Hey everyone!
I didn’t get any merit aid from Miami and was quite surprised! It’s my number 1 school, but I can’t afford it with no merit aid.
Here’s some of my resume: I’m in 15 school clubs (and am the president of one club in which I’ve increased the size from 15 people to over 250 people with my nonstop effort). I am also on student government, involved with a ton of Jewish organizations as well as teen youth groups and I have leadership positions (which take a ton of time up and were actually very competitive) on most of them. In addition, I have a part time job as well as an extremely competitive and time-consuming internship. Lastly, I have won many awards including being a top 10 DECA state finalist, an Illinois state Scholar, top 10 in Illinois State Stock market game… I got huge merit scholarships from every school but Miami 
I spend 98% of my life on extracurricals yet I still manages to have a 3.82 UW and 4+ weighted yet I didn’t get any merit scholarships.
If you got a merit scholarship can you please post your stats and how much merit aid you were given by the U?
Thank you so much!
-Welcometomylife
Well, what were your test scores?
Plus what Major you apply and did you apply as EA or RD…
@jpamsel I got a 30 super-scored which is low but not bad. I didn’t really practice at all for the ACT since I was always so busy with extracurriculars.
@dadfor2014 I applied EA and was then deferred to RD and accepted.
If I recall from previous years you need to have ACT of 31 to get any Merit $$.
What Major you applied, sometime some dept has more $$ to give away as Merit…
Ask them of you took the April or may act and got 31 whether you would receive Presidential scholarship award of some type. Your act kep you out of the hunt.
@welcometomylife - I do not think your GPA or your test score prevented you from receiving merit aid. They look high enough to me. My daughter received a Presidential Scholarship. Her UW GPA was essentially the same as yours and her test scores a little lower. She was accepted to RSMAS as a marine science major. She was accepted EA. What is your expected major?
There is sometimes no rhyme or reason (outwardly) to acceptance decisions or merit awards. Each of my daughters has one school where we were left scratching our heads as to their acceptance decision/merit award.
It sounds like you are a wonderful student. I would focus on one of the other schools to which you were accepted. What are your other, affordable, options?
I had a 3.87 UW and a 29 ACT, and received a 2k scholarship and that was it… Quite disappointed as well as UM was my top choice. I saw someone with a 26 ACT and a 3.75 GPA with mediocre ECs get a 19k Presidential Scholarship… BS in my eyes.
^ 19k with 26 ACT, that could be FA pkg and not the Merit Scholarship itself… FA pkg also consider need based Aid on top of Merit $$…
I am quoting, but don’t remember from where: “At some ;pint, it is not about you and what you have accomplished, it is about the school and what they need. " Maybe the 26 ACT/3.75 GPA is an underrepresented demographic. Although at Miami in particular, it is kind of hard to imagine that there IS an 'underrepresented” demographic.
@Hornets2016 I believe it’s “about the school and what they need” from day one. Just my cynical opinion.
I got an 11k scholarship and I’ll be attending Miami this upcoming year but I think it depends on more than stats and ECs. They want certain types of people from different places, and will divert money depending on who applies from where. My stats aren’t as good as yours, but I’m from NJ and I’m guessing that Miami wants kids from all 50 states to attend. Whether you chose Miami or not, I wish you luck where ever you chose.
My son received a merit scholarship to Miami and we have not requested any other financial aid. The school keeps asking me for my FAFSA. If I am not asking them for other financial aid, then why should I send them my financial info?
I am transferring from a community college in LA with a 4.0 in communications and an associate’s completed this week. I received a $30,000 scholarship over a two-year period. I was rather surprised because I was under the impression president’s scholarships were only awarded to high school students. Maybe it is because I am a “non-traditional” student as I took a 9-year break between high school and college but have shown exemplary work since I started last year…not sure