<p>Last Thursday D heard about a scholarship she had been awarded at College A - it was the last piece of the puzzle and we felt we could manage the remaining balance so on Thursday she paid her deposit and on Friday started signing up for classes and looking at the housing. She was very happy and excited.</p>
<p>Then on Friday she sent off her online form to College B to say that she wouldn't be attending and had chosen A for financial reasons.</p>
<p>On Monday she received a telephone call from B telling her that the full 100% scholarship she was entered for in February but was not chosen for had now decided to give her this award. It is worth over $200,000 over 4 years. They have also agreed to an extension on her decision until 8th May.</p>
<p>Both colleges are of a similar size, academics and distance from the home and both have lovely campuses but D has always felt happy and excited about A but only so so about B.</p>
<p>We've been back in touch with A and they tell us that they can't give her anymore financial aid, still want her to go there, feel she would be happy there but will understand if we pick B.</p>
<p>My head tells me to go with B but my heart says let her continue ahead with her plans for A - any suggestions?</p>
<p>Are there any strings attached to either scholarship, such as a minimum GPA? Are both guaranteed for 4 years? How much is the difference in what you will pay per year? How will that difference be made up? Loans taken out by her or by you? What kind of debt will she or you have after 4 years? Will this affect funds potentially available for graduate work or for extras like being able to take an unpaid internship instead of an unexciting job?</p>
<p>BTW, I understand your reluctance to reveal too much, but it might help in getting more specific advice if you revealed the names of the schools.</p>
<p>Consolation makes a good point. College A by itself might offer a better education, but when you add in what you can purchase as a result of the offer from College B, the overall educational opportunities for the student might be better in College B. Travel, unpaid internships, graduate or med. school paid for, etc., might make B worthwhile, IF it fits well enough.</p>
<p>But it is not possible to offer a fair evaluation without knowing the schools, and, more importantly, what the student hopes to get out of school.</p>
<p>School A is Stetson in Deland, Florida - School B is Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida</p>
<p>The last award from Stetson was an amount from Bonner in exchange for 10 hours a week community service. We would be left with around $4,000 plus books and personal expenses. Neither her merit award or the Bonner award are inflation proof so our balance will increase over the 4 years depending on how much tuition etc increases. We will hopefully not have to take out any loans but may need help from family. Due to our visa situation D can’t work to help support herself so we saw the Bonner award as an opportunity for her to be invested in her future.</p>
<p>The award from Rollins is the Cornell award and is dependent on her maintaining a GPA of 3.6 or better. She currently has a 4.0 (4.7 weighted GPA) and the award includes study abroad etc. It covers all tuition, room and board for 4 years.</p>
<p>She is just completing 4 years of IB and I feel that the Rollins requirements for a 3.6 GPA will be IB all over again. D however doesn’t see it as challenging as I do.</p>
<p>She is looking to major in Marine Biology with a possible minor in journalism.</p>
<p>The Bonner is a great honor and can lead to other things. Even if she ended up with loans totaling $16k, that’s really not a lot these days, and can be handled. If she really likes Stetson better, and they have what she is looking for, you should let her go with it. (in my opinion)</p>
<p>3.6 GPA is a high GPA for any college or major. A lot of 4.0 high school students dip down to 3.0, sometimes below, then bring it back up again when they become more accustom to college life and academic. I don´t know if your daughter needs that added stress. 16-20K total debt is not really that unmanageable.</p>
<p>In college, students have fewer tests (2-3) and papers. If they blow one test, it´s really hard to bring the grade up again. College courses are more theoretic (less memorization), and includes a lot more material. My daughter is also in the IB program now, but in comparison with her previous more rigorous school, it´s no comparison (her old school was a lot harder).</p>
<p>Rollins has a bit of a better reputation nationally, but they are similar enough that if you are willing to sacrifice the money difference you should go with the one that is more comfortable for your daughter. She should consider her academic interests, e.g. the major, other opportunities. Was she able to visit a class? Also, did she talk to students at each of the colleges?</p>
<p>You should consider the 3.6 requirement seriously. Will it hinder her from exploring new fields and areas of academic study or to get out of a comfort zone? She might be fine with it, but it seems like an added stress. By contrast, the community service component at Stetson sounds like a good experience.</p>
<p>Rollins seems like a slightly better school–certainly, looking at UCAN the SATs of the student body are higher, as is the graduation rate–but the 3.6 gives me pause even though your D’s stats would probably put her at the very top of their student body. What kind of grace period would she have to bring it up if there were a problem? I agree that the community service requirement sounds like an enriching experience.</p>
<p>What are the relative strengths of the schools in her broad areas of academic interest?</p>
<p>I say this as a local resident who has never attended Rollins or Stetson, but has spent some casual time on each campus: I doubt that Rollins is academically superior to Stetson, despite the avg SAT scores. Rollins does have somewhat better name recognition nationally (by which I mean, in the mid-Atlantic states) and Stetson is pretty much unknown outside of Florida. Rollins successfully markets itself to wealthy east coast kids who are not competitive for top-30 universities. Rollins is known for managing their average SAT scores through strategic use of their merit scholarships. That doesn’t make them evil (far from it) but it does mean that using their average SAT scores to form a picture of their academic strength is a mistake.</p>
<p>Oh, I forgot to say to the OP: congratulations to your daughter! If she clearly prefers Stetson, and will end up with only $16K in loans, it seems like a winner to me! There are not as many expensive restaurants and clubs to run up the bill in Deland as in Winter Park, and the dress code at Stetson seems more casual, so that might help some with the epxense?</p>
<p>A 3.6 is a very high GPA requirement, and I’d be wary of it- even an extra B or two couldput the award in jeopardy. Does the school/scholarship offer a grace period before yanking the scholarship if the GPA falls below 3.6? Is the GPA requirement cumulative or by semester?</p>
<p>So good to see that your daughter has found two options that won’t break the family bank in your visa status. WOW! How wonderful for her to have a choice! Congratulations!</p>
<p>I’m at work at the moment and will need to check up on the exact requirements of the 3.6 GP for Rollins when I get back home.</p>
<p>I have to say that the pressure of maintaining a certain GPA scares me somewhat and is added pressure I would hesitate to put on her.</p>
<p>Memake - the countryside around Stetson is more rural than Rollins but as daughter is a horse lover that’s part of the attraction of Stetson and yeah we don’t have the budget for fancy clothes or expensive restuarants : )</p>
<p>Both colleges offer a similar Marine Science program and she would be in the honors program on both campuses.</p>
<p>That sets off alarm bells for me. I would ask what percentage of students are able to maintain that high of a GPA and retain the scholarship for all four years.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter for having two great choices.</p>
<p>My daughter’s scholarship required a 3.0 GPA to be maintained. I also heard of a college specifying a 3.2. As others have said, a 3.6 is on the higher end of the scale.</p>
<p>Marine Biology is bound to require at least a chem minor, including O-chem. It is really tough to keep a 3.6 in the sciences, particularly in the first year or so. Just something to consider.</p>
<p>Just to update this thread - after another visit to Rollins on Friday, D has decided to accept the Cornell Scholarship, so will be attending in the Fall.</p>
<p>We have spoken to others who have put our minds at ease regarding the 3.6 GPA. There is support available in the form of tutoring if required and time to adjust the grade if needed. Since moving from the UK in 2006 my D has only ever had a 4.0 unweighted GPA and having gone through the IB process she feels more than ready for college life.</p>
<p>It’s such a pretty campus and everybody we have spoken to have been extremely helpful and friendly.</p>
<p>We’re glad the decision has been made (by D herself) and she went off to school this morning with her college shirt on - 10 days after everyone else but she was delighted.</p>