Could I have a safety, please?

[Ivyt]

<p>

Would USC be a reach for me?

</p>

<p>I’d say USC is a match especially with your test scores</p>

[KatMT]

<p>“My instate residency is in Pennsylvania, and my parents will have also established residency in either Maryland or Virginia at the time of my enrollment (not at the time of application, so I will be applying OOS to UVA and W&M).”</p>

<p>So, does that mean that you will apply for in-state tuition if you are accepted and decided to a VA or MD (whichever state they end up moving to) school?</p>

<p>I would suggest JMU in VA as a good match/ safety school. [James</a> Madison University - Economics](<a href=“http://www.jmu.edu/cob/economics/index.shtml]James”>College of Business - Economics - JMU)</p>

<p>UMD would also be a good possible in-state tuition match/ safety if your parents relocate to MD.</p>

<p>I also would recommend URichmond. Nice campus. Seems to offer good Merit aid – [Economics</a> - Academic Departments - Undergraduate - Robins School of Business - University of Richmond](<a href=“http://robins.richmond.edu/undergraduate/academics/economics/]Economics”>http://robins.richmond.edu/undergraduate/academics/economics/)</p>

[Consolation]

<p>It seems to me that your list of match schools are really safeties, based on the stats you have cited.</p>

<p>I think that you need to run the FA calculator at some of the deep pockets schools using real figures, making some reasonable assumptions about what your parents will be paying for all three of you, and see what you come up with. Usually, the schools with the best FA are the schools with the most money. You would appear to have the stats to be a viable candidate at those schools, although obviously none of them will be safeties.</p>

<p>Your best bet is to cast a wide net, with a mix of merit schools, guaranteed scholarship schools, and elite LACs and Universities with truly generous FA.</p>

<p>Would you mind telling us why you have eliminated Pitt and Rochester from consideration?</p>

<p>Edit: The Ivies on your list are not the ones with the best FA. I’d say that Swarthmore and Amherst are probably the most generous on your list. You might want to consider a few more schools, including Dartmouth, Pomona, and Bowdoin, all of which have very good FA.</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>You have all offered very helpful information, everyone, thank you! :)</p>

<p>

@tk21796

Richmond’s aid numbers look better to me than Wake’s, both for need-based and merit.

</p>

<p>Having looked at the admission stats and aid figures, Richmond seems promising. Its size and location are also pleasant. </p>

<p>

@SansSerif

But if you’re not comfortable with Penn State, I’d find a way to visit Bama before relying on it as a safety.

</p>

<p>You are right. I am not repelled by large, state flagships, but I am not attracted to them. UVA is an exception, however. UMCP is large too, but it is well located, and appears to be comparatively inexpensive.</p>

<p>

@barrk123

I’d say USC is a match especially with your test scores.

</p>

<p>I hope so. Do you know about their scholarships? Beyond the half-tuition for NM, I have heard of stackable awards…</p>

<p>

@KatMT

So, does that mean that you will apply for in-state tuition if you are accepted and decided to a VA or MD (whichever state they end up moving to) school?

</p>

<p>Correct, I will have established in-state tuition by the time of enrollment, if I am admitted and choose to attend. May I ask if you would choose JMU over GMU? </p>

<p>Thank you again for all the help!! :)</p>

[Longhaul]

<p>We are IS PA. My son refused to look at Penn State. After talking to our neighbor, Pitt Engineering major, he also ruled out Pitt. Upon first blush, he thought Bama too big, but meeting with the Engineering Dean and the Honor’s Dean, we both came away feeling the school had a more personal touch for the Honors students than Schreyer (Penn State). Lot less red tape issues.</p>

<p>USC - do you mean California or Carolina? I think you’d be fine at either for admissions.</p>

<p>If you are ok with a small LAC like Swarthmore, consider Centre in KY. They have generous merit and wonderful opportunities with the Browns Fellowship.</p>

[tk21769]

<p>Just in case you haven’t investigated the domicile rules, this may be of interest:</p>

<p>[Virginia</a> Domicile, Undergraduate Admission, U.Va.](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/status.html]Virginia”>http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/status.html)</p>

<p>

Q: How long must I be domiciled in Virginia before I can be considered “in-state”?
A: The applicant or his or her parent(s), spouse or legal guardian(s) must be domiciled in Virginia for at least twelve continuous months immediately preceding the first day of classes. State law requires that the applicant, his or her parent(s), spouse or legal guardian(s) must physically reside in Virginia for twelve months while simultaneously demonstrating intent to be domiciled in Virginia.

</p>

[stringkeymom]

<p>Safeties: Drew (Madison, NJ) has very generous scholarships and an Honors program. It is worth trying for Villanova’s Presidential Scholarship and Honors Program.</p>

<p>In the reach/match area, do have a look at Washington University in St. Louis which has some very attractive scholarships.</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>

It seems to me that your list of match schools are really safeties, based on the stats you have cited.</p>

<p>Your best bet is to cast a wide net, with a mix of merit schools, guaranteed scholarship schools, and elite LACs and Universities with truly generous FA.

</p>

<p>Hmm, I am sorry I did not reply earlier. In actuality, I will apply to Fordham and Northeastern EA, and restructure my list in December. If I am admitted to one of those schools with a full-tuition award, them I will cast a wide net.</p>

<p>I attempted to balance schools with generous FA with schools that I stood a chance at being admitted to. In this upper reach area, which schools would you suggest? Williams, WUSTL, Dartmouth?</p>

<p>

Would you mind telling us why you have eliminated Pitt and Rochester from consideration?

</p>

<p>Pitt, I was not drawn to, and if admitted, I probably wouldn’t have attended. The location was bittersweet, although I have heard it has good merit-aid. It is not entirely a safety either.</p>

<p>Rochester was one reach too many.</p>

<p>

Edit: The Ivies on your list are not the ones with the best FA. I’d say that Swarthmore and Amherst are probably the most generous on your list. You might want to consider a few more schools, including Dartmouth, Pomona, and Bowdoin, all of which have very good FA.

</p>

<p>Interesting and very helpful…Dartmouth is actually a strong candidate to replace UPenn or Brown for me. Cornell, I love. In respect to their FA, I do not think I would even stand a chance at HYP. Bowdoin sounds enticing.</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>

We are IS PA. My son refused to look at Penn State. After talking to our neighbor, Pitt Engineering major, he also ruled out Pitt. Upon first blush, he thought Bama too big, but meeting with the Engineering Dean and the Honor’s Dean, we both came away feeling the school had a more personal touch for the Honors students than Schreyer (Penn State). Lot less red tape issues.

</p>

<p>lol, refused to look at Penn State…sounds like me. Also, Schreyer does not consider SAT scores, so my application would be rather weakened. Thank you for the point-of-view.</p>

<p>

USC - do you mean California or Carolina? I think you’d be fine at either for admissions.

</p>

<p>Cali, and thank you. :)</p>

<p>

Safeties: Drew (Madison, NJ) has very generous scholarships and an Honors program. It is worth trying for Villanova’s Presidential Scholarship and Honors Program.</p>

<p>In the reach/match area, do have a look at Washington University in St. Louis which has some very attractive scholarships.

</p>

<p>For WUSTL, do you mean [url= <a href=“http://admissions.wustl.edu/scholarships/programs/Pages/default.aspx]these[/url”>http://admissions.wustl.edu/scholarships/programs/Pages/default.aspx]these[/url</a>]?</p>

[mom2collegekids]

<p>I hope so. Do you know about their scholarships? Beyond the half-tuition for NM, I have heard of stackable awards…</p>

<p>To clarify…your merit aid will be determined first, then if you still have some need, then it will be met.</p>

<p>Don’t confuse that with what some people think. Some people think that if they have X need and Y family contribution, then they will first get need-based aid to cover X, and then they can use merit to reduce Y…no. </p>

<p>At a school like USC, their scholarships are mostly only worthwhile if you have little or no need.</p>

[carimama]

<p>Bama is huge, but UABirmingham is smaller. Maybe they have what you’re looking for. They have sports and all that, but I’m not sure if they have your major.</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>^^ Thank you for the clarification. Need-based aid supplements any merit aid. By “stackable” awards, I meant scholarships for SAT/GPA in addition to the half-tuition NM award.</p>

<p>So you think USC is not really a financial option if I have a sizable amount of need? I have heard something similar elsewhere.</p>

<p>^carimama, thank you for the suggestion.</p>

[Longhaul]

<p>USC is on my son’s list too. </p>

<p>We ran the NPC and for our upper middle class income bracket, we found it to be less than many schools, coming in at just over 21% of our income. </p>

<p>IMHO, your stats are very competitive for USC’s full tuition merit (Mork and Trustee). We were told geographic location is a factor in admissions, it was not disclosed if this is also considered for scholarship. </p>

<p>CC is great, but often provides a view that is slanted. I think you are selling yourself short. </p>

<p>Run the NPC for USC.</p>

[Ivyt]

<p>USC met 95% of need</p>

<p>[USC</a> | University of Southern California | Best College | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/usc-1328]USC”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/usc-1328)</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>^^</p>

<p>Thank you for the encouragement! I hope I am being too conservative and do not need multiple safeties, but…:)</p>

<p>Would you mind sharing your son’s list with me by PM? He seems to be looking along similar lines as I am.</p>

<p>And thank you barrk123!</p>

[KatMT]

<p>In terms of JMU vs. GMU I think it would help to visit each and compare the environments.</p>

<p>JMU is more of a rural college town. GMU is more urban/ suburban with easier access to DC. It is my understanding that GMU has more commuters than JMU, I believe because of the NOVA location. I think that JMU is slightly more competitive than GMU in terms of admissions. </p>

<p>Sent from my DROID RAZR using CC</p>

[momjr]

<p>I think that UMDCP would be a good safety school for you. The comp sci program is excellent, and you would get into the honors program. You’d have a good shot at merit $$ also.</p>

[JuniorMint]

<p>This has been a very helpful thread for me. I thank all of the contributing posters. </p>

<p>My college list now looks like this:</p>

<p>Reaches:

[ul]
[<em>]Georgetown
[</em>]Cornell
[<em>]Dartmouth
[</em>]Swarthmore
[<em>]Amherst
[</em>]UPenn
[li]UVA[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Matches:

[ul]
[<em>]Fordham EA
[</em>]Northeastern EA
[<em>]Boston University
[</em>]William & Mary
[/ul]</p>

<p>Safeties:

[ul]
[<em>]Drexel
[</em>]UMDCP
[li]URichmond[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>I have finished most of the applications, but will probably not apply to the entire list.</p>

<p>Thank you for your time and consideration! Are there any thoughts on how my list should be finalized or narrowed?</p>