Merit Based Scholarships & Grants | William Peace University (2023)

FAQs

Should I answer yes to need based financial aid? ›

Please indicate “yes” to the question on the Common App regarding “need based aid” – there is no impact on your admissions- we refer to this as “need blind admissions”. WHEN to Apply for Financial Aid?

Although a strong GPA helps increase your chances of getting a full-ride scholarship, you don't need a perfect 4.0 to be qualified. In fact, GPA requirements are most commonly set at a 3.0 average, with what's considered to be a "good GPA" typically being a score between 3.5 and 3.8.

7% or 1 in 8 students are likely to receive a scholarship. Only 0.2% of students receive upwards of $25,000 in scholarships. 5% of students in bachelor programs got enough of scholarships to cover 100% of costs. 7% received enough to cover 90% of costs.

Most schools don't require students to fill out the FAFSA to qualify for merit scholarships. However, this is not standard practice. Scholarship policies vary from one college to another. Some colleges may not offer merit aid to students who have not filled out the FAFSA.

The most prestigious—and therefore most competitive—merit-based scholarships recognize students who excel in multiple areas. These programs generally provide the most generous financial awards. Additionally, some merit scholarships honor exceptional students who also demonstrate significant financial need.

Accept Your Financial Aid

It's important to know that you're under no obligation to accept all the federal student loan money that's made available to you. You can accept all, some or none of the federal student loans you're offered.

Any money left over is paid to you directly for other education expenses. If you get your loan money, but then you realize that you don't need the money after all, you may cancel all or part of your loan within 120 days of receiving it and no interest or fees will be charged.

With a 3.5 GPA, you might be eligible for a full-ride scholarship. However, it's important to note that there is no such thing as a free lunch. If you receive a full-ride scholarship, that means you'll need to maintain your GPA in order to keep receiving funding.

Gaining recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist is a prestigious achievement to include on college applications, and many colleges and corporate sponsors offer special scholarships to these students, even if they don't become finalists.

Can I get a full ride with a 3.2 GPA? ›

You're eligible for a large number of scholarships with a 3.2 GPA. While some may require a 3.5 GPA or higher, the majority require a 3.0 as their minimum. Apply for plenty of scholarships prior to (and during) college to save some money on tuition!

Some colleges, especially private schools, automatically consider each applicant for a merit-based scholarship, which is awarded during the acceptance process. These types of scholarships are often the easiest to obtain, since they do not require a separate application.

There is no set income limit for eligibility to qualify for financial aid through. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA every year to see what you qualify for at your college. It's important to make sure you fill out the FAFSA as quickly as possible once it opens on October 1st for the following school year.

A merit-based scholarship awards money for college to applicants who demonstrate high achievement and accolades. Merit awards may be available for students who rank highly in grade point average (GPA), standardized test scores, extracurricular recognition, athletic performance, leadership involvement or community work.

Merit-based aid goes to students based on their academic and/or extracurricular achievements rather than their financial need. Scholarships are the most common type of merit-based aid. Students may receive scholarships from nonprofit organizations, private businesses, and colleges and universities.

Asking for a raise can be the best way to obtain the compensation you deserve if your job duties have changed significantly or if your performance merits a boost. Standard pay increases range from 3% (average) to 5% (exceptional). Asking for a 10% to 20% increase, depending on the reason, is a way to open negotiations.

What you can and should do is re-anchor by making a counter-offer, giving your employer a compelling reason to either accept it or counter it with something less than 25% but more than 7%. In response to that counter, feel free to counter again.

Full-ride academic scholarship: Be at the top of your class with a great GPA, take AP/honors classes, and get perfect (or close to perfect) SAT or ACT scores. Along with academic merit, it also helps to also have leadership skills or community involvement, too (see below).

How does FAFSA affect merit scholarships? ›

The short answer is that, in most cases, a scholarship won't affect the financial aid offered by a college. Instead, it will help to cover costs not already paid for by financial aid, and is therefore of great benefit to the student.

A good student, not necessarily a straight A student, can expect to receive between $10,000 to $20,000 in merit money from less competitive private colleges. Private colleges may award minimal amounts of up to $5,000 to weaker students who can afford to pay the full cost of tuition.

Don't be afraid to negotiate.

You can always negotiate your merit aid package. If you are accepted to multiple schools, and your first choice is more expensive than your second choice, call the school to negotiate.

If you think you or your parents make too much to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you're wrong. There are no income limits on the FAFSA. Instead, your eligibility for federal student aid depends on how much your college costs and what your family should contribute.

Your family's taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) all could be considered in the formula. Also considered are your family size and the number of family members who will attend college or career school during the year.

Incarceration, misdemeanors, arrests, and more serious crimes can all affect a student's aid. Smaller offenses won't necessarily cut off a student from all aid, but it will limit the programs they qualify for as well as the amount of aid they could receive. Larger offenses can disqualify a student entirely.

Financial Aid recipients will be terminated upon reaching 150 percent of the number of credits needed to complete their degree, diploma or certificate program. This regulation applies to all students, including those that have not previously received financial aid.

Unfortunately, it's common for would-be borrowers to be denied loans, and there are a number of factors that could lead to loan denial. Your credit history, current credit score, insufficient application information, or a whole host of other issues could cause you to be rejected for a loan.

Many times if the student has not enrolled in classes during those 12 months, it expires. In almost all cases, scholarships are put directly towards your college's tuition and expenses, rather than a check sent to you. If you choose not to go to school, it will not be put in a savings account for later use.

Is a 3.5 GPA respectable? ›

Is a 3.5 GPA Good? As a top-letter grade, a B+ or A- is considered "good." A 3.5 GPA means that a student consistently performs well on homework, tests, and projects in every subject, making it a desirable GPA across the board.

Shoot for at least a 28 on the ACT or above 1300 on the SAT. Some scholarships allow for flexibility, so check the particular scholarship, but these numbers generally give you the most options. Encourage your student to also pursue a high GPA or even 4.0, especially their senior year.

Need-based scholarships are awarded based on financial need. They are eligible for each year of college enrollment. By contrast, scholarships based on merit are granted to students who illustrate academic or athletic achievement, along with a range of other talents and criteria.

Many colleges consider SAT or ACT scores or other credentials in awarding merit aid. Many also target scholarships to National Merit winners, finalists or even semifinalists.

Practically speaking, this means that anyone who qualifies as a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist (PSAT scores of 1400/1520 and up, depending on the state of residence) should be able to easily achieve a confirming score (SAT scores as low as 1320/1600, and ACT scores as low as 26/36), especially given multiple ...

Yes! Take more classes to raise your average, and take duel credit and/or AP classes if your school gives GPA bumps for taking these classes. In the end, just work on getting great grades in many classes.

Some scholarship committees only consider applicants whose GPA meets a certain threshold. Minimum requirements range from around 2.0 on the lower end to 3.75 or higher for competitive academic scholarships. Generally speaking, a 3.0 GPA or higher will give you a decent shot at qualifying for a variety of scholarships.

Community colleges, four-year universities, and other academic institutions typically offer the best scholarships to students with a 3.7 GPA or higher.

Is College Tuition Negotiable? While it's not widely advertised by schools, the short answer is yes, it's possible to work with a college or university to get a better deal on tuition, fees, and other costs of attendance. This is something you may be able to do whether enrolling in a public or private university.

It offers financial aid to international students based on their financial needs. It's considered one of the best universities in the USA for international students seeking scholarships. The Harvard University Scholarship can cover tuition, room and board, and other expenses.

Who is most likely to get a scholarship? ›

Over 33% of private scholarships are provided to STEM students. The chances of a white student getting a scholarship are 14.2%, while the odds for minority students are 11.2%. What is this? The odds of a Black student winning a scholarship is 11.4%, 9.1% for Hispanic students, and 10.5% for Asian students.

Service and volunteer work are outstanding qualities applicants should highlight when applying for a scholarship. Your selflessness is a value the committee will appreciate. Creativity reflects your ability to captative. Remember, judges are reviewing many applications.

Springtime actually tends to be one of the more popular seasons for scholarship deadlines, and they can happen anywhere between January and May. Spring break also presents students with the perfect opportunity to complete quite a few applications.

Common types of scholarships for college are merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, and athletic scholarships.

Talk to your high school counselor. Use the Department of Labor's scholarship search tool to sort more than 8,000 opportunities for student aid. Inquire at the financial aid office at your college of choice. See if your employer or your parents' employers offer assistance.

The good news is that the Department of Education doesn't have an official income cutoff to qualify for federal financial aid. So, even if you think your parents' income is too high, it's still worth applying (plus, it's free to apply).

Students selected for verification of their FAFSA form may wonder, “Does FAFSA check your bank accounts?” FAFSA does not directly view the student's or parent's bank accounts.

In most cases, the FAFSA uses the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to populate your adjusted gross income. However, if you entered it on your own without the tool, you may be asked to submit copies of your tax returns or W-2 forms.

Most schools don't require students to fill out the FAFSA to qualify for merit scholarships. However, this is not standard practice. Scholarship policies vary from one college to another. Some colleges may not offer merit aid to students who have not filled out the FAFSA.

Is 5% a good merit raise? ›

What's considered a reasonable raise typically depends on the perception of the person receiving it. Companies typically offer employees a 3-5% pay increase on average.

Asking for a raise can be the best way to obtain the compensation you deserve if your job duties have changed significantly or if your performance merits a boost. Standard pay increases range from 3% (average) to 5% (exceptional). Asking for a 10% to 20% increase, depending on the reason, is a way to open negotiations.

The amount of a merit increase can vary widely based on the company giving it and the employee receiving it. It is standard for companies who take good care of their employees to award top performers with an increase in the neighborhood of 3% to 5% on an annual basis.

A 10% raise is well above average, but it might not be unreasonable. Depending on how long you've been with the company and when you last received a raise, you might be entitled to far more compensation than you're currently receiving.

Answer: Yes, you can absolutely ask a college for more merit aid. In fact, many of your peers will do so. And since this type of aid is given on a first-come, first-served basis, you will want to submit your request as soon as possible.

Most financial aid offices will do their best to allow the student to keep all financial aid and scholarships that have been offered, so that a scholarship doesn't negatively affect the financial aid package.

Students normally receive a separate letter explaining a merit scholarship and the amount they will receive over the four years of college.

A merit-based scholarship is based entirely on personal achievement. Whether you're eligible has nothing to do with your financial situation. On the other hand, need-based scholarships are for students who need financial support for college and have a FAFSA that demonstrates that need.

Thank your boss for the salary bump and recognition they've already given you, and then explain why you believe the number should be reconsidered. Share your big accomplishments, as well as the salary data you've gathered, to back up why you would like your manager to reconsider your raise.

What does it mean to pursue need-based financial aid? ›

The term “need-based” is a designation that is based on a student's financial need. For example, a need-based grant might be awarded based on a student's low income.

For need-based financial aid, the federal government determines whether or not you need help paying for college based on your family's financial situation. By contrast, non-need-based financial aid is meant to assist you financially no matter how much money your family earns.

Justify why you are seeking aid.

Explain the difficulties you are having meeting your needs. Describe changes in your life that have affected your ability to pay for college. For example, changes in your family's income or unexpected expenses may have caused a financial deficit.

You must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, to determine your family's eligibility for need-based financial aid. The information you include on the FAFSA is used to calculate your expected family contribution, which will factor into your award.

A scholarship will affect your other student aid because all your student aid added together can't be more than your cost of attendance at your college or career school.

Merit-based aid offers financial support based on a student's academic achievements. Need-based aid provides funds for students based on their level of financial need. Students may receive both types of aid to fund their postsecondary studies.

Factors that help determine your eligibility for need-based grant money: Number of dependent family members. Number of family members who are attending college or pursuing otherforms of postsecondary education. Expected family contribution (EFC) as determined by FAFSA data.

The FAFSA is the form you fill out, and the Pell Grant is one of the ways to receive aid while you attend school. Pell Grant funds are typically offered to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. The FAFSA helps a student show the government and the school that they have a need.

Non-need based financial aid includes Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.

Need-based: Aid that is need-based is awarded to students who are determined to have financial need; that is, the amount they are able to pay for college is less than the cost of attending the college. The federal government offers need-based loans to students.

What is a good reason to apply for financial aid? ›

Some of the possible reasons include: A parent losing a job or reduction of income. Unexpected medical expenses. Death of a parent.

Briefly Describe your Financial Need for this Scholarship

I am in need of financial assistance in order to attend college because I am a low-income student. I am the 1st child to attend the college. Although my parents gave me many supports, I received a limited financial assistance due to low family income.

Empty Your Accounts

If you have college cash stashed in a checking or savings account in your name, get it out—immediately. For every dollar stored in an account held in a student's name (excluding 529 accounts), the government will subtract 50 cents from your financial aid package.

Apply for federal student aid—grants, work-study, and loans—using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) form.

The amount of money you can get by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) depends on your financial need. But, the maximum amount can be in the low tens of thousands of dollars per year. Average amounts are about $9,000, with less than half of that in the form of grants.