How did you go about applying for independent merit scholarships? I'm bewildered

[Anonymous]

DC got into all four EA schools, one SCEA deferral to an Ivy. On April lst DC will hear about the deferral and the decisions of the other Ivies (statistically probably a "no"). That's all well and good. But I'm starting the application to independent scholarships chore today and am bewildered. I have "The Ultimate Scholarship Book" (as big as one of those yellow phone books we used to get) in front of me. Kid wants aerospace engineering and has been accepted at top tech schools for that. We really need merit aid which few to none of the schools to which he has applied offer. (Yes, already filed FAFSA, the OSS and the Idoc and some schools have already offered him Stafford loans but we probably make too much money to expect more from the schools he is applying to ). While we look like we have a high HHI on paper, most of our resources go to support for two other SN kids so we really need independent scholarships. How did you make the decision of what scholarships to apply to? Did anyone use a free matching service? Any ideas would be welcome. TIA

[Anonymous]

That would be "CSS". ^^ Brain fog.

[Anonymous]

I hope you have financial safeties on your DC's list.

[Anonymous]

Op - those scholarships from the book are mostly useless - either too small in amount, targeted for specific groups...etc. We had fewer reaches and more safeties that we can pay without merit/FA.

[Anonymous]

Likeliest the scholarships he has the most chances to get are local ones. His high school should probably have a list. Most deadlines have already occurred or will in March and April. DD got two small local ones last year, no national ones despite spending a lot of time on applications.

I think the scholarship websites are easier to deal with for national scholarships. My DD has used Fastweb, where you put in your stats, location and interests and it gives you a list of possible scholarships arranged in order of deadline. The issue is that most require essays and recommendations and you have no idea what the odds are of getting them after putting in so much work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope you have financial safeties on your DC's list.

+1

The real money/significant amounts are awarded by schools themselves. But as OP points out, for the most part the schools at the top of the USNWR rankings don't award scholarship money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - those scholarships from the book are mostly useless - either too small in amount
, targeted for specific groups...etc. We had fewer reaches and more safeties that we can pay without merit/FA.

That was my sense. Cappex even puts little pens next to them to indicate how labor-intensive the application will be. Most requires essays. DC is "essayed out" after doing the eight schools plus essays to apply for the Honors Colleges within the schools where he was accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope you have financial safeties on your DC's list.

Yes, DC got into UVA. They've offered a Stafford loan of $6000 per year but with another child in college, it's going to still be a struggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope you have financial safeties on your DC's list.

+1

The real money/significant amounts are awarded by schools themselves. But as OP points out, for the most part the schools at the top of the USNWR rankings don't award scholarship money.

OP here - yes, that is exactly our situation. No merit scholarships where DC has been accepted, deferred or still waiting. That's why I'm staring at this huge blue book of independent scholarships and trying to figure out what ones might be worth the application madness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Likeliest the scholarships he has the most chances to get are local ones. His high school should probably have a list. Most deadlines have already occurred or will in March and April. DD got two small local ones last year, no national ones despite spending a lot of time on applications.

I think the scholarship websites are easier to deal with for national scholarships. My DD has used Fastweb, where you put in your stats, location and interests and it gives you a list of possible scholarships arranged in order of deadline. The issue is that most require essays and recommendations and you have no idea what the odds are of getting them after putting in so much work.

Thanks. Is anyone aware of local scholarships (DC/MD/VA) that are more than $500? I did check on Rotary Club but didn't come up with anything.

[Anonymous]

You are supposed to run the numbers BEFORE you apply, OP!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope you have financial safeties on your DC's list.

+1

The real money/significant amounts are awarded by schools themselves. But as OP points out, for the most part the schools at the top of the USNWR rankings don't award scholarship money.

OP here - yes, that is exactly our situation. No merit scholarships where DC has been accepted, deferred or still waiting. That's why I'm staring at this huge blue book of independent scholarships and trying to figure out what ones might be worth the application madness.

Why are you doing all this work and not the student?

[Anonymous]

Do you listen to the podcast Getting In at Slate? Last week was about paying for college and the guest named several websites where you can find legitimate lists of scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Not a prior poster but if I locate the scholarship he writes the essays and requests the recommendations. I'm ok with this arrangement.

[Anonymous]

Organ/Tissue transplant organization has a $5000 scholarship.

Your child should start working now and through the summer. He could possibly earn $5000 and not need spending money from parents.