I’m starting to think about child number 2 and merit aid.
She’s still a sophomore, and hasn’t taken the SAT yet, but let’s assume a 1530 SAT and top 5% of high school class. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but that’s the whole point of my question. If she really pushes herself and can get this high, will it be worth the extra money it might take in tutors and test prep classes? For example, if she can get a 1450, let’s say, without a tutor, will it be worth the money and effort to shoot for the extra 80 SAT points because it will result in bigger merit awards?
I’m wondering what fairly selective schools might give a large merit award to a student with these stats. Let’s say I’m trying to get the cost of attendance down to 35K. So that means a 30-35K merit award at most private schools.
Let’s not get bogged down in a debate over prestige. I know my daughter will want to go to a fairly selective school if she can get in. She realizes the super selective schools are probably not in play, so let’s say schools like Tulane, University of Miami, Boston College, Lehigh, Villanova, Lafayette, Richmond - schools in this range of selectivity.
I know University of Richmond and Lafayette both give large merit awards to a small number of students. Does anyone know if a kid in the top 5% of their class with a 1530 SAT would be competitive for those scholarships?
I know U Miami and Tulane give large merit awards too, but can you get them down into the 30’s with stats like this? If anyone knows of any other schools in this range of selectivity that we could get down into the mid 30’s range, I would greatly appreciate hearing about them.
Also, if someone knows of a threshold you have to get over before you start becoming competitive at certain schools, I’d be interested in that too.
Large merit usually comes at colleges which the student would find to be low match or safety for admission (though large non-automatic scholarships could still be, and usually are, reaches).
@ucbalumnus, I think her GPA will be 3.9 - 4.0 unweighted.
Thanks for the link. I’ve seen those full automatic scholarships. They’re awesome, but I’m thinking more of partial scholarships in the 30 - 35K range at more selective schools.
From your list, Tulane is a great place to start looking. In our area, they are known for giving very generous merit scholarships to strong (but not the most tippy top) students. My D16 received a merit aid package totaling almost $30k per year, which would have brought COA to about $35k had she attended. Tuition is higher now, and I know there is a holistic element to how they make decisions about award amounts, so ymmv.
@WalknOnEggShells <<for example,="" if="" she="" can="" get="" a="" 1450,="" let’s="" say,="" without="" tutor,="" will="" it="" be="" worth="" the="" extra="" money="" and="" effort="" to="" shot="" for="" 80="" sat="" points="" because="" result="" in="" bigger="" merit="" awards?="">>
Yes, but keep in mind the following points: a tutor can only do so much. Definitely it will help but unless the student really commits to doing lots of practice tests and preparing on their own time when the tutor is not in session, the increase in score may not be as much as you hope. Also I have found anecdotally that more merit aid and the highest amounts have gone to students with higher ACT scores, not SAT scores. The SAT is trickier (not as straightforward a test as the ACT) so it’s more difficult to get the top scores. For the ACT of your daughter gets a 33 or higher plus has a 4.0 gpa in a rigorous curriculum she will be in the ballpark for top merit aid (full tuition) offered at most schools. Some public universities that are known to give large merit aid (which would get COA down below the level you mentioned) to attract out-of-state students are Ohio State, Alabama, Temple, UPitt, for example, some will also require separate applications for their highest merit (full tuition or full cost of attendance–Tulane and Syracuse (Coronation–liberal arts only) while others will invite you back for an interview weekend (UMiami, UDelaware, UPitt) and then they decide. From the schools you identified above I don’t believe you would be able to get cost of attendance down to the $35,000 range or less unless your D received their full tuition award. Add Syracuse to your list because they recently started offering $25,000 merit aid for the score range you mentioned.
Clark University in Massachusetts is a great university that has a small overall size, small classes, research opportunities, a bent toward community service, real world connections through their LEEP program, and an inclusive environment with no fraternities. It also gives generous merit… and, in answer to your other question, high 1400’s, not just 1500’s, could earn merit money.
But there is not a guarantee at certain stats.
All applicants are considered for merit in a holistic process. But the most generous scholarship, four years of tuition plus room and board plus more benefits, requires additional essays.
Our experience at Villanova -
My daughter has stellar credentials - attends highly ranked public magnet high school / 12 APs (so far 6-5s and 1-4) / 4.7 weighted GPA / 35 ACT / year-long research internship / sports / a couple credible ECs
She was accepted to VU in early December - her school nominated her for the Villanova Presidential Scholarship (full ride) to which she applied - 8-200 word essays. It was clear from the questions they were looking for people that suffered or had already changed the world - it asked about her experience with discrimination and a time she changed her mind and her leadership and her community service… Just being academically exceptional was not enough. Meanwhile her dad did some digging and discovered this scholarship was not purely merit-based - they seemed to take income and race and other circumstances into consideration… we might as well, as they say in Brooklyn, fogheddaboudit… Turns out there are only a very small number of students selected out of thousands of applicants. She wasn’t offered any other merit scholarships, of which there are only a few that would even apply to her.
The only other school she applied to on your list is Lehigh and haven’t heard from them - we don’t expect to get merit money from them either.
Thankfully, her excellent state school selected her for their most selective scholarship and honors program.
My suggestion, if you’re married get a divorce and claim she lives with the parent who makes the least. The CSS may indicate she is eligible for need-based aid. That is only half in-jest…
Tough if you’re in this wide middle class for which it would be utterly impossible to full pay $65-70K/year private tuition but you make too much for aid and their merit money is either non-existant or minimal. I’m guessing a lot of either rich or poor kids go to the ivies…or the ones from middle-class are up to their eyeballs in hock to send their kid to school… I view it as the time value of money: $100K to state or $240k to private - take that extra $140K and invest it and have a million extra by your mid-50s… Unless you’re at Harvard Law, I don’t think going to an elite school will get you a million extra over 30 some years - might get a boost in pay on your first job or two but after that, it’s your record that matters not your school
She should look at the women’s colleges. They are among the top LACs in the country and several offer both merit and need-based aid. Many also offer cross reg to larger universities or consortia
Wellesley has cross reg with MIT and they guarantee that your child will be able to attend if she's accepted.
Bryn Mawr has merit and need-based and you can cross reg with Swarthmore, Haverford, UPenn
Barnard is need-based only but is part of Columbia U
Mills has lower tuition (like a large merit award) and has cross reg with Berkeley
Scripps has a few merit scholarships and has cross reg with several top LACs
Mt. Holyoke has merit and need-based and is part of the Five college consortium with Smith, Amherst, Hampshire and UMass Amherst
Smith is similar to Mt. H and is part of the Five-college consortium.
I think the stats you list would make her competitive for merit at fairly selective schools, if she also has very strong EC’s, but the odds are still pretty low. Lots and lots of very competitive students apply for these large scholarships, and very few are awarded. My D had stats very similar to what you list, and a good EC profile. She got competitive merit at several schools that were much less selective than the ones you list, and that still left the cost of attendance above your listed amount at many of the schools. At the competitive schools, like the ones you mention, the chances of acceptance are low, not just the chance of merit money. It’s great to apply, and she may just win something big; just get your admissions and financial safeties set first.
It’s also easier to bring the cost down to 35k at schools where the COA is less, and harder at the 60k+ schools. D16 got ~20k in merit at a lot of privates.
Wellesley, and Bryn Mawr give primarily need based aid. They have a couple of highly competitive merit awards…but nothing guaranteed, and tons of worthy applicants. I wouldn’t count on merit from these schools.
Mine got very large merit awards at St Olaf, Lawrence and Fordham Lincoln Center (waiting on the rest). All put tuition in the range or lower than you are looking for. Her SAT was 1550 with lots of APs.
Oh I want to circle back on working with a tutor. Mine got around a 1450 or so on PSAT. She took the summer before senior year to study for SAT. She just used practice tests and khan academy. She worked about an hour a day. By the time she took SAT she was scoring anywhere from 1520-1600 on the practice tests. The end result was 780/770. Took the August test. So all testing was done by start of school. She took her subject tests in May or June junior year right after matching AP tests. Seemed like a good strategy (if yours is taking subject tests).
Although not automatic, many schools offer merit scholarships to the top few percent of students. So if the 1530 is way above their 75th percentile, it is possible to get one.
At this point…this is all hypothetical for you. Your sophomore kiddo will be a junior this fall. Have the kid take the PSAT as a junior…and see where she lands.
It’s hard to even predict merit awards for students not starting college for a couple of years. Merit awards have changed in recent years…so what is available NOW might not even be available in two years.
Once she takes a real SAT and/or ACT and has a real score…this will all be easier to tease out for you.