<p>Back in post # 16 I spoke to the financial need question. The day D was born (or shortly after!) we started saving for college. That combined with present day earnings should allow us to send her wherever she is accepted and decides to attend. I also mentioned that hearing about the $$$ some colleges offer NM students can make a generous parent turn into a greedy one - we are trying to just ignore that information and let her make the choice that is best for her</p>
<p>Kansas...under-represented state at most OOS universities. That helps your daughter's admissions chances greatly at institutions that try to get a good amount of students from every state.</p>
<p>A few suggestions in the area around Kansas:</p>
<p>Washington U/St. Louis - match/safe match <a href="http://www.wustl.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.wustl.edu</a>
University of Tulsa - safety <a href="http://www.tu.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.tu.edu</a>
I'll suggest one that I suggested in the other thread: Southern Methodist University - safety <a href="http://www.smu.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.smu.edu</a>
Colorado College - match/safety (but be SURE to visit before applying - it's NOT a typical school) <a href="http://www.coloradocollege.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.coloradocollege.edu</a>
Trinity University (TX) - I'll go out on a limb and say Safety - top-tier liberal arts college strong in modern languages as well as the sciences (my reason for the suggestion). Decent math department. Located in upscale neighborhood of Olmos Park, abut 3 miles north of downtown San Antonio. Lacks the "college town" atmosphere you are looking for, but meets every other criteria. Your daughter could play tennis on a team that took 4th in Division III this year. It's something to consider. <a href="http://www.trinity.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.trinity.edu</a></p>
<p>And one that is further away:</p>
<p>Colby College - match/safety - small liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. <a href="http://www.colby.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.colby.edu</a></p>
<p>As always, if you have any questions, just ask. I'll be happy to help.</p>
<p>If Colby is being considered, I'd pitch Bowdoin. It's a bit less isolated than Colby. We visited and S1 liked it a lot. It's in a better setting than Bates, although the two are sometimes called tweedledee tweedledum. The population is very New England -ish, rather preppy and a tad conservative. four years guaranteed housing. Excellent profs and good facilities. The students were very friendly and happy to be there.</p>
<p>Midwest
why do you think taking advantage of a colleges offer to NMF's makes a parent "greedy"? If the school fits your childs needs and thats their policy, why not partake? It's not like they are going to take that fund and transfer it to say, a need based aid program.
You could then use the accumulated funds for other uses for your child,such as graduate or professional schools or a vehicle for them or even a place to live.</p>
<p>Thought I would wrap up this nearly year old thread and let you know what transpired after all of your INCREDIBLE advice. I am still in awe of the level of knowledge of the posters on CC - just amazing!</p>
<p>D's senior year has gone wonderfully well. She qualified for state tennis again as a singles player and medaled this year! (Hard to do when you come from a town with no indoor courts and no pros for instruction!). She qualified for the state orchestra for the third year and was selected as 3rd chair! She was notified that she was the only National Merit Finalist at her h.s. and retains her 1 ranking. Her fundraising continued, sending more $$ to the organization she supports by selling small watercolor paintings she creates - to date has sent them $5,000. Last weekend she was named one of 26 students out of 240 nominated for the State All-Academic team. Was named a 'Governor's Scholar'. Received a Discover Card Scholarship and a Robert C. Byrd Scholarship. Awaiting word on others.</p>
<p>When D got down to the task of applying, she decided she was a midwest girl through and through, and really didn't want to go to school on either coast. She took a map of the US and folded each side under, selecting her schools from the area that remained. </p>
<p>H and I were silently disappointed that she didn't at least TRY for a couple of the super reach schools recommended by the CC posters. But, as my wonderful brother-in-law kept telling my sister during their son's college application saga this year, "It's not about you". Also, along with the posts, we received some great PMs - one from a ND grad who also recommended WU, NW, UofC, etc. He cautioned us about the potential 'Ivy/East coast pressure cooker environment' that could be present at some schools, and whether someone from small town Midwest would thrive in that setting.
I think D has some of those same concerns.</p>
<p>In the end, D applied to Notre Dame EA, University of Kansas (Honors Program), University of Tulsa, and Washington University in St. Louis.
H and I wish she would have applied to more schools, but again, it was her journey, not ours. Daughters results:</p>
<p>Notre Dame - she was admitted EA and named a Notre Dame Scholar (top % of those accepted). ND gives no merit $$. Letter came one week before Christmas and she was very pleased with the acceptance!</p>
<p>University of Tulsa - daughter was admitted and offered the Presidential Scholarship (four year free ride - nearly $30,000/year).</p>
<p>Unversity of Kansas (Honors Program) - daughter was admitted and offered $40,000 over four years, which is nearly a free ride.</p>
<p>Washington University in St. Louis - this was the last letter to arrive and D was very happy she was accepted. They decreased the # of students accepted this year and it seemed competition was very tough. WU gives $2,000/year for NM status.</p>
<p>We visited each school twice - she attended classes, visited with students and professors, ate the food, saw the dorms, etc. As you would expect, UT and KU rolled out the red carpet, due to NMF status. KU even drove her around in an "official KU car" to the classes she visited! ND and WU were helpful, but of course, none of the star treatment! </p>
<p>Making the final decision was not easy. D is a good kid and we think she worried about turning down the full rides. It does hurt a little (well, a lot, to say no thanks to that kind of money), but we knew the schools were not right for her. We reassured her that we started saving for college the day she was born, we wanted her to pick the school that was right for her, letting us worry about the cost. My husband told her that when she decided she should just come out and say, "I want to go to......", which she did a week ago Sunday. </p>
<p>"I want to go to Washington University". We think it was her favorite all along, she just needed to "let it rattle around in her subconscious" (as she put it). It meets nearly all of her original criteria, and some more she has added along the way. A highly ranked school, small classes, excellent professors, beautiful college campus setting, with a noncutthroat environment. They offer and encourage dual/double majors and minors, great for a 'science/math loving, violin playing, German learning, artistic kid' who isn't exactly sure what she wants to do with her life. The WU violin professor said she could play in the orchestra and take lessons from her as a nonmusic major (ND violin professor could not guarantee either!). WashU offers guaranteed four year on-campus housing and the dorms are beautiful. With the suite set up, D wouldn't have the "sharing the bathroom" with males issue to worry about. She also signed up for Healthy Living (Substance free) housing. The campus offers many places to eat on campus and the food is wonderful. Before uttering the "I want to go to.........." words, D did have a "crisis of confidence", as one CCer put it. She shed some tears and expressed her concern that her medicore h.s. education had not prepared her for a school such as WashU. The school provided a list of parents of present students who agreed to be contacted with questions. I found 10 on the list who came from towns around the size of ours and had children who had attended a public high school. ALL of the parents were very supportive and said that their children had done just fine, and so would D. I think their e-mails are what tipped the scale and made her decision possible. </p>
<p>This has been a wonderful, at times difficult, emotional journey. If we could write a personal note to each and every one of you, we would. CC is the most amazing place to visit, and I usually feel totally outclassed by the minds who post here. When I thought about all the different people, from different parts of the country, who took their time to help us with our process, it made me think of the closing paragraph of our lovely daughter's college essay. Thank you, again, so very much.</p>
<p>"No one chooses an arduous path through life; however, the winds of fate blow where they choose, sometimes bringing together dissimilar people with a common story. Although no one can resist the blind, unbiased direction of the wind, at least we have each other to lean on when the gales of life become too fierce."</p>
<p>My son's best friend is a science/math loving piano player, just finishing his freshman year at Wash U. He has been unbelievably happy.</p>
<p>Lovely!</p>
<p>Thank you for sharing your daughter's adventures with the CC community. I only discovered this website a few months ago (by which time my son had managed to navigate his own way through the minefields of the college application process with very little help from us, his parents, and with a lot of truly wonderful guidance from the college counselors at his school), but like you I have been impressed with the advice and reactions from the many different posters (with a few exceptions). And stories like the ones you posted over the last year are the best, in my view, because they are real, measured, and (best of all), have a happy ending! </p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Midwest parent,
Thanks for the update (I missed this the first time around!). My SIL's younger sister is a soph at WashU and LOVES it. She's majoring in psych and journalism and is quite a happy camper there. Plenty to do, neat people, nice environment.</p>
<p>Many congrats!</p>
<p>So glad to hear, Midwest!
She will be very, very happy.</p>
<p>Sounds as if she made a thoughtful, good decision for her, which didn't necessarily include THE MOST SELECTIVE SCHOOL she might get into. Lost in all the hype around Northeast schools is the fact that these schools are close to home for thousands of high school seniors, and attending a school closer to home is the right decision for many students. That fact alone adds to the competitiveness and selectivity, and has no bearing on how good the school is for anyone.</p>
<p>I wish her all the best, time for you to move on to the SHEETS (twin extra long)</p>
<p>Congratulations--what a nice summing up, and good luck to your D.</p>
<p>Congrats to your D. I remember when you first posted that I thought WashU was nigh on perfect ---- not too big, not too small, warm and friendly, great German department, ease of double majoring, terrific campus. My S also came from a nonprep school environment, a large nonmagnet, nonfeeder type public h.s. in CA. He has found the academics to be challenging, and he has had to kick it up a notch to meet his prof's standards, but he is not overwhelmed. He also found that students help each other out; it's not cutthroat. He's been very happy with his choice.</p>
<p>Can I take credit since I suggested WUSTL in Post #10????</p>
<p>Seriously, congratulations to your daughter and your entire family. She's made a fabulous choice. </p>
<p>All the best ...</p>
<p>Congratulations. It sounds as if it was a good journey for everyone. May you enjoy the forthcoming chapters as well. (Illegal mix of metaphors...loss of keyboard for five minutes.)</p>