Ryanone

Does anyone know if any Christian college gives full ride scholarships? We had a Wheaton professor actually tell us that if our daughter can get a college education without loans at a secular school, she should go there. We are aware of the selective Westmont Monroe scholarship, but we don't think that includes room and board.

barrons

Liberty gives full rides to all National Merit Finalists.

Truthbetold

Azusa Pacific University does full tuition.

If you have 1300 SAT without the writing section AND a 3.9 GPA, then you can apply for a full tuition scholarship.

dshinka

Colleges like Asbury have a competitive full-tuition scholarship (they give out two per year) - I got one of their 50% tuition scholarships (they give out 16 per year)... Cedarville University has a competitive 75% tuition scholarship and some 50% tuition as well.

From what I could see, though, Christian schools aren't as generous as secular schools are. Grove City only meets ~35% of "need" whereas some schools, like Vanderbilt where I'm attending in the fall, meet 100%. If you need a full ride to not go into debt at all, I'd say you're probably pretty poor, and if you're pretty poor, you can go to a secular university that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for very cheap. If this is your first child that you're sending to college and you don't know what "need" or FAFSA is, the college financial process has changed quite a bit since you likely went to college and I'd ask someone to explain that to you - many public schools don't give out much aid at all and don't meet need - whereas there are several private universities that do - I'd recommend researching those. Here's a list to get you started:
CSLF : IF : Colleges That Meet Financial Aid Need

Wheaton, as far as I can tell, doesn't give out many scholarships at all. I didn't even apply there since they don't even offer transfers merit-based aid. I don't mean to preach to you, but if you're a Christian I wouldn't go for necessarily the cheapest school - our God is much bigger than any bill a college could give me - so I'd seek the college that is his will for your life exclusively - "if it's God's will, he'll pay the pill."

Oh yeah - there's a really cheap Christian school in Arkansas - College of the Ozarks? It only costs like 5k a year if I remember (room and board - tuition is free) - but they admit on a need-aware policy - that is to say, they want to educate poorer people. Something like 10% of each incoming class is reserved for people who are admitted on pure merit. It's academically pretty good too, from what I could tell.

Creekland

Thank you for this insight...

wittywonka

I know that Baylor gives pretty decent financial aid.

They offer a free ride to NMFs who select Baylor as their first choice school.

In addition, on their undergrad admission website, they have a merit scholarship calculator, so they're very straightforward about their non-need based aid, in my opinion.

hfbw4439

I disagree with that Wheaton prof. I got a full ride (room & board) at Palm Beach Atlantic without needbased aid or loans. It was definitely cheaper for me to go there than University of Florida. I think it completely depends upon the Christian college and qualifications of the student. You just need to apply and see...and pray. I definitely believe that God will work out the finances if that's the place he would have your daughter go.

rprensner

Check out the National Merit thread on the financial aid board. Several Christian colleges are on there. Ones that come to mind are Geneva and Nyack.