<p>So I have my list of reaches, but am having a hard time decisively deciding on safeties. I don't really have too much preference in terms of the kind of school, as my high school is pretty much as bad as it gets (low-achieving, conservative politics [I'm very liberal], mild racial tensions). My only real criteria is that it needs to give a lot of merit aid as need-based for my family is virtually nonexistent in non-reach schools.</p>
<p>I'm ideally looking for full tuition or more. The worse the school is, the less I'm willing to pay for it. Can you comment on the availability of aid at these schools and/or suggest schools with better aid?</p>
<p>U Maryland College Park
U Pitt
Ohio State U
Miami U (Ohio)</p>
<p>You might want to look into schools which give NMF scholarships, although many with the guaranteed full tuition plus scholarships are in more conservative areas.</p>
<p>It would be a good idea to choose safeties from the automatic list (or National Merit list for automatic scholarships if you qualify), with matches and reaches from the competitive list.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that Northeastern is the highest ranked school that gives automatic full tuition scholarships to National Mertit Finalists. That said, if you are looking to stay reasonably close to Hawaii, Boston may be too far. They also have another program called the University Scholars, which could be interesting for you.</p>
<p>Yeah, for state schools the list isn’t so great, and it lists the in-state tuition, and perhaps groups instate and out of state merit. It’s not clear at all. Otherwise, it’s very useful. But I see you are most interested in large state schools.</p>
<p>I think you will get a full ride from Pitt since (also applies to Miami U) :
Your ACT is above 33.
You are in the top 5%.
You are OOS.
You are from Hawaii(underrepresented state)</p>
<p>You need to add Private U’s which have money for merit.
University of Miami (my son was offered full tuition with same stats) and had an unbelievable college experience. In grad school now.
Tulane.</p>
<p>I’ll check those out. It seems that a significantly larger amount of merit is available in the ED and EA round than in regular decision. Would it be more financially viable to apply to the non-restrictive EA schools and let Yale (my first choice that according to NPCs, will yield to a 15k COA, similar to what scholarships at other schools would result in) wait for RD?</p>
<p>I was beginning to think this was a good list as I went to the small LAC oldest attends and actually found them on it! Most people have never heard of the school.</p>
<p>But then I went to middle son’s Top 30 School (University of Rochester) and didn’t see them on there even though they give a bit of merit aid in 20K or less awards and a few awards up to free rides (like many top schools - very competitive).</p>
<p>So, yeah, whoever researched that list definitely missed some. Incomplete lists are rather frustrating - esp if they “look” complete - esp when they miss some that really shouldn’t be missed (Roc and MD known at this point). Missing the small relatively unknown schools wouldn’t be as big a deal IMO.</p>
<p>One of the main schools youngest is interested in, Eckerd, is also not on there, but definitely offers merit aid. A lower ranked school he is also interested in (in the same state) is on there.</p>
<p>It makes one wonder just how they picked who they included (or left out).</p>
<p>Do NOT use that list thinking it’s all inclusive.</p>
<p>Most univs (except for bible schools) are pretty liberal…even if they’re in conservative states. The profs tend to be liberal - especially in certain majors, like poly sci.</p>
<p>*I think you will get a full ride from Pitt since (also applies to Miami U) :
Your ACT is above 33.
You are in the top 5%.
You are OOS.
You are from Hawaii(underrepresented state)
*</p>
<p>Do you mean “full tuition”? A full ride is something else (tuition, room, board, books). I agree that he might get full tuition at UPitt…I dont think he’d get a full ride. I agree that being a Hawaii resident is interesting, but usually Pitt wants better than top 5% for full tuition.</p>
<p>Alabama is the highest ranked school that would FOR SURE give him a full tuition scholarship for his stats. </p>
<p>Also, if he makes NMF, then he’ll also get more stuff…housing frosh year, plus other goodies.</p>
<p>Do you know that private high school in Hawaii that has all the NMFs? (the one Obama went to?) Well, that school is sending NMFs to Bama. When the first one arrived a few years ago, the GCs at that school took interest and made a trip to Bama to find out what’s going on there. They were very impressed and now encourage their students to apply.</p>
<p>There is no assurance based on that link. It says that with the given stats, the student would be “considered”…and the amount mentioned is a range. However, being from Hawaii, the chances are pretty good to get half or full tuition…but no assurance at all.</p>
<p>Thank. Bama is on my list, but is kind of a last-resort type thing (if I don’t get into the tippy top schools and don’t get big merit at other schools). Not to say that Bama is bad, but the fit (large Greek presence, big athletics, in the south) isn’t particularly great. </p>
<p>Mom2collegekids: I didn’t know that Punahou has a thing for Bama. I guess I might ask some students from there about UA the next time I’m at a debate tournament. I’ll probably discuss it with my school’s college counselor but he might not know too much due to the low rarity of NM at our school. (The last one we had was two years ago.) </p>
<p>I’m happy that the Pitt scholarship is within reac (and that’s probably the best assurance I can get) . I’ll definitely keep Pitt on my list.</p>
<p>I would look at Fordham, Arizona, Arizona State, Drexel, Texas A&M, Texas @ Dallas, Kentucky, Central Florida, and Washington State for the NMF scholarships, in addition to previously mentioned schools.</p>
<p>Baylor University in Waco, Texas, is tied with Alabama at 77 on the USNWR list, and it gives automatic full tuition scholarships for NMSF and extra money on top of that for high SAT/ACT scores. It also offers further competitive scholarships that could provide a full ride when combined with the NMSF scholarship. However, Baylor is one of the most conservative schools in the top 100.</p>
<p>The University of Tulsa (in Oklahoma), ranked 83rd by USNWR, I believe also provides full tuition scholarships to all the NMSF winners, with a competitive process to get a full ride from there, which according to some sources is awarded to roughly 1/3 of the NMSF applicants for the scholarship. An interesting statistic regarding Tulsa is that it has a high percentage of foreign undergraduate students, generally 15 to 20 percent.</p>
<p>Northeastern is ranked 56th on US News and gives full tuition scholarships to National Merit Finalists. Tuition is over $40K. Last year they enrolled 108.</p>