<p>All I hear is "apply to privates for OOS because they have more money to give". I understand this is definitely true, as i've been through the admissions process and realized how little money publics have to OOS students in need-based grants. However, i'm thinking that some public schools are actually good with aid. Have any of you gotten a good grant from a public school? I'm especially wondering for transfers. Schools i'm interested in are Texas, UNC, and Virginia.</p>
<p>I got about 11k in grants from UMich, that leaves me a lot for loans, OOS sucks</p>
<p>I believe UNC and UVa are both pretty good in financial aid overall - not sure about OOS. UVa's program is called AccessUVa...I don't remember the name of UNC's, but they are similar.</p>
<p>UNC Chapel Hill and UVa have programs where students whose income is below certain levels aren't expected to take out student loans; I think this applies to out of state students, but the acceptance rate for OOS applicants is very low. Check their websites for the details. </p>
<p>Typically merit aid is a better bet for OOS students at public universities than need-based grants. These types of scholarships are often awarded based on stats (SAT, GPA and class rank) or for a particular achievement (NMF, for example), which makes it easier to predict how much you are likely to get. Also check out state U. honors colleges to see if merit aid is offered for acceptees. </p>
<p>There was an interesting and controversial thread here awhile back about getting full rides at public U's. Basically, the gist was that not-so-elite public schools will sometimes shell out a lot of money to attract top students, so it is possible to get a full ride out of state. The downside is that, in the long-term, going to a more well-regarded institution could pay off in better graduate or career prospects, depending on what you plan to do with your degree. </p>
<p>D. went to one of the "elite publics" on that monocular list of Newsweek's. A startling number of her classmates are matriculating at small regional Us within our state. I don't know the factors that went into these students' decisions, but I imagine money is part of it. Most are getting generous merit aid, and because some of these schools will let the kids test out of up to 60 credit hours, many will be paying for two years of college instead of four, so they will be out earning money that much quicker. Alums of her school have advocated for and against both routes (debt/prestige vs. full ride/regional U) based on their experiences, so I would imagine that it ends up being a very personal issue as to which way makes an individual happier in the long run.</p>
<p>Virginia's financial aid program is brilliant. They are extraordinarily generous with aid. What Access UVA does is give you a loan no more than about 4K for an OOS student (or whatever 25% of the in-state cost of attendance is), and promises to fill the rest of your aid package with grants. They promise to fill 100% of your need. </p>
<p>University of South Carolina has several scholarships dedicated to OOS students. All reduce tuition to the instate rate. They are McNair (very competitive), Cooper, and McKissick. The Cooper and McKissick scholarships do not require a separate application. The McNair does...and an interview as well. The McNair finalists all get a great package from SC.</p>
<p>Ohio University has some automatice scholarships for good stats, including for OOS students. Check many of the texas state u's - they provide an out-of-state fee waiver if you qualify for even a small merit scholarship. Univ. of Arkansas has some good OOS schols, also.</p>
<p>What is OOS</p>
<p>OOS=Out Of State</p>
<p>UVA isn't need blind though, right? So when they see that i'm applying for aid, will I be downgraded? Also, are a lot of these scholarships for freshman and not offered for transfers?</p>