Finding a way to cover college tuition payments can feel like piecing together a complicated jigsaw puzzle—first, there’s financial aid, private scholarship applications, government grant money, and even merit scholarships, which hopefully all add up to the price of admission.
Jumping through the hoops involved is a time consuming process with many components and yet the biggest amount mystery seems to hover over the elusive merit-based scholarship. How do you ensure your student gets offered a well-deserved financial reward for all their hard work throughout high school? There are a few misconceptions and little known truths concerning merit scholarships…
What are merit scholarships?
This type of scholarship money is provided by a college to top students as a “pick me!” gesture after a student has been accepted.
What is sticker price vs. net price?
Don’t be swayed by the hefty price tag attached to your school-of-choice—most students do not pay the “sticker price” associated with a given university. In fact, colleges tend to discount their own tuition by offering merit based scholarships to students they hope to attract.
Do all schools award merit scholarships?
The most selective schools have no issue pulling in students, and therefore don’t need to offer merit scholarships. For example, Harvard states, “All of our financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need — there are no academic, athletic or merit-based awards, and we meet the demonstrated need of every student, including international students, for all four years.”
How do I earn a merit scholarship?
Look critically at your students’ credentials—their GPA, extracurricular activities, and overall ranking, and then encourage him/her to apply to schools that would place him/her in the top 25% of the student body. In order to pull in that merit money, your student must look like an above average candidate to the chosen college or university.
How can College Choice Today help?
Our team at CCT will connect you with a multi-dimensional approach to college selection that focuses on finding the perfect fit in education and career. In the area of financial assistance, CCT can provide FAFSA information, scholarship data, grants, and much more. Call us today at 1.844.412.6224 to get started or visit us at https://www.collegechoicetoday.com/get-started/