Which American uni would be my best bet at getting a merit scholarship?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>This is my first post, so if I did something wrong, that's why.</p>

<p>I'm an international student from the Middle East. I've been attending private American schools since preschool up until graduating from high school a few months ago. Anyway, for the past few years my goal was to attend college in the states, but my parents flat-out said that they won't be supporting me in any way as they are already struggling financially. This is due to them being irresponsible with their savings, my older brother being autistic and my younger brother having $132,600 worth of debt because he got his pilot license from the Oxford Aviation Academy.</p>

<p>My grades are pretty good; a straight 3.9 accumulated GPA on my high school transcript (I'm a hard worker, didn't fool around in school, though now I find myself wishing I did). I got accepted at the University of South Florida, but all the aid I received was like $320 (I'm guessing this was because I didn't apply for financial aid). I did compete in my country's scholarship program (which gives you the opportunity to study literally anywhere you want), made it from the couple of hundreds to the top sixty candidates, but failed to make it to the ten winners.</p>

<p>Now I've registered with the local university (Uni of Bahrain) for a computer science major with the hopes of transferring next year should I get a merit scholarship from any uni in the states. My classes for this term are Calculus I, General Physics I, Computer Programming I, and ENG Language Development (a poor English class designed for public school students with literally zero knowledge in English, I'm being forced to take it). It's a poor university, with conservative beliefs (I don't consider myself religious), and a stupid standard of education. I could literally get expelled if I was seen shaking hands with a girl. Not to mention that I have to deal with my religious family; my dad wakes me up every day at 4AM so I could just walk two streets to the mosque. Every. Day. No kidding. For the past eight years. Then there's the four other prayers and the constant nagging. I respect him so I do as he says (though he's driven me to depression more than once), but college was supposed to be my getaway.</p>

<p>Anyways, I need advice. What universities do you know (doesn't matter if they're 500th ranked state schools or private ones, the more suggestions, the better) that would likely give a full or half tuition merit scholarship to an international transfer student (next spring or fall term)? I wouldn't mind applying as an undergraduate student freshman for this spring or next fall term since I'm aware that most universities offer these big merit scholarship packages to freshmen, not transfer students. Please don't suggest need-blind universities like Amherst or Dartmouth (I don't think I could get in anyway), I want to know my safest bet. Advice, suggestions, anything is welcome (I'm kinda desperate here). I also posted this on Reddit in case you've seen that, it's me, the same person.</p>

2

<p>University of Alabama guarantees scholarships based on academic credentials. On the Alabama board, it’s been said that foreign students also are eligible for these scholarships.</p>

<p><a href=“http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Did you take the SAT or ACT? What were your scores?</p>

<p>And if I’m understanding you correctly, and you have already enrolled at and taken a full course load at University of Bahrain, then you are considered a transfer student. There is no way (at least that I know of) to get your freshman status back. </p>

4

<p>Many merit scholarships are only for newly entering freshman. Visit each school’s website and read the requirements/eligibility for tbe scholarship. If u attend another college first, that makes u a transfer student. It may eliminate u for many opportunities. </p>

5

<p>To find a school that will take you as a transfer AND give an intl a lot of aid (are you saying you won’t qualify for need-based aid?), you will have to do a lot of reading and research. You might take a look at USC, but your situation calls for you to make yourself the expert on what’s possible.</p>

6

<p>Are you a transfer student?</p>

<p>What is your SAT?</p>

<p>Even if a school gave you a full tuition award, you would still have to come up with about $20k per year for tuition room board fees personal expenses travel and health insurance.</p>

<p>Even if you got a full ride merit scholarship, you would have to come up with about $7k for personal expenses, travel and health insurance.</p>

7

<p>@GMTplus7 @butterfreesnd What if I don’t mention that I’ve attended another college before? Leave it looking like a gap term/year.</p>

8

<p>I know a girl from Dubai (British citizen) who got an $8k scholarship from Minnesota last year. Minnesota costs roughly $30k/year, all in. So after the scholarship, attending Minnesota would have cost roughly $22k/year, including room & board, books, travel etc…Not shabby for a great university. </p>

9

<p>@Alexandre,</p>

<p>Minnesota estimates 194 USD for travel costs for non-resident students.<br>
<a href=“http://onestop.umn.edu/finances/costs_and_tuition/cost_of_attendance/?year=2014-15&residency=non-resident&program=undergrad&CSOM=false”>http://onestop.umn.edu/finances/costs_and_tuition/cost_of_attendance/?year=2014-15&residency=non-resident&program=undergrad&CSOM=false&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I had no idea Emirates has such cheap airfares.</p>

<p>My kids are int’l students. Our family’s cellphone bill is more than that per month.</p>

10

<p>OP, not mentioning your prior college experience on an application would constitute fraud and could result in your spending time in a prison cell instead of a classroom. really, this is not the way to begin a career.</p>