Comparison to the public and smaller schools
While the amount of money for scholarships varies according to each school within the league, it is usually much more than what public or smaller private school can afford to give. The scholarships are meant to help students who show financial need. These students have a better chance of getting a scholarship to an Ivy League school that covers most, or all, of their tuition in full compared to smaller schools. The scholarships are not given out to students who have higher grades; they are completely need-based. Students from very wealthy families do not typically qualify for financial aid, while those in the middle and lower income brackets generally qualify for scholarships that can cover at least a portion of their tuition.
Athletic scholarships
None of the Ivy League schools offer athletic scholarships. All of their scholarships are given out for financial need purposes. Student-athletes do have an edge to earn these scholarships though, especially if their grades and other items are up to par. While the schools do not call them athletic scholarships, they do offer many full scholarships to athletes that they want for their school teams.
The average annual tuition for an Ivy League school hovers around $40,000 per student. The schools first accept the students and then award money to cover tuition, room and board and other items. The amount of money that the Ivy Leagues give out in scholarships varies greatly depending on the financial need of the students.
Qualifications for the Ivy League’s Need-Based Scholarships
Schools in the Ivy League are widely viewed as the pinnacle of American education, but the price tag on these elite institutions is discouraging to all but the wealthiest families. However, the working class and middle-class students who wish to attend an Ivy League university should maintain hope. These schools do not discriminate against the less wealthy, and they offer generous needs-based scholarships to make sure they attract the best students, regardless of income.
Need-blind admission
To get into an Ivy League school, students must first pass through a rigorous admissions process that looks at their test scores, GPAs and extracurricular activities. One characteristic that these schools do not look at, however, is a student’s finances. Ivy League schools want the best of the best; they do not care if a student is rich or poor. By accepting students from all levels of society, the Ivy League schools hope to develop a student body that is socioeconomically diverse.
Paying the tuition
This commitment to socioeconomic diversity does not end at the admissions process. Each Ivy League school is dedicated not only to accepting students from across the financial spectrum, but also to helping them pay for school.
Harvard, Yale, and Princeton
Harvard pays the entire tuition of students whose families make less than $60,000, and Yale pays for those who make under $65,000 a year. Families who make more money must pay a share of the tuition that increases in proportion to income. Princeton has a no-loan policy that it instituted in 2001. This policy commits the university to make sure no student graduates with debt. To do this, Princeton gives a mix of scholarships, grants, and work-study awards.
The rest of the Ivies
The other Ivy League schools do not have a fully articulated policy, but instead, tailor financial aid awards to individual students. However, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Cornell are all very generous, providing some financial aid to about 50 percent of their students each year and making sure that everyone who is admitted can attend.
The Ivy League schools can afford this generosity because they are wealthy institutions. Because they are dedicated to improving their academic reputation, they want to use this money to attract the best students regardless of their families’ income. Students who think they want to go to an Ivy League school but think it is too expensive should take another look at the facts.
Tips for Raising Money Outside of Scholarships to Pay for College
Loans and college
The federal government offers a few different types of student loans to help you pay for college. The school you are attending must participate in the federal aid program. With a subsidized student loan, the government pays the interest on your loan, while an unsubsidized loan requires you to pay the interest. You can often defer the interest until after you graduate. Following graduation, you do need to pay these loans back to the government, and there are limits to how much money you can take. Most banks also offer private loans, which allow you to borrow more money for your education but often have a higher interest rate versus federal loans.
Working and college
If you do not want to borrow any money for school, your best option is to work. Many colleges and universities offer work-study programs, which are usually need-based. These programs help you find a job on campus or at an employer affiliated with the program. The work study program is federally subsidized with the government usually paying about half of your wages. You can also find a job outside of the work-study program, such as tutoring or serving food.
Most financial aid packages do not cover 100 percent of your costs to attend college. You often need to supplement your scholarships and grants with loans or wages from working. The financial aid office at your school can help you figure out how much money you need per year and what your best options are to cover your costs.
Ivy League Athletic Scholarship Policies
Ivy league scholarship policies
There are many factors that distinguish the Ivy league schools from other colleges and universities. One factor that sets the Ivy league apart is the absence of athletic scholarships in its recruitment process. Ivy league schools are not permitted to award athletic scholarships. However, they do offer financial aid to admitted students based on financial need rather than on eligibility for a scholarship. By placing financial need as the determining factor for an award of financial aid, recruited athletes for an Ivy league team benefit as they may have difficulty competing academically with other Ivy league students.
After an Ivy league coach has compiled a list of athletes who are desired for the athletic program, the coach submits the entire list to the admissions office. Once in admissions, the admission officers take the coach’s preferences under serious consideration when reviewing applications to the school. The ultimate decision is made by the admissions office and is based upon the potential student’s qualifications as both a student and an athlete.
Tips for Getting Scholarships From Outside Organizations
Search for academic scholarships
There are many outside organizations that offer academic scholarships to students who show outstanding academic achievements throughout their high school careers. One of the biggest scholarships is the National Merit Scholarship, a very selective program that awards only the highest achievers in each state. Look to large private companies such as Target and Walmart, which also offer thousands of dollars in academic scholarships to students all over the country. Check with local businesses as well, as many of these companies also offer scholarships to local students.
Search for minority and religious scholarships
There are also many scholarships available from outside organizations for minorities and for people belonging to a certain religious organization. The United Negro College Fund, for example, in conjunction with the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation offers the Gates Millennium Scholarship for 1000 high-achieving minorities of all ethnic backgrounds. If you are a member of any minority group, research the biggest national and local organizations that cater to this group to see if they offer any type of scholarships. Faith-based organizations such as the Catholic Church and the Jewish community also provide scholarships to high-achieving members of these communities. Check with your local religious organization to learn about any possible scholarship opportunities.
In addition to academic, cultural and faith-based scholarships, you may also find scholarships based on your artistic or athletic achievements during your high school years. Make sure you check with the career resource center at your school to explore all of your options.
MBA Scholarships and Grants
Honor societies
The Golden Key International Honour Society is an honor society that offers scholarships to its members. These are based on merit, so applicants must be at the top of their class in business studies. Most winners receive between $1,000 and $2,000 towards their studies. The National Society of Hispanic MBAs is another honor society that offers scholarships to business students. Applicants must be of Hispanic descent and pursuing an MBA either part time or full time.
Other scholarships
If you are not a member of an honor society, there are still a number of scholarships available to you. The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship is awarded to students who attend any historically black university. The Accentuate American Indian Scholarship is granted to those of Native American descent and is awarded based on tribal involvement, academic performance, and involvement in the community. Other options include the Women of Distinction program and the Miller Coors Scholarships.
Pursuing an advanced degree is an expensive choice; however, if you are set on going getting an MBA, there are a number of scholarships and grants available to help you out financially. Do not let the cost of tuition deter you from making this choice about your career.
Do Ivy League Schools Give Full Rides?
Full ride scholarships
Most Ivy League schools give scholarships to qualified candidates whom they would like to matriculate at their school. Most of them have fairly large endowments, meaning that they can afford to give large scholarships to students who matriculate. Most scholarships are both academic and need-based. Qualified students with high academic credentials who might not have the resources to pay often receive assistance to pay tuition. Some schools have programs wherein if parents have a combined income of less than a certain amount; the school automatically gives a full ride scholarship if it accepts the student.
Sports scholarships
Since most Ivy League schools are not Division 1 athletic participants, they do not give any scholarships for athletic ability. They do have NCAA sports teams, however, and students with athletic ability are often accepted because they can give diversity to the school. These students may get scholarships as well, including full rides; however, the scholarships are not contingent upon participation in athletics.
Other than scholarships, there are many ways to pay for college. There are also government grants, loans, and private scholarships as well. However, those with big dreams of attending an Ivy League school have the hope of obtaining a full ride.