<p>If a merit award will do it for you, that’s great. Not so for us.</p>
<p>BTW, OP, I haven’t compared the COA at these schools, but if you can afford any of them with just very basic aid, then you are NOT going to have justification to refuse Stevens on financial grounds. To reiterate, unless Stevens is actually your S’s #1 choice–and I find that VERY hard to believe–change the application to RD. Now.</p>
<p>I agree with Consolation. I would definitely change that Stevens app to RD. You do not want to be locked into a school that is not a clear first choice, best fit or might not offer the best financial package. We did ED for VT for S2 but we are instate so that is a different story.</p>
<p>You will know in two weeks if he gets accepted at UM - my guess is he will. If not, you have plenty of time to apply to other schools.</p>
<p>It seems that Texas A&M University-Galveston would be a great fit for him. They have his major and it is instate. </p>
<p>However, I know that many of kids would rather get out of state if their parents can afford it or if they get Scholarships/Aid.</p>
<p>One of the top Engineering schools, University of Michigan, is instate for us and my son would much rather go to University of Texas! It seems half his HS goes to Michigan each year and he would rather do something different. Of course on my dime.</p>
<p>Stevens is only binding upon deposit, not upon acceptance.<br>
We have met with admissions, and it is up to us to decide if the financial package is acceptable. When I say we could afford it, I mean we could send him, but it would be a stretch and he would definitely need some aid/loans/scholarships to make it justifiable. Yes, he would have to make that decision by mid February, but he will hear from USCGA and UM by the end of December. Webb is currently last on his list, so he may or may not complete their regular admissions app depending on what he has heard from the others by their deadline. As for USNA, I am well aware that he may not hear until the day before he would have to report, but he has decided that if he hasn’t heard by the time he needs to make other decisions, he will move forward with a civilian school. Many academy applicants go forward 100% with civilian schools to the point of putting down money on housing and just risk losing it if they ultimately receive an appointment, because honestly it makes no sense to sit and wait for an appointment with no Plan B solidly in your back pocket. I have read far too many horror stories of kids with nominations who get never get the appointment and did not pursue other options until it was WAY too late to get into one of their chosen civilian schools.</p>
<p>ChiselCheeks… that cracks me up. Reverse situation here. Son was set to go to UT his ENTIRE LIFE, his room is covered in Longhorn. Got to high school, decided it was too close to home, decided on a major they don’t have, and although he is an auto in-state admit, is not even applying… MUCH to his Longhorn mom’s dismay. As for TAMU, it is only an hour and a half down the road, and so many in his high school are going, he is running the opposite direction as fast as he can… much to his Aggie dad’s dismay! Heavy sigh…</p>
<p>granipc, my son is sure to get accepted to UM in a few weeks and has already been accepted at Michigan State honors (same as UT and TAMU around here). He has also applied to a bunch of out of state schools like UT… (would do Petroleum Engineering there)</p>
<p>People constantly ask him where he is going to college an he just sighs and says “probably Michigan”. He pretty much knows if it comes down to $15k a year vs. $60k a year he’ll be going instate. </p>
<p>I am dreaming one of his “high falutin” school choices will match instate prices to keep the piece around here. /?Unfortunately?/, we make enough money to not qualify for any aid, but not enough to pay full price without living a threadbare retirement.</p>
<p>ChiselCheeks, Our guide at Stevens did tell us that they give so much in grants/aid/etc. that it brought it down to almost in-state (she was from NC) tuition for her (and Stevens is in the 50K range)… SO, not entirely impossible depending on what his other school choices are, although unlikely from UT. I think they are like UM in that they give VERY LITTLE money… not even to National Merit Scholars. TAMU gives them a full ride, UT gives them basically NADA.</p>
<p>So, he decided to go ahead and apply to TAMU… and had to scramble around since we discovered apps to be considered for certain scholarships/etc. were due by Dec. 1st. EEK. Thankful for our AWESOME high school counselor who (despite being responsible for 500 other seniors all by herself) whipped off his transcript on the spot. Thanks everyone for all your advice!</p>
<p>Good move and good luck!</p>
<p>granipc,</p>
<p>I’m from NOVA and, while I think your son will be accepted to VA Tech OOS, I would not term it a safety OOS, especially if he wants to attend the colleg of engineering, which has higher SAT medians than the rest of the school (save for architecture). Medians at Va Tech as a whole (class of 2016) are 1150 to 1340 (CR + M). I cannot find the numbers right now, but would not be surprised at all if Eng’g is clsoe to 100 pts higher (about what architecture is). I am conservative re safeties (more than 90% chance) and think your son falls in thre match category there. I would go with one more safety if I were you. </p>
<p>PS – Va Tech is a great school with a very loyal alumni network and the best eng’g college in VA (my son goes to UVA, but not eng’g, and so I say this with some regret). Good luck!</p>
<p>UPDATE… accepted to UMich engineering (OUCH on the $$$), and TAMU (the safety I forced on him, but his chosen major is FULL already, so would have to go some other engineering for at least a semester or two). Waiting to hear from Stevens and VT. Thanks for all your input!</p>
<p>Congrats on the UMich acceptance. My son was accepted at UM but desperately wants to go OOS and get out of Michigan (the state of). UMich is almost like grades 13 - 16 for his HS, it seems everyone in his AP track ends up there. </p>
<p>I’ll trade you his instate tuition for instate tuition in Texas. :)</p>
<p>granipic, why didn’t he apply to United States Merchant Marine Academy?</p>