What schools would give me really good merit scholarships? I

<p>Hi, I am a student currently applying for colleges. My family is technically well-off (upper tier), but I don't want to pester my parents for money and I want to help save money for my two siblings. I have really good statistics: 34 ACT, 2270 SAT (800 M, 750 W, 720 R), National Merit Semifinalist, Science Olympiad (Captain), Business Club, Mock Trial, 200+ hours volunteering, 3.98 GPA UW, 4.70 W. I would technically be the valedictorian of my class if class rank still existed. I also have taken the toughest schedule our school allows us to and I have 5s in 6 AP tests. My counselor said I might get offered some big money by colleges. The schools I've applied to thus far are UMinn, U of I, and UMKC ba/md with the first two likely to give me some good scholarships. What other schools should I apply to, keeping in mind that I don't care about prestige, where I could get some good scholarships?</p>

<p>The following appear to be automatic with your stats:</p>

<p>Alabama Presidential Scholarship (even more if you are an engineering major)
UAB Blazer Elite Scholarship</p>

<p>What are your intended or possible majors?</p>

<p>I have looked into some direct med programs; if I go the normal undergrad route, I prefer biology or chemistry.</p>

<p>Good that you are considering costs; medical school is expensive, and if you do not go to medical school, biology and chemistry do not have that good job and career prospects.</p>

<p>But note that you do not need to major in biology or chemistry to do pre-med. You can major in other things like math* or English literature and take pre-med courses alongside.</p>

<ul>
<li>guessing that you are interested in math based on your user name.</li>
</ul>

<p>This username was created two years ago when I was winning math competitions by ridiculous margins, but I definitely like biology/chemistry the most. I was considering UIC GPPA, USF, UCLA, Rice, and UMich. Somehow, I feel like I am missing something big.</p>

<p>actually if op is national merit scholarship…ua and uab will give full ride scholarships. with a stipend for study abroad…ua also gives an ipad</p>

<p>uab also has a guaranteed med school program (ua does not) </p>

<p>Early Medical School Acceptance Program
The Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP) is the most competitive honors program available at UAB. EMSAP serves as a magnet for academically superior high-school seniors, attracting them to UAB’s undergraduate programs by offering guaranteed acceptance into the School of Medicine, Dentistry, or Optometry, after completion of their undergraduate degree at UAB.
EMSAP is a combination of three separate programs: the Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP), the Early Dental School Acceptance Program (EDSAP), and the Early Optometry School Acceptance Program (EOSAP). Currently, EMSAP accepts only 10 students per year into its program while EDSAP and EOSAP, both of which are new programs starting Fall 2008, are anticipated to accept only 1–2 students each per year.
The minimum requirements for application are a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and at least a 30 ACT or 1320 SAT (out of 1600). However, the average ACT score of those accepted ranges from 32 to 36. The minimum academic requirements for remaining in good standing are a 3.5 GPA in natural science and math courses and a 3.6 GPA overall. Should a student’s GPA drop below these minimums, the student is placed on probation and has one year to bring their GPA back up to the minimum, or be expelled from the program. In addition, EMSAP students must achieve a minimum score of 28 on the MCAT examination before their matriculation into the School of Medicine, while EDSAP and EOSAP students must make at least average scores on the DAT and OAT.
The program is currently mentored by Gregory Pence, a renowned bioethicist and both an undergraduate and medical school professor.</p>

<p>UAB’s med school has multiple programs that rank in the top 20</p>

<p>if go straight undergrad route…at uab should definitely look at the sci/tech honors program will be doing research in freshman year…very cohesive honors college</p>

<p>Science and Technology Honors Program
The Science and Technology Honors Program, otherwise known as Sci-Tech Honors or S&T Honors, is UAB’s research based honors program. This program prepares students for research careers and graduate school by connecting them with labs and mentors in their undergraduate years.
The first two years of the program focus primarily on teaching the methodologies and techniques used in scientific research, while the last two years are spent on developing the student’s Honors Thesis, consisting of an individual research project and report that will be submitted for publication.
The program also encourages collaboration amongst students and boasts its tight-knit learning community, which is facilitated by numerous program meetings, activities, and summer retreats. In order to promote these ideas, the program only accepts a maximum of 50 students each year. The minimum requirements for application are a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and an ACT or SAT score at or above the 90th percentile in math and science. However, all applications are individually reviewed and there is no definite cut-off based on ACT or SAT scores.</p>

<p>Since he’s a NMSF… if he makes NMF (which is very likely)…</p>

<p>Alabama will give him…</p>

<p>Free tuition
Free housing (including honors housing)
Study abroad money
$1k per year
iPad</p>

<p>Bama does Committee Letters for med school apps which is a big plus! :)</p>

<p>I have a son who’s pre-med at Bama (as a Chemical Engineering major).</p>

<p>Pre-health Advising [The</a> University of Alabama Health Professions Advising Website](<a href=“http://premed.ua.edu/]The”>http://premed.ua.edu/)</p>

<p>Bama has a brand new mega-sized Science Complex.</p>

<p>The campus is gorgeous, the academics are strong, and the students are friendly.</p>

<p>Over 50% of Bama’s frosh class is from OOS. Bama has students from all 50 states. The whole school is about 45% OOS.</p>

<p>Bama has 600 National Scholars on campus. 182 frosh were NMFs this last fall.</p>

<p>Here’s a video of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Shelby building that is shown is Phase I of the new Science Complex. There are 4 phases…3 are complete. The 4th phase will complete in a year.</p>

<p>[The</a> University of Alabama College of Arts & Sciences “This is How College is Meant to Be” - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

<p>if you would like more info on uab…my S2 goes there doing degrees in forensic chemistry and molecular biology… so feel free to pm for specifics re programs for undergrads </p>

<p>uab definitely has great pre-med advising.</p>

<p>[University</a> of Alabama at Birmingham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Alabama_at_Birmingham]University”>University of Alabama at Birmingham - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>some info about uab med school</p>

<p>In the 2012 edition of US News and World Report, the University of Alabama School of Medicine was ranked #30 nationally in research and #10 nationally in primary care [5].
Five medical specialties at UAB are ranked in the top 20 nationally by the magazine: AIDS, 4th; women’s health, 8th; internal medicine 18th; geriatrics, 19th; and pediatrics, 19th. The school’s primary care program was ranked 34th. [6]
In funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), eight departments within the School of Medicine ranked in the top 10; Anatomy/Cell Biology (No.1). Other departments in the top five are Surgery (No. 2), Obstetrics/Gynecology (No. 3) and Physical Medicine</p>

<p>Distinctions</p>

<p>In 1960, Dr. Basil Hirschowitz was the first to explore the stomach with his new invention, the fiber optic endoscope, which is now in the Smithsonian Institution.</p>

<p>UAB heart surgeon, the late John W. Kirklin, developed a computerized intensive care unit that became a model for modern ICUs around the world. They help improve care and reduce complications. Kirklin initially gained fame by improving the safety and usefulness of the heart-lung bypass pump.</p>

<p>The Diabetes Research and Education Hospital was dedicated in March 1973, as the first public, university-affiliated diabetes hospital in the nation.</p>

<p>In 1977, Dr. Richard Whitley administered systemic antiviral for the treatment of the deadly HSV (herpes simplex virus) encephalitis, leading to the world’s first effective treatment for a viral disease.</p>

<p>The first use in the United States of color doppler echocardiography for visualizing internal cardiac structures was introduced by Dr. Navin C. Nanda and occurred at UAB Hospital in 1984.</p>

<p>In 1986, Dr. Thomas N. James, then chairman of UAB’s Department of Medicine, presided over the tenth World Congress of Cardiology held in Washington, DC.</p>

<p>World’s first genetically engineered mouse-human monoclonal antibody was used at University Hospital in the treatment of cancer in 1987.</p>

<p>The first simultaneous heart-kidney transplant in the Southeast was performed at UAB by Drs. David C. McGiffin and David Laskow in 1995.</p>

<p>The journal Science named three UAB faculty, Drs. Michael Saag, George Shaw, and Beatrice Hahn, among the top 10 AIDS researchers in the country, and highlighted the AIDS research program at UAB in 1996.</p>

<p>The AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Unit (AVEU) became the first evaluation unit to enter a Phase III trail of an AIDS vaccine in 1999.</p>

<p>UAB’s Kidney Transplantation Program is the world’s leading transplant program, with more than 5,000 transplants being performed since 1968. In each of the last seven years, more kidney transplants have been performed at UAB than at any other institution in the world. UAB is also a national leader in other organ transplants.</p>

<p>The UAB AIDS Center was the first to perform clinical trails of the protease inhibitor Indinavir (Crixivan), one of the first protease inhibitors used in the [triple drug cocktail] to fight HIV.</p>

<p>UAB researchers were the first to discover the protein that led to the development of the now well-known drug Viagra, causing what some have called the second sexual revolution. [3] [4]</p>

<p>UAB hosts one of only 45 Medical Scientist Training Programs in the country. A highly selective program funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the UAB MSTP offers students the ability to earn both an MD and a PhD during a 6-8 year time period. During this time, all tuition is waived and a stipend of $25,000 per year is awarded. Generally, 6-10 students per year are admitted to the program.</p>

<p>You would be a candidate for the Banneker/Key scholarship (full tuition, room/board, book stipend) at University of Maryland, College Park, but it’s not automatic. I understand the University of Maryland, Baltimore County has also offered some very generous merit scholarships for kids in the math/science field and has a very good program.</p>

<p>A young woman of my acquaintance who had credentials comparable to yours was offered a full tuition/room/board scholarship to Goucher, although I’m not sure it would be the school for you. Not familiar with its math/science offerings.</p>

<p>Are you male or female?</p>

<p>Take a look at Grinnell College, one of the few top LACs that offers merit aid. Outstanding sciences (S is a bio-chem major there and loves it). But you have to be okay with LACs generally and the rural midwestern vibe in particular - intellectual, quirky, independent, liberal.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/grinnell-college/438138-why-grinnell.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/grinnell-college/438138-why-grinnell.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>USC’s trustee scholar competition offers full tuition and USC has a top rated Pre-Med program. Have you looked into USC in LA?</p>

<p>My D had similiar stats last year and received nice offers from Alabama, PITT, Tulane, Arizona and Arizona State. She ended up at Stanford which has a good financial aid program but might not work for you if your parents income is in excess of $150,000 per year. Good luck. Have you checked the link on CC showing all of the schools that offer great scholarships for NMF?</p>

<p>Note that if you like chemistry, you may want to consider chemical engineering if you want to have better backup options job and career wise if you do not go to medical school.</p>

<p>UOklahoma, maybe? They were really trying to sell themselves to all the NMFs my year. It sounded like they had a really good merit/honors program for those.</p>

<p>St. Olaf in Northfield in Minnesota would be an incredible school for you. It is one of the best schools in the nation for math, biology/chemistry. Something like 80% of its grads that apply to med school are accepted. And it is number one in nation for number of math majors that ultimately go on to receive a PhD. You would receive $7,500 as a NMF and be a serious contender for the Buntrock scholarship which is around $20,000. I’m sure there are more scholarships they would throw your way too.</p>

<p>Just visited the other day for the first time. Loved it. Their new science facility is incredible.</p>

<p>however if the op wants merit money…very few schools offer merit to a transfer student…so while 1st 2 years might be cheap , last 2 would be full price… there are a number of universities that will offer op a full ride for his/her nmf standing…go full ride for undergrad if wanting med school later.</p>

<p>As Exultaionsy mentions, take a look at University of Oklahoma. They have a BS/MD program which can guarantee you a slot in Oklahoma med school. And the NMF scholarship gives free tuition for 5 years, including free tuition if you attend the OU med school within that five year period. So you could get free tuition for the first year of med school. </p>

<p>The downside is the NMF is not a true full ride for the first four years (they estimate cost of about $7k per year), but it can be supplemented by other merit awards, and that free year of med school tuition is worth quite a bit.</p>

<p>OU goes all out for the NMFs, so you should find the NMF counseling staff on their website and contact them.</p>

<p>Take a look at Chapman University. They give excellent need-blind merit-aids. It is automatic, you’ll be able to find out how much you’ll get with your acceptance letter. No interview required.
[Chapman</a> University - Financial Aid - Undergrads](<a href=“Financial Aid | Chapman University”>Financial Aid | Chapman University)</p>

<p>UMiami has great merit awards for top scorers. (GPA and ACT/SAT). You would likely get 3/4 tuition and invite to interview for full scholarship. </p>

<p>My Val son with high scores (4.0 unwieghted/34 ACT, forgot SAT scores and 13 AP’s got the full merit (and honors program) and attended over some other great schools. Lots of very smart, motivated kids there. Great campus. Terrific location. Worth the application for you.</p>