Hmmm. I’m curious what could have caused that big a difference …
So am I! I thought my numbers hadn’t changed much.
I am an SMU grad in biomedical engineering (long ago) and I just went back to campus in September (it had been a really long time) to tour with my daughter - also a junior - similar stats. I really liked what I saw and think it is worth touring - the networking, career services, access to internships in Dallas, etc. are impressive. The northern Texas schools are all relatively close to each other (SMU, TCU, Baylor). I would tour them all and see if she gets a feel for one over the others. I think SMU is strong in the subjects she is interested in and she can explore putting together a major combination that fills her interests. I think she also has a decent shot at some merit scholarships at SMU or any those schools, it can’t hurt to apply.
@azmomof3 thank you that is a good suggestion, I will pass it on. Does your daughter know where she wants to go yet?
I don’t think she knows where she wants to go but she has a decent start on a list for applications - we are Catholic so she’s interested in some of the Catholic or Jesuit schools - Gonzaga (toured last summer), Santa Clara (touring in 2 weeks), etc. She is also interested in Rice, although she knows that is a reach for most. She liked SMU although taking her back to tour during my Homecoming week was a big mistake because it was too much ‘her mom’s’ school I’m afraid. I hope she applies though. We are in Arizona so the Barrett Honor College at ASU and UofA Honors College are, by far, the most affordable options.
Someone I work with had his kids go through University of Dallas, that is a good Catholic school you might consider.
Trinity is the #2 school in texas, after Rice, according to Forbes. They have phenomenal job placement in different areas of study also.
@texastexas20 Thank you, she says she wants to go to a larger (population wise) college but I will bring it to her attention. I have heard Trinity is a good college.
If you get NM Finalist with a 1500+ SAT, and choose Baylor, you get full tuition. And, if you are in their honors programs, there is money possible $$ beyond tuition. Key is to not list them as #1 early, and let them give you all the stackable scholarships they have to give, then list them as #1 at the end of the process, I think May 1st. That can bring Baylor down under $10k actual Net Price.
UT merit is tougher. Plan II was the most generous with $10k, but $5k is more common if you are strong.
Dean’s Scholar came through with just $1k… they seem to really hold on to their funds for those with high need.
Not sure about other honors programs.
40 Acres is the jackpot - a full ride plus - but extremely competitive. I read the bio’s of their annual winners, thought my son was in the same category, but he didn’t even make the finalists’ cut. Very competitive, and perhaps some “hooks” required as well. Only 20 or fewer winners out of the 9000 freshmen admits.
SMU gave us $42k, but still not enough to cover tuition, as they are so stinking expensive. Just wow. Ant that is for someone in their top 2 honors programs.
UofH is full ride plus if you use Nat’l Merit. They are chasing top students very hard. We would have cash left over if we went there.
Uof Dallas, or U of Texas at Dallas, can’t remember which, has a similar offering as U of H for Nat’l Merit. Very generous.
Heard great things about Trinity, Southwestern, and Austin College. never heard anything good about TCU.
And of course, there is A&M. I found trying to decipher what actual scholarships might be available for a top student to be too difficult. We did not apply as I couldn’t convince myself that a full tuition scholarship or better existed there.
I heard that National Merit students typically get something close to a full ride. It is not anywhere near officially disclosed on their website, but the rumor is that they will make a very good offer.
We had a family member who was NMF and A&M courted her nicely. I think in the end the offer was full-tuition. This was just two years ago. But you are right… It’s hard to figure out from the website and I’m not sure it’s guaranteed.
@jjloehr @ScienceGirlMom @carachel2 great information! This is eye opening, it seems you really won’t know what you will get until after you’ve applied (I guess that’s common sense). One question though @jjloehr when you talk about listing the college as #1, what do you mean … listing them where? In other words, if D applies regular to decision to several colleges and no early decision to any, where or how does she indicate that one college is #1 and what would be the purpose of doing that? Is there give and take in the merit aid process?
Here is my 2 cents having just finished the first part of the process (getting in). Step 2 - deciding - is up to my daughter and she is working thru all that now.
Background - she is ranked 4.5 % at a top public TX hs; 35 ACT;109 WGPA (100 UW) ; national merit finalist ; lots of leadership; lots of volunteer work; NASA aerospace scholar; BME research
She applied BME at UT, TAMU, Rice, USC, Duke,UVA, ND, Vandy and Stanford.
All in all this year was a total crap shoot as to where she got in. UT and TAMU she was auto admit but did not get BME at UT (is hoping to get in on appeal or transfer) and TAMU everyone gets general engineering and you apply to your major. I know several kids who did not get BME with higher stats including valedictorians so you cannot assume it’s a given anymore. TAMU loves her and with NMF scholarships she was offered $45k total over 4 yrs so basically free tuition. We visited Friday and I was really impressed - we spent some time talking to the Dean of engineering and I think it’s a great school-just need to see if it fits.
She also got into UVA, ND and Rice (best school in TX for BME IMHO. She did not get into Stanford, Duke (no surprise as both are uber competitive). Biggest surprise was USC denial - lots of kids with lower stats got in. She didn’t care because she decided it was off the table a while back.
So I guess what I have learned is to make sure you apply to lots of schools at all levels (reach match safeties) ; also holistic admissions adds a layer of uncertainty and you really don’t know who will get in. Finally, 17 year olds don’t always know what they want to major in so picking schools that allow them to change is nice. This is all just to give you a sense of what we just experienced. It’s humbling and she is lucky to have good options. But I am glad it’s over…not fun.
@dansmoaustin thanks for sharing your experience, very helpful. Did Rice give her a good price, compared to tamu or UT? Did she get into the plan II if she applied at UT? I wonder why BME is so popular now, it must be a hot field. My D is interested in a premed track of some kind probably but also loves history and the humanities. I take it she hasn’t made a final decision yet. Sounds like she has several good options.
Does anyone have any opinions of the UH honors college program?
Trinity, Texas Tech (Honors) - But really, UT-Austin and Rice and A&M. SMU you said was too expensive and TCU would be about the same. Maybe Austin College (Sherman) or Southwestern University (Georgetown) possibly UT-San Antonio.
Hi @CorpusChristi
She did not have any interest in Plan ll. Kid loves math and chem ESP org chem. Doesn’t love history as much. Rice gave us a whopping $5k grant with a second kid in college at an Ivy on a low 200k gross income - EFC 40 K - per kid - ouch! We have saved enough for state school which I think hurts us too for FA. She knows that she is looking at 6-8 years of school with grad or PHD so TAMU is best option followed by UT. Rice is best school for BME. Notre Dame is a great all around school but expensive and they don’t have BME per se but she could figure out something close. She got interested in drug delivery and cancer so this is chem and materials science and some biochem and engineering. But that could all change which is why it’s nice if a school supports kids who’s interests are still developing.
@dansmoaustin Thanks, very interesting. I think Rice will not give us much more than you based on the net cost calculator–it appears to be a wonderful school – heck I wouldn’t mind going there myself (if I were a few decades younger) but its quite pricey. I know someone else who has a freshman at TAMU this year in honors business and seems to have gotten a similar discount like you did, and from all accounts seems relatively happy at the school.
@CorpusChristi You asked about UH Honors Program. We visited that program twice to learn about what they offer. That program definitely offers a smaller college experience with a dedicated staff, reserved wing in the campus library building for Honors classes, first choice of campus research opportunities, and of course small classes. Honors students take most of their courses in the regular UH program and some, if offered, through the small Honors program.
That program is energetic in promoting itself as Tier 1 caliber, but based on the caliber of faculty, students and career placement of UH Honors program, it seems decidedly lesser than UT Austin and Rice.
Also, the campus environment is less comfortable/safe compared to UT Austin, Rice, TAMU and UTDallas.
@CorpusChristi We have visited TAMU numerous times and UT Austin just once. The culture is dramatically different based on our experience. TAMU felt disciplined, traditional, folksy, regimented, conservative and homogeneous. When we ate in TAMU’s cafeteria close to the football stadium, we were stunned to see about 25% of the students wearing crew cut hair styles and cadet corps uniforms. Also, there was a modest amount of ethnic diversity. The students seem to really, really love their school, school traditions, school campus, school lore. We attended an open house in the economics department were told about their study abroad program in Bulgaria, China, Netherlands, etc. When we asked what percent of the students who apply for those actually get selected to go abroad, the department head said that only 4 or 5 students each year from the economics department show interest in study abroad so they all get to go. We asked why so few show interest. The response was “they don’t want to leave campus…they love it here… there is so much to do on campus so who can blame them…”
The experience we had at UT Austin felt so very different. We ate lunch in the cafeteria in Jester complex and noticed about 75% of the 200 or so students eating lunch seemed to be minorities. They UT students were very friendly as well. While they were proud of their campus and sports program, they didn’t seem as immersed or enchanted by UT Austin’s history and traditions.
We were extremely impressed by UT Austin McComb School of Businesses career placement services. Less so by TAMU’s I encourage you to visit and spend quality time at both campus. They are very different in many ways.