What schools give the best merit aid (i don’t qualify for financial aid at all)?
I know USC is pretty good, but what other schools
There is a lot of good info in the threads pinned to the top of the forum. Here is one for larger competitive awards
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html#latest
There is one for large automatic awards too
But still there are quite a few colleges that will give a few large awards to the top but you have to apply to see.
There are too many factors to give a general answer. You will have to describe your personal situation to get good advice. How much are looking to pay per year for college, and what are your stats (GPA + test scores)?
*Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 760 CR/ 800 Math/ 750 Writing (2nd time taking SAT)
ACT: N/A
SAT II: Math II: 800, Physics: 760, Literature: 750 (I am willing to retake physics for 800 if needed)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.85/4.66
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 39/740 weighted, 98/740 unweighted
AP (place score in parenthesis): Stats (5), Calculus BC (5), awaiting results in 6 other AP tests
Senior Year Course Load: AP Literature, AP Spanish, AP Gov, AP Econ, Linear Algebra, Research Class
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Intel ISEF two-time finalist, multiple writing awards (Youngarts Honorable Mention, Foyle Young poet, and a few others…Scholastic Art and Writing doesn’t count in my opinion)
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Science Olympiad (secretary), Speech and Debate (publicist), a few other small ones with no leadership (volunteering based)
Job/Work Experience: TA at Chinese School, reader for a few teen literary mags, research internship
Volunteer/Community service: Library (100 hours), Food Bank (for National Honors Society)
Summer Activities: Research Internship, visited China
Other
State (if domestic applicant): Mississippi
Country (if international applicant):U.S.
School Type: Public, highly competitive
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: F
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):none
one rec will be amazing, the other will be ok
Will be applying to the School of Engineering
List of Schools (correct me if I’m wrong)
UPenn (Early Decision)- Dream
Brown- Dream
Columbia- Unrealistic Dream
Cornell- Reach (legacy)
Johns Hopkins- High Reach
Carnegie Mellon- High Reach
NYU- Low Reach
University of Rochester- High match
UC Berkeley- Reach
UCLA- Reach
Case Western- Match
Is Ole Miss your safety?
Are your parents expecting you to get merit? Or are they willing to pay all your costs?
Are you a likely NMF?
USC can be good for NMFs. As for other students, it’s a mystery as to who they give to.
URochester will likely give you some merit.
Have you visited Case?
Only a few schools on the list offer merit aids. I guess the OP is asking about schools not on the list. But I think the answer may not be very useful. It would be better if OP may narrow it down to some schools he/she may have interest in.
I want to apply to some more schools just for merit scholarships.
Likely NMF
U Ky has Patterson full ride for NMF, U South Carolina has some good merit.
One thing I noticed, are you not taking a science class senior year?
here is a list of colleges that offer NMF scholarships
@mommdc thanks !
finished all the science courses offered at my school, taken ap bio,chem,and physics
You are aware you’ll be full pay at UCB, UCLA and probably NYU, right?
Look at Tulane, Wake Forest, University of Miami, Vanderbilt. They all offer merit money, some very very competitive. (Looking at you, Vandy.) Alabama too of course.
Yes, UCB and UCLA will not give much if any merit at all. Regents are 2k to 10k only. You will not get any more discount off the 55k price. NYU doesn’t give a lot of aid to high income people but it is an outside possibility. It is NYU poly, though, yes? Same with CMU. Penn Columbia, Cornell, Hopkins are need only use the NPC to see if you get any need aid.
U of R and Case yes. Duke, Vandy, Rice. See all the competitive merit aid in my link above, first answer. Perhaps you would be a candidate for the Georgia Tech Presidential scholarship.
You would get a lot of automatic merit for safeties. Univ of Alabama, your own instate? Others not as well ranked. Look at other tech schools too.
Others have already posted the threads you should read.
How much merit aid do you need annually?
Personally I think your list is top heavy. You have a lot of reaches…and some matches…but no safety schools.
You need a school where you are pretty much guaranteed acceptance…and can afford to attend…that you like. I do t see even one on your list.
“Just curious…what makes you a URM?”
OP did not say she was one
-from her other post:.
“Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):none”
MPM, yes…oops. I misread that post. And I edited mine above.
@BrownParent I was thinking about going after Georgia Tech’s Presidential Scholarship thing by applying early (I think you have to for that)…but I’m afraid to because isn’t it really competitive?? I don’t think I really stand a chance…
@thumper1 My in-state school is my safety. Granted, I probably should have a few more, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be accepted in state with scholarship.
I agree, your instate flagship should be a safety for you. I didn’t see that on your list.
I haven’t decided if I’m applying to Ole Miss or Mississippi State, or both