Where can I get some (or a lot of) merit aid?

Paying for College
1

<p>Hey guys, I have almost finished my list of schools to which I will be applying in the fall/winter, and I wanted to see if there were any other schools which may be willing to give me merit aid.
I have a few restrictions:
-Must be on the East coast
-Must be in or near a large town/city
-Size: 5,000-15,000 total students</p>

<p>Here are my stats:
-3.9/4.2 UW/W GPA (tank: top 7%)
-9 AP courses throughout high school
-34 ACT/2260 SAT
-730 USH SAT II (will take Math II and Physics in October)
-Home state: PA
-Good ECs (or at least I like to think so) with various leadership positions
-Hispanic/National Hispanic Scholar
-National Merit Semifinalist
-Assume good essays but nothing standout</p>

<p>Thank you in advance!</p>

2

<p>What is your expected major? You say you are looking for merit aid – how much can you actually afford?</p>

3

<p>How much can your family afford to pay? </p>

<p>We need to know that so we know how much merit you need. For instance, if your parents can’t pay anything, then you need a “free ride” (tuition, room, board, etc).</p>

<p>If your parents will pay $15k per year, then you need at least full tuition scholarship.</p>

<p>If you’re not sure how much they’ll pay, ask them. You need to know your situation.</p>

4

<p>Some of the best awards will be based on NMF status <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=16198460#post16198460[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=16198460#post16198460&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You can also check the threads on Automatic and Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride scholarships at the top of this forum.</p>

5

<p>Some schools offering full tuition to NMF that fit your criteria are Fordham, Drexel, and Northeastern.</p>

<p>If the southeast is an option, that opens up many other possibilities.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for all the responses so far- very helpful! As of now, I plan to major in some kind of science or engineering field, although I haven’t narrowed it down any further than that. I will be a NMF (assuming I turn everything in) and my parents can pay up to 20K per year. My father was also in the military so the Yellow Ribbon scholarship can be part of the aid I receive.
Thanks again!</p>

7

<p>@BobWallace, I would prefer not to be in the Southeast, but I’m open to any suggestions if something there will fit my needs perfectly!</p>

8

<p>kitts - Check the automatic scholarship thread, as BobWallace suggested:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-8.html#post16145676[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-8.html#post16145676&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>And Fordham’s full tuition NMF scholarship is not guaranteed - it’s a competitive award.</p>

9

<p>Thank you - I have looked at it and found a few schools!</p>

10

<p>It might be a little bit more south than you were considering but what about UMiami? 10,000 students, 8000 undergrad and the city of Miami which might be interesting to you considering your heritage. This past year they awarded about 70 Singer scholarships (full tuition). It is a research based institution that is heavily science oriented.</p>

11

<p>Thanks! Any other ideas?</p>