Can you help me map out initial college visits: OH, PA, NY (maybe VA)?

Ohio State has probably changed a lot since your college days at Miami, you might want to stop in Columbus. Parking is a breeze now with plenty of visitor garages and real time space availability (check the campus parc website http://osu.campusparc.com/ or download the Ohio State app https://www.osu.edu/downloads/apps/ohio-state-app.html). Fisher is now north of the engineering area and Campus Partners is redeveloping the university district (neighborhood across High St), but the oval is still the center. https://campusvisit.osu.edu/WalkingTour.pdf

The National Buckeye and Maximus merit awards can bring direct costs for oos students (tuition, fees, room & board) into $27k range, plus department scholarships can reduce costs a bit more. Some larger full tuition/full ride opportunities are also possible for oos that apply to those scholarships specifically. http://undergrad.osu.edu/cost-and-aid/merit-based-scholarships

Fun stuff (you need to check dates/times for availability):
https://ortongeologicalmuseum.osu.edu/
https://recsports.osu.edu/outdoor-recreation/climbing-center
https://bioscigreenhouse.osu.edu/visiting
https://planetarium.osu.edu/public-programs
https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/the-ohio-state-university-ice-rink-open-skating-sessions/

In your shoes I’d probably only add either Washington & Jefferson or Allegheny (LACs), The University of Rochester (private research U), and make the trip down 81 to VT checking out the schools previously listed that are of interest to you, esp state options.

I also agree with checking out Carnegie Mellon U if you’re seeing Pitt. The two are right next door.

You could also plot your actual route(s) on a map and just see what colleges are an exit away. Many maps list them - even on Google.

If you are just looking for type, NPC doesn’t matter, but if you are looking for actual contenders, run all NPCs first. No sense setting up dreams that are unlikely to happen.

I’ll add that I’d have my student take a practice ACT and SAT (at home - timed conditions) to see what range they are in to give me a broad idea of where they will fit. Potentially being a candidate for significant merit aid is also something you’d want to know.

If he is getting an IB Diploma, look at schools where you get extra credits for the diploma.
Check out SUNY Binghamton (surprisingly affordable for Out of State and generous with IB credits…my DD was able to graduate 1.5 years early (or you could study abroad, do a coop, etc)
and
https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2018/05/05/getting-ib-credit-at-university/

and of course, check out Case Western Reserve University!

LACs are pretty dead in summer. They are small to begin with and the students typically don’t need to do summer school to get classes they couldn’t get. And they don’t have graduate programs that are more year round. Even if they do take summer school, they’ll often do it at a place closer to their home. Keep that in mind. Always better, but less convenient, to visit during school year.

Thanks again to everyone for these helpful responses.

For the questions on what we will be able to afford, we have about $125K now, hoping to have $150-160K by the time he graduates, and probably able to pay about $10K/year out of pocket (saving $9K/year right now). So I don’t think that he will be able to consider anything that is likely to exceed $45K/year. @cptofthehouse, good point on not raising expectations for things that we can’t afford, but have no idea what kind of eligibility he might have for merit aid. Desperately hoping that at least one of the kids will go in state - agree that there are so many good VA optionsl

@Creekland, has it been your experience that at-home practice tests - even after ninth grade - are relatively decent predictors of future performance. Unfortunately, his school doesn’t do PSAT.

Forgot to add, there have been a few different comments about LACs being dead in the summer. I will probably only put one on the list, but I should do one, right? Unfortunately, no chance that he will be in the US during the regular academic year.

@AmericanOverseas , I think a small LAC could be helpful to do a drive around or walk around self tour, so your student can try to get a feel for the different sizes? My caution, reading here that small LACs are dead in the summer, is that first impressions can be really powerful for teens. I would hate for your son to write off all small LACs after driving through one and thinking that no one is there. Just something to think about. I think many of us have experienced some strong, sometimes irrational opinions from our teens on the college search and the first impression seems to be very important!

I agree it’s early to start assessing where he will be in terms of reasonable colleges to put on the list and whether he can get merit money.

Though also a bit premature, you might want to see where your family sits right now in terms of eligibility for financial aid. I’d run the NPCs for s few schools that interest you and also get some idea what your FAFSA EFC is.

It is very possible that you don’t qualify for financial aid with just one kid in college, but can’t reasonably swing paying full price at some of these schools. That means a school like, say, Dartmouth or Williams is not going to be doable at $70k+. They give zero merit money and good financial aid but if you don’t qualify, it’s no good to you

Will you have two in college for any time? Friends of ours did qualify for aid while they had multiples in college, so the older one did a gap year so that they had all their kids 4 years in college together. In their case , it really paid off as they had a set of twins right after their fist. I know several families with twins and a singleton all together.

Virginia schools are priced reasonably, but getting acceptance to the most known ones is challenging. My nieces went to other states’ flagship schools because they did not get into the ones they wanted in VA. It might be a good idea to look at less known VA state schools like Mary Washington , Radford etc. I’ve visited some, and think they are not lacking in amenities . Beautiful campuses

@AmericanOverseas Practice tests that young can give you a good bottom line as well as address gaps that need to be filled in. Just realize there is more education coming - esp for most in math.

For reference, a student who scores in the 30s (ACT) in 9th/10th grade can realistically consider higher level schools and would probably thrive in them if the character matches and finances work out. Merit aid also is probable/possible if one selects schools that offer it. The difference between probable and possible is if the merit aid is competitive or automatic - again - depends upon the schools. The test itself is a bottom line reference. They aren’t going to do worse - very unlikely anyway.

If the same student scores in the mid 20s they are solidly on their way and often do better with another year or two of classes.

If the student scores in the teens they are quite average (which is fine!). Most of these are unlikely to be high caliber college students, but can do well in other schools with peers. Of course they could, but most don’t improve to high caliber level without some sort of other thing going on (language barrier, stress, change of focus, change of work ethic, etc). Sometimes on CC “average” is considered a dirty word, but I work with oodles of average students every year and most of them do just fine in life and are great to be around. Personality matters more than how one scores in every other aspect of life. But for your reference, it gives you an idea of what schools to target in your visit. Don’t pick those that are unlikely to work out.

The other benefit of practice tests is just that - practice. The student learns the format and the types of questions and is less likely to be stressed out about that part in the real test when it counts.

Know your student. If they are likely to be overwhelmed by a lower score and can’t rationalize that they haven’t had the material yet so it’s ok, skip practicing that young. For the rest it’s fine. For some, it’s inspirational in itself - sort of like a challenge motivating them.

I’ll differ on the “too early” part. By ninth grade we probably have a > 90% accuracy on who will continue to do what level of work. The 10% can be affected by drugs, peers, life stress, health, and any motivational change from a terrific person or elsewhere. The main thing the OP needs is a reference point of where to be thinking the student will fit in. Their visit time is limited.

I would walk around an LAC and even do a visit - just remind the student that school is out of session. Many of our students prefer the less busy places, so thinking it will be a turn off is not a guarantee and visiting during the school year is simply not an option.

@cptofthehouse, we will have kids in college at the same time. 3 years with 1 in school, 3 years with 2 in school, and 1 year with 3 in school.

Can’t hurt to put an LAC on the list. If you do, though, go to the info session and do a tour so you can get a bit more of the flavor of the school. Otherwise, you’ll be at the mercy of just one tour guide.

Do play with the NPCs for some schools and see how it makes a difference in cost with multiples in college.

In Pittsburgh, you can hit Duquesne, PItt, CMU in one day. If in NYC area, Fordham, NYU good picks. I’d look at the VA schools, because they are great deals. Radford and VT are close in distance. W&M, JMU , UVA, George Mason. GW, American in DC