What colleges do you think I could get a full ride to, if any?

Paying for College
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<p>Hello. I'm sorry if seems like common sense, but I'm looking for someone with experience on what colleges want to see, especially when being considered for merit-based scholarships. I need to know if what I have done, am doing, and plan on doing, is good enough or what changes I should make. I'm a female, white, sophomore high school student who goes to a well-regarded private high school in the southeastern US. As a sidenote, I'm not trying to brag on anything, I'm just not sure where I stand. These are the classes I will end up having taken when I graduate:
Freshman Year: French I, Bible, Honors English I, Ancient History, Honors Biology I, Wellness, Honors Geometry
Sophomore Year (where I am right now): Bible, Honors Algebra II, Chemistry, AP European History, AP Stats, French II, Honors English II
Junior Year: Bible, Honors Pre-Cal BC, AP Chemistry, AP US History, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, French III, AP English
Senior Year: Bible, AP Calculus BC, AP Biology, AP Government and Economics, Honors Physics, French IV, AP English
One problem is that I need to take an art credit, so I may end up not taking Honors Physics my senior year, because it is supposed to be taken on campus. However, I'm going to go to the counseling office and see if there's any possibility I could take a summer art class or work it out some other way. So that's up in the air. I've gotten all 95s and up in everything so far.</p>

<p>In regards to other things, I've swam on the swim team the past 2 seasons and done French Club. Because swim team only lasted for the first part of the year, I've worked at my school's Aftercare program for the second half of the school year for service hours and received the Presidential Service Award. However, next year, I'm thinking about getting a part-time job at a place like Ingles or something, I'm not sure. As I want to work somewhere where I can work at least 5-7 days a week, I'll have to figure that out. My dad worked at a grocery store in high school, so that's where I got that idea.</p>

<p>I'm sorry this is so long!! Do colleges/merit-based scholarships like to see part-time jobs? There's not any other available AP classes at my school, so I can't switch out any more classes for something AP. Also, in February I got a 30 on the ACT. Hopefully, I can improve my Math score with Precal though, because I got a 26 on the math section and a 27 on science, probably because I wasn't able to finish. My English was a 33 and Reading was a 34.</p>

<p>If you take the time to tell me how this measures up, I honestly can't even tell you how much I appreciate it!!!!!! I want to receive a full scholarship to college so bad; I know it would make my dad so proud of me, and I want him to feel like paying for me to go to this private school is worth it, because the public schools in my area are not that great. Thank you so much!! I can't even begin to express how much I appreciate any help. I'm a member of the class of 2016. </p>

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<p>Look at the sticky threads at the top of this forum section.</p>

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<p>Try to do very well on next October’s PSAT exam</p>

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<p>Merit awards are based on the strength of your application, but usually mostly a combination of SAT or ACT scores, and GPA. Merit aid is not based on part time work. Just make sure the number of hours you work does NOT interfere with your ability to get the best possible grades.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much!!! @ucbalumnus I looked up there for the scores and what not, but wasn’t sure how my service/part time job/other stuff looked. Thanks!! @mom2collegekids Thanks, I’ll study. @thumper1 Thanks. So for anything else, even just acceptance do you think a college would like or not really care how much I work?</p>

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<p>Note also that merit aid usually goes to the top 25% or so of admitted students. So you may be admitted to Duke full pay but admitted to say Boston University with a substantial amount of merit aid. </p>

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<p>@Tomsrofboston Thanks. That’s an interesting fact, I’ll keep that in mind(:</p>

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<p>Some schools offer automatic scholarships to incoming students as long as the student meets the minimum requirements stipulated by the school. These are usually based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores. EC activities aren’t considered. Note that full tuition scholarships do not cover room and board. Some full tuition scholarships include additional money or perks though. </p>

<p><a href=“Automatic Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>Automatic Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;

<p>Competitive scholarships do consider ECs/jobs/etc.</p>

<p><a href=“Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;

<p>Be aware of any continuing gpa requirements in college to keep the scholarship.</p>

<p>I am guessing you live in an ACT heavy region of the US (like I do). You might want to look into National Merit Scholarship which is based on PSAT score from junior year and SAT score. </p>

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<p>@MidwestSalmon, thanks! Ya that’s what I’m hoping about the PSAT. I’m nervous though because I feel like I’m better at the ACT than I would be at the SAT. </p>

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<p>My twins, also Class of 2016, are working hard towards getting as high a score on the PSAT as possible, and taking weekly tests to get themselves prepped. In addition, they will be focused on getting a 32 or higher on the ACT, which will open the doors to tons of automatic merit aid. Keep your GPA as high as possible (no less than 3.8) though many of the best offers are looking for much higher than that.</p>

<p>I recommend working on the Science section of the ACT. Students don’t perform as well on that section, but if you can get yourself a 34 on that science section (I know, tough, but doable), and if you only performed on the other sections as you did, you would have a 32 (actually 31.75, but they round up), and you would qualify for a lot of merit aid at various schools (check out other threads), if your GPA is high enough. I think you could do it, because someone with your reading comprehension skills as indicated with your English and Reading ACT, could handle the reading - you just need to fill in the gaps in science knowledge. Of course, if you can squeeze a few more points out on the math, that would be great. </p>

<p>The ACT website offers an online test prep program definitely worth the $19. Best of luck!</p>

<p>Just to add quickly - the best way to prepare for all of these tests is really just to make sure you are taking advantage of all of your academic classes. Your schedule is strong, and should be very challenging. Read, read, read. The best readers are the ones who tend to do best on these tests, anyway. I view the test prep as just a way to get used to the timing, but it is no substitute for a great academic education, which it looks like you are receiving.</p>

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<p>@chesterton, Thanks!! I’m hoping my Precal/trig class I’m taking next year will help me out on the math, cause I was clueless on the trig questions!! Good luck to your twins): </p>

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<p>@chesterton I meant (: haha</p>

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<p>@femalestudent101 . . . :slight_smile: Yes, your math class will be a great help. Trig can be a bear, so you are not alone. One of my twins is taking Precal this year, and, fortunately, there are a lot of great resources online to help (even those Khan Academy videos are useful at times.) I think you are going to do great, and it is nice because you already have taken the ACT and you have a reference point and experience, and have plenty of time to work to raise your score even more (though a 30 is still really good!) Best of luck to you too! Let’s hope you and my twins are all kids in the class of 2016 who are blessed with a lot of merit aid :)</p>

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<p>@chesterton Thanks! Good luck!!!</p>

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<p>Also, keep in mind the distinction between full-ride and full-tuition. My ds received major scholarship offers at most of the schools he applied to. At all of the schools with the exception of 1, the scholarships typically covered tuition. Cost of room, board, fees, books, etc can leave quite a gap. Some schools have a lot of fees, etc. some schools cost of housing is very high, etc.</p>

<p>Also pay attention as to whether or not you can stack scholarship $$. Some schools actually reduce scholarship offers if additional scholarships are earned. Others don’t have a problem with it. Our ds will be attending basically free ride, but it is bc he has multiple scholarships that stack without reduction. </p>

<p>But the caveat is that he will have to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. </p>

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<p>University & Alabama and the University of Alabama & Huntsville have some good merit aid for students of all ACT scores, (I think 3.5 GPA is minimum for most). UAH is a very high research university, a category that includs ~73 schools, along the likes of Rice, Princeton, Caltech, etc.</p>

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<p>For top scholarships in competitive schools, you would need to have great GPA and scores plus excellent EC. Those schools usually has more students with near perfect scores/GPA than the number of top scholarships they can offer. So EC is very important. Nevertheless, you first need to reach the academic requirement. Some schools would post the requirement for scholarships, some don’t. It is also not uncommon that some students with certain stat get it and others with the same credential don’t.
I agree with the above poster that getting National Merit Finalist status would be the easiest and guarantee way to get full ride at many schools.</p>

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<p>Also, start researching schools now and don’t get hung up on “top” schools. Look at schools where your grades and stats put you in the top of their applicant pool. CC is littered with students now moaning about not getting into top schools even with high stats…yes their stats were in the accepted range but that’s just not a guarantee and falling in love with reach schools makes for a hard senior year.</p>

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<p>You can take the ACT and SAT in June (offered different Saturdays). The Junior year PSAT is for national merit program consideration. If you have not been offered the PSAT as a sophomore, take the SAT in June, and also do more SAT prep over the summer for fall PSAT.</p>

<p>After you take the PSAT, then you can start looking at prepping for ACT score improvement. Look at ACT practice tests - the level of math is not that high, but you have to work quickly on each section - you do not want to run out of time. </p>

<p>The ACT science section is looking at the information on charts and being able to answer quickly - they put down a ton of info, so some kids spend so much time looking at things rather than assessing where the info is and finding the answers. DD1 kept improving on science; DD2 never got a great science subscore.</p>

<p>There are plenty of test prep kind of classes out there and also one-on-one tutoring. DD1 bumped ACT up one more point for extra $12,000 automatic scholarship ($3000/year). My DD2 got her ACT score up for much better automatic scholarships (presidential level) with hard work (her GPA is 4.0 uwted/4.2 wted; took AP Calc AB junior year and lots of AP courses; college prep HS with plenty of homework). DD2 had plenty of 1-on-1 tutoring and practice tests.</p>

<p>Be the best student you can be, and use good test taking strategies.</p>

<p>In the mean time, learn what you can about schools that are affordable to you and where you have good chances for scholarship $$. Are you planning on staying in the SE? Have some college visits to find out if you prefer small, med, lg. What about large state school with honors programs. What do you want to study? Find out what you can from GC and older student experiences/other families.</p>

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<p>Apply to schools with a very high percentage of males. Done.</p>