<p>I have a 4.07 GPA (4.20 if community college classes added. 5 A's on those) and a 35 ACT. My SAT 2 scores are Math2c 800, Literature 740, Spanish 670, Biology E 720. My class rank is 28/600, so just above 5%.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if my ECs are considered important, so I won't include them.</p>
<p>My parents ultimately want to see some options that ease the tension on their side a bit. Are there any schools that I could be competitive for aid in?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>A lot of schools would offer you merit aid based on your scores. What else are you looking for in a college and what do you want to major in?</p>
<p>Are you a high school senior?</p>
<p>What is your likely major?</p>
<p>My parents ultimately want to see some options that ease the tension on their side a bit. Are there any schools that I could be competitive for aid in?</p>
<p>Your post is confusing…</p>
<p>Aid is typically “need based” - so based on income/assets of parents.</p>
<p>Merit scholarships are based on academic stats. Is that what your parents are wanting to know about?</p>
<p>If your parents have a highish EFC and want you to get a big merit scholarship to minimize their contribution, then you need to apply to the schools that will give you ASSURED BIG MERIT for your stats.</p>
<p>How much are your parents comfortable paying each year? If you don’t know, ask for an estimate…$10k, 15k, 20k, 30k, more?</p>
<p>Oh I’m sorry, I used the wrong term. Merit scholarships are what I’m looking for.</p>
<p>I’m looking into business, primarily finance. For schools that don’t have that, economics is closest, with math sciences being next.</p>
<p>Currently my list consists of northwestern, usc, michigan, carnegie mellon, duke, nyu, cornell, upenn, and the uc system. I would like a relatively large school in an urban area. My biggest focus is the major and quality of connections into wall street.</p>
<p>edit: I’ve asked my parents about how much they’d feel comfortable paying. They said they just want the best options possible. Dunno what that means -.-</p>
<p>For Wall Street, you need a very top school, and none of these offers merit aid.</p>
<p>Look at Fordham for Wall St connections and merit aid with your stats.</p>
<p>Also Penn State. You would certainly get some merit and as a finance major in the honors college would have internship and interview opportunities with many of the big banks.</p>
<p>If you truly want lots of merit money, you should be looking at schools a level down from most of the schools on your list. You would get the most money from schools where your stats easily put you in the top 5 - 10% of all applicants.</p>
<p>And for the record, UPenn offers NO merit aid at all, and both Northwestern and CMU offer very, very few merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Also Penn State. You would certainly get some merit and as a finance major in the honors college would have internship and interview opportunities with many of the big banks.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Shreyer’s honors scholarship is small…about $4500 per year…not much when out of state COA is about $40k.</p>
<p>Currently my list consists of northwestern, usc, michigan, carnegie mellon, duke, nyu, cornell, upenn, and the uc system. I would like a relatively large school in an urban area. My biggest focus is the major and quality of connections into wall street.</p>
<p>Are you instate for the UCs?</p>
<p>Anyway…your list isn’t that great for merit if you need a LOT…USC, NYU, and UMich might give you some merit, but you’d still be expected to pay out a lot.</p>
<p>*I’ve asked my parents about how much they’d feel comfortable paying. They said they just want the best options possible. Dunno what that means -.- *</p>
<p>Sit your parents down and say something like this…</p>
<p>**"I can only apply to X number of schools. I need to know how much you’ll pay each year so that I can choose the right schools. Many schools don’t give any scholarships, some only give small amounts, some give larger amounts, and some give huge amounts.</p>
<p>For instance, if you can only afford $20k per year, then I need to focus my apps on schools that will give me free tuition - which will substantially change my list. </p>
<p>However, if you can pay $40k per year, then I need to include some schools where I could get at least half tuition scholarships. </p>
<p>But, if you say you can pay $55k per year, then I can apply to a variety of schools without a big concern about money. And… if some of my schools give me a merit scholarship then great; but if none do, then that will be ok as well.</p>
<p>This is why I need to know how much you are willing to spend so I will know where I need to direct my apps. There will NOT be time for a “do-over” in the spring."**</p>
<p>If they still seem vague, then ask them…
**
“Since you still won’t give me a number, should I mostly apply to schools where your contribution will be $20k or less?”**</p>
<p>At that point they will likely come forward with something that indicates whether they will pay more or not. If they stubbornly still won’t give a rough amount, then you’ll have to protect yourself and apply to at least 3 schools that will give you HUGE merit for your stats. Otherwise, you may be very sad in the spring.</p>
<p>Some parents are embarrassed because they can’t pay much. Some parents withhold this info because they fear that if they say, “$55k per year,” then their child will “pooh pooh” schools that cost less. You need to find out which type your parents are.</p>
<p>I don’t expect any merit scholarships from my list right now. I’m wanting to add to the list some places where I can get some.</p>
<p>I’m an instate for the UC system, but I honestly do not want to attend college in California…</p>
<p>My parents still refuse to give me an exact number, stating that they just don’t know what will or will not be possible a couple years later. I guess I should be adding a few more schools that I’d get scholarships at.</p>
<p>What kind of stats do the top Fordham scholarship winners get?</p>
<p>At USC there are competitive merit scholarships. These are not given on statistics alone. </p>
<p>Your SAT scores are not mentioned. With a 35 ACT you may not have taken them. However, at SC IF you are a National Merit Scholar and take SC as your first choice college upon admittance you qualify for half tuition and a $1,000 scholarship from the NMS Foundation each year. Obviously, an individual must maintain a certain GPA and take 16 units or more each semester to maintain this scholarship. </p>
<p>If you qualify for financial aid it is possible to receive aid in addition to the merit scholarship depending upon family assets and SC determined need. About 60% of each class is on financial aid. About 20% receive merit scholarships.</p>
<p>SC’s student body is extremely diverse. It has large numbers of international students and students from all over the United States. </p>
<p>The deadline for scholarship applicants is Dec. 1, 2010.</p>
<p>My PSAT is 229, with my SAT at 2210. After my 2210 I gave up the SAT and went to the ACT. I’m an SF and I think I qualify as a finalist.</p>
<p>*I’m an instate for the UC system, but I honestly do not want to attend college in California…</p>
<p>My parents still refuse to give me an exact number, stating that they just don’t know what will or will not be possible a couple years later. I guess I should be adding a few more schools that I’d get scholarships at.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>That kind of answer isn’t exactly encouraging. It sounds like they’re worried that in a future year, they might have income issues and not be able to pay much. </p>
<p>It’s a bit weird that they won’t say something like…“If our incomes don’t fall, then we can probably pay XX each year. However, if our income drops, then we may not be able to pay anything.”</p>
<p>Now…some will say that if income drops, you might be able to get more aid, but that isn’t always true. Sometimes when people lose their jobs they end up with the same or higher family contributions because of lump sum severance payments or other issues. </p>
<p>To protect yourself, apply to a few schools that will give you huge merit. Then, if next spring your parents feel unsure of their finances, you’ll still have affordable schools.</p>
<p>What kind of stats do the top Fordham scholarship winners get?</p>
<p>Fordham gives free tuition to NMFs who are in the top 10% of their graduating class.</p>
<p>Your SAT is fine…just do everything in your NMSF packet, stay out of trouble at school, and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>I’m translating from Chinese, by the way. I’m not completely fluent, so that’s just what I understood.</p>
<p>I’m adding Fordham to my list based on the scholarships and what wallstreetoasis has given me about the school’s job placement stuff.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your help. I’ve given my parents the recommendations I’ve received from PM and thread and they so far have liked Fordham the best.</p>
<p>Fordham is in New York. Will transportation costs be a problem for you? It is a religiously affiliated university. </p>
<p>Try again to have a frank talk with your parents about finances. Even full or half tuition does not include books, fees, room and board and incidental expenses. Check out the financial aid at each university.</p>
<p>
USC is on your list right now… As GeorgiaGirl mentioned, at USC National Merit Scholars who are accepted to USC receive an automatic 1/2 tuition + $1,000 scholarship.</p>
<p>If you complete the NMSF packet, are named a NMF, are accepted by USC and list USC as your first-choice school by May 1st, you will receive a merit scholarship of approximately $22,000 per year (~$88,000 total). <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/private/docs/1112/uscScholarships1112v2.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/private/docs/1112/uscScholarships1112v2.pdf</a></p>
<p>The total COA at USC is ~$54,000, so that would leave ~$32,000/year for you and your parents to cover - bringing it down to the approximate in-state cost of a UC. If indeed you are a NMF USC might be one of your better options on your current list.</p>
<p>You should plan to apply by the scholarship deadline of December 1st on the chance you are invited to interview for the full-tuition Trustee scholarship, worth approximately $41,000/year. 146 Trustee scholarships were awarded to the 2010 incoming class. <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1011/FreshmanProfile2010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1011/FreshmanProfile2010.pdf</a></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Is there a difference between being a finalist and being a merit scholar? It says on this one paper than 8400 Merit Scholars will be accepted from the remaining 15,000 finalists.</p>
<p>Yes, only half of the finalists will actually be chosen as a National Merit Scholar and receive money.</p>
<p>I am sorry to have caused confusion by saying “National Merit Scholars” in post #16. The correct information for USC is:</p>
<p>The USC National Merit Finalist Presidential Scholarship is awarded to National Merit Finalists who are accepted to USC and name USC as their first-choice school by the deadline. Please see the links in post #16 for details.</p>
<p>Alright I’ve just noted USC as my first-choice (at least for now…) in my NMSF application, which is complete except for a few questions about my essay formatting.</p>
<p>My parents decided to look up Fordham on *****.com and have since changed their stance on it, thinking I might not be happy there mostly because of the Lincoln Center campus reputation. I’ll still apply behind their back as a just in case thing.</p>