Are there reputable sites that provide lists of schools that offer a decent amount of merit assistance - not necessarily for the top tier student? Thanks.
Sites that provide lists of colleges that offer significant merit based assistance (not Ivy league)?
If you list your child’s stats, major, other preferences (geographical, size, budget)people here might be able to make suggestions.
On the financial aid sub forum here, there are some lists of schools with automatic and competitive merit, but you would need to check to see if they are up to date. I don’t think anyone has mentioned another site that keeps a list like that compiled.
Look on collegedata. You can look up any school that you’re interested in, then hit the “money” tab. Generally that reports the percentage of students of X category who get merit, the percent of students who receive merit, the on-average merit award, etc.
Also look at College Navigator. For each college, that site has a “net price” tab. That gives you the net price ON AVERAGE for your income bracket.
Thanks!!!
Hopefully this won’t get too long…she is kind of in a unique situation.
My daughter is a junior who wants to major in sound design/audio engineering so it does narrow down our choices a bit. She has struggled in school with anxiety which led to a not so great year last year. She has a 3.0 with a PSAT score of 1320 (she will take the SAT next month). Her gpa should go up as this year things have been much better.
She has mix of “accelerated” and honors courses throughout her HS years. 2 AP courses. She has been involved in music (has played the harp since age 6) but since there really isn’t a place for the harp in the school program, she has done lessons and performed independent of school. She won what is considered the world championship of Irish music in 2013 in Ireland. She is legally blind so she can apply for some scholarships related to her disability but being that scholarships are not a given, we are looking for all the help we can get. We do not meet needs based assistance. If you have read all of this, thank you!
What do you need your net cost to be
Preferably under 30K.
- look for colleges that have a tie to Irish founders as those often have separate scholarships for Irish related applicants 2) ask Irish harp association where there are specific music scholarships.
A mother keeps a list of scholarships for something like $9.99. I can’t remember her name, but it might jog someone’s memory.
Look at Sweet Briar, their tuition is low-ish to start with and they have scholarships. Not sure they’d have her major.
Generally, for her to get a merit scholarship, her sat or act would need to be in the top 10% so the CDS or College Data could have some information.
At $30k, are any of your in state public universities good fits within that price limit?
Yes, high on her list is a state school that fits the bill. I am more looking for back ups if for some reason that doesn’t work out.
Maybe look at Five Towns College – According to College Navigator the net for all income levels is below $30K. Those are numbers from last year so it might be slightly higher now.
https://www.ftc.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/commercial-music/
Thank you. I will look into it further (it has been on our radar).
In Texas Baylor, TCU, UTD, A&M, UH have very generous merit scholarships for decent students.
This one might be a reach, but University of Rochester. I know they have the audio/sound/music stuff and they do give merit. I don’t know if it would be enough merit. It might be worth giving a shot as long as she understands that if the money doesn’t work out, she can’t go even if accepted.
Many of the elite colleges, including the Ivies, do not offer merit aid. Many of the top LACs do not offer merit. At the elite schools that do, merit aid is often very limited and very competitive (Duke, Hopkins, UVA).
Start with the schools that offer that major, and then check the merit scholarship situation.
Last night on NBC news they had a story on Middle Tennessee State in Nashville and how big and successful the music program is. If highlighted some in performance but others in tech and production. The story was on because of the Grammys and that 3-4 graduates were nominated for awards this year.
Rochester would be out of reach.
Lawrence?
I don’t think Lawrence got as low as $30k when I was looking.
You might look into University of Hartford.