Hi,
I am looking for possible schools with good merit aid to apply for my daughter.
The only one I found is USC, they give a decent amount for top student.
We are in New Jersey, we will try Rutgers too, is there any other colleges we should look into?
Her test score is near perfect( 36 act, 1510psat) and straight A student in her school.
Some EC, not great.
Thanks in advance!
I’d suggest using the “Find a College” tab up top – you can put in grades and scores and check off that you want to look at colleges that will give you merit aid.
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The only one I found is USC, they give a decent amount for top student.
We are in New Jersey, we will try Rutgers too, is there any other colleges we should look into?
Her test score is near perfect( 36 act, 1510psat) and straight A student in her school.
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Will she be a NMF? If so, then if she’s accepted to USC, then she’d get half tuition. The net cost would still be about $45k per year, so is that ok?
If she’s a NMF, there are schools that will give her huge merit.
How much will the parents pay each year?
What do you want the net cost to be??
If, for instance, your family can contribute $15-17k per year, then the student needs a full tuition merit award.
What is the student’s major and career goal?
Just make sure the student has 2-3 financial safeties that the student LIKES (schools that you know FOR SURE that you have all costs covered by family funds, assured grants, assured merit, and/or a $5500 student loan.
she will easily qualify for full-tuition up to full-ride from the schools on this list:
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
If the PSAT score makes her a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist, here are schools that rewards her for that:
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/
She could compete for the following major scholarships
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/
and, perhaps she might be a candidate to take advantage of the QuestBridge program
https://www.questbridge.org/
if you are lower income, many of the top schools in the country meet full financial need for students that manage to get accepted
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2015/09/14/colleges-that-report-meeting-full-financial-need
Some others schools she could consider (without knowing her preferences such as school size, major, location)
U of Rochester
Northeastern
Boston U
U of Richmond
Lafayette College
Tulane
U of Miami
RPI
U of Pittsburgh
U of Maryland
Villanova
Thank you all for your suggestions. I will look into those schools. Her primary interest will math or some stem field.
Her PSAT should get her into semifinalist (1510 out of 1520)but not sure of finalist. Her sat score is good too. So hopefully she has some chance for finalist.
Northeastern $30,000/year merit if finalist.
if she is interested in STEM, in particular engineering, and you want to lock in a guaranteed affordable option, then if she has a 4.0 and 36 ACT, she is assured of full tuition + housing at University of Alabama Huntsville:
http://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships
that would leave the cost of meal plan, fees, books, supplies, and travel – but she would be a good candidate to receive additional competitive UAH scholarships, which can be added to the above automatic scholarship to meet or even exceed the cost of attendance.
Vanderbilt LOVES high test scores. They are also very generous with need-based aid.
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0 out of 1520)but not sure of finalist. Her sat score is good too. So hopefully she has some chance for finalist.
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There isn’t a different cut-off for finalist. If her score is good enough for NMSF, then it’s high enough for finalist. Her SAT exceeds the finalist req’t. Her grades are fine. As long as she does the paperwork and isn’t a discipline problem at school, if she makes NMSF, then she will make finalist.
And you may consider this school beneath her with scores like that, but Rowan University gives great merit aid. From our experience TCNJ and Rutgers really do not.
If she does make NMSF, then she will very likely make NMF, and if so, then Alabama would offer her 5 years of tuition, one year of housing, 3500 per year stipend, study abroad money, and technology allowance. There are over 600 NMFs at Alabama.
If she majors in eng’g or CS, then she’d get an add’l 2500 per year.
Her costs would be nearly free.
Thanks again!
I would prefer stay in NJ, northeast or California. Schools in the south are more generous.
How hard to get merit aid from Rutgers for in state student? Her PSAT is high enough for NMSF. GPA >4.0 because most her classes are AP.
Tulane, Northeastern, Brandeis gave me some very nice merit aid.
Not in California, but Arizona State is one of the few schools out west that would give her free tuition with National Merit status. Lots of beach there, but not much ocean.
Calif can be unhappy hunting grounds for significant merit.
What do you want the net costs to be???
Sounds like she could get very good merit from Rutgers. What does their website say for IS students?
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I would prefer stay in NJ, northeast or California <<<<
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Why would Calif be ok, but not places that are closer?
To qualify for NMF, she has to take the SAT this fall!!!
Harvey Mudd College, in Claremont CA, attracts excellent students interested in pursuing math or STEM. They do offer some merit aid, including a few full tuition ones. You will have to look at the financial aid section to determine if your requirements can be met.
She will get merit from Rutgers. Maybe even full ride. Ask her to write a good essay showing interest and explaining why she is a good match.
My son was a NM winner. USC offered him ½ tuition. We still had to fork over $40K per year.
(Why does every child from NJ want to come to California?)
Most of the California privates will have some form of merit aid, but that doesn’t mean it will be a full ride. The costs will still be considerable.
The UC’s and Cal States are public schools which means no aid/scholarships for OOS students.
Even schools that do not offer scholarship to NMF may still give her good merit aid. She should not limit herself just for the schools on the list in the posted link above.