Many many colleges view providing for grandparents as a choice. The family would need to demonstrate that this is a necessity…and not a choice.
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Thanks for clarifying!
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You’re learning to become a merit chaser - i.e. wants more than 20.
The way around is to do the “easy” schools on their own apps. I don’t know that you’ll apply to UAH or Bama, for example, but they’re their own apps and easy. We didn’t even know my son applied to Bama til he came in with a smile and his acceptance and he was going there. We didn’t proof or anything.
So boom that’s 22 with Bama and UAH.
My daughter applied to 21 schools and used 19 Common App. She was going to apply to 20 on Common but didn’t when she realized I wouldn’t have sent her to Cornell even if she got in. Not at full pay.
Here’s the thing - 20+ sounds easy and it’s not bad if you are applying to regular type schools. But if you are applying to high level schools with more and more essays, you’ll burn out ,you can’t do a great job, and it’s not as easy as it sounds. Plus, it costs $$ to apply.
But if chasing merit, which we all think you should do but I’m not sure you agree - applying to more can be better if you apply to the right schools.
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My son did Bama in 20 or 30 minutes. I think after you are accepted, you’ll get Honors - and there’s an essay. Same with UAH - their essay was what’s your faovrite word and why - but that was 4 years ago.
While you’re ok to move on from money now - can you give us a hint?
I ask because originally you were anti Alabama and now you’re applying - and you want to apply to a lot of schools.
So it would help us to know the strategy. Is it to chase merit? Is it to mainly only apply to higher end schools?
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Parents read through the thread. They don’t want me to disclose anything. Thank you for the help though.
Parents want three safeties so Im making those my instate schools.
They want a middle ground and a shoot my shot ground. However they think that I have no chance at a higher end school for MechE. Is this true?
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Not every school is on common app. I think 20 slots is probably plenty. It’s super important to slow down and create a quality application maximizing the EC and awards sections to really tell your story well before you even touch essays or supplementals.
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Would you be happy to enroll and attend one of your in-state schools for four years?
Would the schools in post #581 be considered middle ground or…?
How high end? MIT or Cal Tech? You’d have a shot, but it would be quite unlikely. A school like Rose-Hulman, however, would still be a top engineering program and I’d be surprised if you didn’t get an admit there. Additionally, are we just talking an admit or are we talking about reaching the price point of X? There is no need to disclose what X is, but the lower X is, the harder it will be to get to it, unless it is a need-blind, meets-need kind of school.
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I agree OP needs to slow down. But, the 3 Alabama school self apps are easy, not nearly as involved as the common app. If OP thinks they will be close to or over 20 apps, these ones make sense to do outside of common app. It is up to OP and their parents how many apps OP should complete.
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Define higher end? There are tons of great schools and they are higher end than you think.
I would disagree that you don’t have a shot at a higher end school - but again - how do you define that? Purdue? Maryland? Michigan? Ga Tech? Harvard?
I think you’d get into wonderful schools but again you might find yourself in the same job with the same salary from Bama or Auburn as any of those high end schools.
And I’m not sure all the “high end” schools are necessarily high end engineering schools.
Here’s the other thing - nobody - not me, not your folks, not anyone on here can say who will and who won’t accept you. That’s why you apply.
I think all agree- your test score is lacking outside of math and to some extent English. It’s great - but for the top schools, it needs to be more.
But again - how you and i might describe top is different and admittedly my definition has changed because my son turned down Purdue for Bama and yet is working with Purdue and Bama and Wisconsin and other top school grads at the same salary - along with others from not top schools like Utah, Western Michigan, etc. And he roomed with his two Ga Tech interns and he went back a second summer and they weren’t invited back. The school name doesn’t overcome your competence/abilities, etc.
I’m not sure in MechE - with ABET - that short of a few schools that it matters - and I’d say you’re unlikely for those few - but so is everyone. But again, you don’t know unless you take your shot.
Your parents will be right if you don’t apply - that I know. Because if you don’t apply, you can’t get in. But I hope they aren’t messing with your emotions -because if you get in and they tell you that you can’t afford to go, that’s another issue.
As for your safeties - you can do your in state - but again, does an Arizona (great school), Iowa State or others that are affordable interest you ? If so, your safeties can be there.
btw - there are “great” safeties for you. Pitt, for example. But it’s a $60K safety - does that count? NC State is a likely for you. Great school. Colorado School of Mines is highly likely. UMN is another highly likely. Did they say safety - or financial safety?
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If your parents have now read through the thread and don’t want you to disclose anything, not sure how much more people here can help you.
You’ve been given lots of good suggestions and you have a very confusing situation in terms of the financial info you have provided. Your instate schools seem like very good options if your financial situation remains uncertain. Or schools with good merit or privates with excellent financial aid(if you do end up qualifying for it). Hopefully, you or your parents do not end up going into any significant debt to fund college. Good luck!
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I agree that you should understand what your parents mean when they say you need 3 safeties. You don’t have to discuss the details, but it is important that you know. I am glad you are applying to instate schools.
Apply to SUNY Buffalo and SUNY Binghamton. These schools cost about $46-47,000 for OOS students and I do believe you will receive merit. That merit, combined with the $5500 student loan, might make those schools affordable. I say “might” because I don’t know what your parents will pay.
These are both very good schools. These schools are on the common app, but there is also a suny app.
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For one of my kids, the app cost $25 thru common app, free if you just applied directly. The direct application was very short, no essays. For the other kid, the common app wasn’t an option.
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It won’t be the end of the world. I’ll eventually come to terms with it.
To parents the middle ground is GT, Purdue, UIUC, Michigan, and so on.
High end would be MIT, Caltech, and the ivy league.
We are talking about admit.
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Look at SUNY Geneseo - another excellent school. It has engineering coops (cooperative agreements) with Clarkson, Case Western, and Columbia. There is also a 3+2 program with several schools.
Geneseo OOS is $33,000 and there is merit. You can also take out the $5500 loan.
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3+2 programs mean an extra year of costs, with uncertainty about admission to and financial aid at the “2” school. SUNY Geneseo does not natively have CS or any engineering major, so there would be no option to stay until graduation.
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I can’t see that the SUNY schools in general would be better options than the very good Alabama instate options. Unless there was substantial merit aid to lower cost below Alabama or Auburn.
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Food for thought for you and your parents. What good is an admit if the cost of attending is not affordable?
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Correct- an extra year. I only put it out there because we don’t know what this family will spend, and we don’t know how low geneseo will be in cost. I do see this student being accepted.
There is no engineering but it’s possible there is another major that could be of interest, in addition to the cooperative program.
It’s just another option to research, and it may not make the final list but decided to put it out there.
At this point I think this student has a lot of schools to think about.
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I’d agree with your parents and assume you are unlikely with the middle ground. Maybe Purdue and maybe Ga Tech as everyone says they love Vals.
But they could be wrong as could I. Only one way to find out. Apply.
But go back to my question on safeties.
Would you consider Rose Hulman - that has amongst the highest engineering salaries in the country high end or mid tier or let’s say a tier above Auburn/Bama ?
How about Col School of Mines or Maryland that you brought up ?
I ask because if they are $60k, could they be in play ?
Any interest in the Arizona’s or Iowa States or SUNY or you niw just assume stay home for low cost
The questions are important.
If a UMD at $60k trumps Bama at $13k, that would help us.
If it doesn’t then you should not apply.
I’d say RHIT, UMD, Pitt, school of mines, CPSLO, CU Boulder, Wisconsin - these are 50s,60s - top schools but I’m guessing 4th tier to your folks.
Is there a case to continue discussing these or only if it’s top or mid level based on your parents assessments ?
If not you should apply to your three safeties plus parents top and mid list and add in Rice, Duke, Northwestern etc type schools.
It’s the all or nothing strategy but with a safety net for protection.
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What about the University of Delaware?
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