<p>A reminder that there might be the possibility for more money as your S or D progresses in their training! I was actually awarded more and more scholarship money from the university as the years went on because there were scholarships to apply for that weren’t open to incoming freshmen. Still kept the same academic scholarship I was awarded coming into the school, but then there were scholarships I applied for and received through the College of Humanities as a whole, a memorial scholarship through the music department for students who took private voice, and a few more. Make sure in a year when you are shaking your fist and your child for wanting such an expensive major (and loving where they ended up!), you force them to look into applying for more scholarships via their university. ;)</p>
<p>e</p>
<p>evilqueen - almost all of the college websites we looked at had a button you press called the “Net Price Calculator” and almost all had you plug in your child’s GPA and SAT/ACT scores. In junior year of high school, I went on many different school’s websites. I put together an Excel spreadsheet with several tabs. One tab was “Curriculum” where I typed out all 4 years of classes. Once the curriculum was what my daughter wanted (she wanted no academics), I had another tab that was labeled “cost.” </p>
<p>I went on to the “Net Price Calculator” for each school, plugged in my daughter’s unweighted GPA and ACT score (she didn’t take the SAT). I saw the dollar award of merit aid. Then I hit the back button and plugged in my daughter’s weighted GPA and ACT score. Then I went back and added 2 points and another time added 4 points to her ACT score. I looked to see how much the merit aid would change if she scored higher on the ACT. </p>
<p>In most cases, the merit aid did not change at all. My daughter had a 28 on the ACT and an unweighted GPA of 3.6 and a weighted GPA of 3.8. I played around with slightly higher GPA (since she was already a junior, she couldn’t change her GPA too much). Even with a slightly higher GPA, it didn’t change the academic award. At that point we said, “it’s not worth studying for the ACT and taking it again” and she focused more on audition prep. Now if she had a 3.49 GPA and a school’s cut off for merit aid was 3.5, it might have changed the academic award. I seem to recall 3.5 being a big cutoff but I could be wrong. I only showed my daughter’s stats to show that once you were over 3.5, the money flowed. I could be remembering this incorrectly so check those Net Price Calculators.</p>
<p>I noticed there were brackets to the awards, like 3.2 - 3.49 gets this amount; 3.5 - 3.7 gets you this but many schools, even if I plugged in 4.0, got her no higher award. With her GPA, one school had free tuition if her ACT was a 32. Had she been very very interested in that school, she could have tried to get the ACT score up. There might be certain cutoffs, like 3.2 gets this amount, 3.5 gets this, 3.9 gets this, etc. You can play around on the Net Price Calculator and try out various GPA/SAT scenarios based on your daughter’s current grades and PSAT scores if you don 't have an SAT score available. </p>
<p>My daughter also did not have the most rigorous curriculum. She had only about half of her classes as honors classes, and only 3 AP classes. So the rigors of her program would never allow her into Harvard (LOL) had she decided she didn’t want to study theatre. It worked out because she didn’t want heavy academics, but had she wanted heavy academics like for NYU or Univ of Michigan, the lack of rigor in her course schedule could have had her academically denied to certain schools. </p>
<p>My point is, you don’t have to “guess” or ask people on CC to determine whether or not your child should try to boost the SAT/ACT score. Same goes for GPA. For most schools we looked at, you can find out EXACTLY the amount of merit aid your child will be awarded right now. When my daughter was academically admitted a year later, the amount of merit aid from the Net Price Calculator was the exact amount she was awarded in academic scholarship in her later acceptance letter.</p>
<p>If you’d like my spreadsheet, private message me with your e-mail address and I’ll send it to you. Same goes for anyone else on these boards. Private message me your e-mail address and I’ll send you my spreadsheet. It could save you hundreds of hours of research. My daughter was not interested in several of the top schools that everyone talks about here, so those you’ll have to research yourself. Anything with heavy academics was ruled out right from the start.</p>
<p>Thank you SO MUCH @BethsMom!!</p>
<p>@BethsMom - great post and an innovative approach to taking a lot of the guesswork out of the process! I always recommend that people just call the school and ask about the possibility and probability of merit and talent awards. Advice based on a very limited set of anecdotes, many times from secondary sources, about scholarships only points to the possible and not necessarily the probable. I believe in going straight to the source and getting the facts.</p>
<p>One factor not mentioned in previous posts regarding curriculum in high school: it does matter for class rank and that can be a factor in the admissions and scholarship process at some MT schools. D’s counselor advised her against taking any “extra” classes her senior year beyond the standard college path that were not AP courses in order to preserve her class rank - at this point, an “A” in an non-AP course would actually lower her weighted GPA and class rank while not improving her unweighted GPA much. Since she has completed just about all of her required curriculum (4 of everything) with lots of AP courses, she will have a light senior year. This would hurt her if she was applying to rigorous academic programs, who do not like “slacking” in the Senior year, but should not be a big factor in the admission process for the schools and MT programs in which she is interested.</p>
<p>Yes EmsDad, I agree. I had forgotten the Net Price Calculators often ask for class rank. Our high school doesn’t rank the kids. Thank God, because with my daughter’s GPA, I fear she would have ranked in the bottom 10% of her class. I kid you not - we live in the very competitive New York Metro Region. </p>
<p>Thanks AlexaMT! I never knew you might be able to get additional scholarship money through the school as the years go on. We won’t count on that, of course, but it’s good to be on the lookout for those opportunities! </p>
<p>Just bumping this as it was getting buried…</p>
<p>As you receive a 2014-15 Financial Aid Award Letter please cut and paste this section to your reply box and add your school based on costs as shown below.</p>
<p>As you add a new school please update the count to maintain the integrity of the list.</p>
<p>CURRENT COUNT = 34</p>
<p>(dc) = direct costs (tuition, room & board only)
(tc) = total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs as listed in the award letter)
(oos) = out of state (if applicable)
(is) = in state (if applicable)</p>
<p>Cost (by lowest cost… for state schools, by IS cost)…
Florida State 17,487 (dc/is); 32,480 (dc/oos)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc); 21,260 (tc)
University of Utah $23,554 (tc) in-state; $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/ oos)
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37,688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Webster 39,404 (dc)
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Shenandoah 41,116 (dc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Otterbein University 42,876 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
Indiana 47,234 (tc/ oos)
Oklahoma City University. 49,256 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)</p>
<p>Alphabetical…
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Florida State 17,487 (dc) 32,480 (dc/oos)
Indiana 47,234 (tc/ oos)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
Oklahoma City University 49,256 (tc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Shenandoah 41,116 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc/is); 21,260 (tc/is)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/oos)
University of Utah 23,554 (tc); $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Webster 39,404 (dc)</p>
<p>*CCU, TSU, JMU (IS), and FSU (OOS) figures are from school websites; hopefully someone with a FA award letter will update them
^ RCS: BA program is only 3 years. Figure does not include international travel costs.</p>
<p>In case anyone is waiting. Hartt’s Performing Arts Scholarship letter arrived today in the mail. </p>
<p>@maMTma @ashleybashley @mom4bwayboy - Our Shenandoah letter also states that the total is $43,066.</p>
<p>MilMom, feel free to change those numbers for Shenandoah since our numbers seem to be the “odd” ones, (but we’re going with what we got, and I’m not complaining!)</p>
<p>As you receive a 2014-15 Financial Aid Award Letter please cut and paste this section to your reply box and add your school based on costs as shown below.</p>
<p>As you add a new school please update the count to maintain the integrity of the list.</p>
<p>CURRENT COUNT = 34</p>
<p>(dc) = direct costs (tuition, room & board only)
(tc) = total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs as listed in the award letter)
(oos) = out of state (if applicable)
(is) = in state (if applicable)</p>
<p>Cost (by lowest cost… for state schools, by IS cost)…
Florida State 17,487 (dc/is); 32,480 (dc/oos)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc); 21,260 (tc)
University of Utah $23,554 (tc) in-state; $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/ oos)
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37,688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Webster 39,404 (dc)
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Shenandoah 41,116 (dc)
Elon 41,914 (dc) 45,414 (tc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Otterbein University 42,876 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
Indiana 47,234 (tc/ oos)
Oklahoma City University. 49,256 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)</p>
<p>Alphabetical…
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Elon 41,914 (dc) 45,414 (tc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Florida State 17,487 (dc) 32,480 (dc/oos)
Indiana 47,234 (tc/ oos)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
Oklahoma City University 49,256 (tc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Shenandoah 41,116 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc/is); 21,260 (tc/is)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/oos)
University of Utah 23,554 (tc); $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Webster 39,404 (dc)</p>
<p>*CCU, TSU, JMU (IS), and FSU (OOS), Elon figures are from school websites; hopefully someone with a FA award letter will update them
^ RCS: BA program is only 3 years. Figure does not include international travel costs.</p>
<p>Indiana Out-of-State $47,234 (tc); $44,234 (dc); In-State approx. $23,000 (dc)
As you receive a 2014-15 Financial Aid Award Letter please cut and paste this section to your reply box and add your school based on costs as shown below.</p>
<p>As you add a new school please update the count to maintain the integrity of the list.</p>
<p>CURRENT COUNT = 35</p>
<p>(dc) = direct costs (tuition, room & board only)
(tc) = total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs as listed in the award letter)
(oos) = out of state (if applicable)
(is) = in state (if applicable)</p>
<p>Cost (by lowest cost… for state schools, by IS cost)…
Florida State 17,487 (dc/is); 32,480 (dc/oos)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc); 21,260 (tc)
Indiana 23,000 (dc/ is estimate); 44,234 (dc/ oos)
University of Utah $23,554 (tc) in-state; $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/ oos)
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37,688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Webster 39,404 (dc)
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Elon 41,914 (dc) 45,414 (tc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Otterbein University 42,876 (dc)
Shenandoah 43,066 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
Oklahoma City University. 49,256 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)</p>
<p>Alphabetical…
Baldwin Wallace 40,720 (dc)
Baylor University 46,642 (tc)
Cal State Fullerton 24,320 (tc)
Carnegie Mellon. 61,422 (dc)
Central Michigan 32,214 (dc)
CCM (U of Cincinnati) 37688 (dc) (oos)*estimate - 2014/15 figures not yet released
Coastal Carolina University 18,040 (dc/is); 31,310 (dc/oos); 23,109 (tc/is); 36,379 (tc/oos)
Drake 46,385 (dc)
Elon 41,914 (dc) 45,414 (tc)
Emerson 57,376 (tc)
Florida State 17,487 (dc) 32,480 (dc/oos)
Indiana 23,000 (dc/ is estimate); 44,234 (dc/ oos)
Ithaca 57,316 (tc)
JMU 17,695 (dc/is) 32,294 (dc/oos)
Long Island University 45,000 (dc)
Marymount Manhattan 42,636 (dc)
Montclair 35,365 (dc/ oos)
Nebraska Wesleyan 36,570 (dc)
NYU-Tisch 70,606 (tc)
Ohio Northern 36,960 (dc)
Oklahoma City University 49,256 (tc)
Otterbein University 42,876 (dc)
Pace University 56,042 (dc)
Point Park 43,120 (dc), 44,430 (tc)
Rider 50,575
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: $24,196 tuition + $14,970 recommended COL = $39,166 (dc) ^
Shenandoah 43,066 (dc)
Temple 31,870 (tc)
Texas State University 18,250 (dc/is); 21,260 (tc/is)
Hartt (University of Hartford) 46,962 (dc)
University of Northern Colorado 29,936 (dc/oos)
University of Utah 23,554 (tc); $38,862 (tc) OOS, but residency acquired after 1 year
Viterbo 31,730 (dc)
Wagner 52,880 (tc)
Webster 39,404 (dc)</p>
<p>*CCU, TSU, JMU (IS), and FSU (OOS), Elon figures are from school websites; hopefully someone with a FA award letter will update them
^ RCS: BA program is only 3 years. Figure does not include international travel costs.</p>
<p>I know from my (non-MT) daughter going to college that we are in the position of (according to the last time we filled out the FAFSA) not qualifying for financial aid but feeling the pinch quite a bit when we have to write that tuition check every semester. So we are hoping that our MT S gets some talent/merit scholarships, and finances will definitely play a role in deciding which school he ends up at. In order to be given merit or talent scholarships, however, do we still need to fill out the FAFSA/CSS even though I know the answer will be no need-based aid, or can we just skip that headache altogether? Or does it depend on the school? Thanks for the help…</p>
<p>My understanding is that every school requires it. Some programs give awards to “99 percent” of the kids that they accept whether it’s need based or not, but either way, I think you have to do FASA.</p>
<p>I agree. My understanding is you have to fill it out and you must do so each year.</p>
<p>While some schools require it, others don’t. However, we have heard from the HS counselors, financial aid consultants, etc., that you should do the FAFSA just in case you family situation changes during the year (e.g., loss of a job). If you already have it on file then the school can reconsider your situation and possibly give aid mid year. </p>
<p>Sigh, I was afraid of that. Thanks for all your input. We got lucky with non-MT D, who got a very large academic scholarship and once we figured out we didn’t qualify for need-based aid, we never had to fill out anything else. Oh well, bring on the paperwork!</p>
<p>If you want FEDERAL financial aid, including Stafford loans or pell grants, you must fill out the FAFSA. Some programs used to require you to fill it out for some state grants (Florida for Bright Futures) but that is no longer a requirement and I think the Dept of Education told states/schools they couldn’t require FAFSA for non-federal loans/grants.</p>
<p>Some schools require either their own financial aid forms or CSS/Profile. Much more complicated than FAFSA.</p>
<p>You can also fill them out any time during the academic year for the Staffords, so if things change, you can complete them in the spring. Any grant money might be gone, but you can always get the loans.</p>
<p>You may also be surprised. Non MT D #1 didn’t qualify for any of the Federal Aid - but MT D #2 has qualified for some smaller loans - and those interest rates are better than anything else you can get - so it’s worth jumping the hoops. We did continue to update our FAFSA and eliminate schools that either a)eliminated us or b) we eliminated them. So we were down to a fairly reasonable list that we sent the final update to.</p>