Merit Scholarships

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.

In many cases, in-state is still cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.

People complain about college costs because it is outrageously expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thus far, my DD has received merit aid offers from:

Miami (OH) - $58,000
University of South Carolina - $78,000

Stats; 3.56 GPA, IB Diploma, ACT 31, SAT 1420

Those were her two safety schools, but I'm not saying money is not going to be a deciding factor in the end, esp. since Mom just said she wants a divorce.

Thank you for sharing this data. Can anyone else share similar info?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thus far, my DD has received merit aid offers from:

Miami (OH) - $58,000
University of South Carolina - $78,000

Stats; 3.56 GPA, IB Diploma, ACT 31, SAT 1420

Those were her two safety schools, but I'm not saying money is not going to be a deciding factor in the end, esp. since Mom just said she wants a divorce.

Thank you for sharing this data. Can anyone else share similar info?

Is this 78k/4 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.

In many cases, in-state is still cheaper.

Definitely true for us. We're in the donut hole and paying outrageous amounts for health care so every penny counts. It came down to HYPS at $70K a year plus airfare or train vs. UVA at $26K inclusive. No way we could afford a $45K differential in after tax dollars per year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Which one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter got $40,000 ($10,000 a year) at University of Florida. We were Florida residents so she also got the Bright Futures Scholarship. She was a National Merit Scholar finalist. She graduated last year and is teaching in DC! I have a son at Univ. of Colorado. $8,000 a year merit. I have another at Ole Miss. Full ride.

Nice!

Thanks Those three were our easy kids. We have one that enlisted in the Air Force right out of high school. We are super proud of her. She wasn't a great student, but she has turned out to be a really good Airman. We're hoping she'll be more ready for college when she gets out. The military will pay which is nice. Our youngest wants to go to MIT. He had better pray for merit aid.

MIT doesn't award any merit aid.

You'll learn when you've done this as many times as I have - There is a ton of scholarship money out there. Merit aid doesn't always come from the school.

Outstanding link. Debunks a lot of rumors and myths. Thank you

I have two in college and one applying this year. Most merit scholarship money is awarded by schools themselves. This is a fact.

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/seven-things-to-know-about-scholarships/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Are you sure it was not FA? Merit from top 20? I'd like to know which school if it was really merit.

[Anonymous]

My kid as a good GPA and outstanding test scores. This combo got him merit everywhere ($20-$24K per year) but only one instance of it bringing the cost down to in-state level. We went into this knowing he would not be as competitive as a kid with equally impressive GPA and test scores but still disappointed that really none of the private universities will work out financially as a result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Yes, as PP said, *with a few exceptions*.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Are you sure it was not FA? Merit from top 20? I'd like to know which school if it was really merit.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Are you sure it was not FA? Merit from top 20? I'd like to know which school if it was really merit.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Grinnell is a fine school but not top 20 school, right? top 20 LAC maybe...