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anyone know what the typical scholarship winner looks like? Test scores, etc.

By Libsters (Libsters) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 09:44 am: Edit

Well first you have to fill out their nice long scholarship application ... I've heard it is very difficult, as there are only about 125 scholarships offered, and you must apply to the one specific to what you want to study

By Chen (Chen) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 12:27 pm: Edit

At a session, they said typically applicants' SATs are in the 1500s.

By Syders11 (Syders11) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 02:37 pm: Edit

so if i have a 1370, but really stellar ECs and recs..do i have a chance?

By Kingdvl (Kingdvl) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 03:19 pm: Edit

You don't have to apply to every scholarship. Some are given out when they read your application (but not that many).

By Pdragon17 (Pdragon17) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:03 pm: Edit

I was told you need a 1500+ also.

By Pdragon17 (Pdragon17) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:03 pm: Edit

Scholarships, mainly merit aid awards, at Wash U are fairly difficult to get. That's why I feel the NY Times about Wash U buying its class is misleading. There are about 120 scholarships, but as stated above, they are very specific. There are a few Art and Sci scholarships, I think about 5, but one is for humanities, another for physical science, etc. There is one scholarship for business, and one I believe for engineering, architecture, and art. The rest of the scholarships are designed for minorities, students whose families have demonstrated need, and local students from St. Louis. There are no general/basic scholarships.

By Pdragon17 (Pdragon17) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 11:58 am: Edit

In yesterday's WallStreet Journal, 12/30, there was an interesting article about scholarships. It stated that some schools are violating the Michigan ruling by giving out minority only scholarships to blacks and hispanics. One of the schools in "violation" was Washington University. Minorities are getting these scholarships at Washington University, even if they come from middle class families. Just an interesting article. It also states that a lot of other schools, such as Williams, are making these minority scholarships available to all kinds of "minorities," not just by race. For example, a rarity such a female physicist (It's just an example - I'm not saying women are not good at science) can get one of these scholarships. Anyone else read the article? Comments?

By Shoshie (Shoshie) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 01:55 pm: Edit

I haven't read that article, but I know (as a girl majoring in physics) that there are several scholarships and fellowships available to females in the hard sciences through many schools and outside sources. *shruggles*

On Wash U scholarships, I'm applying to Comptons and, possibly, to the Nemerov writing one as well. They're both pretty involved. For Comptons I have to read a book (of my choosing, but still...) and write a paper on it. Nemerov requires another paper. Comptons requires some short-answer questions as well.

"Minorities are getting these scholarships at Washington University, even if they come from middle class families."

What's wrong with giving scholarships to people in the middle class? Often the middle class gets shut out from money, in that quagmire of being too wealthy to merit need-based aid and yet too poor for it not to matter. In fact, I'm in that situation myself. There's no way in hell my family can afford $42,000 a year, and yet colleges seem to think so.

By Matthias (Matthias) on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 02:13 pm: Edit

should I even bother applying for a scholarship?


white male, PA
1520 (800M, 720V)
IIC: 760 Physics: 720 Writ: 650

3.96 uw GPA
hard course load (9 college courses upon graduation including Calc I,II,III, Discrete Math, Linear Algebra)

weak ECs
good essay
good recs, with extra recs from college profs

but I didn't do any research and the Compton scholarship application has a 750 word essay on research you have done.

By Madrigal (Madrigal) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 08:40 pm: Edit

I'm applying for the Mylonas (Humanities) Scholarship.

By Clickspring (Clickspring) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 08:47 pm: Edit

Just apply for the scholarships. Why not? Plus, it makes you look better to the adcom if you did apply for them. Makes you look more driven, like you want to get in there more.

By Goneinfivemin (Goneinfivemin) on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 11:10 am: Edit

Scholarship applications for WashU are crazy hard....the most involved applications I have done. Of course, I was being very perfectionistic about the whole thing because I really want to go to WashU and without the scholarships I will end up accepting a full ride I have somewhere else. I applied for the Moog, Nemrov, Danforth, Friends of Music, and Summer Scholars. I know a guy who got an Engineering full tuition with not much else besides good grades and 1600 SAT, but that was a few years ago when WashU was not as popular as it is becoming today.

By Medusa2003 (Medusa2003) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:02 pm: Edit

I was waitlisted last year at WashU with a 1570 SAT, 35 ACT, and top 2% class rank. I didn't fill out any of the scholarship applications which was probably a factor in getting waitlisted.