Chance an ambitious future educator

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • US domestic *
  • State/Location of residency: * Massachusetts
  • Type of high school * Public Rural, transferred from Parochial Catholic School
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity (optional): White
  • Other special factors (first generation to college, legacy, athlete, etc.): Adopted, was in DCF System for 2 years while integrating into grandparents house. Dead father.

Intended Major(s) Dual Major in Education and Neuroscience

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 89/100
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 97.73/100
  • Class Rank: 8/97
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1210 when I took it in Fall of Junior Year, taking again in March.

Coursework
Currently taking College Algebra via DE (algebra 2)
AP Biology
AP Literature
Took up to French 2, school didn’t offer 3.

Sophomores were not allowed to take AP Classes, so I did not take any.

Awards
Will earn Eagle Scout. Outstanding Delegate at MIT Model UN
Extracurriculars
Boy Scouts, staffed on a leadership course with boyscouts for six years. Political internship as the field director for a local candidate summer after freshman into sophomore year, lead a service project to improve pedestrianism in the downtown of my city which got much news attention, and have been advocating for bike parking requirements being added to zoning bylaws in my local area, which has also gotten media coverage. Founder of Model UN Club at my school, did Model UN Sophomore year and won an award at MIT MUN. Debate team captain, runs cross country indoor track and plays volleyball. Will be XC Captain next year

Cost Constraints / Budget
I have accepted I will be in debt for the rest of my life.

Schools I’m not sure which are safeties etc. to be honest, hence the chance me.

  • Safety: UMASS Amherst, Michigan State, UW Madison
  • Likely: UCONN
  • Match: Trinity College (Hartford), Fordham, UC Irvine
  • Reach: Every Ivy League (Fee Waiver so like might as well). WUSTL, Amherst College, Bowdoin.

Bowdoin is my dream school so might apply ED.

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Look into the Questbridge program

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You will not be in debt for the rest of your life because the amount you can borrow is capped (and right now it’s below 30K total). And not sure every Ivy League U is going to have the education/neuro dual major you are looking for…

Are you hoping to teach? Ed policy? Go on for a doctorate for a career in research, or become a Superintendent? And why Neuro specifically???

It’s great to be ambitious- but we can be more helpful with a little more information…

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If you have fee waivers, I then second Questbridge - i.e. if your family income is under $65K which given your situation described with your adoption, it may be.

Secondly, here’s a list of colleges (there’s 3 lists on here) that meet 100% of demonstrated need.

Unless you have someone paying for you, OOS schools like Wisconsin, UCI, and Michigan State should be taken off the list.

As for being in debt for the rest of you life - don’t accept that. There’s no need for that to be - but it will happen if you start that way. You have come through so much in life - congratulations. With your drive, you will find success - don’t let debt crush your future (and it will).

Also, as @blossom pointed out, you can only borrow $5,500 your first year, $6,500 your second, and $7,500 your last two - so $27K over four years. So that’s the government doing its best keep you out of that debt struggle.

You may qualify for Pell Grants, etc. but you won’t be able to afford schools - OOS publics for example - on your own. Yes, more loans could be had if someone will sign - but for your majors, which will require grad school - don’t go there.

Also, the other person taking the loan on your behalf would have to qualify and take on the risk. Just because you want a loan doesn’t mean you can obtain one - and if you can’t, that’s to your benefit with these majors.

Questbridge is designed for students like yourself - and alternatively focus on schools that you can afford - which either means in-state publics and / or schools that will meet 100% of need - which include Trinity and Bowdoin by the way as well as WUSTL, Amherst and more. But you also want to apply to some of the easier ones to get into on the list - they’re not easy but - Franklin & Marshall, Berea, etc.

Your scores are solid but perhaps not high enough for some schools on your list. So you’ll want to add other in-states as well as Maine (which would match in-state). New England publics have a program but it’s not as cheap. Not everyone will have a neuro major but you’ll find classes or focus. For example, Maine has a minor.

Your HS - does it have a counselor that could provide better guidance? You are way underestimating the financial aspects - but it’s great that you posted here and hopefully this will point you in the right direction.

Good luck - and keep up the great work.

Here’s Every College That Offers 100% Financial Aid (prepscholar.com)

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What about Bowdoin makes it your favorite? Perhaps we can help identify alternatives with similar characteristics that appeal to you.

Given you also mention Fordham which in many ways seems completely different I think we need to get a sense of what you are looking for.

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UC Irvine wouldn’t be considered a match because it is so darn competitive and expensive. You won’t be able to borrow $67k per year to attend. There is NO state aid for nonresidents.

The UCs can charge those fees because nonresidents are lined up ready to pay those fees to attend a UC. Nonresidents are viewed as “cash cows”, bringing cash to a much needed State system.

Apply to the Questbridge program.
I don’t know what your future goal is, with education and neuroscience, but most bio teachers, whom I know of in California, don’t make that kind of money to be able to repay those kinds of loans, nor be able to ever qualify to rent, much less purchase, a home.

You don’t want to owe over a quarter of a million dollars to attend an OOS public school.

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Were you adopted through DCF in Massachusetts? If so, it looks as though you may be eligible for a waiver of all tuition and fees at public colleges in Massachusetts. If you were in an institution affiliated with the Casey Foundation, they also offer alumni scholarships of up to $10k.

Are you hoping to continue in any of your extracurriculars (Model UN, debate)? Do you think you might be recruited for one of your sports, perhaps cross-country? Even at Division 3 schools that don’t offer scholarships for athletics, it can help you to gain acceptance to a university, and there are many D3s (most of the highly-competitive privates) that meet full need.

Would you prefer a large university (15,000 or more students), a medium university (5-15,000), or a smaller university (under 5,000…and more like 1-2k students or more like 3-5k)? Do you want to be an urban, suburban, or rural environment? How far from home are you interested in going? Where would you like to live after you graduate? Do you want lots of sports life or no strong feelings one way or the other? What are you hoping to get out of your college experience?

Even if you have fee waivers for every Ivy (or fee waivers to other highly-competitive schools) it doesn’t necessarily mean you should apply. You want to do research to see where you’re going to have the best fit. Most of these colleges also require extra essays with the application, so whenever you add on another school, you’re usually adding extra essays just for that one college. It is definitely doable, but you want to make sure the quality of your submissions is high and individualized to each institution to convey how interested you are in their specific program(s).

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In 2021, average Questbridge finalist GPA was 3.91, so QB probably not a great option for OP with an uGPA of 89/100.

OP, what can your family pay per year for college? Is it an option to live at home and attend community college, or commute to a 4 year school?

You will be able to borrow $27K in total for the 4 years of undergrad. If you qualify as an independent student (adopted from foster care aged 13 years or older) you can qualify for an additional $16k in loans, but I wouldn’t recommend you do that. Any loans beyond those amounts will be on your parents/co-signer…you will not be able to qualify for additional loans on your own.

All the public schools on your list (not in Mass) will be unaffordable, so drop those now. It’s ok to apply to reaches, but first and foremost you need an affordable safety. I’m not sure UMass Amherst is an academic safety, probably a likely. But, is it affordable?

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I know quite a few OOS kids who have gotten aid at Michigan State. Not sure I would rule it out without looking further.

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Comment wasn’t based on chance of admission - but on cost - even with merit.

Unless I’m missing something there - that was the basis of that comment.

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Start your search here. Are you able to commute to any of these institutions? If so, make sure you apply to it because that is your sure thing (you can live at home and would get free tuition & fees, so you would just need to pay for books and gas).

Next, look at these prices for tuition, room, and board. Are these affordable for your family? There’s about a $5k difference in price between the most expensive housing (U. Mass – Boston) and the least expensive (Fitchburg). Campuses are all considered residential unless I’ve noted it as a commuter campus (and italicized it).

• University of Massachusetts – Amherst: 23,875 undergrads; $14,217 for housing
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy: 1,537 undergrads; $13,578 for housing
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design: 1,697 undergrads; $14,800 for housing
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell: 13,365 undergrads; $13,570 for housing
• Bridgewater State: 8,760 undergrads; $13,300 for housing—commuter campus
• Framingham State: 3,384 undergrads; $13,040 for housing
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: 1,036 undergrads; $12,284 for housing
• Westfield State: 4,358 undergrads; $11,888 for housing
• University of Massachuseetts – Dartmouth; 5,896 students; $14,715 for housing; commuter campus
• Fitchburg State: 3,582 undergrads; $12,120 for housing
• Worcester State: 4,648 undergrads; $12,568 for housing; commuter campus
• Salem State: 5,293 undergrads; commuter campus
• University of Massachusetts – Boston: 12,213 undergrads, $17,437 for housing, commuter campus

In terms of a neuroscience major, the two MA publics that offer that as a major are U. Mass – Amherst and Fitchburg.

For a general education degree you’re looking at U. Mass – Amherst, U. Mass – Lowell, Mass. College of Liberal Arts, Fitchburg, Worcester State, Salem State, and U. Mass – Boston. But if there’s a particular area of education you’re looking at beyond just general education, taking a deeper dive at these schools (and the others) would be recommended.

Based off this initial pass at MA publics I’d definitely look more closely at Amherst (which you already have on your list) and Fitchburg. And I am extremely envious of all the strong public options available in Massachusetts. Most other states are not nearly so lucky.

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Ivy Leagues are high reaches. So are Bowdoin and Amherst College. Your SAT score makes the same point, although many of these schools are test optional. I am not completely sure that U.Mass Amherst is a safety in-state. Your guidance counselor should know this however.

You can make choices that will make this unlikely. You should look for affordable options. As others have mentioned UC Irvine will not be one of them.

Assuming that you get in, U.Mass Amherst is a very good university and will fit your intended majors (and potentially many other alternate majors). I would be inclined to also apply to U.Mass Lowell just to make sure that you do have another safety. I am not familiar with the other public universities in Massachusetts but I agree that you should take a look at several of them.

You should figure out what your budget is, and run the NPCs for each school. Given your situation, I am not sure how accurate they will be. It is best in case of doubt to have a relatively affordable option, which for many of us will be found in an in-state public university.

I am sorry to hear about your father.

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Then, in my opinion, you need to target affordable colleges so you will NOT be in debt the rest of your life.

What is your family annual budget for college costs?

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I know people have mentioned QuesterBridge but there is another program called Posse. I don’t know if you live in an area with Posse but if they do getting a nomination and trying to go through that program is another option for you. Yes, it’s not easy to get selected but it is certainly free to try and even the interview process is a learning experience. To learn about Posse:

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Hey, I did some research, and I am only under a legal guardianship. My mother has an income of 0, and on the FAFSA I do not need to report any income. I absolutely despise the suburbs, so I’d prefer either rural or urban, but a campus like UMASS Amherst that is sort of its own little city would be cool as well. I always thought I wanted a large university, but something about Bowdoin is just so inspiring, so I’m honestly not sure.

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I just found out I’m under a legal guardianship and not adopted, so any college that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need will be a full ride for me so long as I don’t accidentally make too much money at Subway.

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I love that it is in Maine, but thats not a necessity. I really like its open curriculum and their awesome Neuroscience program, as well as the fact that they have a teacher certification track Ed major, which not many liberal arts colleges have.

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Thanks for the clarification.

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Using the College’s Board’s college search function, these colleges meet 100% of need and have either a Cognitive Science or Neuroscience/Neurobiology major. The schools without an SAT 25-75 range did not have a score range available. I don’t know if they will be test optional this coming year, but these are unlikely for nearly all applicants. There are other schools which meet 100% of need that I did not include, as if the 25th percentile wasn’t at least in the 1200s, I thought the chances of acceptance were particularly unlikely. Many of the schools may be need-aware, meaning that if they accept you that they will meet full need, but that it might affect your chance at admissions. That is why Marietta College & Mount St. Joseph are placed as likelies rather than extremely likely.

Extremely Likely (90+% chance of admission)

Likely (60-90% chance of admission)

  • Marietta College (OH) 1010-1220 (also has education majors)
  • Mount St. Joseph University (OH) 1000-1150 (also has education majors)

Possible (25-55% chance of admission)

  • Union College (NY) 1210-1400

Unlikely (less than 25% chance of admission)

  • Kenyon College (OH) 1270-1460
  • Oberlin (OH) 1270-1450
  • Harvard (has education majors)
  • Bowdoin (has education major)
  • Wesleyan
  • Bates
  • Wake Forest (has education majors)
  • Franklin & Marshall
  • Colorado College (has education majors)
  • Trinity College (has education majors)
  • Reed College

Other universities that meet 100% of need that you might want to investigate to see if there are programs that interest you or there’s the possibility of designing your own major (say, combining psychology and biology, for instance).

  • College of the Holy Cross (MA) 1260-1430
  • Soka University of America (CA) 1240-1430
  • Lafayette College (PA ) 1250-1440
  • St. Olaf (MN) 1190-1430
  • Thomas Aquinas College (CA) 1150-1390
  • Denison (OH) 1200-1410
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A couple of other schools you might want to consider that have either a cognitive science or neuroscience/neurobiology major as well as education majors are:

  • Skidmore (NY), 1220-1440, meets 99% of need
  • Providence (RI), 1210-1360, meets 91% of need
  • Stonehill (MA), not available, meets 90% of need
  • Gettysburg (PA ), not available, meets 90% of need
  • Lawrence (WI), 1200-1430, meets 94% of need
  • Berea (KY), not available, meets 94% of need. This is a work college and college students work on the campus and only need to take out the federal loan amount, I believe. There are a couple of other work colleges in the U.S. @SweetGum’s kid will be going to one in NC, I believe.
  • Hiram (OH), 890-1100, meets 91% of need