I am a student in the Chicagoland area interested in Clemson as sort of a safety school.I would hope to receive merit based aid in lieu of attending UIUC. I have a 32 and a 4.4 (w) with 7 AP’s and 13 honors classes by the end of 2018. What are the chances I would receive aid and how much would I be eligible for?
General OOS freshman scholarships are either $7,500/yr or $15,000/yr depending on stats and class rank.
See https://www.clemson.edu/financial-aid/types/scholarships/clemson-scholarship-recruiting.html
What is your unweighted GPA and class rank?
Clemson has a very high OOS cost. Merit won’t bring the cost down much.
If your parents won’t pay the high cost, then it’s not a safety.
Best of Luck to you but with the stats you posted I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking Clemson is a safety school.
I agree with Timeflies, you may not even get in, but if you get accepted, don’t be surprised if you only get $7500/yr. OOS total cost (no laptop) will maybe be 48-50K. My DD is OOS incoming freshman this fall,
I also agree with above comments. I don’t think Clemson is a safety at all for any OOS student regardless of stats . D (OOS) just finished sophomore year and has found that most students are coming from top of their class . Most have had tons of APs , and were A students in high school with high test scores . D had unweighted 4.0 in competitive high school and says she has never studied so much in her life…it’s definitely not an academic or financial safety for OOS students .
Many instate students are learning that Clemson is not an academic safety for most students . Many high stats instate students waitlisted , deferred and bridged.
Just to shore up one more time what everyone else has said, Clemson really should not be considered a safety school for most students, including ones with your stats. I know of Palmettos Fellows in-state (top 6% or 1400/32) that did not get in this year for a variety of reasons. Research well and have reasonable expectations.
My D is OOS and was awarded the 15K per year which i believe is the highest amount. After all other offers were looked at- other schools had a lower total COA for us. Also- using Clemson as a safety school IMHO is a risk. Depending on what you are majoring in many very well qualified students did not get in.
If $$ is an issue why not look at schools that “meet need”? Best of luck.
We are coming from NC. My son is a rising senior. His GPA is :4.0 (unweighted) and 5.16 (weighted) he is top 5% of the class. He is enrolled in IB diploma program and has straight A’s. His issue is his standarized tests - he overthinks and doesn’t score as he should. SAT - 1360 and ACT 30. He has about 200 community service hours, has served as an officer on Beta Club for 2 year and many extra curricular / clubs. He has a sport. (golf). He will be applying for fall 2018. Do you think he is inline to #1 - get in and #2 get the $15,000 ? What about honors college - is that a possibility ? Thank you .
@Chris1229 Obviously he’s a great student. His stats look ok to get in from what I have seen this year, but I have also seen those with similar numbers not get in. I think every student applying needs to hold it loosely until that letter is in hand. Clemson is not a safety school as perhaps it once was. What major is he applying into? Those are the students he is competing against. Call the department and ask how he stacks up against the average applicant in that major.
His stats are average (test scores a little low) for the honors college. Acceptance into the honors college hinges largely on the essays. He should put major effort into those.
What do you think @carolinamom2boys ?
I agree @carolinamom2boys is one of the most knowledgeable parents I have spoke to - I would be interested to see her opinion. I can tell you the ACT is my concern. From my understanding it is heavily weighted. We had some other students from my D’s school get the lower OOS award with a 32 ACT-
As for honors - it is no understatement I think the system at Clemson is odd- My D got the highest OOS award- 5.28 GPA and not honors- It was a big reason we moved on.
Look back at acceptances and the info from other parents. I remember many with high GPA getting waitlist or bridge program. It is hard to predict.
My 2 cents- have him try one of the tests again- send it to no schools until you see it, that may alleviate some stress,I would also look at a really good prep program a few points can make a difference.
By all means, visit and apply- but try and get a balance of reach, match and safety schools- I would not consider Clemson a safety- I would not be reliant on the 15K and god knows I’m the wrong one to ask about the honors program.Good luck- try and enjoy the process.
As for Honors, It’s very competitive and not just stats alone. In addition to essays, it also could have to do with gender and major and letters of recommendation and other things too. However, they can apply in October of their Freshman year and if they have done well first semester (3.5 i think?) it’s highly likely they will get into Honors. We know many students who have done this. They are then in honors after only one semester and the application is way easier than the one for incoming freshman.
Thank you - I was not aware that he could apply to the Honors College once he was a freshman. Well - his major is always a question - computer science (which I know there are better colleges for him to apply to for this), biomedical engineering or engineering in general. His chemistry teacher is a huge alumni and will be writing his recommendation. I will have her look at his essay. Honestly - I never thought of Clemson as his “safetly school” as I feel it has become highly competitive. Thanks for all the tips.
I’m pretty sure Clemson admits by major and that looking at overall GPA/scores for admitted students may not tell you the whole story. I think the stats for engineering would need to be higher. Talk with admissions.
You are right @baxter2211 and @SFLmom that Honors acceptance, as well as acceptance into Clemson has gotten more difficult over the past several years. What some people fail to consider is the students applying for acceptance are very similar in their GPA, test scores, rank and rigor. ECs are not considered for regular admission , it really is about the numbers . My understanding from a parent who just attended Discover Clemson day last month said that the minimum SAT to be able to apply to Honors is now 1350 , previously it was 1300. They also said that once someone meets the minimum threshold , everyone is on an “even playing field” to be considered for acceptance . In other words, they don’t just take the highest stats students . Essays and ECs are weighed heavily . Based on what I saw this past year in my community , Clemson should not be considered a safety school. I’ve seen students be deferred or rejected at Clemson be admitted to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. It is truly so hard to predict .
@chris1229 Clemson does admit by major. You elect a first and a second choice on the initial application. Contact the department to see how he stacks up. Everyone is so helpful and candid when we have called to ask anything. Tell them his test scores and ask them how they compare. Stats for engineering are sometimes higher (spends on the pool of applicants), however, there are also a lot more students admitted into the engineering major than others.
And just so you know, the initial Clemson application is very simple - no essays, no letters of rec or anything. The Honors college application is completely separate and consists of several essays and letters of rec.
All the best to you. Your son’s GPA and class rank are impressive. Congrats to him!
@chemillion17 Happy to help a Chicago area student! You too @Chris1229! For a point of reference, DS will attend Clemson in the fall, Engineering major and was accepted into the Honors program. ACT was 35, #1 in HS class out of 500 students, 13 APs, State athlete, various ECs, NMF. He was also accepted to Georgia Tech (no $$), Purdue ($11K) and WL at Vanderbilt which was fine because price was above the budget. He did not apply to UIUC as the State of IL is a mess but costs would have been comparable to Clemson as was Purdue.
What we learned during process. Visit these schools if you can. IMHO,fit and cost are more important than brand for your undergraduate degree. Also, so many kids have similar backgrounds, so the essays and recommendations are important for schools that require them. Show your passion and who you are.
If you are interested in Clemson, apply on 1st day application opens. No essay required and application order is used for housing selection. Clemson was not on DS radar until October. He was lucky to get a room in Core Campus C/D (Honors College) as they opened up 2nd floor in Core A as overflow to accommodate Honors students. Core A is great too and should be considered for housing if you wait to apply to Honors college until after you start Clemson. Core A is connected to Dining hall and Honors residences.
DS applied in early October and received his regular acceptance in November with Merit award of $15,000. They also give $1K for being an OOS NMF. Don’t forget about local scholarships in your community. Your stats are great and picking up $500 from various organizations will help. Community scholarships look for leadership, service, not only top stats.
Good Luck and I hope you enjoy the process!
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Thanks for all the great advice. I do plan on setting up an appointment with an admissions counselor to discuss my son’s options. I do have another question - which I should have asked in the beginning. What about SAT Subject tests ? Is it necessary to take them for admission to Clemson ? I always thought it was an option however I am now reading that a few schools require them (or highly suggest them) ?