I haven’t run all of these recommended schools, but NPCs for Emory, Tulane, Northeastern, Brandeis, plus schools in the state univ system would all be affordable. The rank is the school overall and it is due to weighting (reflected on transcript). Not URM/first gen. Not sure if this matters but I’m guessing that nobody from my h.s. has ever applied to any of these schools, or very few people. Most don’t go out of state even, from the magnet, and most are very technically focused.
I would not consider Northeastern, American or GWU as “intellectual”. They have a pre-professional vibe (which OP also might lean towards wrt internships). For those stats I’d echo Macalester, Occidental, Fordham. The “match” list above has many schools with <20% acceptance rate so be cautions even though you’re in the mix wrt stats alone. We haven’t visited BU, Brandeis, BC, or Tufts yet, but we’re going to soon and I think they fit your requirements. My DD21 has similar stats (and requirements) and it’s really hard to define ‘match’. Good luck!
Thanks for your sympathetic post @Techno13 - good luck!
That amount matches the EFC+self help in the NPC for some of the schools (Emory, Tulane, Northeastern, Brandeis) – but not for others (GW, BU, NYU, American).
As you are a “decent but not top student”, as you well know, the chances of getting into the top notch schools or getting the top merit awards are going to be highly unlikely for you you. It’s these “top” schools that meet full financial need as you have noticed, running the NPCs.
Trinity, Macalester, Vassar guarantee to meet full need as does BC. Tulane does not, but you are within range for merit money there. The issue here is the selectivity. Tulane is not an easy match school these days with their selectively in the 15% range, let alone fit generous merit. These schools are all reaches for you, Imo
What about your flagship school, UNC-CH ? Very desirable school. Meets full need for in state. What are your prospects for admittance there? I know they are more generous with admissions for instate than OOS. That may well be your best chance for the most highly ranked if selectivity and ranking are what you are going for. I’m not sure how your gpa would be assessed there. It came up in the top 30 in the last USN&WR… have you talked about your competitiveness in acceptance there? Your GC would best be able to give you an assessment for your chances there. I suggest applying there early action along with some safer in state schools that are affordable to cover your daddy options.
With your sure things and a most likely among selective choices covered by your state choices, you can reach for the stats with your dream choices Brown or Penn ED. Though I think they are highly unlikely, we don’t have your whole picture. Are you URM, first generation? What challenges have you overcome in taking the rigorous courses you completed in high school? Give it a try. Or perhaps ED another reach school like Emory, NEU that are not as selective as the Ivies but where you could have no regrets. Tulane could go EA or ED. Results from the early round would give your sure things, and a litmus test for some selective schools at worst. … If you are lucky, game over.
You may want to start your list with one or more NC public safeties where admission is assured for your stats. Then you can add any other schools that you like that may be matches or realistic reaches.
Note: if the NPC shows that a school is unaffordable on ordinary financial aid, but there are large enough merit scholarships that could make the school affordable, then reach/match/likely/safety must be based on those merit scholarships (which means that such a school is usually a reach if the merit scholarships are competitive, those sufficient merit scholarships that are automatic for your stats could make the school a safety).
UPitt is very strong in philosophy. Not sure how they are for merit aid for those stats.
I too find some of these suggestions highly unrealistic for 3.65 sub 1500 scores. There are outstanding and affordable in state options in NC where OP can find like minded students; those are likely the best choice.
Do you want to stay in the southeast or would you be wiling to try the midwest? There tend to be good deals at some midwestern liberal arts colleges. Do you want a small liberal arts college, or more interested in an all around type of school, that might offer a business degree? Are you interested in a practical degree, like accounting or want to study humanities and social sciences?
U of Richmond? . I would aim a bit lower, than a school like Tufts, or NYU, because you are white and not an URM. Do you have a hook that you can think of? Can you play division 3 athletics, then get busy calling coaches. I don’t know if U of Richmond offers financial aid, and you seem to need it, but if offers good merit. Run NPC, but if either of your parents own a small business, the NPC will be wrong. Apply in state and look for merit based in state deals.
Reed College in Portland Oregon, if you fit into a creative vibe. Their application is tough, but easier to get in than many east coast schools others are mentioning. Run NPC first though. It may be too small for you, as well, and no practical accounting or business there. Make that decision first, do you want a practical business degree, or are you looking for a liberal arts college, and that will narrow things down. Then start with finances, always run the NPC, and go from there. You can also limit by geography to save money, flying can add up.
Hi @Techno13 Did you end up visiting BU and Brandeis? Curious what your son thought.
UNC and NC State seem like good in-state candidates. Not big city but Wake Forest and Davidson are excellent schools and nearby. Maybe University of Miami?
If you like Brown, look into Wesleyan as a potentially more accessible reach. Vassar also fits most of your criteria, with the benefit of offering train access to New York City. You can check the costs for these colleges and others with this resource: https://myintuition.org/.
"U of Richmond? . I would aim a bit lower, than a school like Tufts, or NYU, …Do you have a hook that you can think of? Can you play division 3 athletics, "
U of Richmond is D1 athletics.
A lot of the schools being suggested are not full-need met schools and not generous enough with merit aid to get down to OP’s $10-15K budget. OOS public U’s like UVM and Pitt could not possibly be affordable for OP’s situation. A lot of full-need-met privates are too reachy for OP’s excellent but not stratospheric stats.
URichmond seems like it could be a good fit. (edit: great minds think alike - I wrote this before reading the other two suggestions of UR) The arts there are excellent, and Richmond is an artsy city that also has VCUArts as well as a lot of professional arts and culture. Richmond meets full need and is top-notch for your areas of interest. In addition to a straight philosophy major, there’s a “PPEL” program (Philosophy, Politics, Economics & Law) if that would be of interest. They also have a Film Studies major and minor. They recruit specifically for the arts, with arts-specific merit scholarships. Your stats are very close to their median, a little above, which means that your chances as an ED applicant would be excellent - probably a coin-toss in the RD cycle but at least not long odds against you like Brown et. al. Richmond meets full need; if the NPC is favorable it would be a great school to look into - seems to fit a lot of your criteria, and a convenient but still “away” distance from home.
Holy. Cross.
My daughter…and no, we are visiting Boston area in April. She nixed Brandeis already, but BU is still on the list along with Tufts, Brown, and Smith. I hope it isn’t snowing!
@sam751
New York University, George Washington University, Boston University, Southern California University
these are NOT affordable to the typical family that can only afford “About $10-15k” year.
So don’t waste your time applying to them, unless THEIR NPC’s actually show it will only cost you $10-15K/year -all included- without loans-to go there !
You might check out St. Olaf in Minnesota. The downside is that it’s not in a city - Northfield is about 45 minutes outside of Minneapolis, so students do get to the city, but not constantly. But it’s a larger LAC - around 3000 students - and has an intellectual atmosphere with extremely vibrant and high-quality performing arts that are central to the campus culture. The philosophy department is relatively large - a dozen professors; they also collaborate with the Carleton philosophy department (an even-more-competitive but less artsy 2000-student LAC that’s in the same town) to bring prominent speakers to Northfield for a colloquium series. https://wp.stolaf.edu/philosophy/ There’s also a film studies concentration. The college meets full need and would be a good one to run the NPC on. It would be a match school in the RD round and a safety if you applied EDI or EDII.