<p>Son was accepted at Chicago and 2 Ivys, but choose to go to USC, only in part because he was awarded a full tuition scholarship. He has many friends there who are also scholarship winners, and all are happy to have made the decision to attend USC.</p>
<p>Programs I know that poached students who were **accepted **at HYPS </p>
<ol>
<li>The Morehead-Cain Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The Morehead-Cain Scholarship (originally the Morehead Scholarship) was the first merit scholarship program established in the United States. It is named for its benefactors, John Motley Morehead III and the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation. Modeled after the Rhodes Scholarship, the Morehead-Cain provides a full four-year scholarship covering tuition, books, room and board, a laptop computer, and four summer experiences known as the Morehead-Cain’s Summer Enrichment Program. </li>
</ol>
<p>Check Eadad thread about his son electing to go to UNVC over Yale.</p>
<ol>
<li>The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program UT Dallas
The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program covers all expenses of a superb four-year academic education at UTD, in concert with a diverse array of intensive extracurricular experiences, including internships, travel, and cultural enrichment. High school seniors may apply for the program in the fall. </li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Various special scholarships at the University of Texas at Austin
Check programs in areas such as neuroscience. Several of the better scholarships are never disclosed to the public but offered after admission to high scoring students.</p></li>
<li><p>As others have reported Curmudgeon’s daughter getting full ride at Rhodes College and not attending Yale. See EvilRobot with Vandy over Yale. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Interesting pattern about CC members and Yale. ;)</p>
<p>the very charming and modest past Yale admit Evil Robot is employed by Google after maxing out his opportunities on scholarship to Vandy. My second son ended up at Vandy so I have to say Go Dores!</p>
<p>Xiggi - Just to counteract the trend - my S had a full tuition scholarship to Vandy, but chose Yale. I have to say it was a really difficult decision - he waited until the last second to hit the accept button. He visited and had nothing but good things to say about Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>It comes as a surprise to most cause Northwestern doesn’t promote merit based aid. The school also holds in own in competition for students with all the Ivys other than HYP. But after acceptances and financial aid packages are doled out, a number of merit scholarships are offered to middle class applicants. This is the so-called “Founders Scholarship.” It’s designed to entice students whose family resources make them eligible for partial FA but can still face significant loans to pay back after graduation.</p>
<p>Founders Scholarship
Summary: Northwestern created the Founders Scholars Program in 2007 to honor the nine individuals who founded the University in 1850.
Eligibility: Awards are offered each year to a select group of incoming students from middle income families. While academic credentials weigh heavily in the selection process, other criteria taken into account include student essays, recommendations, leadership experience and potential, and academic interests. There is no separate application to receive consideration for a Founders Scholarship. Eligibility for renewal beyond the freshmen year requires a cumulative GPA of 3.0 which is reviewed on an annual basis.
Award range: $14,750 average award in 2008-09. These scholarships are renewable for four years so long as students make satisfactory academic progress.</p>
<p>My D graduated from NU last year -(NewNuDad should be changed to OldTimerDad now) - I haven’t been at this site since she was a freshman…</p>
<p>BUT I am posting to point out that NU was EXTREMEMLY generous with the scholarship dollars and is now going to be even more needs based with awards. My daughter is now working in her field - ChemE, and NU gave her more dollars than any of the other schools she was accepted at, including in-state U of I Urbana-Ch. It is the best decision she made she said, and she loved going to NU. </p>
<p>I’m back here again because Son #2 is getting recruited by U of Chi and Wash U /StL based on his Soph PSAT scores. And I wanted to share our experience with NU, and remind others that sometimes private schools can be much more flexible than state schools. Good luck to all of you. And yes, son #2 only wants to go to NU also. Go Cats!</p>
<p>I would add honors colleges at some private colleges as well. We didn’t know about honors colleges until our neice was accepted to one at her public university. They can be a very attractive option.</p>
<p>Not sure if Emory was mentioned, but you should look into Emory Scholars.</p>
<p>Like Yalemom2’s son, my daughter passed up full tuition at Emory to attend Harvard. I believe that two or three of the people at the Scholar Weekend she attended are at Harvard with her now. Several did choose Emory over Ivy League and other wonderful schools.</p>
<p>Very true, in the case of big awards – for instance, I know of someone who got a full ride to Duke, and attended because of this, for having won some large statewide math competition.</p>
<p>Highly, highly talented, we’re talking way beyond what your average Ivy League student is.</p>
<p>^^^I don’t think you have to operate at the level of Melanie Wood to land a big merit scholarship to a good school (not speaking of Duke, I don’t personally know anyone at Duke on a big merit award)! Let’s not scare people away from trying.</p>
<p>My son isn’t quite Ivy caliber but I was really worried about my son being challenged enough if he went to a school that he would get a really good scholarship. So, I see it as a balance between challenging academics and money. Many schools offer honors programs to provide a more challenging and more supportive environment, to address these concerns.</p>
<p>Schools that we considered for my son that had strong scholarships that attract Ivy caliber students:</p>
<p>Ohio State
Miami University in Ohio
Rutgers
UMD at College Park
American University</p>
<p>We also considered SUNY at Binghamton, which did not offer a scholarship but was reasonablely priced.</p>
<p>I went to accepted honors students day at Rutgers, UMD and American and the students there were mostly considering very high level schools. And the current students in those honors programs talked about the high caliber of the programs and being able to not owe any money when they graduate.</p>