I started out as an average student in high school but my grades have increased to my junior year and I have some EC’s. I don’t have the type of merit to get a full ride at my state university or get into an Ivy that gives good aid so I’m wondering with my current stats what sort of colleges I should visit that are known to give merit aid to people like me, I will explain myself below. Basically, I haven’t visited hardly any universities and need to know where will give me good deals. BTW I am looking to major in economics, math or science. So on to who I am. . .
Location: New Jersey
GPA (Regular is out of 4.0, Honors out of 4.8, AP out of 5.0) I the highest level of every class I could, 3 AP’s Sophomore year 4 Junior
Freshman: 3.916 (Weighted) 3.5 (Unweighted)
Sophomore: 4.192 (Weighted) 3.71 (Unweighted)
Junior: 4.65 (Weighted) 3.88 (Unweighted)
Combined: 4.25 (Weighted) 3.70 (Unweighted)
Also: I included every class even Gym and Band
AP’s
AP Physics
AP Calc AB (At John Hopkins University CTY)
Ap Calc BC (Also CTY)
AP Lang
AP Chem
AP Comp Sci
Multi Variable Calc (Weighted as an AP)
Next year I will take
AP Psych
AP USH
AP Lit
Ap Span
Two independent studies above AP level
Standardized Tests
ACT, 32 combined, 31 English, 26 Reading, 35 Science, 34 Math (I will retake I took this without any prep)
SAT II Math II 790 Physics 750
EC’s
Vice President Model UN
Three year Varsity Track and Cross Country
Area Youth Orchestra
Science Olympiad
NHS
Tri-M Music Honors Society
I probably missed stuff but anyway ask for more info if needed and post below the kinds of merit aid and at which schools I would receive it. Also the two John Hopkins classes were taken over the summer and I got a B and B- on them so not so good but I did them both in only 50 days so idk how that looks.
That list is nice, does anyone have a personal answer with experience similar to mine?
How much merit do you need? How much will your parents pay?
Many kids with stats like yours who need lots of merit apply to Alabama for their Full tuition scholarship. Their application is opening in a few days (around July 1).
Both of my kids went there on large merit scholarships.
I don’t need an immense amount I just can’t handle 50 or 60 thousand a year. I am looking to pay around 20k a year at most. I will look in alabama, any others?
Have you considered TCNJ? My guess is they’ll knock something off their price to bring total costs within range for you. Also Temple in Philly. You qualify for free tuition there and would just be on the hook for room and board. That’d be well within budget. Make sure you tour the honors college to get a sense of what Temple has to offer you.
I think there are lots of schools that will bring costs down to 30k or so with your stats. Is that just too high? Do you have a possible major in mind? Do you have any preferences in a school? I.e. Urban vs rural, within a specific distance from home, etc.
TCNJ is definitely an option that I will consider and it is only thirty minutes away from me. Temple also I will look into. 30k should be fine if the college is really worth it. I have no specific major in mind but I want to focus on Comp Sci, Chem, Physics or Math with a minor or dual major of economics. As far as distance, preference and setting I have no restrictions and am very open minded to any setting of education.
Gym is not counted for gpa
Are electives like concert band or personal finance counted?
It depends. You should easily be able to find out what your school calculates on transcripts. But some colleges will recalculate and just use academic classes. Performing arts are usually included so band could be. Not as likely forpersonal finance.
On my transcript everything including band is calculated and weighted so I only see my cumulative weighted 4.25. Can you link me to how colleges calculate unweighted? I just treated every class like it was out of 4.0 to do the above figures.
Our state schools include only math, English, science, social studies, and foreign language courses when calculating the GPA. Check the websites of the schools you’re interested in to see if they list what courses they include in their calculation.