Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not public.

Then it isn't really a merit scholarship, it's a weird under the table use of the financial aid pool.

No. It was not. They did not need FA.

But where did the "scholarship" money come from? The FA pool would be my guess. You said it wasn't public and I don't know of any merit scholarships at the non-Catholic "Bigs" unless you count the chorister stipends as merit, but I don't think that's what you are referring to. If there are schools giving money based on middle school PSAT scores, name the schools. There shouldn't be a problem naming the schools if these are actually merit based scholarships. The school should be proud to advertise that since it shows that they value academic excellence, right?

They are from private endowments. Like "the sue brown memorial fund" and they can give it to whomever they want. Sometimes old rich people write crazy scholarships like to Italian Americans who are especially gifted at the Oboe. Later people were advised to write something more general. Many are written, to a student who can exhibit high achievement in academics.

I can't believe you don't know about these. What is even crazier is that you think it make these school less desirable because they have alumni that loved the school so much they left money for scholarships. The scholarships are normally managed like a trust.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not public.

Then it isn't really a merit scholarship, it's a weird under the table use of the financial aid pool.

No. It was not. They did not need FA.

But where did the "scholarship" money come from? The FA pool would be my guess. You said it wasn't public and I don't know of any merit scholarships at the non-Catholic "Bigs" unless you count the chorister stipends as merit, but I don't think that's what you are referring to. If there are schools giving money based on middle school PSAT scores, name the schools. There shouldn't be a problem naming the schools if these are actually merit based scholarships. The school should be proud to advertise that since it shows that they value academic excellence, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The basic answer is no. None of the top independent schools (GDS, Maret, STA, NCS,Sidwell etc) give merit aid. They save their money for need based financial aid. They have enough highly qualified applicants that they don't need to recruit with merit aid. It's the same case for highly selective colleges. Most merit aid is used at less selective schools trying to recruit top talent. The Ivys get that talent anyway, just like the top private schools.

This is accurate as to the DC area independent schools.

No, it is not accurate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not public.

Then it isn't really a merit scholarship, it's a weird under the table use of the financial aid pool.

No. It was not. They did not need FA.

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not public.

Then it isn't really a merit scholarship, it's a weird under the table use of the financial aid pool.

Anonymous wrote:The basic answer is no. None of the top independent schools (GDS, Maret, STA, NCS,Sidwell etc) give merit aid. They save their money for need based financial aid. They have enough highly qualified applicants that they don't need to recruit with merit aid. It's the same case for highly selective colleges. Most merit aid is used at less selective schools trying to recruit top talent. The Ivys get that talent anyway, just like the top private schools.

This is accurate as to the DC area independent schools.

I agree it is not public.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My niece got really high scores on her PSAT and was offered tons of scholastic scholarships from many schools. They are not advertised, but they will pay for a possible NMS?

Your niece is being offered COLLEGE merit based scholarships based on the results of her National Merit Scholarship exam. I think the original poster is looking for HIGH SCHOOL merit based scholarships.

She was offered scholarships to HS. She was in 8th grade.

Which schools? The Catholic high schools offer merit based scholarships. The Big Whatever-the-number-of-the-day-is schools may massage financial aid for an academic star but I have not heard of any of these schools offering true merit based scholarships (as in there is an explicit X thousand dollar scholarship and the recipients are publicly identified).

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Kids take PSATs in 7th and 8th grade.

Maybe you should hire one of those companies that guide you through the scholarship process. I imagine they were created for a reason.

Luckily we don't need college scholarships. But for suckas like you willing to pay we got a flyer in the mail last week for a 4 day program to complete the common app, an extra curricular resume and a few supplemental essays for a mere $12,500. Lodging not included but it did include lunch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My niece got really high scores on her PSAT and was offered tons of scholastic scholarships from many schools. They are not advertised, but they will pay for a possible NMS?

Your niece is being offered COLLEGE merit based scholarships based on the results of her National Merit Scholarship exam. I think the original poster is looking for HIGH SCHOOL merit based scholarships.

She was offered scholarships to HS. She was in 8th grade.

http://www.scholarship.harvard.edu/


http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/osfs/scholarship-information/


Merit-Based: This type of award is determined based on academic potential and excellence. Student merit can be determined based on a combination of factors such as work-related experience, prior degrees, grades, test scores, the personal statement, and recommendation letters.
Need-Based: This type of award is determined based on a combination of factors such as income, assets, prior loan debt, and family contributions. Student need is typically determined by the OSFS based on the completion of requested financial aid applications.
Need-Merit Based: This type of award is a combination and considers the most meritorious students with the highest need.
Restricted: Restrictions can be based on such criteria as residency, research interests, citizenship, occupation, and degree. Please review any restrictions regarding grants, scholarships, or fellowships to determine qualifications that may be restricted based on the request of the donor.
Diversity: Underrepresented minorities and students from developing countries.

Anonymous wrote:My niece got really high scores on her PSAT and was offered tons of scholastic scholarships from many schools. They are not advertised, but they will pay for a possible NMS?

Your niece is being offered COLLEGE merit based scholarships based on the results of her National Merit Scholarship exam. I think the original poster is looking for HIGH SCHOOL merit based scholarships.

Yes. Kids take PSATs in 7th and 8th grade.

Maybe you should hire one of those companies that guide you through the scholarship process. I imagine they were created for a reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The basic answer is no. None of the top independent schools (GDS, Maret, STA, NCS,Sidwell etc) give merit aid. They save their money for need based financial aid. They have enough highly qualified applicants that they don't need to recruit with merit aid. It's the same case for highly selective colleges. Most merit aid is used at less selective schools trying to recruit top talent. The Ivys get that talent anyway, just like the top private schools.

Sad that some save it to recruit better basketball players. Yes, they qualify for aid, but they are recruited first for their ability to play ball. Meanwhile the families with smart kids who are struggling to pay the tuition have to pay full freight. I guess an intellectual contribution to the school isn't as valuable as being #1 in a team sport.

It not true that they don't recruit for academics. For HS the ones I know about were recruited due to PSAT scores. One hired a company to negotiate the scholarship.

Another aced his SATs and that family hired a company to manage the college applications and scholarship offers.

Why are they taking PSATs in 7th or 8th grade? Kids who take it for CTY take the SATs, not PSATs.

There are tons of kids at my DCs school who are getting over 2300 on the SATs and they are not awash in scholarship offers. 2300-2400 is the minimum required to apply to the most selective schools and doesn't come close to guaranteeing admission, much less a merit scholarship. I know 3 kids who got 2370s (which means they got one question wrong), had great grades and everything else, and were rejected from several of their top choice schools. One got a $10k/year scholarship offer to attend a good state school (from OOS) but that was it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The basic answer is no. None of the top independent schools (GDS, Maret, STA, NCS,Sidwell etc) give merit aid. They save their money for need based financial aid. They have enough highly qualified applicants that they don't need to recruit with merit aid. It's the same case for highly selective colleges. Most merit aid is used at less selective schools trying to recruit top talent. The Ivys get that talent anyway, just like the top private schools.

None of this is true. They do give merit base scholarships.

Really? Which DC privates give merit scholarships? Which Ivy's give Merit scholarships? Links and proof.

Can you provide links and proof that the don't provide scholarships. I know kids that have gotten scholarships. What do you want, their names.

Ivy's cannot give out athletic or merit scholarships. Look it up. It is need based only. People who say they received a scholarship to an Ivy are bragging about Financial Aid.

Or maybe you should research private endowment scholarships.