Thank, @BelknapPoint. That is much more clear.
@thumper1, agreed. Merit $ gets more competitive each year.
@OHToCollege , if you’re considering large, state schools…Michigan State might be an option for you. They stack merit scholarships and offer in-state tuition to high stats kids. A 34+ ACT and excellent grades would probably get an invite to the Honors College and some pretty substantial discounts on tuition. MSU has an excellent residential college for Science/Pre-Med students (Lyman Briggs) where most of the classes are in the residential dorm and most of the professors’ offices, as well.
Thank you @greeninohio! We will keep MSU in the running then. The program sound quite like what OSU has here, but it’s highly competitive here. Go Spartans!
Now, we are beginning to highjack OP’s thread. Apologies @4beardolls
@thumper1 2014
@4beardolls - with those stats:
- Ohio State (ranked #52) – your D should qualify for merit scholarships that would make tuition around $10,250/year.
- University of Minnesota (ranked #69) – she’d likely be given an offer for in-state tuition which is around $13,560/year. Though UofM’s overall rank is a bit lower, their USNWR rankings in math, biology and med school are all very strong.
- As mentioned by other posters, Tulane and Case Western are 2 others likely to give good merit aid.
Another note on Ohio State: If your D can write a compelling essay about how her volunteer work or extra-curricular activities show a passion and commitment to supporting diversity and cross-cultural relationships, Ohio State gives out 300-350 full tuition Morrill Scholarships as well.
My daughter started college 2014, so it was recent. Also, those are true merit since we are full pay at an Ivy.
My son’s Rice award was in 2007.
@Lilliana330, that is an awesome accomplishment, congrats. I understand it’s a holistic process. Do you have any additional factors helped you?
Thanks, @momfactfinder, I didn’t know about Morrill Scholarship from Ohio State. You are indeed a fact finder.
@4beardolls thank you 
When I asked my admissions officers why I was selected, he mentioned that my essays played a key part.
Some selected had outstanding accomplishments, others not so much. For those with more regular EC’s, I noticed that their essays highlighted good character traits through some sort of anecdote.
I’m also URM btw. While I’m sure that helps a bit with admission, I don’t think it does much for the scholarships at such a low % rate.
Did someone specially TELL you that your son’s merit at Rochester was based on his ECs? I seriously doubt that is the case. A 34 ACT and 3.9 GPA are excellent. It is likely that these contribute significantly to his award there.
In other words, if he had a 3.0 and 28 ACT with the same ACT scores, I betcha his ECs would not have tipped the scale for merit aid.
Your son had a strong application overall.
@4beardolls , MY D has similar stats, 34 ACT one sitting, 3.96GPA, just outside of 10%(46/386) class rank, some EC’s but not many, one true leadership position senior year, part-time job during summer and school year as Lifeguard, great LOR’s and very strong essay, she received the following:
Case - $25k
Tulane - $32K
GW - $20
U Miami - $14k - a friend from same HS with lower ACT score but higher class rank and similar EC’s received $25k in merit, so would seem to reason UofMiami values class rank slightly more than ACT score.
U Alabama - Full Tuition $26+k
other acceptances but no merit aid or FA - Michigan, UMDCP, SUNY Binghamton,
waitlisted at - UNC CH, UVA, BC - chose not to remain on waitlists
rejected - Hopkins, Vandy, Cornell
Ultimately came down to Bing., Tulane and UA, she chose Bama after visiting and loving everything about it, she realizes that, also possible Pre-Med or more likely Public Health, its all going to be about Grad. or Med. school and the opportunity to come out of college debt free is very important.
Hope this helps,
@fm0101, thank you for your helpful information.
If it’s helpful, my daughter will be attending Grinnell this year and was awarded their top merit scholarship, Presidential, at $50K per year. We were obviously thrilled, but also a bit stunned. I have no idea what the criteria are or how many of these they give out. She had strong stats (35 ACT, 3.9 UW, 4.8W), some ECs but nothing mind-blowing (JV sports, clubs, volunteer work). She was also an NMF (which means Grinnell gives another $2K per year). We are a white middle-class family who qualified for financial aid as well, so she weighed some nice offers with the same EFC (Northwestern, Vasser, Oberlin, Macalester). But what can I say - she LOVED Grinnell.
The Pitt application is now supposed to be open
@ChicagoMom62 Yes. Grinnell is on our radar after visiting. Congratulations to your D for getting their Presidential Scholarship!
@mommdc Thanks for the link on Pitt. We have not done a lot of research about the school until now. It’s great that they offer full tution merit $ but I am sure it’s competitive. Do you know more about the scholarship in terms of number of awards and what types of students receive this generous award?
@ChicagoMom62 Really hoping our son ends up liking Grinnell. I think it’s a great fit for him but, at least right now as a rising sophomore, I don’t think he even knows LACs exist. My husband and I went to NU. Our nieces and nephews all went to Big Ten schools. Many neighbors also went to places like Wash U or Notre Dame. I feel like saving Grinnell until right after we visit UIUC so he can see the contrast between big state school and a school where he has a greater chance of undergrad research and smaller classes! …and maybe some merit if he keeps his grades up! 
@4beardolls, yes full tuition and other merit scholarships are competitive at Pitt.
On their website I think they say that 1450 (M&CR old SAT) or 33 ACT, top 5% class rank and “A” average with a rigorous course load (honors, AP, IB) gets you considered. https://oafa.pitt.edu/financialaid/academic-scholarships/
When my D received her award letter in 2014 they were saying that 2% of applicants received full tuition, so maybe around 600?
I definitely think your D has a good chance.
@homerdog I hear you. For some perspective, my D was sold on small Liberal Arts as an option, but didn’t even want to apply to Grinnell. This was due to it’s rural location in Iowa. I convinced her to apply (no supplemental essays or questions nor application fee) sight unseen based on what I’d read about it in the Fiske college book. She finally agreed to, and when she was accepted they flew her out to see it. She fell in love. Everything about it felt right to her. I have only reminded her once that I had to push her to apply, and she admitted had it been up to her she probably wouldn’t have. She’s glad she did. I highly recommend a campus visit for your son as he gets closer to making his application decisions.
@ChicagoMom62 – very helpful info! Did your D interview there? Did she get an early acceptance (early write)? My S got the Trustee scholarship (HS14)…that was their only scholarship at the time.