Best full ride NMSF colleges

EarlVanDorn
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 16:46:24 +0000

Oklahoma and Alabama both attract a huge number of NMFs with very generous packages. The 10-semester package these schools offer will cover most of grad school for many, since I think the average NMF arrives on campus with between 30 and 60 hours through dual enrollment and Advanced Placement. So even though neither of these schools provide a 100-percent full ride, the package they offer is potentially worth more than the full-rides that cover only the undergraduate enrollment.

Oklahoma provides a full-time staff member to essentially be a concierge to help NM finalists work through any problems they might have, such as a full class or dorm, etc. I think both schools have dedicated NM floors or dorms, which I think is kind of neat.

Ole Miss has a full-ride and a great honors college. I think Ole Miss and Mississippi State are the only two SEC schools to be in a small city of fewer than 25,000 people. Oxford, home of Ole Miss, is charming; Starkville, not so much. Texas A&M estimates the value of their scholarship at $100,000, which exceeds the cost of attending due to study abroad money, etc. They give a tuition waiver to out-of-state students which increases the value of their scholarship to about $170,000.

These offers often change a bit every year as each school, particularly Oklahoma and Alabama, try to get the maximum yield for the minimum amount of aid.