<p>For comparison purposes what does a full ride scholarship typically include - tuition, room, board, fees, books, and sometimes a computer, etc? I would appreciate the name of the school(s) as well. My ds has been offered a full ride, but it doesn't include books - just the cheapest dorm, a meal plan, and fees and tuition. I am wondering if this is typical. I am grateful for this, but want to know how this compares to typical full ride scholarships.</p>
<p>Well, my NMF D got a very good scholarship package from U of Alabama: up to 20 credits tuition/semester for 8 semesters (even though she came in at almost sophomore level from AP credits so she can start work on her masters or easily have a double major plus minors;) laptop computer & honors suite housing or below. No meal plan (about $1270/semester plus an additional $300 dining dollars each semester. Total $3140 freshman year) no books, no fees. </p>
<p>Even though this doesn’t cover everything, I still consider it a full ride as I would have to feed my kid if she was home :)</p>
<p>Pardon me, if I am too blunt: I guess you are counting pennies and not looking at the bigger picture. Selecting school should be based on what is available from both schools in terms of field of study and program strength, climate, etc. Counting to the last digit of financial aid may not have been the right thing to do…Just my two cents…</p>
<p>^Not everyone has that luxury…</p>
<p>When buying a house, one looks at neighborhood, proximity to work, amenities, etc. Ideally, you would pick the house that offers the best combination of everything. If it costs too much, then you don’t buy it. Same with college.</p>
<p>Thanks kxc1961. It’s more for helping him to understand if he truly was offered a full ride or not - something which is important to him in comparison terms.</p>
<p>most full rides include tuition, meals, and fees but don’t include books, but textbooks can be found quite cheaply online these days- especially if you purchases used books. colleges are now required to list all required textbooks, and their corresponding USBN #s, when a student registers, which means students have plenty of time to find those books elsewhere than at the [ full price] college bookstore.</p>
<p>Books aren’t cheap, but are you homeless? Surely, you put forth something towards your son’s education.</p>
<p>I think you’ll find a number of different manifestations of a ‘full-ride’ which can range from covering just tuition to covering more. There’s also a difference between a merit based scholarship and need based aid which will add a variable depending on the college, the student, and the particular family’s financial situation. </p>
<p>It sounds like the offer your S has is quite generous and could be considered a full ride. He can easily make up any difference in covering books, various living expenses outside of the cost of housing, and entertainment through a part time job.</p>
<p>As I stated above, it is important to him to get a full ride - not me. In fact, I am encouraging him to go to the “better” school where he wasn’t offered a full ride, but it’s his decision. I do think that this is a true full ride. I mainly wanted to know if full rides usually included books, and now it seems laptops are sometimes added. But, yes it’s a generous scholarship regardless.</p>
<p>Full rides really can depend on the school. Some schools offer NMF a “full-ride” by offering tuition and fees, standard dorm costs, a laptop freshman year, a little extra money for meals and books. Some add in money for study abroad or an unpaid internship. It really depends on the school. In any case, your son has been given a great scholarship package that can really help him later in life by limiting student loans. Give him a hug as you tell him thank-you.</p>
<p>A full ride is generally assumed to be tuition/room/board but there is no hard and fast rule. Your son is going to have to decide what “full ride” means to him.</p>
<p>OP - I think this is as close to a full-ride as you are going to get anywhere, excluding outside scholarships. I don’t think I have ever seen a scholarship where books were included, and most schools will call it a full-ride scholarship if it covers tuition and fees (but not room and board). Also most “need-based” scholarships seem to have a requirement that the student contribute some monies (usually from summer employment), but it sounds as if you son’s is a merit scholarship.</p>
<p>As an aside, you might ask you son why it is “important to him” that this is a “full-ride” scholarship. I would not want to see him turn down another school which was a better fit just for “bragging rights”. Not sure if you meant it that way, and if not, I apologize.</p>
<p>The term “full ride” can mean just full tuition, or it can mean full tuition and the room/board included. Throwing in a computer is over the top, but wow, NICE. My S is in the running for two schools offering potential full rides…we’ll see…and I will be happy if it’s “just” tuition :).</p>
<p>I am familiar with some that are very comprehensive including books, study abroad, and even a stipend. However, those are very very few and far between. I think what you have described definitely constitutes a full ride even if there are others out there there that go a bit farther. Once you get tuition, fees, and R&B you’re pretty much golden in my book.</p>
<p>Different states, schools and athletic programs set different standards for what is covered. The fact that a scholarship includes or does not include books, travel, etc., does not necessarily make it more or less of an honor (except possibly in comparison with other offers from the same school for the same category of talent in the same year).</p>
<p>How would you begin to compare the status of getting, say, a $10K academic merit scholarship from Duke v. $35K in need-based aid from MIT v. a full tuition-room-board National Merit scholarship from Ole Miss v. a scholarship covering tuition-room-board plus an expense account to play football for a major D1 school?</p>
<p>Just ignore the people here that have such an attitude. They are insecure and just log on to these kinds of sites to see if they can come off as superior or if they can make someone feel bad, to make themselves feel better. Its pathetic.</p>
<p>Not all of us have the money to pay anything towards college. Doesn’t mean we love our kids less or want less for them. It could mean a number of things: loss of jobs and need to spend all savings to feed our families, someone in the family with a major medical need (i.e. cancer) that has drained accounts, a death of a spouse, etc. If you are so sheltered that you didn’t know that these things happen, actually quite frequently, and devastate families… and that those parents still want to find a way to send their kids to college, then you need to get out a little. Maybe compassion is something you need to think about. It would go a long way.</p>
<p>More power to you for asking the question and researching what is best for your kid!! Whether you “need” the scholarship or not is irrelevant. I applaud you for researching, asking questions and being intelligent and caring enough to do your homework!!</p>
<p>Collegemom25 while I agree with your comment, especially after remarks like this…</p>
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<p>I doubt the OP is still selecting schools as this thread is over a year old.</p>