Thanks for the data; you just buttressed my point as it appears from your post there are only going to be approximately 3000 more applicants this year than last. This would not appear to justify wiping out two levels of scholarship after it wad broadcasted on a website. I get that there was a disclaimer, but why even put it there in the first place that’s the whole point. We’re not talking about the fine print at a car dealership, we’re talking about people making major life decisions for their kids.
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There are schools who don’t offer merit scholarships and schools who do not post specific levels of merit money in a website like Auburn did. So I don’t really understand the transparency argument. With many schools, that’s just the way it is because those schools are so competitive to start, they don’t need to use “merit awards” as a possible way to attract applicants. Take a look at Georgetown or Stanford’s website and tell me how many merit scholarships they give each year. Why do schools like Auburn post that information in the first place? How many out of state kids do you think apply to Auburn every year with a 95th percentile or higher ACT score (these kids can obviously get into much better schools, but many would not get merit based financial aid from those schools). It doesn’t seem credible to believe that these kids want to go to Auburn with those credentials and pay $33,000 a year for tuition and fees. Of course, these are all my opinions, but something doesn’t seem right here.
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- Once schools adopted the Common App it made it much easier to apply to schools.
- During Covid, the number of schools that went test-optional increased (and many remain test-optional). What did these two things do? They increased the number of schools that students applied to and gave some students the “courage” to apply to schools that historically they may not have applied to because their test scores were not a good fit.
A number of these students end up getting accepted at these “better” schools (good for them!), and surprisingly to many, some students who “on paper” should have gotten into a top school did not.
Strong students (say 90th+ percentile) are still applying to top schools, but given how crazy the admissions process has been at top tier schools over the last few years they are also casting a wider net and applying to schools that in the past they may not have considered (mid-tier). These strong students are getting accepted at mid-tier, and they are getting offered merit.
Auburn may very well be attracting more students at the 90th+ percentile. This may explain why they are reducing aid. One of the downsides of being so transparent about merit aid is that when you have to make adjustments, people get upset (and I don’t blame them at all).
The truth is that if you are a great student at a top school, you are “average” and get little merit (although you may get financial aid). And many top-tier schools are $$$$$. But if you are a great student in a mid-tier school, you are above average and may receive a better merit offer.
With the rising cost of higher ed and some questioning the value of a degree, students and families are wising up and trying to avoid large amounts of debt.
Would you rather be a “big fish” in a mid-size pond where you are rewarded (with merit) or a little fish in a big pond where you are like everyone else and don’t get merit (or very little in comparison to COA)? I know that I would rather stand out in a mid-tier school and have little to no debt than send a kid to a tier-one school and be saddled with debt for an undergraduate degree.
Just my two cents.
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Sorry but was that done? My understanding from the other string is that kids who were in the Presidential bracket had their reduced from $17K to $15K (12% reduction in award) and the school is holding off on awarding the others until it has a better grasp on things. If they truly go from $15K/$11K to $0, I agree it’s a bit of false advertising.
Lots and Lots. Kids that have similar (or lesser) SAT/ACT scores, get into better schools (however we’re determining those) and get significant merit $$ without any understanding how the amount of that award was determined.
I’m not really sure why you are isolating sentences from my posts without identifying my entire issue from the start, whether they are wiping out two levels of scholarship for out of state students. That was my initial post on this thread, and my initial post on another Auburn thread. It seems from posts of others this is a legitimate issue, but I can’t seem to get a clear answer from anyone. Someone posted that in the FAQs on Auburn’s website, it seems to say that they are doing it, but again I cannot get a clear answer.
As a point of reference, this was my initial post on this thread:
“I am trying to confirm that OOS will not get a Heritage or a Charter scholarship with a 32 ACT and higher than the 3.5 GPA. Do we know for sure if there is now a cutoff at 33 ACT?”
Now, since I have clarified everything again and assuming the answer to my inquiry is they are doing it, the stats you provided of approximately 3000 more applicants this year than last does not appear to justify this.
With my 95th percentile comment in my previous post, you decided to omit information around the particular sentence you isolated. One of the things I said is why would a high credential kid want to pay the $33,000 for Auburn when other public institutions in the south east are around the same or less than $33,000 a year and they are equal to or better than Auburn.
Addressing your specific response, which again supports my position, you are correct, these high stat kids get into places like University of Florida, North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC State, UGA, and Georgia Tech. Many of these schools do not openly announce merit levels with scores on their websites. Again, a simple question, why would a kid that smart be applying to Auburn and want to pay $33,000 a year? Do we not think that the scholarship levels being announced on the website had something to do with certain kids applying?
Because Auburn is different from all of those schools. I have a student at UGA. It’s a good fit for him.
I have one who is very interested in Auburn. He doesn’t like UGA or Bama. Too spread out. We will pay the cost for him to attend, even though there are other schools that would be cheaper, because he feels like it’s a good fit. If he happens to get merit money, that would be awesome, but it can’t be counted on from Auburn.
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Valid point, but I’m sure a lot of kids would like to go to a place like Pepperdine because it’s beautiful and would be a perfect fit, but for most people money matters. I am sure there are others like you, but I’m also sure there are others who applied, in part, because they thought they were going to get money.
Also, when you say merit money can’t be counted on at Auburn, then why would they even post the different levels with the criteria and amounts on their webpage? That’s the whole point of me asking the question in the first place, and thereafter, engaging in this analysis.
They have a disclaimer on their merit amount page. Other schools, like Bama, do not. Bama’s merit awards are automatic if you meet the criteria. Auburn isn’t pulling a fast one. They have a disclaimer.
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Never said they were pulling a fast one. My initial question was are they doing away with two levels of scholarships, which they identified on their website, for out of state kids with certain credentials?
In addressing your disclaimer reference, amusement parks have disclaimers about assumption of risk. Does that mean if a safety harness fails due to an amusement park’s lack regular maintenance then, oh well? Come on with the disclaimer.
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It’s not the same. They clearly state that the chart is guide and not a guarantee. Other schools list scholarship amounts with no accompanying minimum criteria. Other schools list hard and fast criteria and award amounts. Still other schools list almost nothing. Every school does it differently.
The issue I have is very simply you just don’t post that information if you’re not willing to provide the money to people. Also, why did they even post it in the first place. What is the purpose of posting that? Think about it There is someone on one of the other threads very upset about it, and she has a legitimate gripe.
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“It seems from posts of others this is a legitimate issue, but I can’t seem to get a clear answer from anyone.”
Have you reached out to the financial aid office?
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this is exactly why we applied. My dad and grandparents went to Auburn, so we have a strong tie, but we would never have applied unless we thought merit was in the bag. It shows terrible planning and judgment for Auburn to abandon two levels of scholarships out of hand before we’re even out of EA 1.
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sorry there is no excusing it. Last year they followed it to the letter. EVERY applicant in EA1 who met the threshold got the full amount. And that has been the case EVERY year. They updated that chart this Fall for crying out loud! Then they just abandon it after it’s too late to take the ACT again. Yes, they can do what they want, but it isn’t honorable.
I received a response this morning from an AU advisor on a similar question on whether additional merit levels will be awarded. I think below is the best you can expect for a response at this point.
"Good morning!
I was able to speak with our scholarships office and get clarification. 
We currently cannot guarantee that the University scholarships are going to be awarded but if funding allows then those scholarships will be awarded. I would recommend if you have any additional questions to reach out to our scholarship office. They will be able to best answer your questions. Also, here is their website with updated FAQs: University Scholarships | Office of University Scholarships.
334-844-7570
War Eagle,"
This is exactly my point above and I was challenged regarding my position with some telling me about the “disclaimer.” In my opinion, if Auburn is wiping out these scholarships after broadcasting them on the website, it is unacceptable.
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Here is the other issue. It looks as if the increase in the number of applicants this year over last year will be around 3000 according to what someone else posted. This is not the kind of increase that was unforeseeable and in no way should it have affected funding to the point where two levels are wiped if that is what is going to happen. Again, ask this question, why do you make that scholarship chart visible on your site in the first place? What is the point in doing so? I find it hard to believe it is just for informational purposes or to provide “transparency.”