Any Upper Middle black posters in the house?

Parents Forum
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<p>LakeWashington, I don’t think most non-CC, Black parents and students are looking solely at the Ivies. I know only one Black student who applied to an Ivy school last year. She applied to Columbia (ED), UW, and Gonzaga. She is going to Columbia.</p>

<p>My D’s list includes only one IVY, and it is not her top choice. Her list includes a wide range of non-Ivy schools (UW, U Idaho, U Colorado, and U Puget Sound).</p>

<p>Harmony2. I don’t know any AfAm males who are seniors this year. The two other AfAm students in D’s class are both girls.</p>

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<p>TutuTaxi, the young woman you talk about is the best example of a student/her family who had a healthy attitude about selecting a college.</p>

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<p>I meant to respond to the point about applying to a college with a giant endowment because of perceived adavantage in financial assistance. Well, that's a perception that's often misapplied. Plenty of fabulously wealthy colleges offer relatively skimpy financial aid (Harvard being the prime example). It all depends on the individual circumstances and how badly a college wants a particular aplicant to attend the college. On the other hand, (and getting to the point of my first post) there are many, many excellent colleges with middle-of-the-road endowments that are eager to augment their population of accomplished and promising African-American students. These are colleges whose graduates are very well regarded, although the college's fine reputation itself may not be widely known outside of its home region.</p>

<p>Private colleges that I like that seem to be expending genuine $$ effort to attract African-American applicants include;</p>

<p>Hood College, MD
Mount Holyoke College, MA (women)
Wesleyan College, GA (women)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA
U of Tulsa, OK
Creighton University, NE
Ohio Wesleyan University
Case Western Reserve University, OH
College of Wooster, OH
Westminster College, PA</p>

<p>I'm sure that there are others. And don't forget about HBCUs. For example, North Carolina Central University has received much grant money in recent years to enhance its science and technology programs. NCCU offers full scholarships that include laptop computers, to high caliber students. And NCCU's liberal arts core has been rated among the best in the UNC system. Plus, NCCU students can cross-register and enroll in Duke courses with no extra tuition!</p>

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<p>Lake Washington, I personally believe that Harvard is very generous with aid for those who truly need it. Their recent financial aid intiatives have eliminated costs for low to middle income students and reduced costs for upper middle income students. </p>

<p>And I don't really know anyone who applies to a top ranked school because of perceived advantage in financial assistance. However, I do know numerous people who didn't apply to top-ranked schools because they were afraid they couldn't afford it.</p>

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<p>Harmony2, there is a rising senior, AA male, at my D's high school (about 90 seniors). I speak with his mother frequently. He's a wonderful young man and he's always willing to share his experiences with my D and S. His family is upper middle class. At school he's involved in theatre, basketball, tutoring and he has a ton of EC's. For the last several summers he's been taking college level courses through JHU's CTY program. He's a B+ student. I don't know his SAT scores but they can't be too shabby because they had to be high enough at age 13 to qualify him for JHU's program. He's applying to University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park, and Howard University. He will not apply ED because money is an issue. (The prep school he attends is expensive and prevented his mother from saving money for college during that time period.) I'll keep you updated.</p>

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<p>I meant to say a ton of community service hours.</p>

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<p>Just our personal experience, but H was generous with FA for a middle class URM (not AA). They were on the same level as P and offered more than two other Ivies and a top LAC.</p>

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<p>This thread has been quiet for awhile, but I hope someone's still reading 'cause it seems the prime placement for this question.</p>

<p>When I first saw the title of this thread, I was so excited. I thought for sure that the writer might be like us:
Projected High EFC, Paycheck-to-Paycheck, No Savings, D has Modest Stats -- and I hoped someone would place actual stats out there to go along with the upper/middle income to give me some hope that we'll be able to afford to send our D to a college she can live with!</p>

<p>I'll go out on a limb with our situation:
Six-figure income, no savings, house rich/cash poor, can't pay a DIME for college without hurting. D is a National Achievement Semi-Finalist, but is only in the top 15% (weighted) of her 375 person class (Top 10.9% unweighted). Unweighted GPA 3.63/weighted GPA 4.6 with lots of nice leadership and academic ECs including a reigning state championship.</p>

<p>Because of her modest GPA/Class Rank/SAT (1260MV) combined with our incomes, we've shied away from applying to any ivies despite the National Achievement recognition. She's taken the SAT again, but honestly, even if she increases her performance to the level of her PSAT (1320MV), her GPA/Class Rank still make us nervous about her chances for merit-based aid.</p>

<p>I cried for joy when we got a free ride offer yesterday from FAMU. Florida A&M University was my husband's alma mater. But, like other posters here, our D is leery about attending an HBCU. Specifically, her experience has been that she is often ostracized by other blacks (and whites) for not speaking or acting "black enough." She fears that she won't "fit in" at an HBCU, and she definitely wants to attend a co-ed school.</p>

<p>Of course, there's always that looming consideration of the school's "competitive status" -- and we're aware that FAMU may not have the best program to suit her interests (History/International Relations/pre-law).</p>

<p>So I was wondering whether there was anyone else like us out there who has successfully placed a URM child in a "competitive" school and received substantial merit aid to do so despite high "on-paper" incomes and merely "above-average" stats? If so, would you mind giving stats and schools? (I'm new here - so if this question is inappropriate, please let me know and I apologize in advance!)</p>

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<p>I probably don't have any business posting here, but I have to give a plug for FAMU. It's a great university, great location, great reputation. I'm 4th gen Florida native, so I just had to put that in here.</p>

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<p>Super Mom - Have you contacted your state universities? They probably have a diversity recruiter in the admissions office. Does your D have a list of schools she is interested in? You could contact those schools and ask to speak with their diversity recruiter.</p>

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<p>Supermom, I think we are in the same spot as you ( although we have some, but not-nearly-enough-for-private money saved and a great state univ to try, albeit very competitive at the top tier, and with no afirmative action and dd is willing to try a womens school ) so I am awaiting any response too.</p>

<p>PS, in case I didn't say this many posts ago, I went to Howard undergrad and medical school.</p>

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<p>d-play, <em>smile</em> My husband agrees with you and was thrilled his alma mater surprised us with the unsolicited offer. We wouldn't mind taking in a Classics game or two . . . or ten actually. ;)</p>

<p>TT - UMD CP is a great state school with a highly diverse enrollment, honors program AND (relief), our D's grudging approval. Prior to attending an open-house there for academically talented students, she'd been determined to go to school out of state. After that visit she was quite impressed and feels she could be happy there. So we're keeping our fingers crossed for merit here at home. Didn't realize schools had diversity recruiters. Thanks! Not averse to trying, but -- isn't it frowned upon when the parent contacts the school instead of the kid? Should D be the one to initiate that contact?</p>

<p>Shrinkrap - I shot myself in the foot by taking our D and her Girl Scout troop on a trip to your neck of the woods last summer. She fell instantly in love with CA, and would love to go to school in LA. Consequently, we've applied EA to Loyola Marymount. Waiting nervously for the outcome. We'd rather not have her go to school so far away, but promised to let her go if she earned sufficient merit to cover the cost. Howard's the undisputed undefeated champ of HBCUs and one of the only ones to appear consistently in all the "best colleges" books. Would you recommend we visit?</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Didn't realize schools had diversity recruiters.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>In the admissions department they would be listed under director/ assistant director/ associate director of Multicultural Recruitment.</p>

<p>Supermom, I don't think that you should shy away because your D would be in a position to get merit $$ from Spelman and Howard (I know she wants to venture further away). However, based on what you posted, she would be eligible for the following from Howard:</p>

<p>CAPSTONE Scholarship
Criteria:
SAT=1300 - 1390 or
ACT = 29 - 31
GPA ≥ 3.25 Award:
Tuition, Fees, Room Annual
Renewal
GPA: 3.00 </p>

<p>My qualm about FAMU is lately they have been having a lot of problems (financial, difficulty with students getting the classes they need and a large number of students not graduating with in 4 years).</p>

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<p>usnews.com also ranks the hbcu's now USNews.com:</a> America's Best Colleges 2008: Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Top Schools</p>

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<p>FAMU has a rich legacy, but as was said, in recent years it has struggled. I was absolutely impressed by the several FAMU students I met in New York years ago who were engaged in internships with Fortune 500 companies. I'd talk to recent graduates and current FAMU students for an accurate perspective today.</p>

<p>In Maryland, why not consider publics St. Mary's College (very competitive admissions) and Salisbury University? Also, Hood College has a reputation for meeting finanial aid needs. However, Hood is a very small college. Let me also plug a very good womens college that is committed to keeping tuition affordable; Weslyan College in Georgia. Weslyan's not an HBCU but it does have a sizeable proportion of Black women among the student body.</p>

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<p>I know absolutely nothing about FAMU, but the older sister of my daughter's high school friend and classmate chose to attend that school. Relevant to the topic of this thread, they are an upper middle class black family in our Pennsylvania town, which has a very small black population. I know she was in a 5 year program to earn a bachelors and MBA, that she had some great internships, and that she got a very good job after she graduated.</p>

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<p>"So I was wondering whether there was anyone else like us out there who has successfully placed a URM child in a "competitive" school and received substantial merit aid to do so despite high "on-paper" incomes and merely "above-average" stats? If so, would you mind giving stats and schools? (I'm new here - so if this question is inappropriate, please let me know and I apologize in advance!)"</p>

<p>Supermom,
Can you be more specific on your definitions of "competitive" school and "substantial" merit? Do you mean schools like WUSTL, Vandy, Emory, UChicago, U Michigan, Rice? Do you need half tuition, full tuition, a full ride?</p>

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<p>Supermom, don't let her visit Howard during homecoming or she will NEVER leave! That's how I ended up there. Visited my older sister during home coming, went back home, and essentailly dropped out of high school ( I apparently had done whatever was needed for Howard to accept me...). Be aware of potential distractions there. I honestly don't know how I mangaed to graduate, and in 3.5 years no less! </p>

<p>My d has applied to a few schools in LA too, with the same merit scholarship idea, but I'm afraid we are shootinfg a little high; Occidental,Pepperdine, Scripps and Santa Clara and Mills up here. She visited Smith (" Women of Distinction") and liked it, but it is far away. Still, perhaps now is the time! I started out on the east coast myself and think it's a bit of a diservice for Californians not to experience the other coast. Ditto those from the east coast. I'm from New York and when I was growing up my family wouldn't DREAM of leaving.</p>

<p>I've come to believe Spellman might be champ of the HBCU's now, and I wouldln't argue. Here's an old thread about that. It's got sort of a consortium thing with Morehouse and others, and retrospectively perhaps Atlanta might be a better choice then DC for "impressionable girls". I won't go there.
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/390256-individual-hbcus-colleges-section-gets-no-traffic-so.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/390256-individual-hbcus-colleges-section-gets-no-traffic-so.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Where did your troop camp? My d is still a Girl Scout too, and has attended camp since she was 6 or 7 years old. Mostly in the San Francisco council though.</p>

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<p><<can you="" be="" more="" specific="" on="" your="" definitions="" of="" "competitive"="" school="" and="" "substantial"="" merit?="" do="" mean="" schools="" like="" wustl,="" vandy,="" emory,="" uchicago,="" u="" michigan,="" rice?="" need="" half="" tuition,="" full="" a="" ride?="">></can></p>

<p>Sure! It'd be nice to hear how folks fared at all of the above given "decent" but not outstanding stats. I suppose I could also have said small to mid-size liberal arts colleges/universities. </p>

<p>By substantial merit, I'm referring to any range between full tuition and full ride.</p>

<p>I know that some schools like Brandeis award amounts "up to" full rides that don't APPEAR to have an income requirement (MLK scholarship). But I'm not sure how the B+ URM fares in such competitions.</p>

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<p>I'd like to hear those success stories as well. My S happens to be in a similar boat albeit he is a male, with a little lower gpa/class ranking (even though his school doesn't rank), and little higher SAT/ACT. Any positive anecdotal stories are welcome!</p>