<p>I got into both Chapel Hill and Clemson and I want to go to Clemson the most. I live in North Carolina and did not receive the in state tution scholarship for Clemson. It's very expensive paying out of state tuition and my dad and I are going to meet with financial aid tomorrow to see if they have any other options. Does anyone have advice about what I should say to convince them or what else they have to offer?</p>
<p>I have great grades and extra cirriculars and voulunteer work I just don't meet their SAT requirments for the scholarship.</p>
<p>Megan…good luck to you. Please keep in mind that Clemson has certain criteria for awarding merit aid. You state you don’t meet those. Maybe they will have an option for you and maybe they won’t. Their first obligation is to the students in SC.</p>
<p>UNC Chapel Hill is a school that MANY folks would die to get into. You are fortunate to have that acceptance AND instate tuition there. </p>
<p>I know that’s not what you want to hear…but there it is.</p>
<p>thanks for the quick response! I don’t know that much about what they have to offer but I know they don’t have much in between. There are either need based scholarships or the in state tuition and Idon’t know how to ask them. I thought going in person would make a good impression and show I’m very serious about the school and would love to go there but what things should I say?</p>
<p>Have you thought about retaking the SAT after doing more prep? Some schools will take a late SAT score into consideration for merit scholarships.</p>
<p>When your family completed the FAFSA, you should have GOTTEN your Expected Family Contribution. This is the amount the FAFSA computes as being what the family can contribute per their formula. Most state schools give federally funded need based aid only. They really don’t have a lot of their own institutional funds. State schools tend to use their own money to award merit aid based on high school achievement and SAT/ACT scores or other criteria they set.</p>
<p>The amount of maximum federally funded need based aid (and that would be if your EFC was very low) would be some form of Pell grant, a Stafford loan, a Perkins loan, work study and possibly some state funded aid based on the FAFSA info. The TOTAL of these aids would not come close to funding out of state costs of attendance at Clemson.</p>
<p>The financial aid department typically deals with need based aid. One question to ask them is if there is any chance you might be reconsidered for merit aid.</p>
<p>My own daughter did this at an OOS public. She had gotten the merit aid but wanted an additional designation that would have made her choose the school. She TOLD them that. They could not make the change as there was very firm criteria for the designation my kiddo wanted it. It required a minimum SAT CR/Math of 1250 and she only had 1230. Close…but not close enough.</p>
<p>It was there spring break when I went down. I didn’t get to talk to anyone and now will just have to call them. Looks like it’s Chapel Hill for me.</p>