. Forum

[avocatchat]

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[Ti Malice]

You'll be competitive for any of them, but scholarships are still very unpredictable. There are many more high-numbers applicants than there are full-tuition scholarship offerees at CLS and NYU, so your best strategy for maximizing your chances is to blanket the T14 and use offers to negotiate more aid at your favored schools, if necessary.

[Mullens]

I don't think retaking would be beneficial since you're already over the 75th percentile of every school that gives out merit-based aid. Scholarships are unpredictable but you should focus on your personal statement and getting good recommendations. Although full-rides are a bit of a black box, I doubt any school will want to give a full-ride to someone with poor recommendations or a poor personal statement, even if their numbers are spectacular. Some schools also interview for their full-tuition scholarships and this seems to be more of a personality based evaluation once an applicant is above certain number thresholds.

ETA: you should get your academic recommendations now, even if you're thinking about sitting out for another cycle. It will be easier to get them and your professors will remember more about you than they will in a year or two.