Any schools that would give large merit to GPA’s in the 3.6 range (weighted)?
Or purely based on SAT scores?
Thank you!
How high is your SAT or ACT score?
Both of my kids went to schools where they received merit for gpa’s in that range. Wyoming and Florida Tech. I’m sure there are a lot more than that, but you are going to have to compromise on location or what CC calls prestige.
My SAT current is a 1460 and I’m retaking it
Ok…let’s start with the 3.6 GPA…it’s not a LOW GPA. It’s above average. It’s just not a superior GPA.
A 1460 GPA with that should give you at least a little merit aid at University of Alabama.
My dd had a 3.7 w and got $20-30K at: Allegheny, Siena, Susquehanna, and Washington & Jefferson. She qualified for CT instate tuition at UMaine and would’ve gotten 30K at Ursinus (didn’t end up applying) She had a 31 ACT.
How much can your family pay? On another thread you inquire about full rides and full tuition.
The amount of the scholarships doesn’t matter as much as the net cost to you. If you get a $30,000 scholarship for a $60,000 a year school, that would leave you with $30,000 to pay.
If you got a $15,000 award to a $30,000 a year school…your balance would be $15,000.
Right?
So…what can your parents pay annually? Find that out.
20-30 annually or total
Which is it…$20,000 annually? Or $20,000 every year for all four years?
I mean was it 20,000 granted every year or 20,000 total award over 4 years (5,000 per year)
I’ll try again.
Can your parents pay $20,000 PER YEAR.
Or can your parents pay only $5000 PER YEAR.
Which is it.
If your parents can pay $5k/year and you take the ~$5500/year federal student loan your budget is ~$10k/year. You need merit and/or need based aid to make up the difference between that and the cost of attendance. Do you know your FAFSA EFC? If you run college’s net price calculators you can get an estimate of their cost.
Your current scores will get you full tuition at the University of Mississippi. Room, board, books, travel and personal expenses are estimated at $16,776 next year. (Nearly $5000 of that is personal expenses and travel which I think is high.) With a part time job on campus, earnings from working full time in the summer, and taking out the guaranteed student loans, you could keep your parents’ contribution below $30K total for four years.
Oh sorry thumper I was actually talking to taverngirl about the scholarship she was talking about, not about what my parents are willing to pay.
I’m inquiring about full rides and full tuition because my parents are not paying anything unless I get into a top 50 school (which is not going to happen with my stats). I will have to fund my own way with scholarships and loans basically. I have a few outside scholarships but not nearly enough.
You can get into a top 50 school, but you will get more merit money is you look for schools based on YOU, based on your needs for merit money and programs you’ll fit into. What are you looking for? What do you want to study? Big school, small school, rural or city?
I want to study philosophy but I’m flexible, and I don’t care where/how large the school is I’m happy everywhere.
What’s your EFC? Schools won’t ignore it because they don’t want to pay. Some merit awards are tied to need, so check the requirements for the schools you’re interested in. if
Your stats would get you an out of state fee waiver plus close to a full ride at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA
https://www.southeastern.edu/admin/fin_aid/scholarships/
https://www.southeastern.edu/apply/assets/oos_fee_waiver.pdf
You wouldn’t be eligible for TOPS funds because that is for LA residents. But you could make up the difference with your federal student loan.
So…have a talk with your parents.
Ask them what happens if you don’t get accepted to a top 50 school.
- What will they then expect you to do when you graduate from high school?
- DO NOT get sucked into taking out loans to fund your college costs.
- Tell your parents that you will need to attend a community college and work part time if they don’t help you with college costs. That really will be your reality. If they say “ok” then that is what you need to look to do.
- There are top 50 schools where you will have a chance if acceptance. IIRC, you had Boston University on your list. I would guess you have a good acceptance chance there especially if you check the NO box for financial aid...as long as your parents are willing to spend the over $70,000 a year it costs to attend.