Full ride from merit - Is it a thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child had a 4.8 wgpa 4.0 gpa and a 1580 SAT. He went to The University of Alabama on a full ride scholarship for National Merit Scholarship recipients. He graduated and is now at an Ivy League law school.

This is the way. Grad school is far more important than undergrad, too.

[Anonymous]

UMD has full ride Banneker Key scholarships

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child had a 4.8 wgpa 4.0 gpa and a 1580 SAT. He went to The University of Alabama on a full ride scholarship for National Merit Scholarship recipients. He graduated and is now at an Ivy League law school.

This is the way. Grad school is far more important than undergrad, too.

No, it's not if it's with U of Alabama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is looking at a 90K a year private school. We do not qualify for need-based aid. The school has an NPC calculator on their website and the last page asks for GPA and test scores. The NPC suggested 20K in merit. GPA was already at 4.0 UW, but I played around with SAT and even putting it at 1600 showed 20K for merit. When I look at the CDS, it shows the "Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based scholarship and grant aid awarded to students" at approx. $25K. Is full ride just for athletes (who may be in the non-need group) or for low-income students? I'm just getting my feet wet and trying to understand. Thanks!

If you want a full ride, apply to UAlabama and/or be a national merit finalist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the full rides I’m aware of come from state schools or small schools that arent’ even close to the T100.

UAlabama is within the T100 and has full rides

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 4.0 uw 36 ACT 5s on all AP exams this year got accepted to an Ivy, top SLAC, 2 T10s and 3 T20s...

not a SINGLE one offered any merit aid (no matter what their website said). We don't qualify for any need-based FA.

He did write emails to a few schools after acceptance, basically said nicely: your are SOL.

Full-freight $90k/year.

I find you have to go lower, lower---he was offered $25k year for 5 years from a T60 school. And he got into all top in-state schools.

Well mine is at an ivy and got into multiple T10s and also got a full COA merit scholarship at a T25….unhooked kid full pay/did not apply for aid since not close to the cutoff income. The “named” nationally know. merit scholarships are rare at top schools but they do happen. Ivies do NOT have merit , just need, but other top schools do. Some people receive them.

Which school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UMD has full ride Banneker Key scholarships

UVA has Jefferson scholarships (full ride including dorm, food and spending alliwance. But your high school has to be a nominating institution and select your student to go on to the regional competition. it 's VERY competitive and is run separatelyfrom admissions by alums. Being nominated or even making it through nationals does not mean you are admitted. In recentyears a few lucky kids who got the Jefferson were not accepted to UVA. there's a wiki on the scholarship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 4.0 uw 36 ACT 5s on all AP exams this year got accepted to an Ivy, top SLAC, 2 T10s and 3 T20s...

not a SINGLE one offered any merit aid (no matter what their website said). We don't qualify for any need-based FA.

He did write emails to a few schools after acceptance, basically said nicely: your are SOL.

Full-freight $90k/year.

I find you have to go lower, lower---he was offered $25k year for 5 years from a T60 school. And he got into all top in-state schools.

My kid is similar -- was only granted some merit aid at GMU. If you want to chase merit, you will likely have to aim for lower-tier schools than your kid will want to attend.

GMU is already discounted because it is in state. Your student could apply for honors and if accepted could be in the running for their university scholars full tuition, competitive scholarship.

+1. Look in-state, wherever you are, for lowest cost. Then, look at the competitive scholarships within those in-state schools. Some schools offer decent OOS scholarships as well. 'Bama is often mentioned here, though last time I checked, their OOS scholarships were watered down versions of what they once were.

[Anonymous]

If your kid participated in FIRST robotics, several institutions have ONE full ride you can apply for--I know Northeastern and WPI give one.

For Marine/Naval Engineering the Webb Institute is free for all students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 4.0 uw 36 ACT 5s on all AP exams this year got accepted to an Ivy, top SLAC, 2 T10s and 3 T20s...

not a SINGLE one offered any merit aid (no matter what their website said). We don't qualify for any need-based FA.

He did write emails to a few schools after acceptance, basically said nicely: your are SOL.

Full-freight $90k/year.

I find you have to go lower, lower---he was offered $25k year for 5 years from a T60 school. And he got into all top in-state schools.

Of course not! Most schools in this tier offer aid only based on need. Everyone merits. The merit is getting in!

5s o

My 4.0 UW, 1590 SAT- 5s on APs - got into an Ivy, Northwestern, Georgetown, etc ended up with the 1/2 BK at UMD. My second 2nd child had the same grades with slightly harded classes better ECs and a little lower SATs- (1520) and got no merit aid and UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to understand WTF would make any school worth $360,000.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

[Anonymous]

If you are upper middle class and looking for a full ride, you need to apply to colleges that are at least two tiers lower than your regular target schools. For example, a student with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 1450 SAT would need to look at schools with an average GPA of 3.0 and SAT of 1150.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to understand WTF would make any school worth $360,000.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

If you don’t get it. You don’t get it.

The school is why my kid has the job they do right now. The network. Not STEM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP it’s best to get the delusion out of your mind that anyone is getting a full ride anywhere. It’s rare unless you are targeting places that advertise this. Think Alabama and maybe ASU? Some schools offer full tuition scholarships, and even then most require submitting an essay or other competition. Just do your homework and see what’s out there based on your student’s profile and needs.

Simply not true. There are lots of schools that offer full rides. You just have to look for them. Hint: they are usually not along the Boston-NYC-Philly-DC corridor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 4.0 uw 36 ACT 5s on all AP exams this year got accepted to an Ivy, top SLAC, 2 T10s and 3 T20s...

not a SINGLE one offered any merit aid (no matter what their website said). We don't qualify for any need-based FA.

He did write emails to a few schools after acceptance, basically said nicely: your are SOL.

Full-freight $90k/year.

I find you have to go lower, lower---he was offered $25k year for 5 years from a T60 school. And he got into all top in-state schools.

Just be helpful and name the school.


Well mine is at an ivy and got into multiple T10s and also got a full COA merit scholarship at a T25….unhooked kid full pay/did not apply for aid since not close to the cutoff income. The “named” nationally know. merit scholarships are rare at top schools but they do happen. Ivies do NOT have merit , just need, but other top schools do. Some people receive them.