trying to “correct” someone’s opinion.
@BelknapPoint: In this case, what’s in dispute isn’t even an opinion. It’s a fact that all of Cornell’s merit money is also need-based. Evidently a fact that at least someone doesn’t want to accept, though.
It’s always helpful to know the facts, whether we like them or not. I think people have tried to clear up this misinformation so that everyone else reading this post is clear that the Ivies do not offer merit aid. It’s hard for parents to hear for the first time that there are many, many brilliant students applying to college every year.
It’s very easy to Google Ivies and Merit Aid. You will see, over and over, where it is stated that none of the Ivies offer merit aid. Any money they give is to students with financial need. Students without financial need are not offered any “scholarship” money. Ivies simply do not give merit aid or athletic scholarships. They just don’t. It’s a fact, even if the recipient wishes it to be otherwise.
I agree…the Ivies offer NO merit aid…if a student doesn’t have financial need, they won’t get aid from the Ivies.
It’s a little confusing because some of these schools do call their grant aid “scholarships”. It’s just a term.
Regarding the “scholarship” noted above at Cornell…if a student doesn’t have financial need, they can’t get that award…at all…period.
Yeah just like it’s a “fact” that all Ivy decisions are released on March 30/31 every year even though my daughter received her acceptance one month earlier. And no, it wasn’t a likely letter.
One more time: Had it not been for my daughter’s academic achievement, she would not have been considered for the scholarship. Those who are full pay do not receive the monetary benefit of this honor because, well, they are full pay. She also has to maintain a certain GPA to remain in the program and receive the annual scholarship.
Based on this forum, I was under the impression Ivies did not give any money outside grants and loans, especially based on merit. It wasn’t until my daughter received the Meining Scholarship did I realize they did. Well at least Cornell does. I understan the monetary benefit replaces any student loans, but she was selected based on merit. I hope this helps someone.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
The OP’s question was answered in the first post. The last 2.5 pages have served only to derail and debate.