Where could I get merit aid?

Paying for College
1

<p>I'm a junior now looking for colleges and SCHOLARSHIPS are the key. Where can I get scholarships? It seems so many depend on SATs but I have great grades and ECs. I'm at my max for SATs. Can't get any higher.</p>

<p>Any suggestions for schools with scholarships for me (significant ones), even if not highly "ranked." Thanks!! Here's the stats:</p>

<p>(Please take my stats AS ARE, not "if you had higher SAT, etc")</p>

<p>Female, Age 16, Buffalo, NY, White
Estimated Class Rank: 10-20/275ish<br>
GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 96/100
Estimated SAT: M: 600 CR: 700 W: 760 Essay: 10 or 12
Total APs by graduation: 6
So far, AP scores: AP European (4)</p>

<p>Classes:<br>
Freshman year:
Biology Honors, 90. Regents Exam, 93
Design Drawing for Production, 100. Exam, 93
Global History I, 94. Exam, 96
English, 95. Exam, 98
Latin, 99. Exam, 99
Math, 90. Exam, 89
Advanced Spanish, 93. Exam, 96</p>

<p>Summer school to get ahead: Global II, 97. Regents Exam, 97</p>

<p>Sophomore year:<br>
English, 100. Exam, 99
Math, 97. Exam, 88 Math A exam: 95
Advanced Spanish, 98. Exam, 99
AP European, 97 Exam, 98, AP: (4)
Advanced Latin, 99. Exam, 95
Earth Science Honors, 93. Exam, 94
Business and Personal Law, 99. Exam, 100</p>

<p>Junior year so far:
AP American, 99
English, 100
AP Government, 97
Advanced Spanish, 95
Advanced Latin, 99
Chemistry Honors, 94
Math, 96</p>

<p>Pretty steady incline in grades...</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Freshman year:
~ Class President
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Pep Club, Ambassadors' Circle, a couple others...can't remember...
~ JV Cheerleading (Most Improved award, lol)
~ Community service program (25ish hours over summer)
~ Latin award: Summa cumma laude - National Latin Exam</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
~ Student Congress representative
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Student Recognition Council (secretary)
~ Environmental Club (secretary)
~ SADD (Officer of Publicity)
~ Best Buddies (Officer of Publicity)
~ JV Cheerleading (MVP award)
~ Town of **** Supervisor's Youth Council
~ Community service program (50-ish hours)
~ Youth Consortium (promoting leadership and wise choices in younger teens)
~ Awards:
~ NY State winner of Essay Contest
~ Published in Parade Magazine: fresh voices
~ Featured: "Someone You Should Know": town newspaper
~ National Latin Exam: Silver Medal
~ Kodak Young Leaders Award
~ HOBY Youth Conference (summer)
~ National Young Leaders Conference (summer) (Assistant Majority Leader of Model Congress)</p>

<p>Junior year:
~ Co-President of Environmental Club
~ Vice-President of SADD Club
~ Student Congress Executive Board
~ Principal's Advisory Council
~ Student Recognition Council
~ Youth voting member of Town Board
~ Youth Consortium
~ Community service program: from summer 2004-present: 100+ hours
~ National Honor Society
~ Varsity Cheerleading
~ Keynote Speaker: Junior National Young Leaders Conference</p>

<p>~ WORK: Busser at restaraunt (May 2005-present, 12 hours a week)<br>
Only member of family employed at moment due to father's cancer
Hostess at another restaraunt (Jan. 2006-present, 7-8 hours a week)</p>

<p>Also, neither parent went to college...if that helps?</p>

<p>What are some good places I'd have a chance at scholarships?</p>

<p>Thanks guys! You are the experts!
~Elaina~</p>

2

<p>I didn't read your whole list, but generally you can get merit aid at schools where you are in the top of their applicant pool. The 25-75% ranges are published, and if you more qualified than the 25% threshold you have a shot at some significant aid. If you are in the top 5%, you might even get a full ride. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Why are you giving up on the SAT, if you are only a Junior? My son took it twice as a Senior (Oct & Nov) and was able to bump up his score around 100 points. That would make you much more competitive for scholarship opportunities at different colleges. Your stats are very similar to his. He was able to get a 3/4 tuition scholarship at U of Miami and similar at Tulane. Also, pretty good money from Clemson, UConn, & Ohio State.</p>

4

<p>St. Louis University has 30 presidential scholarships which cover full tuition for 4 years. About 200 are nominated, and 30 get it. Your stats might get you at least nominated. Lesser merit aid is offered to those who don't make the top 30. Take the ACT, too. American University might also give you some decent money.</p>

5

<p>Do you have any ideas of schools that you might be interested in? I don't know much about schools in NY if you're looking to stay there, but some that I would suggest are:</p>

<p>Morehead scholarship to UNC: if your school is eligible to nominate you, try for that. The one thing that would hold you back would be your SAT's on getting you into UNC. OOS is extremely hard, so do some prep and boost those scores! (I'm not saying your scores are bad at all! I think they're great, but obviously you want to have the best chance you possibly can!)</p>

<p>Park scholarship to NCState: State is a very science-y school and has a top-notch engineering program. If that is something you would be interested in, go for it! The park is an excellent PROGRAM (not just scholarship). You go on trips, have priority registration for classes, and have weekly meetings. </p>

<p>Wake Forest gives a lot of merit aid and you're stats look right on par to receive some of it! Wake is a beautiful school and will give you a great liberal arts education, if that's what you're looking for.</p>

<p>Furman has some fantastic scholarships that I think you would have a shot at. I am not 100% positive, but I do believe there are a number of full rides that you would have a shot at!</p>

<p>I also think that Emory (though I may be wrong), has a lot of merit aid. I know one thing that is key for Emory is the interest you demonstrate in the school and the relationships you establish with the admissions officers prior to applying. I read this on the website and I figure if they come right out and say it, it must be very true!</p>

<p>Duke has some major scholarships as well such as the trinity and the BN Duke scholarship.</p>

<p>Rhodes in Memphis has the Bellingrath scholarship which is a full ride. From what I know, Rhodes is a small LAC that will give you an great LA education. A plus for being in Memphis is if you are interested at all in medicine, you can volunteer at St. Jude's research hospital for children!!! (I think that would be FANTASTIC!)</p>

<p>Vanderbilt has some scholarships, though I do not know the details. </p>

<p>College of Charleston gives some substantial scholarships I believe. BEAUTIFUL school and BEAUTIFUL town!</p>

<p>The Texas public school system has some great full scholarships that would also come with some great honors programs. I don't know all the details, but I have read some threads about this topic, so you could do a search and find the details.</p>

<p>Clearly I know nothing about the northern schools because they never really interested me. But honestly, what's better than sweet tea, the word "y'all" and warm weather!??? </p>

<p>GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The scholarships are out there, I promise! My college search was dependent on scholarships as well, so I understand your dilemma. Also look into outside scholarships. I know they seem really impossible to get, but some of them are a tad easier.</p>

6

<p>Hey...thanks SO much to all of you guys. Your suggestions are awesome and make me feel better. I'm definitely getting out of NY!! I'd love to go down south or midwest, not out west. </p>

<p>As far as SATs, I'm pullin' teeth to get a 1300. It's the end. It sucks cuz I get like 760 writing score which doesn't really count re: scholarships, and my math logic skills are poor and I always interpret the CR passages wrong...so I'll be happy to get a 1300. </p>

<p>Thanks so much --keep them coming!!</p>

7

<p>who knows:
What a wonderful job you did in telling about some wonderful southern schools! Are you going to one of them next year? Let us know. I wish you good luck, and I know that you will be a credit to any school.</p>