With these stats, what schools....

[Anonymous]

OH MY GOD PEOPLE PLEASE STOP

[Anonymous]

"Colleges That Change Lives"

[Anonymous]

If you want lots of merit aid, look at the next tier down from the state flagship. Yes, for the most part they will lack the big sports culture, but they will throw money at your kid like crazy.

[Anonymous]

I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

Depends on what you want. My DC with slightly lower scores got merit that matched UMd in-state from Grinnell, Kenyon, and OSU’s honors program. A few others were $4-5K more. A NMS can get a free ride from other flagships, or someplace like Fordham (ranked 70th).

[Anonymous]

You kid took APs as a freshman? what school allows this? I’m curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You kid took APs as a freshman? what school allows this? I’m curious.

Our MCPS high school allows it. Freshmen can take APUSH and AP Comp Sci Principles (this is new).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

Depends on what you want. My DC with slightly lower scores got merit that matched UMd in-state from Grinnell, Kenyon, and OSU’s honors program. A few others were $4-5K more. A NMS can get a free ride from other flagships, or someplace like Fordham (ranked 70th).

You must be confusing financial aid with merit aid. Grinnell only gives merit scholarships up to $25K/year. Now, I was no math major but at a $63K cost-of-attendance, even if your child got the max merit award that is still over $10K/year more than UMD.
https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/financial-aid/affording-grinnell/scholarships

[Anonymous]

Will get merit at Alabama with those stats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

Depends on what you want. My DC with slightly lower scores got merit that matched UMd in-state from Grinnell, Kenyon, and OSU’s honors program. A few others were $4-5K more. A NMS can get a free ride from other flagships, or someplace like Fordham (ranked 70th).

You must be confusing financial aid with merit aid. Grinnell only gives merit scholarships up to $25K/year. Now, I was no math major but at a $63K cost-of-attendance, even if your child got the max merit award that is still over $10K/year more than UMD.
https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/financial-aid/affording-grinnell/scholarships

Not confused. They will add grants on top of that that renew for 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

Depends on what you want. My DC with slightly lower scores got merit that matched UMd in-state from Grinnell, Kenyon, and OSU’s honors program. A few others were $4-5K more. A NMS can get a free ride from other flagships, or someplace like Fordham (ranked 70th).

You must be confusing financial aid with merit aid. Grinnell only gives merit scholarships up to $25K/year. Now, I was no math major but at a $63K cost-of-attendance, even if your child got the max merit award that is still over $10K/year more than UMD.
https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/financial-aid/affording-grinnell/scholarships

Not confused. They will add grants on top of that that renew for 4 years.

Are grants like FA or merit? Do you have to pay back? What is it based on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't think kids can "count" on merit aid from a top 75 school. My DC has never received a B, 9 fives on APs as of the end of jr year (the scores are available through the fast response site, for those who don't know) got a 1590 on the SAT, strong ECs (but not a star athlete, cured cancer, etc), will likely be NMS. Getting costs down from the top 75 to match UMD will involve a significant amount of good luck.

Depends on what you want. My DC with slightly lower scores got merit that matched UMd in-state from Grinnell, Kenyon, and OSU’s honors program. A few others were $4-5K more. A NMS can get a free ride from other flagships, or someplace like Fordham (ranked 70th).

You must be confusing financial aid with merit aid. Grinnell only gives merit scholarships up to $25K/year. Now, I was no math major but at a $63K cost-of-attendance, even if your child got the max merit award that is still over $10K/year more than UMD.
https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/financial-aid/affording-grinnell/scholarships

Not confused. They will add grants on top of that that renew for 4 years.

DP. My kid is interested in Grinnell. I can't find anything about additional merit-based grants on their website- can you clarify what these are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not very strong stats. Merit aid, if any, won’t be much.

Because of the SAT? Why do you think these are weak?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not very strong stats. Merit aid, if any, won’t be much.

Because of the SAT? Why do you think these are weak?

I didn't say it's weak. It's just not strong enough to get meaningful amount of merit aids from somewhat respectable schools. There are, simply, too many high performing kids in this area.

[Anonymous]

I didn't say it's weak. It's just not strong enough to get meaningful amount of merit aids from somewhat respectable schools. There are, simply, too many high performing kids in this area.

But OP's kid is not interested in applying to schools in this area. Big public schools will almost certainly use a weighted GPA.

My DS had similarly "not strong enough" stats, went to an FCPS HS, took fewer APs, and was awarded $12,500 from UMDCP for a 1480 SAT and a GPA in a similar range (3.9 weighted, probably around 3.6 unweighted).