Could I get a full ride anywhere?

SeniorSlacker
Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:52:44 +0000

It can depend on how your financial situation looks. If you have high demonstrated need and can get in, many top schools could offer you the equivalent of a “full-ride” through a combination of scholarships and grants. In addition, some schools (e.g. Harvard, Amherst, Williams) have need-blind admissions and/or pledge to meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated need and/or provide loan-free financial aid. Some schools may have all three, while others may have none, so you’ll have to check the individual schools’ policies.

Alternatively, there are some state schools (University of Alabama comes to mind) which waive OOS tuition and/or give scholarships to students who meet certain GPA/SAT requirements.

Another way of minimizing college costs is to apply for outside scholarships. People are always talking about how so much scholarship money goes unclaimed every year. $1,000 here and $500 there can add up and will definitely help to defray your college costs. Books, for example, or your meal plan.

If you have a lot of free time, this topic is discussed *at length/I in this thread:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/148852-what-ive-learned-about-full-ride-scholarships.html?highlight=i’ve+learned+full-ride+scholarships

In conclusion, if you keep an open mind and do some research, opportunities at full-ride scholarships or something close will present themselves.

Good luck!