<p>^^^
LOL! I know what you mean. I was commenting to DS the other day that when we visit Penn State this summer, he really needs to be ready to answer questions like “what made you look at PSU?” , “what is it about PSU that interests you?”, etc. And DS’s comment was “Well, why AM I looking at Penn State?” AUGH!!! I just wanted to scream! </p>
<p>He is looking at a very specific field (only 19 formal programs in the country) but we have also pointed him to schools that offer “variations” of what he wants - just to make the list a little more varied. He has already eliminated schools that don’t have marching band programs and has limited the a variety of schools based on location.</p>
<p>only 19 formal programs? i almost wish i could narrow it down based on something like that…mine wants a strong chemistry/ molecular biology/genetics program… so lots of schools, right now he has 2 career paths he could see himself doing and being happy(and we all know that can change) undergrad/grad and academia OR undergrad/md/phd. many schools were eliminated due to finances and low/no merit aid. I’m actually surprised that marching band hasnt been as high on the list as i thought it would be. He wants an urban/city setting as grew up in small town, prefers oos but realizes what opportunities he has here instate merit aid wise. A few still remain on the list that really arent possible ie UPenn, UChicago and Vandy. , just his reluctance to formally take them off the list.<br>
with a possible 8-16 years of schooling, undergrad has to be as affordable as possible, just cant justify 50k per year on undergrad alone. Thankfully he understands that,and he has really liked the schools we have seen so far.</p>
<p>We - DH, DS, and I - have had various iterations of “the list”…with all of us adding schools and DS eliminating ones that DH and I added based on whatever criteria …</p>
<p>My favorite “elimination” reason so far is for Okla State… His HS band played in the Holiday Bowl this past Dec. They sat next to the OSU band and in front of the cheerleaders (both of which were great) - but he said the OSU mascot (the cowboy with the big head) was just “freaky!” Hence - OSU is off the list!</p>
<p>Yeah - the small number of formal programs helped narrow the list initially - and then he narrowed it down more based on location and band options. </p>
<p>He is interested in Architectural Engineering. So - only 19 accredited programs, but several schools that offer Civil Engr with a concentration/specialty in Architecture. Then we’re making him also look at strong CE schools at which he can get a minor in Arch.</p>
<p>DH would prefer he get a solid CE degree, but he can live with the Architecture focus as long as the school is solid.</p>
<p>Parent56 - re: (in fact next week i plan to call the schools on his list about whether we have to file fafsa or not…we wont qualify for financial need aid but some still may want it to be considered for merit and i need to know that).
Could you let us know what you find out… we’re looking at both UA and Auburn, same situation, so your legwork will save me the call ;)</p>
<p>I DO see the OOS listings for much lower ACT scores, but those require a higher GPA than my son has (unless they are weighting the AP/Honors?). My son’s recent interest in med school has me looking at cheaper undergrad programs.</p>
<p>allthis… sorry i was talking about in state (we are) didnt know when i first posted that gr was out of state. re the gpa, be sure to have the gc put a weighted gpa on the transcript uab takes whatever is on the transcript, they do not re- calculate…if both unweighted and weighted are on the transcript they take the higher gpa. so either both or just weighted if that would bring him up to be in line for the scholarship is what you need.</p>
<p>^^
I think our school only puts the weighted GPA on the transcript. </p>
<p>We’re in TX and not really looking at any TX schools. DS will apply to UT, but the chances of him getting in are slim and even the in-state tuition is obnoxious!</p>
<p>Just thought I’d chime in with two opinions that I hold very, very strongly, in case it stimulates some interesting discussion.</p>
<p>Opinion #1: Weighting GPA’s is useful for nothing but determining class rank. I hate the fact that schools put weighted GPA’s on transcripts, because it really says nothing about the student unless you look at the courses taken.</p>
<p>Opinion #2: Given that many (most?) high schools do use weighted GPA’s, colleges that do not recalculate GPA using their own system are infuriating. My son’s school does not weight GPA, so the B he gets in an AP class counts for a full point less than the A someone else gets in a regular class. If a college doesn’t recalculate his GPA, that puts him at a disadvantage in admissions and completely out of the running for many scholarships.</p>
<p>i agree with you! my son’s school doesnt automatically put a weighted gpa on transcript, yet all classes are honors or ap. but i talked to the gc and they will put a weighted on the transcript if requested in certain situations. his school does not rank, does not have a val or sal, and without a weighted you are correct he could be out of the running for some scholarships. I wish they could institute a common grading system for all schools. but also i cant blame the colleges for not re-calculating in this area, as most high schools in this particular region dont even offer honors or ap courses, only in a few of the bigger cities…so that would put all rural kids at a disadvantage here… i know my son had a 4.0 at his local hs, but at his current with much harder courses has a 3.86…double edged sword! if the college recalculated he comes out ahead but the rural kids would never be able to top a 4.0 and makes them less competitive. so i guess the college leaves it up to the schools?</p>
<p>parent56, it sounds like your son’s school is very much like my son’s. It’s a public, residential math-and-science school where, as you said, all courses are at the honors-, AP-, or concurrent-college-credit level. I wonder if all such schools have the same issue. Also, like your son, mine has lower grades at his current school, even though the education is roughly a gazillion times better than at his old school.</p>
<p>I never thought of asking if they would put a weighted GPA on the transcript if requested. Good idea!</p>
<p>mantori, exactly what his school is. the gc should be able to tell you whether they could do it or not, suggest you print out info on the average gpa for programs your child is considering and then (as i found a few showed higher than 4.0) ask them to consider the weighted as obviously the school is taking weighted into consideration, i also asked the college if they re-calculate and added that info…if the school re-calculates there is no need, but if not, it bolsters your request.
i think these schools that our children go to value the uniqueness of their programs and their kids, and dont like ranking these kids against each other…i think it has been great educationally but it leaves a few glitches.</p>
<p>I, too, am pleased that they don’t rank the kids against each other. This school has such a positive, cooperative atmosphere; I’m afraid ranking would introduce a level of grade-grubbing that would ruin the fun. These kids are highly competitive…against themselves. And that’s a good thing.</p>
<p>I may be too late - but on the question of Auburn scholarships, my son applied early and was offered a 2/3 tuition scholarship strictly on the basis of his submitted transcript and his SAT/ACT scores. No supplemental forms, no financial aid numbers submitted. Very very easy and tempting, but he’d applied binding early decision to his first choice, so we had to turn it down. </p>
<p>Not sure how they evaluate weighted GPAs, but since they have the transcript in front of them, they can see the difficulty of the courses taken and the kid’s grade in each course if there’s a question, I guess.</p>
<p>True, Tiredofsnow, and some large state schools look at transcripts more carefully than others, but unfortunately many cash-strapped institutions can’t afford anything close to a holistic admissions process and are forced to go strictly by the numbers, just to get through tens of thousands of applications in a reasonable amount of time.</p>
<p>Thank goodness for National Merit scholarships. I’ve known several amazing kids whose transcripts didn’t do them justice, but because of their PSAT scores they were able to get full rides to decent colleges.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, Auburn and Alabama are both very generous with merit money - perhaps to entice students for whom their schools may be a second or third choice? My son is OOS, by the way.</p>
<p>And he was nowhere near a National Merit scholar. Auburn is pretty clear about the score/GPA cutoffs for their merit money on their website, if I remember correctly.</p>
<p>The great thing about Auburn is that they take applications early and give admissions decisions quickly - so your S or D can know well before Christmas if they’re in. The other great thing is that the application is very simple; only a few short answer essays. </p>
<p>AND the merit money is granted automatically without financial evaluation - and without supplementary applications (again, as far as I recall).</p>
<p>Auburn was the #2 choice for both my D (2007 college grad) and my S (who graduated this year). Both chose Virginia Tech over Auburn, but we would have been happy for them to go there. Great, friendly people in admissions, and they liked the campus, too.</p>