<p>Everything is so expensive in California. Any schools with good merit aid?</p>
<p>Are you in-state or out of state??? You probably want to focus on private LAC’s for the best merit aid in California such as LMU, APU, Chapman, USD, Occidental, Claremont Colleges, Westmont, Santa Clara etc… UC’s have regents which could amount to $2500-6000 at the most. </p>
<p>Thank you @Gumbymom we are in state.</p>
<p>Most of the Claremont Colleges do not give merit aid. At Santa Clara, you would need to be a tippy top applicant to get significant merit aid. Those schools cost $60,000 a year.</p>
<p>How much can you pay each year? How much merit aid do you need?</p>
<p>You might want to check out this link for Automatic Scholarships: <a href=“http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com”>http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com</a></p>
<p>How much do you need? I’m sure you know the best value instate are UC and CSU. If you are looking at privates, why do you need to limit yourself to CA? Chase the merit where it is available. What Stats are you talking about, because it doesn’t make sense to target schools you won’t get in.</p>
<p>We are looking for schools in California for a number of reasons. So far we have competitive stats and EC. We will be applying to UCs. I just want to know our options with privates. We would need about 25k in merit if we apply to private schools.</p>
<p>It looks like you have looked at Harvey Mudd. They do give some merit awards. They sound like competitive awards and are not guaranteed based on stats. So apply…and see.</p>
<p>USD and Santa Clara also give merit awards to high achieving applicants. Again…apply and see.</p>
<p>Any chance your kiddo is a NMS finalist? If so, add USC to your list.</p>
<p>Again, what options with privates depends on stats, but mostly it is an apply and see. You are best off if you are in the top 25% but top 10% is better so aim for school you are the top student. USC gives 1/2 tuition for NMF, they have other significant merit but it isn’t easy to get I have heard only about 3% get the larger awards. There are plenty of kids with really impressive resumes who don’t get anything. It’s apply and see. Otherwise they do put a few thousand here and there. I know a kid prepared for full pay at USD who got a surprise significant merit, I didn’t think that student had really special stats, but I would be surprised if it was 25k. I know several kids that got 10k at Redlands, one with 20k.</p>
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<p>So, your family will pay about $30-35k per year (about the cost of a UC)?</p>
<p>As a national merit winner, my son was offered ½ tuition at USC. That’s about 30K they wanted us to pay. Needless to say, he didn’t go there.</p>
<p>Well…this family says they can pay $30-$35k so that USC scholarship might work for them.</p>
<p>Thumper1: if he’s National Merit, then I guess he has a shot at USC’s merit money.</p>
<p>I don’t know if he’s national merit…or not. But if he is…might be worth the shot. They want CA.</p>
<p>Just the latest update: SAT 2300 and possibly will make NMSF if cut off will not jump few points this year. UW GPA 3.98 and WGPA 4.76 EECS major, above average EC. What merit can we get with those stats?</p>
<p>I think you already have your answers in this thread, answers you seem to be ignoring. There’s not a lot of merit in CA. There is no guaranteed merit I know of excepting the USC 1/2 tuition NMF. No new info for you.</p>
<p>CSU Long Beach Presidential scholarship is a competitive full ride to which in-state NMFs are eligible.
<a href=“http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students/presidents_scholars/”>http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students/presidents_scholars/</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.stampsfoundation.org/partners/”>http://www.stampsfoundation.org/partners/</a> indicates that (highly) competitive Stamps scholarships are available at a few schools in California.</p>
<p>Thank you @ucbalumnus </p>
<p>Sorry, but this is a big pet peeve of mine. “We” visit schools. “We” discuss options. Only “He” applies.</p>
<p>@eyemgh no problem. I am glad that your 16 year old mature enough to make quarter of the million decisions. Unfortunately mine is not.</p>