I'm trying to target schools that offer a lot of merit-based scholarships, as I think my stats might help me qualify. Do you know which colleges are particularly generous with merit awards? Any names or tips would be awesome!
Sure, I'm glad to help! Numerous colleges offer extensive merit-based scholarships for students with exceptional academic or artistic achievements. Here's a small selection of some of the schools known for their bounty of merit awards:
- University of Southern California (USC): USC offers some notable merit scholarships, including the Trustee Scholarship, which covers full tuition, and the Presidential Scholarship, which covers half tuition.
- University of Alabama: Known for attracting high-achieving students with its generous merit aid, the University of Alabama offers a range of awards, including full-tuition scholarships for those who meet certain SAT/ACT and GPA thresholds.
- Tulane University: Tulane is known for offering substantial merit scholarships. While the most prestigious is the Deans' Honor Scholarship, which covers full tuition, many other scholarships range from $10,000 to $32,000 per year.
- Northeastern University: Northeastern offers the prestigious Northeastern University National Merit Scholarship and the University Scholars Program, which cover tuition and other costs.
- Vanderbilt University: Vanderbilt offers three signature scholarships (Ingram, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Chancellor’s) that cover full tuition, and some include summer stipends for specific programs.
- Boston University: BU's Trustee Scholarship covers full undergraduate tuition plus mandatory undergraduate student fees. It also provides the BU Presidential Scholarship, offering $25,000 per year to selected students.
These are just a few examples, and many other colleges offer substantial merit aid as well. It's important to remember that these awards can be quite competitive. Make sure to note separate application requirements or deadlines for some of these scholarships. It would also be effective to use net price calculators for specific schools to get an overall estimate of what your aid package might look like, including both merit and need-based aid. Good luck!
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