Whoo-hoo, SATs went up!! Where can I get full tuition?!

Paying for College
1

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<p>STATS:</p>

<p>Female, Age 17, Buffalo, NY, White
Estimated Class Rank: 7/275ish
GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 96/100
SAT: M: 690 V: 800 W: 740 (1490/2230)<--- WENT UP!!!!!
Total APs by graduation: 6
So far, AP scores: AP European (4), AP US (5) Gov (4)</p>

<p>Classes:
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:
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:
AP American, 99
English, 99
AP Government, 97
Advanced Spanish, 96
Advanced Latin, 99
Chemistry Honors, 96
Math, 97</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 (maybe President -- running next week)
~ Varsity Cheerleading
~ Keynote Speaker: Junior National Young Leaders Conference
~ Girls State Nominee
~ 2006 NY State winner Lewis and Clark essay contest</p>

<p>~ WORK: Busser at restaraunt (May 2005-present, 12 hours a week)
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>Where do I have a shot at full tuition? What are some schools known for generous merit aid?</p>

<p>Examples: St. Louis University, Presidential Scholarship
U Dayton, Berry Scholars Program - full tuition
Vanderbilt -- Ingram scholarship</p>

<p>Others that I'd be a very good shot for? Doesn't matter if the schools are not top ones.</p>

2

<p>What are you doing with all of the excellent advice that you've gotten on the Parents' Forum?</p>

<p>Why do you keep asking about merit aid when based on your post and parents' responses, you also need good need-based aid? Indeed, finding colleges that are likely to meet 100% of your documented fnancial need is probably your top priority.</p>

<p>And what consideration are you giving to travel costs as well as needing new clothing if you go to a different regino of the country? </p>

<p>You keep posting asking for advice, and you've gotten good advice, but thus far, it doesnt seem that you're using the advice you've gotten.</p>

<p>Full tuition won't help you if you leave your hometown and then have to pay for room and board and other expenses on your own. Since your father has had cancer, your family probably also is having to catch up with expenses due to his disease and lack of employment -- even if he's back to work now. Your family also will need to have a decent financial cushion in case his disease reoccurs, and he needs to take more time off. How do you plan to pay for room and board, travel costs, books, etc.?</p>

3

<p>Since you live in NY State, probably your best chances for excellent aid are through NY public insitutions. You'd also be able to use your Regents scholarship there. You'd get out of Buffalo while not having to incur sky high transportation costs or new wardrobe costs.</p>

<p>Some of the second tier NY privates also may give you excellent deals while offering you the transportation and other advantages that you'd get by staying in state.</p>

4

<p>If you're the only one working and your family has minimal resources, you'll qualify for MUCHO financial aid (scholarships, grants, some loans, and work-study) from both the feds and EVERY college you apply to. With your stats, the Ivy League is calling, better pick up the phone!</p>

5

<p>GetOuttaBuff,
Can you tell that you're exhausting us? Get your apps done and get back to us on the outcomes...Good luck.</p>

6

<p>Those who have already replied to my other posts need not reply to this one. I'm obviously looking for OTHER ideas.</p>

7

<p>"If you're the only one working and your family has minimal resources, you'll qualify for MUCHO financial aid (scholarships, grants, some loans, and work-study) from both the feds and EVERY college you apply to. "</p>

<p>Unfortunately, she may "qualify" -- i.e. need money from every college that she applies to. That doesn't mean, however, she'll get money fromevery college that she applies to. It is very hard getting virtually full need-based aid as most colleges don't have the resources to offer lots of that kind of aid.</p>