<p>Hi, I am listing me stats below and want to ask where I can get good merit aid or have a good chance of getting accepted with financial aid. I want 50% aid.</p>
<p>MY STATS:
ACT: 33 composite
SAT IIs: 790M; 800P; 750C
9th: 95%
10th: 95%
11th: 93%</p>
<p>ECs:
Table Tennis national sports meet- silver medal
State champianships: gold medal
Interschool champianships: winner
State table tennis team captain
School TT team captain
Selected for Youth leader program in 11th.
Science Conference at IIT Delhi, gave speech on New
Technologies and Youth Participation, Represented my school.</p>
<p>Community service:
Organized water harvesting awareness with help of
Municipal Co.
Tutored children for 2 yrs.
Organized Green clean campaign; recognized by CM of State
Spread awareness about polio</p>
<p>Awards:
NTSE Scholar ( Talent search exam, gives scholarship to 200 students in the country)
RMO State Rank 2( one of the toughest maths exams in country)
SOF IMO: All India Rank 4
NSTSE: State Rank 9 ( Science Olympiad)
Times Of India: Student of the Year ( Leading
Newspaper)
Met APJ Abdul Kalam ( Ex. President) at IIT Guwahati,
where I did my research.</p>
<p>Summer Programs:
Gave 'Technothlon' an exam conducted by IITG and
was selected to attend a 2 week,summer program at
IIT Guwahati. Got AIR 18.
Summer@Brown</p>
<p>Clubs:
Science Club President
Maths Club President
English Club Member
Olympiad Organizer
Entrepreneur's Club Member</p>
<p>Research:
Research on "Smart House and increasing town's
efficiency" at IIT( Indian Institute of Technology)
Guwahati. Showed a working model. Chief Guest was
A.P.J Abdul Kalam who congratulated me on my work!</p>
<p>Recs: I have stellar recs from my teachers,
counsellor and my state team coach!!</p>
<p>If you qualify for financial aid, look for some colleges that guarantee to meet full need. That is one source. If you don’t, then look for colleges that have a lot of merit awards to give out and make sure you include some that have guaranteed parameters. Make sure that an ACT range is specified. Look at the thread on How to get a Full Ride by Momfromtexas and substitute your stats for what she has there.</p>
<p>The truth of the matter is that merit money in those amounts is very hard to get, and your best sources, your surest sources are from schools that are little known. When you are talking about schools with the names, there are few merit awards and competition for ones that large is fierce with those kids who have the highest qualifications getting them. A good rule of thumb to use is to find out about how many awards a school has in those large amounts, not the $1-5K amounts, and then see how many student will even actually get them. If there are only 25 such awards, you know you have to be one of the 25 top acceptees to have a shot at them. Complicating matters is that such awards are not always just stats driven. Schools “buy” students that they want to diversify their community and will often be looking for things like geographic, ethnic, unusual major for an underprescribed program and any special needs on the college wishlist for that year which are not shared with the public or anyone for that matter. So out of those 25 awards, maybe 15 are for academic stats. Really makes it tough to get one. </p>
<p>That’s why if you really want/need the money, you have to go with schools that are not as well known and where the appicant pool is not as competitive, and with programs that specify guaranteed amounts for certain amounts.</p>
<p>I really don’t lean towards lesser known schools.
Anyway, thanks for the reply.
Can you give me the link to the post you mentioned. 
Btw, my family income is 25k.</p>
<p>“Hi, I am listing me stats below and want to ask where I can get good merit aid or have a good chance of getting accepted with financial aid. I want 50% aid.”</p>
<p>Are you an int’l? Most schools don’t give aid or merit to int’ls.</p>
<p>Some of the top schools give need based aid to int’ls, but those are the hardest to get into. It sounds like you’re from India. If so, you’ll have a very hard time getting accepted since that country has many, many applicants (with higher stats) applying for these few seats.</p>
<p>Well the link is for lesser known schools. Use the search option if you are still interested. With your family income, and your stats, unless you are an international student, there are a number of schools that will give you substantial financial aid, not necessarily merit, but grants. The thing is, the more generous the school and the more likely you could get a full ride with no loans, the harder it is to gain entry Harvard, for instance, is likely to give you a full ride. But getting in is the problem. Your grades are not the sort that will get into the most selective schools. They are looking at the top 2-3 kids, not the top 2-3%. You can give it a try, but it is truly a lottery ticket. Look at those acceptance rates and you’ll see what I mean.</p>
<p>Are you an international student? Because if you are, you should take a look at that section of the board. Some schools give no financial aid to international students and it is harder for those who are not citizen or with a green card to get funds. Though your resume is good, it is not truly tip top, especially in terms of Indian applicants. Take a look at that board. There are kids there with numbers that go through the stratosphere who don’t get accepted or don’t get much aid.</p>
<p>I am a val. Rank: 1/324
Yes, I am from India.
And the grading system here is different, according to the US system, I have a 4.0 GPA throughout. Only 4 to 5 students get 90+ here.</p>
<p>I get the picture. A great friend of ours is from India. Some of the most phenomonal stats ever, but ended up at RPI, a great school, with full aid. That was his best offer and his resume was eye popping. It is really a tough go for everyone, and international students are not eligible for aid at a number of colleges, some not even for the merit aid. Good luck and look in the secions, I’ve noted for tips.</p>
<p>Yes…but your ACT is not that high for an int’l from India. you’ll be competing against other Indian students with ACT 35/36 or SAT 2300+.</p>
<p>You’re not just competing against other int’ls…you’re MOSTLY competing against other Indian applicants. And, there are few seats that give lots of aid to Indian students.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the replies. Yes, I do see the international sections, just posted here to get a rough estimate of what should I expect.
I will apply for finaid at need blind ones, and take a loan to study at the need aware ones, if I am accepted.
Thanks again :)</p>
<p>OK, I will try to get the ACT up, there is still time.Hope my ECs favor me in the process.:)</p>
<p>You’re being kind of short-sighted. Big loans are a bad idea. They’ll ruin your life.</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay each year?</p>
<p>You’re turning your nose up at many very good schools that will give you good-sized merit for your stats.</p>
<p>That’s not a good idea. You should at least have a few big merit schools as safety options.</p>
<p>Make sure you find loan sources in India. You are not likely to get private loans here in the US with parents who are not living here, and students do not get loans without credit worthy co signers. GIven your parent’s income and where they live, your chances of getting much in loans here is zilch unless a school gives you one. Even then, the chances are small. Your ECs are not going to be a big deal in the picture, and it is my opinion (not reflected by others ) that a high SAT1 score would be more valuable in getting money. Right now, I don’t see you in the picture of getting $50K in money unless it’s from a school that is hardly known.</p>
<p>Also, don’t eliminate the non need blind ones. What that means is they will reject you if they can’t meet your need. However, many of those schools will meet full need. often with little or no loans, IF you are accepted. Some need blind schools may accept you, but they aren’t going to lift a finger to help you get the money. That’s up to you. And that is how they operate with ALL students, not just international ones. Most US schools are need blind in admissions. It’s only a few that are not and that is because those schools don’t want kids turning them down if they can’t afford it so they just don’t take those kids they are not willing to subsidize. Most schools don’t care because they aren’t going to do anything to financially make it happen anyways. There are only a few schools that are BOTH need blind AND guarantee to meet full need , and even fewer who extend this policy to international students. </p>
<p>My advice is to have a variety of types of schools on your list since no one can tell where you will be best treated in terms of getting need met.</p>
<p>
Can you please tell me the names of the schools where I can get a good amount of aid??</p>
<p>You are an international so there is absolutely no way any of us can predict your chances of admission or aid.</p>
<p>Sorry.</p>
<p>Your best advice will be found in the international students forum.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Mrinal…</p>
<p>Are you asking where you can get merit scholarships or need-based aid?</p>
<p>There’s no way that we can know where you’d get need-based since those admissions are very difficult.</p>
<p>However, there are schools that do give good-sized merit for your stats if you apply and get accepted by the deadlines. </p>
<p>But…those won’t be “free rides”…they will be good-amounts that you can apply to your total costs. How much will your parents pay?</p>