DD got 2300 - we had no idea...

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hi. First time poster, and my/our cluelessness will surely be astonishing to those of you who have been through this process. We knew our daughter was bright, but never expected this score. She met with her guidance counselor after getting her score and asked about college choices and was told to follow her dreams... :/</p>

<p>We live in MD, have visited no schools, and to further complicate our last minute search my daughter is a camp counselor at a remote camp with limited phone/ internet access - and she'll be gone until Aug. 21st. She is a rising senior. Our combined income is about $150,000 and can afford about 20,000 a yr. in support. </p>

<p>We'll be visiting colleges asap when she returns but would love your guidance and advice to book these visits now.</p>

<p>SAT - 2300 800 critical reading, 780 writing, math 720
Her GPA is 3.65 UW weighted was 5.??
9 -I think?? AP classes all 5's on her tests, maybe a 4
I think her counselor said she was top 7% of her class, def. top 10
Public magnet arts/technology high school, white female, no special "hooks"</p>

<p>Her passion is gender studies, human rights, public policy, she blogs about this - yes yes everyone blogs ;)
She is very well spoken and articulate.</p>

<p>Outside activities/Interests: (From what I can gather these aren't great.)
Senior year she will be the director of her school's theatre co (this was a position she campaigned for and was elected to) will be responsible for all aspects of 2 major productions
Junior - Assistant director of school student run theatre co. Directed 2 school plays
Cast in numerous school plays
3 yrs on Mock trial - she won an award
NHS
Spends summer at an outdoor camp - volunteer counselor, theatre director, lifeguard, sailing instructor, loves working with tween girls to help instill confidence - girl power
Tutor at a women's shelter next year - (next year she will be old enough to work there)
Competitive dance/ballet team 9 years 15+hrs a week
Won many ballet awards at competitions- not national, though
Passed national ballet exams to move from one ballet level to another...</p>

<p>We aren't rich/aren't poor and don't want to saddle her with insane debt as she will likely go to graduate school or law school. Merit scholarships would be great.</p>

<p>She'd love an urban school to see theatre, live music, and in an ideal world it would be in a warmer climate.</p>

<p>So...dear people, what schools might be a good match for her? Thank you so very much.</p>

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<p>Definitely have her look into Barnard College! It is in New York City, so it’s not warm, but definitely urban and sounds like it’d be perfect for her arts interests. They also have a really good dance program, with classes for five different levels (as opposed to most colleges only going up to Intermediate). The majors she’s interested in are really strong there, and she can also take classes at Columbia. Since you live in MD, you’ll be close enough to visit. Look into other women’s colleges too–it sounds as if she’d be a perfect fit for one! </p>

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<p>Thanks GB1904 - Barnard was on my list. She will not pursue dance as she is not good enough but it might be nice to have it as an option as recreation/stress relief.</p>

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<p><<<<
Our combined income is about $150,000 and can afford about 20,000 a yr. in support.
<<<</p>

<p>Schools that meet need will expect you to pay about $50k per year (if not more) with that income…more if you have assets.</p>

<p>HYPS give super aid, though, so if she likes those…</p>

<p>run the NPCs and make sure that she has some financial safeties on her list. her GC recommended dreams may lead her to unaffordable schools…so be careful.</p>

<p>run the barnard NPC to get an idea how much a school like that would expect you to pay…I am guessing about $45k-50k.</p>

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<p>she’ll need almost a full tuition merit award to get your costs down to 20k. Try rhodes college.</p>

<p>but since you have an unaffordable EFC, make sure she applies to a couple schools with ASSURED large merit for her stats so that you know for sure she has a couple of affordable choices.</p>

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<p>For urban schools in a warmer climate, I’d look into Emory, Rice (may not be urban enough?) Tulane, and the University of Miami. Each offers some merit money that your daughter would be in contention for.</p>

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<p>What a great surprise! </p>

<p>What were you all thinking about before she got her results? She could continue to pursue those options, but with the hope of getting a scholarship.How are the state schools in MD? Are they generous with merit aid? Any private schools in the area who would love a kid with that score? I can think of a few small privates who would love to have her, would offer merit money, but they aren’t in urban areas. How urban does it have to be? </p>

<p>I agree to be careful about letting D completely follow her dream. It could be expensive. And a high SAT score alone won’t turn her into an Ivy League admit. (Though she sounds like an interesting, thoughtful girl. If she can present herself well in her essays, she could have a lot of options.)</p>

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<p>Yikes - $50,000 a year contribution? People who make 150,000 a yr can afford to do that? How? We live modestly, have 10+ yr old cars, no credit card debt, very modest home that is paid off b/c husband is 65 and nearing retirement. Clearly we are clueless with financial planning, too. Ugh</p>

<p>I don’t think HYPS would work b/c it seems as if she’d need a 4.0 UW and better EC’s from what I’ve read.</p>

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<p>Yes, it was a nice surprise. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Urban is not necessary, or a deal breaker. We were thinking about University of Maryland, our state school, before we got her scores. Maybe Tulane as a friend went there and loved it. She wanted to travel to another part of the country to see/meet different people but she understands our financial situation. I will check out private schools and merit aid. I have a book on order about the best value schools and how to get in, and that may help. </p>

<p>Now I’m feeling a bit stingy/cheap not wanting to pony up that much $$ :/</p>

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<p>You must be spending a lot of money on something else then. </p>

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<p>Check out Scripps - great merit aid, and she would likely be a solid candidate. Smith is an option for merit, too. (Neither is urban, but they have a lot of other qualities she might like.) Occidental might also be a good bet. Boston College. UVA. Davidson. All have merit $ available.</p>

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<p>Also, the “follow your dreams” counselor told her that the net price calculators were “crap” and inaccurate. We priced about 20 schools and just as you said mom2collegekids, most expected us to pay $40,000+. So you all have found to be accurate? From what I have read here, merit offers come with the acceptance letters. Is this correct? Thanks again!</p>

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<p>Vikingboy11 - We are currently helping a family member who is unemployed and with health problems. Sadly, for a variety of reasons, this situation is not likely to change.</p>

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<p>The SAT score combined with her great grades makes her a good candidate for merit money. Still substantial merit is hard to find. I would not rule out UMD yet, as she will most likely get some merit money as well as be invited to the honors college there. Look at the stickies at the beginning of the fin aid section of the board for ideas of colleges that do have some big awards.</p>

<p>I tell this story often here: Son got a $30K merit scholarship which IMO is very impressive. We were ever so thrilled. It was a reality blow to realize that it still meant another $30 to pay to go to that school. It’s not what you get that’s as important as what you end up having to pay. </p>

<p>GB1904, Barnard is a wonderful school, but it gives no merit money and with an income of $150K, it’s unlikely they’ll give fin aid to bring the cost down to close to what OP is hoping to pay. </p>

<p>Check out Fordham, Lincoln Center campus, best dorms in NYC IMO and they do give out nice merit money. Look at BU, they have an income/merit matrix, that might bring the cost down to close to what you can afford. UDenver, UMIami, Emory, yes, Tulane, all have some nice merit as well. Look at the Catholic schools. Check for availability of merit money at schools and how much the big awards are and how many so you know if there is any chance of getting the money at all, and if it’s much of chance. Duke does give out merit awards, for example, as does Wake Forest, but for Duke it’s just a few very big ones, and the chances of getting one not so great. But she’s in the ball park. Do check out RIce. Rhodes is a great suggestion. UALabama offers some sure thing awards that would be very nice as well. </p>

<p>I would also run NPC for HPY, and Stanford, and see what they expect you to pay, as their fin aid formulas are different and more generous than usual. Be aware that if you have unusual finanical situations, a home business, the numbers will not be accurate. </p>

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<p>First, congratulations to your daughter. Second, I’d like to introduce a note of reality into this thread. It seems a bit overheated.</p>

<p>2300 and 3.65 and lots of APs does not make D a likely ivy/near ivy admission. There are thousands of applicants with such qualifications. The weakness here is the 3.65. The ivies will want those ECs, and OP is right to see them as a weakness. On this page you will find a list of what ivies are looking for in ECs:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-are-weak-so-what-s-good-p1.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-are-weak-so-what-s-good-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I like the theater angle, tho, for schools like Yale, NYU, USC, Muhlenberg, etc.</p>

<p>The second problem is financial fit. With that income, minus any assets or complications, most schools will expect you to pay a significant portion of the costs of attendance. mom2 is probably a bit high in her estimates; I’d suggest something closer to 30-40K. Still, that’s a lot of money when you’re driving cars that are way past their warranties. </p>

<p>So D must get an ivy/near ivy to meet need, or she must get a full tuition/ride scholarship from another school. OP, look in the Financial Aid forum for the relevant stickies for your situation.</p>

<p>I speak from experience here, having just gone thru this. Our Ds are much alike, and mine had a higher GPA. I’m hoping that you and your D reach for an ivy or two but have a list strong in schools that will give you the money you need to pay for college, regardless of the ivy dreams you now have. I’ll pm you.</p>

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<p>NPCs are less accurate as you move away from simple finances (like high assets or a small business).</p>

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<p>Yes, merit offers come with acceptance letters. I agree with cptofthehouse - some high $ offers seem great until you look at the total cost, but if your dd is serious about Attending a school out of state, she has to apply pretty broadly and see what comes back. Some full ride scholarships are more competitive than Ivy admissions - even at slightly less selective schools. Sometimes it takes applying outside the box.</p>

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<p>I do agree that the most selective schools are still a high reach for the OP. I also agree that the GPA and the lack of “hook” ECs will be an issue in high stakes admissions and awards. But the high test scored does but her in the ballpark. My son’s SATs were higher, but his gpa a lot lower, but from a known independent school, and he was accepted a a couple of highly selective schools including an ivy. So that test score does put a kid within a possible range and from a forum post, who knows what the ECs the OP’s DD does have in terms of impact. So it’s worthwhile if the student wants to give those schools a try, to go on ahead and apply.</p>

<p>The financial constraints given the family income are an issue too. Without getting a sizeable merit award that covers all but what the OP want to pay, it’s going to be tough to get a highly selective private school to come down to that price, as many do not give out any merit money, or very little, and merit and fin aid will be integrated. At a $150K income range, getting a $60K+ price down to $20K is not going to be easy. </p>

<p>But UMD_CP has a good sticker price, and OP will likely get some merit there, and so that’s good safety. Also a fine school. Loyola in Baltimore is also heavy on merit. JHU, not so, and though OP would have a match chance for acceptance there, getting enough money to go there would be highly unlikely. UMBC and other MD state schools would all be good safety schools. </p>

<p>With the safety covered, might as well give it all a whirl and buy those lottery tickets.</p>

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<p>Okay, a few small privates in warm locations, urban but maybe not urban enough: Trinity in San Antonio, St Edwards in Austin, Southwestern in Austin suburb, Hendrix in Conway AR (not very urban!), Winthrop in SC (also not very urban). </p>

<p>Trinity would be my first choice to investigate. San Antonio is one of the ten largest cities in the US, (Houston is fourth btw, so Rice is pretty urban), but feels like a town. If D is looking for a different experience, south Texas is different from MD. There are a few lesser known Catholic schools here as well. Young people love Austin, so maybe St Edwards. Your D would be a contender for UT admissions, but UT is pretty stingy with merit money, especially for OOS. </p>

<p>I wish one of my kids would go to Tulane because I would like to visit.</p>

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<p>The NPCs are fine if you dont have complicated stuff…like divorced parents, self-employed, several properties.</p>

<p>the GC is wrong if she said that. for most folks, the NPC is quite close.</p>

<p>having a paid-off home will hurt you at some schools, that use CSS profile and use home equity.</p>

<p>schools expect that you will pay for school out of:</p>

<p>past savings for college
current income
future income (loans)</p>

<p>with that income, they expect you to have saved a good bit for college. no offense, most parents havent done that…just telling you what colleges think.</p>

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<p>Writing all of your suggestions down. Thank you all so very much for your time. My daughter expects to take out some loans, but 100G in debt is nuts, at least in my opinion. :)</p>

<p>Many schools you’ve suggested I’ve not heard of so thanks again for all the leads.</p>