<p>I guess the title sums up my first ever post here…does anyone have recommendations for schools near an airport(in case lonely,etc),5-10,000 students that take merit scholarships? My daughter has great grades, test scores, enthusiasm, and experience but hasn’t found the school(s) that excite her yet…we are in the middle income crunch of not being wealthy enough to pay top tuition and not qualifying for need-based aid. My daughter is more of a city girl but seems to want a sense of community …Columbia with Merit aid would interest her…she is hoping to avoid too many loans. Any suggestions would be welcome! Also, she loves biology, psychology and math.</p>
<p>Santa Clara 5 minutes from San Jose airport
U San Diego 10-15 minutes from San Diego airport
GWU, Marymount, Georgetown 10 minutes from Reagan National airport
Catholic, American George Mason 20-30 minutes from Reagan National airport</p>
<p>Thanks…hope to get her interested in some schools that she hasn’t thought of yet…</p>
<p>Chapman University
University of San Diego
Loyola Marymount</p>
<p>schools near airports in CA noted for generous merit scholarships</p>
<p>Ohio State–10 minutes from the airport</p>
<p>Any of the DC schools are close to several airports</p>
<p>Emory in Atlanta comes to mind. Fabulous merit aid for top students. Major airport.</p>
<p>You mention Columbia. Columbia offers only need-based financial aid, no merit aid. That’s true across the board for Ivies.</p>
<p>Rice also fits what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>thanks again to everyone…so far I have been able to interest her in Wash U, Northwestern and possibly Johns Hopkins…any input?</p>
<p>The University of Miami would be my suggestion. Tulane, and USC also seem to have the desired traits. All offer generous merit $ to good students.</p>
<p>Rice U definitely; stellar academics, 5:1 student to faculty ratio, near several major airports, lovely campus next to light rail and huge park/zoo/museum district, residential college system with great support… merit scholarships and great financial aid even for middle income and above families, undergrad population increasing to about 3500. grad population about 2800. Both my kids really love/loved it.</p>
<p>Case Western Reserve in Cleveland has good merit aid, rapid transit line straight from campus to the airport, very good biology dept. It iis in a nice area of the city, with many museums, walking distance to Little Italy (but also borders a not-so-nice section). She can apply Early Action, which some think gives a better chance at the best merit aid</p>
<p>We did not find Johns Hopkins to be very generous.</p>
<p>USC gives automatic 1/2 tuition scholarships for NMSF’s. Be sure your D completes her application to USC by Dec 1 to be eligible for consideration for the full tuition scholarships. It’s takes about 1/2 hr to get to LAX from .USC</p>
<p>Has she thought about Vanderbilt? It’s a 15-20 minute cab ride from the airport. Nashville’s a terrific city. My d found a great sense of community at Vandy and did a lot of service (tutoring in a city elementary school, fundraising, Katrina rebuilding project, alternative spring breaks, etc.). Merit aid is generous, though difficult to qualify for. NMFs receive at least $5K per year unless they receive additional merit aid, in which case the NM scholarship is $2K annually.</p>
<p>menloparkmom, is USC NMF money only for in-state? Do other UC schools also offer $?</p>
<p>USC is a private school, not a state UC school</p>
<p>I second Vanderbilt - great academics, fun school, great merit money for qualified students, and VERY close to airport. My S is a freshman and thrilled with everything about Vandy and Nashville.</p>
<p>look at Loyola MD and Tulane.</p>
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<p>Northwestern offers only need-based aid. Zero merit-based aid.</p>
<p>Wash U does offer some excellent merit aid, but it typically goes only to truly stellar candidates – kids they’re trying to woo away from schools like HYP.</p>
<p>You should check the websites for schools your daughter is considering to see what their aid structure is. Look at the Financial Aid sections.</p>
<p>You may want to ask the mods to move this thread to the main Parents’ Board. That’s where it really belongs, and you’ll get more answers.</p>
<p>Northwestern has no merit aid. WashU and JHU are extremely difficult merit aid reaches for even WOW (walk on water) kids. You can add Duke to that list of merit reaches. I’d put Rice, Rochester, Case, UMiami, USC, Tulane, Vanderbilt, and Emory on her list. Maybe Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>Jeez, wjb. If only I had taken that typing course. ;)</p>