<p>Keep in mind that if you get an excellent financial aid package from a college that's Ithaca's equivalent or is more highly ranked, that can give you the leverage to get what you want from Ithaca, a good reason for you to consider applying to places like BU that offer excellent merit aid.</p>
<p>I might apply to those schools, but I don't really get the point so much if I have absolutely no intent of attending them.</p>
<p>I looked over them on a couple sites and they REALLY weren't matches for me. Thanks for the suggestion though.</p>
<p>Also, I read earlier that that plan could backfire in that Ithaca might not offer as much because they wouldn't expect me to matriculate. I can't of course vouch for the accuracy of that statement, but it is something to think about.</p>
<p>I heard about the president's scholarship, so that would sincerely help. There is hope for me yet in the field of scholarships. I know of some others that I'm a shoo-in for, including scholarships that look at Regents performance. In case anyone doesn't know, these are standardized tests that New York students have to pass. I've gotten perfect scores on four, which my guidance counselor affirmed is really rare. People with less regents achievement than me have received this scholarship in the past, and I've heard it's a couple thousand dollars. That's not too much on its own but if I can eek out a couple thousand here and there it could really add up.</p>
<p>I'm also going for a campus open house. I've heard that visitation and stuff shows that you're really serious about going to a college and makes them more likely to help you out more. Is that true?</p>
<p>Why aren't they matches? From what I know, you are right in the mix. </p>
<p>If Ithaca knows you are interested in them - and that they have competition from other schools that can offer you strong financial aid - that should encourage them to come through with a good FA offer. In other words, they should know that you really want to go there if they can put together a competitive package.</p>
<p>Again, best of luck. I hope you get into your top choice with lots of money. But do get yourself some potential choices that will cover family need.</p>
<p>"Also, I read earlier that that plan could backfire in that Ithaca might not offer as much because they wouldn't expect me to matriculate. I can't of course vouch for the accuracy of that statement, but it is something to think about."</p>
<p>Not true at all. If a student gets a better need-based or merit-based scholarship from a better or equivalent school, the student is in a position to negotiate a better deal from the college she wants to go to because that college may match the offer if they fear that they will lose the student.</p>
<p>Since you are a National Merit semi-finalist already, and Ithaca doesn't get those many NM finalists, and probably even loses some such admitted students to more highly ranked schools like Cornel, you should be a student that Ithaca is very interested in recruiting and will fear really would prefer to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Ithaca probably is a match or even a safety school for you. Consequently, if you get a better financial deal from a better or equivalent school, and tell Ithaca that the only thing keeping you from accepting Ithaca's offer is money, there's a good chance they'll give you an excellent deal. This may keep you from having to take out very large loans to attend Ithaca.</p>
<p>Are you first gen college? If so, did you check out the Ventures Scholars web site, which has excellent information, and even has info about various scholarships, etc. If you are first gen college, you should qualify for it.</p>
<p>And what kind of socialization problems do you have that cause you to feel that you'll need to go to college close to your family? Shyness?</p>
<p>Check out the scholarships offered by Keuka College, which is in the Finger Lakes, so fairly close to where you live. Keuka offers OT, also. The below list is just a partial list of their merit scholarships. As a NM finalist or semifinalist, I imagine you'd have a good chance at these.</p>
<p>Offered exclusively to high school seniors whose parents did not attend, or graduate from, college.
Valuated at $24,000-$50,000 over four years of undergraduate study
More details available in our Financial Aid Opportunities for New Students brochure (PDF). </p>
<p>Board of Trustees Scholarship
Valued at $30,000 - full tuition (guaranteed* over four years of undergraduate study). Applications submitted after the Jan. 31 deadline will be reviewed and awarded if funding is available. More details available in our Financial Aid Opportunities for New Students brochure (PDF).
Must be a high school senior in the top 1/3 of his/her class.
Based on academic achievement and leadership involvement.
Complete the application for admission by Jan. 31.
Provide the name of a teacher or guidance counselor who will supply a recommendation on your behalf.
Recipients will attend a special interview/competition day.
Scholarship is not based on financial need.</p>
<p>George H. Ball Achievement Award
Valued at $24,000 - $50,000 (guaranteed* over four years of undergraduate study). Applications submitted after the Jan. 31 deadline will be reviewed and awarded if funding is available.More details available in our Financial Aid Opportunities for New Students brochure (PDF) .
Must be a high school senior.
Student must have a solid academic record.
Complete the application for admission by Jan. 31.
Provide the name of a teacher or guidance counselor who will supply a recommendation on your behalf.
Involvement in activities such as art, band, communications (newspaper, radio, TV, etc), community service, creative writing, debate/forensics, leadership, music, religious activities, scouting, science or math competitions, theatre, and extracurricular activities.</p>
<p>well, I'm first gen unless attending a couple semesters of college counts. My mother had two children (she was a teen mother) at the time, and attended on a GED, but she couldn't finish. My father never went to college.</p>
<p>I'm saying that those schools are matches because they don't have what I really want in a school. I'd rather have huge loans for a school experience I loved than no loans for a school experience that I hated.</p>
<p>As for social issues, I wouldn't say that I'm shy, per se, but I would definitely say I'm not very good at making friends. I would venture to guess people find me to be annoying, because I can be kind of a spaz. I am hugely dependent on my family and when I'm away from them for long periods of time I get extremely homesick and sometimes even depressed. </p>
<p>My GC said Ithaca was a safety for me, but that's not really of consequence, personally. I don't care about the prestige of the school: I care about the experience and whether the school suits me.</p>
<p>Also, I don't live in Ithaca. I live in Greater Binghamton, just for reference. Hence, about 45 minutes FROM Ithaca, which is a manageable distance.</p>
<p>Many of us are making the point that your best chances of getting what you want out of Ithaca are applying to other colleges, too. If Ithaca doesn't give you a good financial deal, but the other colleges do, if you tell Ithaca that you'll choose them if they improve your financial package, they may do exactly that. Then , you could have your wish of going to Ithica, and you could do that without having to take out big loans.</p>
<p>Even if you would be willing to take out big loans to go to Ithaca, you don't have to apply only to colleges that are near Ithaca. By expanding where you apply, you increase your chances of getting from Ithaca what you want.</p>
<p>As a NM semifinalist and probable finalist, you have a good chance of getting into top 25 universities like NYU and possibly even Columbia. If you don't want to go to those schools, it would be fine to turn them down, but having admissions from such schools would raise your chances of getting excellent financial aid/merit aid from Ithaca.</p>
<p>Based on what you've said about your parents' education, you qualify for Ventures Scholar program, and it would be to your advantage to enroll in it (free). There is excellent advice on their site, too.</p>