Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS thought U Del and Miami U both felt similar in style to UVA while being a lot less selective. DS got merit from both to bring the cost down to be in range,, $35-40k

My DD who preferred W&M mainly also applied to LACs (in the 50-80 rank range) + UMW, which is the most similar school in VA to W&M. With merit UMW would only have cost us $17k. The LACs generally came in around $30k with a couple higher ranked ones only getting the price down to $50k.

Your DS’s experience is irrelevant because the schools involved don’t have nearly as good a reputation as UVA or W&M regardless of their “vibe.” If he turned either down to attend U Del or Miami he’d be nuts.

Of course they don't. But OP wants "similar" schools that will provide merit to match UVAs price. To get that you obviously have to go down in reputation tier. Same tier schools don't give merit. FWIW, DS was never going to be admitted to UVA (not most rigorous classes at his HS). He's now at Virginia Tech.

So, you have confirmed as I suspected: your son was not in the running for UVA or William and Mary. The OP’s question was, what if your kid IS in the running?

The only way you get "merit" from a highly ranked school is a small number of highly competitive scholarships. Which go to students for whom UVA/W&M is a safety because the school wants them to go there vs an Ivy.

If you are looking for schools that offer merit that can match the price of UVA/W&M it is because you are, reasonably, trying to build a good list with options because UVA/W&M are not a sure thing. Which they are not if you are just "in the running" vs thinking they are safeties.

So what are your brilliant suggestions?

Anonymous wrote:For us it was University of Rochester. They offered good merit scholarships.

Excellent example of a good school where the merit aid might make it worth it.

For us it was University of Rochester. They offered good merit scholarships.

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I know of several cases where kids got great merit from target schools. Don’t know of any from schools on a par with W&M or UVA. Not saying it doesn’t happen but chances better if aiming just a bit lower.

One of my kids had no interest in UVA, despite having the stats for it. They applied to William and Mary, Carleton and Grinnell among others. They got into all three, and Grinnell offered a substantial merit award. It did not lower the cost to the point of it being even with William and Mary completely, but it widely bridged the gap. They chose Grinnell. I would say that Grinnell and William and Mary are on par academically.

+1. OP did not say school has to be on a par with W&M or UVA. A lower ranked school who offers great merit can be, in OPs words, a “good alternative”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS thought U Del and Miami U both felt similar in style to UVA while being a lot less selective. DS got merit from both to bring the cost down to be in range,, $35-40k

My DD who preferred W&M mainly also applied to LACs (in the 50-80 rank range) + UMW, which is the most similar school in VA to W&M. With merit UMW would only have cost us $17k. The LACs generally came in around $30k with a couple higher ranked ones only getting the price down to $50k.

Your DS’s experience is irrelevant because the schools involved don’t have nearly as good a reputation as UVA or W&M regardless of their “vibe.” If he turned either down to attend U Del or Miami he’d be nuts.

Of course they don't. But OP wants "similar" schools that will provide merit to match UVAs price. To get that you obviously have to go down in reputation tier. Same tier schools don't give merit. FWIW, DS was never going to be admitted to UVA (not most rigorous classes at his HS). He's now at Virginia Tech.

So, you have confirmed as I suspected: your son was not in the running for UVA or William and Mary. The OP’s question was, what if your kid IS in the running?

Anonymous wrote:Providence College. Just one, from our experience. OP didn’t seem to be asking that the school be ranked similarly to UVA or W&M, unless I’m mistaken. Also Loyola Maryland.

Well, yea, but you’re not going to go to a school like Providence or Loyola over UVA or W&M in state unless they’re a LOT cheaper. Why pay the same or not much less to go to a much inferior school?

If the question is “can my kid with high enough stats for UVA or W&M get merit aid to go elsewhere without regard to quality or reputation?” the answer is an obvious yes and the list is long.

I agree. I know of several cases where kids got great merit from target schools. Don’t know of any from schools on a par with W&M or UVA. Not saying it doesn’t happen but chances better if aiming just a bit lower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS thought U Del and Miami U both felt similar in style to UVA while being a lot less selective. DS got merit from both to bring the cost down to be in range,, $35-40k

My DD who preferred W&M mainly also applied to LACs (in the 50-80 rank range) + UMW, which is the most similar school in VA to W&M. With merit UMW would only have cost us $17k. The LACs generally came in around $30k with a couple higher ranked ones only getting the price down to $50k.

Your DS’s experience is irrelevant because the schools involved don’t have nearly as good a reputation as UVA or W&M regardless of their “vibe.” If he turned either down to attend U Del or Miami he’d be nuts.

Of course they don't. But OP wants "similar" schools that will provide merit to match UVAs price. To get that you obviously have to go down in reputation tier. Same tier schools don't give merit. FWIW, DS was never going to be admitted to UVA (not most rigorous classes at his HS). He's now at Virginia Tech.

Providence College. Just one, from our experience. OP didn’t seem to be asking that the school be ranked similarly to UVA or W&M, unless I’m mistaken. Also Loyola Maryland.

Anonymous wrote:My DS thought U Del and Miami U both felt similar in style to UVA while being a lot less selective. DS got merit from both to bring the cost down to be in range,, $35-40k

My DD who preferred W&M mainly also applied to LACs (in the 50-80 rank range) + UMW, which is the most similar school in VA to W&M. With merit UMW would only have cost us $17k. The LACs generally came in around $30k with a couple higher ranked ones only getting the price down to $50k.

Your DS’s experience is irrelevant because the schools involved don’t have nearly as good a reputation as UVA or W&M regardless of their “vibe.” If he turned either down to attend U Del or Miami he’d be nuts.

My DS thought U Del and Miami U both felt similar in style to UVA while being a lot less selective. DS got merit from both to bring the cost down to be in range,, $35-40k

My DD who preferred W&M mainly also applied to LACs (in the 50-80 rank range) + UMW, which is the most similar school in VA to W&M. With merit UMW would only have cost us $17k. The LACs generally came in around $30k with a couple higher ranked ones only getting the price down to $50k.

Cheaper would be the usual suspects- Alabama, SUNY, Arizona, South Carolina, Miami OH...

Minnesota

For kids that are in range for these schools, where are other places they could apply private or OOS that would give them enough merit to make the price similar to full pay UVA/WM? Or what about schools that would end up even cheaper? My parents only considered instate for us so I’m new to the world of schools ending up “cheaper” or the same with merit aid. Thanks.