Scholarships: Tips and Strategies to Cut College Costs

Scholarships: Tips and Strategies to Cut College Costs

Remember the Good Old Days?

When College Was Affordable…

No Need to Worry About

Cost….

Never a Thought About Scholarships

My, How Times Have

Changed !!

And How!!!4 years starting

Public In-State (Winthrop)

Public Out-of-State (NCSU)

Private (Georgetown)

2012 - 2013 (Fr) $102,693 $135,238 $251,288

2013 - 2014 (12th) $107,828 $142,001 $263,853

2015 - 2016 ( 11th) $113,219 $149,101 $277,046

2016 - 2017 (10th) $118,880 $156,556 $290,898

2016 - 2017 (9th) $124,824 $164,384 $305,443

2017 - 2018 (8th) $131,065 $172,603 $320,715

With 5% Inflation

College 2009-2010 Tuit ion I ncrease

2010-2011 Tuit ion I ncrease

2011-2012 Tuit ion I ncrease

2012-2013 Tuit ion I ncrease

Clemson 4.50% 7.50% 3.80% 3.00%

Coast al Carol ina 3.50% 4.90% 4.58% 0.00%

Coll . Charlest on 6.00% 14.75% 0.00% 3.15%

Francis Marion 3.60% 6.50% 3.80% 3.00%

Lander 8.50% 4.50% 3.90% 3.15%

S.C. St at e 8.40% 5.70% 4.05% 3.15%

The Cit adel 3.60% 13.00% 3.50% 3.00%

USC Aiken 4.90% 6.00% 3.90% 3.15%

USC Beaufort 3.60% 9.50% 3.90% 4.90%

USC Columbia 3.60% 6.90% 3.90% 3.15%

USC Upst at e 3.60% 5.00% 3.90% 3.15%

Wint hrop 4.00% 5.00% 3.90% 2.90%

Scholarships are One Way to Reduce College Costs

Tip 1: Colleges Have the Largest Scholarships

• Grades, grades, grades

• Strong curriculum• SAT/ACT scores• Leadership• Community service• Recommendations• Essays• Interviews

Tip 2: Not All Colleges Give Merit Aid

Colleges That Award No Merit Aid

• Harvard University• Princeton University• Yale• Columbia University• MIT• Stanford University• University of

Pennsylvania• Cal Tech• Dartmouth• Brown• Cornell University

Tip 3: Ignore the Hype

College TuitionAverage Merit Aid for Student With No Need

% of Freshman With No Need Who

Receive Merit Aid

Harvard University $34,979 $0 0.0%

Princeton University $37,000 $0 0.0%

Clemson University $12,688 $2,342 2.7%

Duke University $40,655 $21,158 3.0%

Univ. South Carolina $9,768 $5,422 3.0%

Stanford University $40,050 $3,755 4.0%

Wofford College $33,190 $14,184 24.0%

Agnes Scott (GA) $31,980 $19,727 25.0%

Sewanee (TN) $33,020 $14,036 29.0%

Furman University $39,200 $18,012 35.6%

Trinity University (TX) $31,176 $13,324 37.4%

College of Wooster (OH) $38,000 $20,220 38.0%

Hendrix College (AR) $33,930 $17,466 41.0%

Denison University (OH) $39,330 $15,723 43.0%

Tip 4: Be in the Top 25% - 33% of Applicants

Tip 5: Use the Common Data Set

Tip 6: Use the College Website

Tip 6: Use the College Website

• Admissions• Financial Aid• Specific Departments• Junior Scholars

Newberry College

Converse College

Winthrop

University of South Carolina

Tip 7: Qualify for a Lottery Scholarship

• Cumulative 3.0 GPA at graduation

• $2,800 for f irst year only

• 3.0 in f irst year then LIFE

• In-state schools only

• 2-year schools free tuit ion

Hope Scholarship

• Must have two of these three:– Overall 3.0 at graduation– 1100 SAT or 24 ACT– Rank in top 30% of class

LIFE Scholarship

• $5,000 per year• $7,500 in enhanced program• Complete 30 sem hrs with 3.0• In state schools only

LIFE Scholarship

Palmetto FellowsScholarship

Top 6% Route• Top 6% in 10 t h , 11 t h or 12 t h

• 1200 SAT (CR + M) or 27 ACT

• Early and late rounds

4.0 GPA Route

• Overall 4.0 end of 11 t h or 12 t h

• 1400 SAT (CR + M) or 32 ACT

• Early and late rounds

Award Amount

• $6,700 freshman year

• $7,500 sophomore and beyond

• $10,000/year with enhanced award

• Complete 30 sem hrs with 3.0

• In state schools only

Tip 8: Outside Scholarships MAY Help

Best scholarships pay students directly.

What To Do?

Start Early

Learn What Is Out There

www.collegedata.com

www.meritaid.com