Here’s what I did last night, and have gotten no response. I e-mailed two other schools in Arkansas, NWACC, a community college, and UCA. I gave them, essentially, an application, with my transcript, test scores, extracurriculars, etc., and asked them what they’d give me. (it’s already after the deadline. If I can’t find any money, I guess I’ll have to wait until spring, because I don’t have the money to go right now :(, and I’ll shoot myself in the foot if I take out 10k in student loans my first year…
If you’re genuinely puzzled about the reasons U of A didn’t offer you anything, call the scholarship office and ask for an in-person meeting. Don’t be belligerent, just say that you’d like to find out what sort of things you might do to give you a better shot at merit-based aid. (I’m assuming that you’re assuming or know that you’re not eligible for need-based aid – if you didn’t submit the FAFSA, you should’ve). Besides allowing you to find out more about the process, it also makes you a human being instead of just a file to at least one person in the process, which can only help you (assuming you don’t act like a raving lunatic or arrogant jerk).