Can anyone link me specific undergrad scholarships that I can apply? Ones that give a decent amount of money would be great. I really would like to go out of state for school.
Im a female going into 12th grade living in Nevada, if that helps.
Also, how do people going out of state afford it without loans??
What are your stats(test scores/gpa)
How much are your parents willing to pay
The very best scholarships come from colleges to which you are accepted.
What is your GPA?
What is your ACT or SAT score?
What is your home state?
How much can your parents contribute annually for college?
@sybbie719 @thumper1 My gpa is around 3.75 unweighted 4.3 weighted. ACT 31 hoping to get up to 33? And my parents feel its dependent on the college and other factors. My home state is my parents are divorced. Live more with my mom who is lgbt
You have a home state. What is it?
You would get some merit aid at University of Alabama…but not think that ACT needs to be higher.
In most cases, merit aid awards are given to very top applicants.
So find schools where your stats are in the top 5% of applicants as that might position you for merit aid consideration.
Where do you want to apply?
@College2020 – by “home state” thumper1 means where do you live? You list Nevada in you top post… is that where you
@thumper1 I have my list of all my other colleges in my other post!! And yes i live in nevada @KatMT
Ok I see now. You are a resident of Nevada.
You could look at University of New Mexico
@thumper1 Im just pretty attached to those and I dont really like any WUE schools. I was hoping there was a way to make them affordable without me taking out 50,000 in loans
You can look at the scholarships pinned to the top. There aren’t many and you have to fit into the categories - high stats, low income, talent, athletics.
The more ‘wants’ you have (location, size, sports, Greeks or no Greeks, merit aid, need based aid) the harder it is to match to a school that will give you a scholarship. I think you can take all the public California schools, CU, and U of Oregon off your lists. There just won’t be enough aid for you to pay the OOS tuition.
It is too bad you don’t like WUE schools. You could get a pretty good deal at some.
Hey there. If you’re looking at outside scholarships you’re off to a great start! I made $24,000 in scholarships and most of them were small, about $1,000 each (some were even less, but they added up!). The smaller scholarships usually have a lot less competition and so you’re a lot more likely to win them. The smaller ones are also usually local rather than national - so you can start by asking your guidance office and local organizations.
You can’t take out $50k in loans. You can only borrow ~$5500/year on your own. The chances of getting enough outside $1,000 scholarships to cover a $50k/year college for 4 years is slim to none. How much can your parents pay? You’re better off working on test prep and getting your scores up.
Here are your schools…for others reading this thread.
Ok…are you looking for merit aid or need based aid?
Some of these schools don’t give merit aid…at all. BRown, Cornell, some give very limited merit aid…VERY competitive…Michigan, Vandy, UNC-CH, USC.
Some don’t give need based aid to OOS students…at all…UCLA or UCSB.
Some are very stingy to OOS students…period…University of Washington.
In addition, a number of these schools use the CSS Profile to determine institutional need based aid (Brown, Michigan, UNC, Cornell, USC), so the income and assets of both parents will be expected. Vandy uses the Profile, but I don’t think they require the non-custodial parent form.
If I were guessing…I would guess you would receive merit aid at Fordham, Loyola Marymount, USD,. But these are pricey schools.
How much aid do you need to get to attend?
Your GPA is fine. But as you have noted,your ACT would need to be higher to have a better chance of significant merit aid at many of these schools.
Do you have financial need?
@astenson how many of your local scholarships are renewable for all four years of college?
@thumper1 only one of them was and that was my smallest one! A lot of people won’t apply to scholarships if they’re not renewable all four years, but honestly that just makes them easier to win. Renewable or not, that was 24K I would have had to take out in loans instead.
Totally agree…we are also of the “every penny counts” camp.
But this student needs money for all four years. And has some very pricey colleges on the list.
@astenson where did you find these? did most have essays or just a simple application?
My kids applied to a ton of these local, small, one year scholarships…and got a fair amount for ONE year only.
In every case, there was an application and at least a short essay or personal,statement. Most required letters of reference. Many also required interviews…they were local!
If you are looking for a LOT of money…you likely aren’t going to find it with a “simple application” only.
I’ve also sat on committees that award these small local awards.
This deserves a post of its own.
If you are eligible for any need based aid, be advised that you will be REQUIRED to report your outside scholarships to your college. This will reduce your financial need…and in the vast majority of cases, it will also reduce your need based aid award…usually starting with self help,awards like loans and work study.
Also, all scholarship monies above the cost of tuition, books and other qualified educational expenses are taxable income and also must be reported on the following years fafsa.
the following items are not qualified educational expenses:
Room and board.
Transportation.
Insurance.
Medical expenses.
Student fees unless required as a condition of enrollment or attendance.
Same expenses paid with tax-free educational assistance.
Same expenses used for any other tax deduction, credit or educational benefit.