Why did I get a full-ride? Are there others like me who got a full-ride?

Paying for College
1

<p>I got a full ride by grant, not loan (even optional fees/books/laundry and everything…we just got the additional, optional student health plan for convenience and I need to buy a plane ticket) to the most competitive school in the country. I don’t even have to do student work. I feel a bit undeserving. Tuition/board/all fees/plus the laptop will equal about $40,000.</p>

<p>-We have lived in the most expensive towns/counties in the country.
-I have nice, expensive things. Given, I am an incredible shopper and never pay retail prices and have an amazing eye for finding the greatest things while thrift/ebay shopping, but still. I have some pretty damn nice things. Things most upper middle class kids don’t have. But… I pay for it myself, and prob pay less than most do on lower end stuff.
-I’m pretty sure my grandfather is pretty rich. But, I don’t get any of his money, and I don’t even know what he has, but I speculate that it’s at least 1 million. Possibly, possibly… as much as 20. More like 5-10, though.
-My mother’s income, as reported honestly, is technically in the upper middle class bracket. She is a single mom. We rent, and live in a high cost area.</p>

<p>About me:
3.9/4.2 student on not the most challenging courses, but what was available at my school. I also took college classes on the side.
no official sports or clubs, though I play a sport (an expensive one, while on the topic) and have a bunch of blue ribbons. No titles or anything.
-super amazing, insightful, absolutely phenomenal essay. really. really, really. award winning material… better than the vast majority of the essays i’ve seen on here. i am a great writer. i’m not going to be humble about it! this may have been what got me in.
-amazing interview… went on for hours, we discussed everything… we really clicked. interviewer had a lot in common with me.
-white, middle/upper middle class</p>

<p>So… what’s going on? Does this happen? What would their reasons be?</p>

2

<p>… what are you considering ‘the most competitive school in the country’?</p>

3

<p>I’m not giving specifics.</p>

<p>Any ideas?</p>

4

<p>Who knows. I guess that’s just how the world turns, and it doesn’t feel very good at all to hear that. Maybe they hope that by giving you a full ride your family will make a nice donation one day, but I doubt that. Although according to you, your essay and interview went so well that they just couldn’t let you go, even if it cost them a fortune.</p>

5

<p>hmmm, well, I would just say take what you can get. Don’t complain about it. Many, many top schools have huge endowments, so if they wanna give you a full-ride, then take it!</p>

6

<p>Well crims13 - which is the real you? Middle class, single parent, parents, poor, have nothing, have nice things, live in a high cost area, live in a ghetto, college, prep school? I posted a remark complimenting you on your ethics on one of your other postings - I withdraw that.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>

</p>

7

<br>

<br>

<p>This apparently is for Prep school admission to Choate, not for college admission. Above quote is from the OP on the prep school admissions board. Still, I can’t help but wonder what the purpose of this current thread is for the OP. If she got the scholarship, then congratulations. ■■■■■■■■ for the “reasons why” is truly pointless.</p>

8

<p>We need to be careful about reading post like this. None of us can verify whether this is true or not. So reader beware.</p>

9

<p>If it were Harvard (crimson) she is referring to, all aid is based on need. Nothing about grades, essays, or scores matters after you are admitted.</p>

10

<p>OP is not such a good writer, but appears to be a bit of a story teller! Quite a yarn here!</p>

11

<p>“I got a full ride by grant, not loan (even optional fees/books/laundry and everything…we just got the additional, optional student health plan for convenience and I need to buy a plane ticket) to the most competitive school in the country. I don’t even have to do student work. I feel a bit undeserving. Tuition/board/all fees/plus the laptop will equal about $40,000.”</p>

<p>The OP’s name, “crims13” as well their description of their college indicates the college is Harvard. There’s no way that the OP is telling the truth as Harvard gives only need-based aid, and also doesn’t give things like laptops.</p>

<p>I hope that no naive students or parents believe the OP’s story.</p>

12

<p>maybe the student was referencing Choates. Their tuition is about $40K a year and it is considered to be a great school…</p>

13

<br>

<br>

<p>This was posted by the OP on the prep school board just prior to when acceptances to prep schools were sent. I suspect that the original post here is referencing Choate, not any college. Perhaps she hopes that Harvard will be in her future beyond Choate. I do have to say…I still wonder why this thread was started.</p>

14

<p>

</p>

<p>Do prep schools expect students to do ‘student work’?</p>

15

<br>

<br>

<p>Sometimes.</p>

16

<p>If this was posted by a prep school student, I wish the student had simply said that up front instead of having people play guessing games.</p>

17

<p>Hmmm…lots of holes in this story.</p>

18

<p>For those of us with true financial need, along with our kids who have amazing stats,that have for the past year & will continue in the future to work our bottoms off seeking the means to get our kids an education, I truly hope this individual doesn’t face the same difficulties. I hope what appears to be misguided arrogance is not what this thread is about. The dots don’t connect.</p>

19

<p>“So… what’s going on? Does this happen? What would their reasons be?”</p>

<p>You have exactly the right shoe size they were looking for…</p>

20

<p>This seems like a ■■■■■ post to me, I’d be careful of how much you believe.</p>