40 Acres Scholars-Merit scholarship announced

[Wild Bill]

Per William Powers' Alumni newsletter:

The Texas Exes has announced a new merit-based scholarship program called "the 40 Acres Scholars" to be given to the most talented undergrad students at UT. It will be a full 4-year package that includes tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. Initially, the endowment will support 75 students/yr, but it will eventually grow to 300/year. This will make it one of the largest merit-based scholarship programs in the country.

I can tell you from my own experiences of the last 2 years of researching colleges and visiting at least 20 from across the country for my 2 oldest kids, that this is awesome. In the first place, it is rare for public universities to give much, if any, merit-based money.

Top 10% rule aside (hopefully this will be amended soon), a lot of smart kids from Texas are taking scholarship money to go elsewhere. This is a smart move for UT.

 

[Bob in Houston]

These apparently are designed to replace National Merit Scholar packages, which I understand UT no longer will offer.

 

[HornsInTheHouse]

I presume it's for students who are already admitted? It would be ironic if UT recruited amazing students from other states and countries only to lack spots for them if the top 10% admittees take up 100% of the spots.

 

[TXSNOS]

In reply to:

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[Bob in Houston]

My guess is UT, like many schools with a multiple of applicants beyond the available spots, no longer believes that the National Merit Scholars are worth the money -- they're gonna draw a ton of them anyway.

These new scholarships, I imagine, can go to anybody (that is, people who don't meet the NMS standards but are the people who would provide the selectivity that the admissions office covets in the Age of Top 10). That, along with the fact that they are full rides, is the difference. NMS packages amounted to 15-20 percent of the total cost of attending.