Thanks, @LucieTheLakie , I think this type of information helps keep us grounded. I realize that my kids are very different in terms of their strengths and weaknesses, although it is hard when it comes time to apply to colleges since test scores, GPA, and ECs all seem to be the primary measures colleges use to choose who to offer admission to. My oldest (S16) definitely is bright, but has never been one to study unless he’s in deep trouble with a class grade (usually, the last week of the quarter) and he never decided to prepare for his ACT/SAT either. But, he’s a very talented computer programmer who will spend hours work on that type of project. He knew he wanted to go away to 4 yr college but didn’t care where he applied, so in state public suits him fine. My youngest (D18) spends hours studying to aim for top grades, and is already looking at college websites and trying to find a major she’d like to pursue. She is eager to go OOS to pursue a dual major so that she can continue training in voice/musical theater. They both have their strengths and motivations, and I realize at this point we have to let them have the freedom to follow those…as long as we can afford it and not put them into debt when they graduate :).
One thing I noticed on many of these schools that offer large merit age packages to students with 3.5 averages and average SAT/ACT scores - while the scholarship amount sounds terrific ($19,500 at Roanoke, for instance), the tuition is $38,000 so we’d still need to pay $18,500 in tuition a year, which is much more than our in-state public will cost ($8,950 - $1,500 merit scholarship they offered him for the same grades/GPA). I also notice sometimes when big merit packages are offered, the average scores/GPA for the college are much lower than my S16…and he typically does better when he’s challenged by kids with higher grades. I remember my niece being lured by big scholarships and getting very excited by them, only to realize that the net cost for tuition was still unaffordable. It broke her heart since she really liked a few of the schools and only at the end realized she couldn’t attend them because of financial constraints. Her lesson taught us to be wary of calls with big offers. A great website to see details on each college in the US is the NCES College Navigator. http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ It gives you much of the information you’ll want based on 2014-15 reported information to the US Department of Education - tuition, room and board, enrollment size, majors offered, graduation/retention rates, acceptance cutoffs, financial aid. I use it all the time to check the actual details for any colleges my S16 or D18 are interested in.
@lifegarding, it seems you have a good strategy in place.
I agree that “big scholarship” offers need to be taken with a HUGE grain of salt. Unless they’re offering “full tuition,” you need to tread with caution. My best advice is to apply to a range of schools where YOUR student is likely to get the biggest bang for the buck, and then set up a spreadsheet that compares net annual cost of attendance sans loans so you’re comparing like to like.
When it was time to narrow college choices for my older son, we eliminated any school where the net price calculator showed us it was going to be too expensive UNLESS there was a chance at a huge merit discount. But we were clear with him that those would only be viable if the cost was in range. He ended up at an out-of-state flagship (his safety school) that guarantees four years of tuition (plus an extra stipend for his particular major). We chose that school as a safety because he (unlike the VAST MAJORITY of kids) tests well with zero prep (and he wasn’t going to do any!) and he had the requisite GPA. At the end of the day, it turned out to be the best overall VALUE for him. As far as there being enough students around to challenge him, it hasn’t been an issue. As long as the school is relatively large, there should be a good number of strong students to compete against, especially in STEM fields.
There are so many variables, whether or not the student can get accepted, whether or not there is merit aid available, cost in-state vs. out-of-state with publics, etc. There are a lot of private schools that offer good merit awards for solid students that make them comparable (or only slightly more) in cost to that of an in-state public. (These schools know this and set their prices accordingly). Check out Lynn O’Shaunessy’s website The College Solution for advice on that approach. And search specifically for her post called “Scholarships for Students With a 3.4 GPA.”
This afternoon my son got an email from the “hiccup” school, encouraging him to apply.
So he replied that he HAD applied, and been accepted, then not accepted, and that was the latest response he had gotten from them.
At this point, I seriously doubt either one of us would consider that school anyway. If their admissions process is any indication of what’s going on at that school, the money would be better spent on a family vacation.
YAY… two more acceptances, including his #1 choice with $5000. That brings him up to 6, out of the 9 he’s applied to.
One rejection,2 on hold including the hiccup school.
Of course, he’s still talking about maybe going to Community College for 2 years to save money. And I’m still nodding my head. We’ll see in the spring where he ends up.
Congrats @bjkmom that’s great. I love rolling admission and it’s so great and a huge boost that he has so many choices and with some aid? That’s great!
We are still waiting for three more. One is suppose to be rolling admission but who knows. The other two we won’t hear back from until March. Waiting is the pits.
Whether he goes to Community College or not, he’ll know he was good enough to get into at least 6 schools. I think that’s a huge deal for a kid who never particularly cared a lot about his grades.
I live about 25 minutes fromTowson University. Many of our local high schoolers go to Towson because it’s instate. Most of the kids I know come home on weekends, at least during their freshman year. It makes it tough if your child is OOS and trying to make friends on weekends, especially during those first few weeks when everyone is homesick. Although, I have to say this may be the case anywhere. Locals students that go to Univ. of Maryland also come home more often than if they were OOS. My DD is a freshman at WVU and her roommate goes home every weekend. So, I would recommend that no matter what school your child chooses it might help to try to get another OOS student as a roommate.
Otoh, my own D is the kind of person who needs her alone time; and she’s always had her own room to retreat to…
It might be a blessing in disguise for someone like her, to have a roommate that goes home on the weekends. And there will be other student sin the dorm… Not EVERYONE goes home on the weekend.
I’d also recommend taking advantage of any scheduled activities on weekends on campus - “late nite” events, cheap movies, going to games, etc.
He has 6 acceptances, including his #1 and #2 choices. Most of them came with some merit aid. Not enough to make this venture a walk in the park, but probably enough that we won’t be reduced to eating cat food… though spaghetti will probably become a staple in our diets.
He’s talking about attending the local Community College to save money and because he’s comfortable enough at home. He loves his job at a local supermarket. The car he bought himself (against our better judgment, but that’s a different thread) probably can’t be depended on to get him back and forth, so that’s another expense we would have to consider.
But the last time I asked, he hadn’t yet submitted the transcript request for the CC. I know it’s filled out; I signed it.
We have lots of time before May 1. Once we get past his sister’s Sweet 16 this weekend, we’ll probably have to sit down and talk out his options.
Anyone else not sure of which option their child will end up with?
@bjkmom - you have my sympathies. You would think once the child is in at their #1 and #2 schools, the process is done, right? I was where you are last year. My child applied EA to 6 out of 7 schools and heard back from ALL of them by the end of February. She didn’t decide until the fourth week of April. While she was quick to toss her safety, the unaffordable and Mom’s choice, the rest were in play until the very end. (she made the right choice in that she is enjoying and thriving at her chosen school but that may have happened at any of her schools). good luck.
We are holding tight. DD got into Temple with no merit money. But the OOS costs are about the same as her current first choice private. But we have to find the money/time to get out to visit the first choice
We are still waiting on two RD decisions but DD is sure she won’t want to go there because of the other acceptances. I guess we wait and see
