Suggest schools for high ACT but otherwise mid law hopeful

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I’'m a rising senior and have only the vaguest idea of where I want to apply to college. I have to submit a college list by Thursday. Scholarship info is equally vague so I am turning to y’all. Feel free to suggest schools, specific scholarships, resume builders, courses of action, etc. Thank y’all!

Demographics

  • State/Location of residency: Louisiana
  • Type of high school: semi-competitive Catholic HS
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity: squarely middle class white male
  • Other special factors: nope

Intended Major(s)
No idea! Considering econ or business for undergrad with a possible French minor.

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.69
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 3.98 - .02 added for every semester of limited honors/AP core classes. It’s a weird number but I’ve taken the hardest classes available to me w/ one exception described below
  • Class Rank: school doesn’t rank, school profile will show I’m top 17-20% ish
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 36 ACT (36E/36M/36R/35S) - 9 writing
  • note no C’s - B’s mainly in math classes and APUSH

Coursework
-Scores so far: AP Gov 5, AP Comp Gov 5, AP Micro 4, AP Macro 4
-awaiting AP Bio, Lang, and APUSH scores
-taking AP French, Literature, Physics C and World History along w/ Calc Honors, DE World Religion and legal studies elective
-max rigor all of high school w/ exception of calc honors

Awards
-NHS
-almost certainly will be national merit semifinalist
-AP scholar w/ honors, will 99% be w/ distinction
-that’s it lol

Extracurriculars

  • 3 year varsity football, 1 year letterman, 2x state champ

  • 2 year elected to honor council, secretary for senior year

  • Student minister on school diversity committee

  • French Club president

  • Mu Alpha Theta, placed at state

  • two different summer jobs

Essays/LORs/Other
I think LORs will be strong. that’s all for now

Cost Constraints / Budget
I refuse to go into debt for an undergraduate degree. More merit aid the better. I could significant finaid for colleges where non-custodial parent isn’t considered but I don’t plan on banking on that. 20k-ish a year would be an acceptable COA

What I’m looking for
-Money :smiley:
-Existent campus life and social scene, nothing in the middle of a downtown area
-Outside of reach and higher target schools, an established honors college and/or strong advising and grad school/internship placement
-Prestige isn’t #1 concern but I’d prefer to go somewhere with a solid national reputation
-Naturally beautiful area and affordable study abroad opportunity would be ideal
-No geographic preference

Schools
My ideas so far

Reach
Tulane (would aim for legislative scholarship)
Davidson (possible hook here in that I’m a direct descendant of the school’s namesake w/ proof)

Target
FSU
UGA

Safety
Arkansas
AZ State
LSU (emergency option)

2

Like great great grand child?

3

Yes. Can’t remember the exact number but 8-11th ish

4

I’m not sure being a direct descendent of the college founders will matter that much UNLESS your family has had continual involvement with the family. I mean really…I know a number of direct descendants from the Mayflower (I’m not kidding) but this has had zero impact on their lives. Zero.

You have an excellent 36 ACT score but are in the top 17-20% of your class? That doesn’t align well.

1 Like
5

You’re probably right. I did however visit, love the campus, hit it off with tour guide + admissions officer, and think I’d at least have a unique hook for a Why Davidson essay. I’d be open to other LACs.

You’re correct - which is why I’m carefully ambitious - but I think my core GPA is strong enough for at least the shot at Tulane. If I submit mid-senior year grades, my weighted GPA will be well above 4.0 benchmark listed on my school’s student profile (barring a significant grade drop), making my class rank much more ambiguous. I just happen to currently be just below that listed 4.0 percentile :confused:

1 Like
6

If you’re of going for the legislative scholarship at Tulane then I would start reaching out to your state representative & senator to see if they’re currently sponsoring someone, and if so, what their graduation date is. If they’re currently sponsoring someone graduating after 2023, then ask them for references/leads for other legislators who will have someone graduating in 2023 (and thus would have a spot to start renewing for SY22-23). Perhaps Tulane might provide this information as well; I don’t know.

If you’re interested in a liberal arts college that would be likely to hit your budget or get close, then I would look at Millsaps (MS), Birmingham-Southern (AL), and Hendrix (AR), all three of which are part of the Colleges That Change Lives organization. Austin College & Southwestern University in TX are also part of CTCL and might hit your price too.

I’ll give your search some more thought, too.

2 Likes
7

If you’re a National Merit Semifinalist then these are a few options:

  • U. of Maine: Full ride
  • U. of Louisville (KY): A $28k scholarship which would leave a cost of around $10k/year
  • Fordham (NY): There’s a scholarship for full tuition for which semifinalists are eligible to compete. Per Fordham, 71% of the eligible students received it.
  • U. of Alabama: Semifinalists automatically qualify for the presidential award, which is $28k, leaving you with about a $17k COA.
  • Washington State: You’re eligible for a full tuition scholarship here

Have you looked at all of your in-state options? You’d get a full-ride to U. Louisiana-Lafayette (with TOPS covering the tuition portion) and Louisiana Tech would be very nearly free ($9k more than tuition which you would get from TOPS).

A couple other possibilities include:

  • U. of Mississippi (Ole Miss) would give you $26,292/year for your stats, leaving you with about $13k left to pay.
  • U. of South Carolina might give you an out-of-state tuition reduction and perhaps some additional money. Depending on whether this happens, this could get into your budget. U. of SC has a very well-reputed honors program.

This list is not exhaustive, but should give you a start and you can provide feedback on things you like/don’t like about any of the options already mentioned.

2 Likes
8

University of New Mexico offers a terrific NMF scholarship…and also significant merit awards guaranteed based on stats. Worth a look see.

9

Do you have a source on this? I was actually looking at UNM’s website, and it seemed as though OP would qualify for the Amigo scholarship of a bit of $16k/year, while while tuition, room & board was going to run around $38k, leaving the cost around $22k, just above the budget. I didn’t see any scholarships for national merit finalists or semi-finalists, but I’ve definitely been known to miss things!

10

@WayOutWestMom has the specific info about all of the merit awards at UNM. Hoping she responds here. I think it is THE most overlooked university when it comes to generous guaranteed merit awards.

But I do believe the NMF award is pretty close to a full ride.

@WayOutWestMom can explain the Amigo…and what the net cost would be for an OOS student.

1 Like
11

Here’s all the scholarship available at UNM:

NMF used to receive a true full ride scholarship (tuition, fees, housing, meals plus a stipend for books and guaranteed housing in the honors dorms)–however, I can’t find it listed on the scholarship website. I know it was offered for the incoming class of 2026. You may need to call the UNM Scholarship Office to ask if it’s still being offered. (505-277-8900 or 1-800-CALLUNM)

There are still scholarships for other National Scholars (African American, Hispanic, Native American) listed. They may have made an error when they updated the scholarship page since NM has a new initiative that make college tuition 100% free to all in-state HS grads.

The UNM AMIGO scholarship offers students with a 3.5 GPA and 1130 SAT/23 ACT ( or a 3.0 GPA and 26 ACT/1240 SAT) remission of the OOS portion of tuition & fees plus annual stipend of $200. It requires 15 credit hours/semester and 2.5 GPA to renew.

The Lobo Undergrad Exchange (LUE) and LUE Plus scholarships offer different levels automatic merit.

LUE requires either a 2.8 GPA or 18 ACT/960 SAT.
LUE offers 150% of the instate tuition rate.

LUE Plus requires either 3.0 GPA or a 20 ACT/1030 SAT.
LUE Plus offers gives the instate tuition rate.

Instate UNM tuition & fees = $10,860/year (2 semesters)

Tradition dorm + required freshman meal plan = $10, 916

UNM’s Law School is housed on the main UNM campus, right across from the med school which on the north edge of campus.

2 Likes
12

The NMF award appears to be limited and competitive for non residents as part of Regent Scholarship

Handbook for Regent Scholarship says NMF is a criterion for consideration

13

@Hippobirdy

NMF has always been part of Regents Scholar application, but the Regents Scholarship is a separate and competitive scholarship distinct from the NMF scholarship which is automatic.

1 Like
14

Not sure where I read that you are NMF. I would say with your GPA that FSU and UGA are not target. They are reach.

Alabama, UAH would great deals to get you to your $$ - in addition to those others have listed.

You can’t have $$ and all you want unless you go to schools with automerit or have huge need…so when chasing merit, you have to go where the $$ are - hence Alabama.

None of these schools will hurt you for law school.

While I can appreciate you wanting Tulane or Davidson, they are highly unlikely. And $20K - well there’s few schools that can get you there…check Lousiana Lafayette too.

If law school is the goal, the LSAT will matter more than if you go to LSU or Davidson.

Good luck.

1 Like
15

OP indicated that semifinalist is highly likely in the first post.

I’ve heard that Tulane has been trying to reach out to more Louisiana residents, and if OP was to get legislator support for a scholarship, then it would fall within price. With a legislator’s support, a 36 ACT, and a manageable GPA, I suspect OP would get in. But, getting that legislator’s support is a definite reach.

Which is why I primarily listed schools where OP would get at least enough for tuition. Hendrix does flagship match which would get OP to around $25k, and perhaps Hendrix might sweeten the pot a bit. Birmingham-Southern and Milsaps are very generous with merit aid, too, sufficiently so that I think they’re at least worth consideration. But you’re 100% right here…it’s a tight budget to meet with some of the other qualities OP wants.

16

Thank you, sorry, i don’t mean to confuse everyone.

17

Appreciate all of the input! I realize it’s a tight budget but would like to find this fit if possible. I have been hardcoded living in Louisiana to hate Bama but from y’all’s input and my own research⠀it’s beginning to seem like Bama would make a lot of sense for me. Hendrix College and South Carolina also sound like great possible options.

Also, it’s too late to edit it - but disregard the weighted GPA listed as my school’s system is so strange I don’t think it’s comparable to most else. On a normal +.5 for honors and +1 for AP classes I’d be at about a 4.24.

This was my logic - my UW core GPA is still above their published average and I’d qualify for automatic admission if I were to apply ED. Legislator’s support would be difficult, but I have some ideas on who I’d contact.

UGA, you’re probably right - but FSU? This was my #1 choice right now after visiting as it seems NMF get very nearly full tuition here (like maybe $1k a year left over after scholarships). Naviance says I’m squarely in GPA range of accepted students from my school and common data set says course rigor is their most important admissions factor.

I’ve never heard anything remotely good about UNM but I suppose it is worth a look. Fordham is interesting but from what I’ve heard about grade deflation + cost of living in NYC it’s probably not worth it.

My entire family went to/is attending LA Tech, but I think I’d only consider if I was an engineering major. LSU is the only in-state public I’d consider and would like to avoid it if at all financially viable.

Thoughts on Arizona State? Their merit aid seems a bit unclear from the website but from my understanding it is abundant. Their honors college also seems legit.

Again, thank y’all so much for the comprehensive input!

18

If you are likely NMSF, then the odds are in your favor of being NMF. In that case, you simply cannot beat the package currently offered by Alabama. You can try, but you cannot. NMFs are offered four years of housing free, five years of tuition (which can be applied to law school), four years of a stipend, and a study abroad stipend. In effect, you pay for the meal plan you choose. So, there’s that.

You could look at Oklahoma and Texas Tech (both excellent options). Texas A&M would offer in-state tuition plus a scholarship for NMF status. A&M would still be about $20K+ a year depending on housing.

So, if you are hunting merit, those are excellent options.

Arizona State gutted its merit for '22. Do not expect it to come back. For '22 Arizona kept its merit aid, whether that remains for your class is unknown. The rumor is it will not. Allegedly the decision will be made in October/November (after you would have applied, naturally).

3 Likes
19

For a safety school, why not look at Loyola? You like Tulane. Well, Loyola is literally right next door. Almost like one big campus. And Loyola has cross registration with Tulane which allows you to take 2 courses per semester for 4 years at Tulane. That’s 16 courses, 48 credits in 4 years if you plan it right. More credits if any of the courses are 4 credits.

You would seem to be a strong candidate for a full tuition Ignatian scholarship at Loyola + some money toward room & board. If you can piggy back a TOPS Scholarship on top of that, it would be another $6000 per year, which would make up any additional costs for room & board

3 Likes
20

Talk to your school guidance counselor. Many catholic hs have connections with the catholic schools around the country (including Loyola). Someone might have a connection at Dayton or Scranton and know of scholarships available. My niece’s catholic school in Denver sent a lot of kids to U of San Diego. Her brother went to a Jesuit hs so more of his classmates went to BC, Georgetown, and Holy Cross. My kids went to a catholic grade school and several of their friends went to Regis, mostly for nursing or pharmacy.

3 Likes