Scholarship Oppty for 4.56gpa Athlete

<p>My wife and I are blessed with a child in class of 2011 who has a 4.56 weighted gpa and an expected (next two weeks) 2200 or above SAT. Strengths are in sciences and math and expressed interest is in Engineering or Medicine. We have just begun to look into scholarships and would appreciate help in how one goes about securing a full ride or partial scholarship. </p>

<p>We have read many of the threads on this site but are overwhelmed with the information at this point. in advance, all replies are very much appreciated.</p>

<p>Depends on whether hes a recruited athlete or just a typical HS athlete.</p>

<p>Not recruited, typical athlete in soccer.</p>

<p>Well you’re looking for a merit scholarship then.</p>

<p>Sub-forum for major scholarship competitions
[Major</a> Scholarships and Competitions - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/major-scholarships-competitions/]Major”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/major-scholarships-competitions/)</p>

<p>And if he’s an NMSF
[National</a> Merit Scholarships - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/]National”>Financial Aid (Need-based, merit aid, loans) - College Confidential Forums)</p>

<p>Can’t really help you past that, seeing as I’m a fellow HS class of 2011er lol.</p>

<p>Many thanks, appreciate the education. understand the the National Merit is base on a PSAT of 220 or above. Is that correct?</p>

<p>^^ no, the cutoff scores for NM vary from state to state. </p>

<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html]National”>http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html)</p>

<p>Qualifying Scores for the Class of 2010 National Merit Semifinalists:
Alabama 208
Alaska 211
Arizona 210
Arkansas 203
California 218
Colorado 215
Connecticut 218
Delaware 219
District of Columbia 221
Florida 211
Georgia 214
Hawaii 214
Idaho 209
Illinois 214
Indiana 211
Iowa 209
Kansas 211
Kentucky 209
Louisiana 207
Maine 213
Maryland 221
Massachusetts 221
Michigan 209
Minnesota 215
Mississippi 203
Missouri 211
Montana 204
Nebraska 207
Nevada 202
New Hampshire 213
New Jersey 221
New Mexico 208
New York 218
North Carolina 214
North Dakota 202
Ohio 211
Oklahoma 207
Oregon 213
Pennsylvania 214
Rhode Island 217
South Carolina 211
South Dakota 205
Tennessee 213
Texas 216
Utah 206
Vermont 213
Virginia 218
Washington 217
West Virginia 203
Wisconsin 207
Wyoming 201
New England/Mid Atlantic Boarding Schools 221</p>

<p>My child’s score was in the commended category, with a past 215, we’re in California</p>

<p>Pour yourself a cup of coffee and read through this long thread.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Know your EFC and whether you will be eligible for any need-based aid. </p>

<p>He is eligible for a merit based full tuition scholarship at many colleges; it just depends on what you are looking for in a school. </p>

<p>There are certainly colleges where he could get a merit based full ride, as well. These will generally be lower tier schools. Checking fit will be important.</p>

<p>You might want to go over to the College Search and Selection forum; I think you’ll get some good ideas there. Think about what your son and your family are looking for in a school for your son: Large vs. small, Urban vs. rural, soccer opportunities, majors offered at the college, near your region of the country/easy to get to, weather preferences, public vs. private, religious affiliation, political climate of the school… </p>

<p>Students from our high school who want a good private school with good merit aid often look at University of Rochester and CWRU; what do the guidance counselors at your high school recommend? </p>

<p>I just wanted to note Morehead-Cain below, because I think it is one of few scholarships publicized that gives a non-need-based full ride to a top school.
[UNC</a> Morehead-Cain Application and Selection Process](<a href=“http://www.moreheadcain.org/apply-to-morehead-cain.html]UNC”>http://www.moreheadcain.org/apply-to-morehead-cain.html)</p>

<p>This thread is interesting, too.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/148852-what-ive-learned-about-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/148852-what-ive-learned-about-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>OK, got the coffee and looking with interest. BTW, his entire schedule is AP/Honors courses with the exception of photography (AP Stats, AP English 3, AP History, Honors Spanish 3, AP Chemistry, and Photography 2) so we believe this is the correct track to get into a top school, just looking to see if there is a way to get a scholarship for the 4 year part and then save the college fund for grad school.</p>

<p>Your help is very much appreciated…off to read the links…</p>

<p>If he scores 2200+ there are many schools where he will receive merit aid. The top merit aid awards at good schools can be extremely competitive but if you come down in rankings, merit aid can be found. Make sure he gets his applications in early, especially at state schools which may have merit aid deadlines which differ from admission deadlines.</p>

<p>Thank you, does the Merit Aid get “offered” by way of the SAT and GPA or is it driven by the search for the funding (assuming it’s this, apologies in advance for the rather ignorant question).</p>

<p>Both. As you build a list you could have a few of the state publics that actually post their automatic merit awards based on GPA and test scores on the website and move up in selectivity from there. Some of the best advice that you will learn here is to build the list from the “bottom up.” The other advice for those seeking merit money is to spread a wide net. Having one with good GPA, good test scores, athletics etc. is a nice “hand” to be dealt. As you begin, keep coming back and asking specific questions about schools that interest you…tons of knowledge here from all over the country. If engineering is a “must have” possibility that will help you narrow your search greatly. Pre-med is well, pre-med although there are some colleges/uni that have rare scholarship that includes pre-admit to med school, I think I bumped into that one looking at Hobart William Smith if I remember correctly so it’s going to take some research on your part. Asking specific questions if you post up a thread as opposed to general or vague questions will yield a better response.</p>

<p>Understand that when you’re talking ‘top’ schools, very few scholarships are offered. At top college most aid depends on demonstrated need as opposed to academic merit. A few top schools do have merit aid, but very few and getting it is extremely competitive.</p>

<p>Most kids with strong grades and a 2200 looking for significant money, much less a full ride, based on merit will end up at a college not considered top.</p>

<p>For money at the top schools use the calculators on this site and others to see if you will be considered to have need.</p>

<p>Thank you both for your replies, truly great information. Getting more specific:</p>

<ul>
<li>He wants to stay in California </li>
<li>Will apply to Stanford, UCLA, USC and UC Berkeley</li>
<li>will apply to MIT too</li>
<li>Will most likely focus on engineering or medical</li>
</ul>

<p>Don’t know enough about other schools yet - and I know there are hundreds. Also as mentioned we (parents) are looking at saving some of the college funds we’ve put aside for grad/med school.</p>

<p>I second what momofthree said. You and your child may need to get over the rankings game. My DD has great stats etc. and could go to a top college. However, if I have learned one thing here it is that Merit at the very top is almost non-existant and the kids competing for it all have stats like your son’s or better. This was hard for my DD to accept. She is a big fish at her suburban HS and everyone assumes she will get a “full ride” to a top college. Oh, how little they know! Tippy top schools dont need to offer big Merit because they do fine with attracting kids without it. We felt it was in our DD’s best interest to apply to all types of schools to maximize Merit offers and so far this has paid off. Her list ranges from Emory/Rice to Carthage college, a small LAC in Wisconsin. As predicted by the very knowlegable parents here the offers have come from the bottom up. She is still waiting to see if she is lucky enought to win one of the few big scholarshps from her top choices. Like you said, we are hoping to save as much on undergrad as she has hopes of going to med. school. However, this advice changes alittle if you have any financial 'need" also. If this is the case, you may be able to score a great deal at even the highest college/university.</p>

<p>Agree with hmom. Good idea to use the FAFSA calculator and also the institutional method calculators (try several) to get a good picture of what colleges will expect you to contribute. The college finaid websites are a good source of info also. Meeting full need, is just that it is the college calculating what THEY think you can afford and then covering the balance with a variety of things including scholarships and grants which don’t need to be paid back and loans which do need to be paid back. The “no loan” schools are few and far between and even some of them include a Stafford loan for the student as a part of the package. Read, read, read, Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions for the best result.</p>

<p>mrrkd2,</p>

<p>It may not be high on your list, but you might want to consider my Alma Mater (B.S. & M.D.). I attended the University of Louisville for undergrad & medical school. I was admitted to medical school after 3 years of undergraduate school. I was a National Merit Scholar, but due to finances, ended up going in-state to U of L, where I would get half tuition paid just for having been a semi-finalist. In the College of Arts & Sciences, I ended up paying NO TUITION my second and third years of undergraduate school, as I was granted Trustee’s scholarships due to my academic performance.</p>

<p>I currently make the same salary as my fiance’ who went to University of Pennsylvania, then Temple Medical School. Where you son does his undergraduate school will not be as important as where he does his post-grad work. Louisville will more than adequately prepare for either medicine or engineering.</p>

<p>An added advantage is that Southwest Airlines flies into Louisville, so cheaper airfare.</p>

<p>Here’s some info on scholarships for out-of-state high school seniors. As you can see, they are even more advantageous than the one-half tuition I was awarded in my day (I entered college 40 years ago). By the way, I didn’t catch your son is a junior or senior in high school. If he is a senior, the deadline to apply to be a U of L Brown Fellow is January 15th. With your son’s stats, he may very well be a candidate to be a Brown Fellow.</p>

<p>Out-of-State High School Senior</p>

<p>Brown fellows</p>

<p>Full in-state tuition, room and board, as well as participate in an summer program featuring international travel before freshman year - 25 ACT or 1130 SAT (CR + M) and 3.35 GPA.</p>

<pre><code> *

                      One essay - Imagine a leadership  project you might propose to undertake if chosen for the Brown Fellow program, in 500 words or less.
                    *

                      Letter of recommendation - teacher
                    *

                      Letter of recommendation - principal or counselor
                    *

                      Letter of recommendation - non-family member or community leader
                    *

                      10 awards given each year

</code></pre>

<p>NATIONAL SCHOLARS</p>

<p>This program allows out-of-state students to enroll at UofL and pay in-state tuition, plus $500 per semester instead of out-of-state tuition rates. To be eligible students must have a 26 ACT or 1170 SAT (CR + M) and a 3.35 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and apply for admission by February 15, 2010. Students will be notified following admission to UofL. No scholarship application is required.</p>

<p>Please note: Residents of Kentucky and the six reciprocal Southern Indiana counties (Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington) are not eligible for the National Scholars Award. Students meeting the requirements are also eligible to apply for the Grawemeyer Scholarship. National Scholars cannot be combined with either the Grawemeyer or National Merit Finalist scholarships.</p>

<p>The response on this website is terrific. Our son is a junior and will graduate in 2011.</p>

<p>mrrkd2,
In order to be eligible for scholarships at USC, he HAS to have his application in by the Dec 1 deadline. Depending on many factors, he MAY be asked to interview for a scholarship in Feb-March of his senior year[ which means he has been accepted at USC]. Make sure he does go for that interview!
[USC</a> Financial Aid - Grants & Scholarships - Undergraduate - Freshmen Only Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/grants_scholarships/undergraduates/meritbasedfo.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/grants_scholarships/undergraduates/meritbasedfo.html)</p>

<p>He needs to add more UC’s to his list if he wants to stay in Calif, as UCB and UCLA are ridiculously competitive these days. He should add UCSD, UCSB & UCD at the very least.
He needs to find some safeties. It’s easy to find top ranked reaches that he would love to go to [ Stanford, MIT are super reaches for any student, because of the sheer #'s of qualified applicants] but finding colleges where he is very likely to be accepted AND where he would be happy is far harder.</p>