<p>Just a side note on Lutheran schools. We chose a Lutheran college for S1 because we are Lutheran and because of the merit $$. He started this fall and loves the school, loves the lakeside location, but when we asked him how the Sunday church services were going we got a bit of a chuckle from his response. He said there are about 10 kids who are showing up for the Lutheran service so they moved them to a tiny Catholic chapel in the woods and since the Catholic service is always packed they have moved their services to the church.</p>
<p>Did you look at Dickinson in Penn? They are test optional and S2 would have applied there except he thought it was too green.</p>
<p>We can pay about 30-35K per year. Cal Lutheran is off his list because he wants to get out of Southern California.<br>
SAT was horrible! English went down 50 pts., math up 10 pts, writing down 20 pts.
ACT of 24 still the best for him.</p>
<p>Some schools that have D-3 men’s soccer to consider (maybe some merit at some of these, esp. given that he’s coming from CA - I am not sure to be honest about what would take to get merit $$ from many of them):</p>
<p>Allegheny College ¶
Beloit College (WI)
Earlham College (IN)
Hendrix College (AR – known for merit $$ but ACT may be too low, though I think they really like West Coast kids)
Hood College (MD)
Kalamazoo College (MI)
Kenyon College (OH)
Lake Forest College (IL)
Lawrence University (WI)
University of Maine-Farmington (may be able to get in-state tuition waiver)
Millsaps College (MS)
Muhlenberg College ¶
Pacific Lutheran University (WA)
Susquehanna University ¶</p>
<p>I know he’s looking primarily West Coast, but consider a school like Muhlenberg for example – it may dole out good aid $$ for a California kid who is a good D3 soccer recruit with a high GPA AND a boy. Only 5% of their students come from outside NE/Mid-Atlantic, they are something like 57% female, their middle 50% SAT scores are something like 550-660 so he’s not too uncompetitive there, and they are a gorgeous campus with great reputation. </p>
<p>I think he may have a great variety of options if he’s willing to cast his net wider - he has a lot to offer (boy, California, very high GPA, athletic talent, and all of his other characteristics too).</p>
<p>SDiegoMom the best thing you can do is get your son more involved. His ACT/grade ratio suggests that he cares far less about all of this than you. Unfortunately this is fairly common for boys. I would focus on the right school based more on academic fit and less on soccer. D1 soccer is quite competitive and if he’s not being offered anything just making the team of a D1 may prove difficult. The time committment of D1 is also very limiting and with his ACT it may not be ideal. The best plan seems like using his soccer to gain admission to a better D3 than his stats would otherwise allow</p>
<p>Yes I agree with all of the above. We did visit Muhlenberg and he really liked it but the coach has never responded to him since his visit. He wouldn’t get much merit aid (if any) because of his test scores. He doesn’t want a D1 school. He is also unrealistic about what he will be able to handle at the college level. He is really strong in Math but not in English/Reading. He of course thinks that the tests are a bunch of BS. He has so many classmates who are B-C students that are scoring high on the tests so it really doesn’t make sense to me either. He says he really has a problem concentrating for such long periods of time required by the tests. He does care about his schools and did a 2 month prep course for the SAT but his scores stayed the same or went down as in the last test. Since we are the ones paying for his education he won’t have the last say and if he doesn’t like it he can go to the community college. He focuses so much on the soccer he forgets he is there for an education too. He does have some great schools that want him and are good in both aspects so we will see what happens.</p>
<p>Condidering various limitations I don’t think he can/should take cal lutheran off his list just cuz it is in calif. Don’t mean to be harsh but he’s making you jump thru hoops to find his perfect school with little concern that his scores are making things very difficult for you. </p>
<p>However, now that we know u can spend 35k, that opens up maybe some oos public that might work.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree he shouldn’t take Cal Lutheran off his list either but he isn’t all that interested in the school anymore and it looks like the coach has too many goalkeepers on the roster and won’t be recruiting. He has so many schools now on his list that we can afford and do want him as an athlete too I’m not too worried (9 we can afford). It will all work out.</p>
<p>SDiegoMom- not sure if it has soccer but since your son has other christian schools on his list has he considered Seattle Pacific or Westmont. We know many kids who have been very happy with Seattle Pacific and they have received merit aid with good grades but fair SAT scores.</p>
<p>Yes I think he tried to reach the coaches at Seattle Pacific but didn’t get a response. They are D2. Westmont is nice but pretty small but he also did try to reach coaches there and no response either.</p>
<p>^Do you mind sharing his current list? We are in almost exactly the same scenario, but with low GPA and relatively high SAT. Also, my son is open to CSUs with dorms, not generating much coach interest, and willing to consider good club soccer. We might be willing to cough up 50k, but 35k feels about right.</p>
<p>I am not a parent but this thread came up when I was searching for a post and I wanted to comment on Westminster College. There isn’t a high Mormon population at that school. I am Jewish, but non-religious, and have lived in Salt Lake City my entire life. I have never had any trouble fitting in; very few of my friends are Mormon, but the ones who are are easygoing. Also, the city has a very different demographic than the rest of the state. Soccer is a big deal here, as well. </p>
<p>I just wanted to give you more of an inside perspective. Westminster is a good school that tries to cater to the individual. I need merit aid and if none of my top picks offer me much, there is a good chance I’ll be in the dorms there next fall. :)</p>
<p>Thank you for the info. on Westminster. I worked for W.L. Gore for 25 years and our founder (Bill Gore) graduated from Westminster and the Business School is named the Bill & Vieve Gore School of Business. Of course this peaked his interest too and the admissions counselor called him on Friday when he was at soccer practice to say she had some really good news about his admission. We will find out tomorrow what the good news is!
Here is the list of schools he applied to:
Sewanee - University of the South
University of Puget Sound
Whitworth
Linfield
Willamette
Trinity - TX
Westminster
Occidental
Concordia/TX </p>
<p>All these schools are recruiting him for soccer. Trinity coach just started evaluating him.</p>
<p>yes he looked at UCSC but a little too big for what he wants.<br>
In the past two days he got two acceptance letters! One to Whitworth with a 9K merit scholarship and also Westminster with a $13K merit scholarship. Coach is interested in him at Westminster and he is going to visit soon.</p>
<p>I think Whitworth would be perfect for my son if we could get somewhere with the soccer coach. Heard positive things from admissions and coach at Willamette, the bigger academic reach, but still waiting on Whitworth. What is your sons take on Linfield?</p>
<p>Your son has a good list of schools. And two acceptances with aid. So you both are in excellent shape.</p>
<p>Based on your posts, I suspect he would be challenged by writing-intensive courses at Sewanee and Occidental, but that’s how you learn to write. May be a moot point though, as I would not expect an offer with merit aid at either school.</p>
<p>Interesting about Sewanee not offering merit aid. That’s too bad since the admissions did not state that. They weigh gpa and courses more than test scores.
Greg got accepted today at Linfield and merit aid to follow. Likes Linfield but is concerned it will be “boring.” Of course that is his brother’s take since he goes to U. of Oregon. He really liked the campus and the little quaint town and that it’s not far from Portland.
He has since been contacted by the Dominican University coach in Northern Ca. He is recruiting him pretty hard and they are D2 and offer quite a generous merit package. We should hear something within a couple of weeks from them.
We’ll see what happens.<br>
I think if he had to decide today based on what he know he will pick Whitworth. Good overall program and cost.</p>
<p>*Interesting about Sewanee not offering merit aid. That’s too bad since the admissions did not state that. They weigh gpa and courses more than test scores.
*</p>
<p>Sewanee does give merit aid. My sons got good merit offers from Sewanee because of their stats.</p>
<p>Reidm may have meant that because the mid range of ACT at Sewanee is 26-30 that merit aid wouldn’t be expected because an ACT 24 is in the bottom quartile. </p>
<p>Sewanee does give merit aid, but likely it gives it to those in the top quartile.</p>
<p>Sewanee may weight GPA heavily for admissions, but they may or may not for merit. Half the school comes in with a high GPA, so it would seem that test scores “tip the scales” for who gets merit.</p>
<p>however, good to hear that Dominican is offering good merit. At Dominican, his ACT is strong for the school…mid range ACT 20-25. So, his ACT is almost in the top quartile. :)</p>
<p>Wonder if our kids will one day cross paths! Dominican has a good team. My son would love to have the Whitworth coaches attention. Willamette is looking good to us, but son my decide to go intramural at a DI.</p>