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<p>My parents would definitely agree with this. For families with an unaffordable EFC it may seem unfair that all the most prestigious and selective colleges are need-only. But numbers are numbers. Just because I can’t afford a designer prom dress doesn’t mean I can’t find a lovely, excellent quality gown at thrift-shop price :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to you!! You ran a very intelligent college search and found a great fit. I think you will love Hillsdale and the Midwest. Hillsdale is something very unique and I hope you take full advantage of it. Good luck!!</p>
<p>Congratulations WarriorDaughter!! Well done!</p>
<p>Congratulations WarriorDaughter!</p>
<p>I have never heard of Hillsdale, but you can be sure I’ll be looking it up because of your post. My son is a junior and is looking for a school off the beaten path. Thanks so much for sharing your results!</p>
<p>@warriordaughter will you be in the honors program?</p>
<p>@isaelijohjac-- I was accepted, but I have not yet officially joined. My schedule will be pretty full already, as I am contemplating some combination of majors/minors in chemistry, English, and political economy.</p>
<p>Our guide was a political econ major. He was pretty impressive. </p>
<p>Thanks for coming back and posting how it all worked out. The CDS (Common Data Set) is a very helpful document.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting. And kudos to your parents for giving you an actual number. So often I see a reluctancy on the part of parents to be concrete about what they are willing and/or able to afford. I think talking about finances with one’s children is still considered sort of taboo. Without a tangible number, how can a child possibly know what to search for? I applaud both you and them and wish you all the best!</p>
<p>So when you say that you look at the numbers on the website to determine your likelihood of receiving an award, what about for schools that say the number of awards they offer but nothing else? How do you know you are the “top 2% of applicants”? I might be above the average SAT, but how do I know the school is looking for a person like myself? I guess I’m just asking what the technique is for determining your eligibility for a scholarship with so little information. Perhaps any outside websites that you found helpful? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Beyond checking that school’s common data set for the 25-75% numbers for SATs and sometimes GPA? Maybe geographic diversity, or a strong athletic or musical skill, or a gender edge (often men applying to LACs, women applying to tech schools).</p>
<p>@atm28vacations I found several data sources very helpful. The Common Data Set lists exactly how many merit awards are given every year and their average amount. The school’s website will often list the names (and usually the amounts and number given) for merit scholarships; if any of this information was missing, I politely emailed my admissions representative for more details. They are happy to give you a better idea of who usually gets the scholarships/how many are given, so long as you are respectful and not pushy. I went to the individual school forums on CC and asked members their qualifications/experience with various scholarships. Finally, I poked around a variety of other college admissions websites to determine where I fell within the pool of applicants.</p>
<p>The key is to gather as many data points as possible so you can get a full picture of where you stand. I would also encourage you to err on the side of safety; it is better to be slightly more conservative with your estimates than to expect lightning to strike.</p>
<p>Thank you, that helps a lot? And, what is the Common Data Set, and how do you use it?</p>
<p>Google “[fill in the name of X College] Common Data Set” and you should find a spreadsheet with a lot of numbers on it. The data on the sheet should be helpful.</p>
<p>I just asked about this, here is a link:
<a href=“Parents of the HS Class of 2015 - #19711 by ssacdfamily - Class of 20xx Community - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/1086324-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2015-p1315.html</a></p>
<p>@warriordaughter How is HILLSDALE?! </p>
<p>@isaelijohjac It is wonderful 
Such a unique and uplifting experience to be studying fascinating topics and the thoughts of history’s greatest thinkers alongside students who are just as eager to learn as I am.</p>
<p>@warriordaughter so happy for you–you earned it. D and I will be there on the 19th for a visit and interview. Would love to meet you in person.</p>
As freshman year draws to a close (how time flies!), an update:
Since arriving on campus, I have gotten my first C on a paper (!!!); poured over the works of Aristotle and Aeschylus, Hobbes and Homer, and everyone in between; started working as a student researcher in one of the biology labs; had dinner at my advisor’s house with her family; taken road trips to Chicago, Indianapolis, and a half-dozen hole-in-the-wall coffee shops; and built a beautiful igloo. Although I loathed history in high school, I’m seriously considering a minor in history after my incredible intro course (although I could say the same for religion and biology!)
I could not be happier with my decision. Although some posters seem to believe that a small liberal arts college could never provide sufficient depth of opportunities and a pool of high-quality peers, I have found the complete opposite to be true. I have been privileged to study with and under some of the most incredibly brilliant people I have ever met. Being in a place filled with genuine, thoughtful, mature, caring students and professors dedicated to pursuing truth has completely changed my approach to studies. I care less about grades and more about learning, less about knowing all the right answers and more about engaging in the important, soul-enriching conversations that seem to happen all the time. The professor who gave me that C encouraged me to keep writing, and I’ve spent hours in his office wrestling through difficult questions about literature and life.
My merit scholarship has been such a blessing for my family as well after my mom was laid off midway through the year. Even though she was able to find work again, it was a huge comfort to know I won’t need to take on thousands in debt to complete my degree, should more financial curveballs be thrown. This is especially great since I’m increasingly leaning towards a career in education (which, given the average salary, isn’t the best option for paying off student loans).
For any high school students (and parents) out there constructing a college list or making a final decision, rest assured that it is indeed possible to be happy and challenged at a tiny, unknown school. I’m biased and think Hillsdale is the best college ever and has some of the best people on the planet, but that’s because I did tons of homework and knew what a great fit it was for my personality and goals going in. I hope you will be as pleased with your choice as I am!