<ol>
<li><p>Is financial aid determined separately and without consideration to the Presidential Scholarship my daughter received? In other words, will they calculate her need based on the efc determined by the federal methodology?</p></li>
<li><p>How would you compare student life to schools like University of Delaware or the University of Connecticut?</p></li>
<li><p>Would a double major in public administration and management be possible?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks, it seems that everyone on the Saint Joe's postings are so nice and supportive!</p>
<p>I can’t answer all your questions, but I know FA is seperated need vs merit.
My daughters applied to UConn also, and think it is very different in some ways. For one UConn, although a great school, is very isolated. You don’t have Philly and other places to go within reach. There are volunteer opportunities at both, but St. Joe’s is smaller and more of a “bubble”. There is also the religious overtones that you wont see at all at UConn. (My daughters happen to like that.) I know that there aren’t required minors, but they told us you could minor if you wanted too. They also mentioned double majors if you are diligent enough to do it, but what majors can be answered better by that department. From their site: Some students are able to complete two majors. They usually, but not always, have some connection and sometimes a particular course can satisfy requirements in both departments.<br>
We still have to officially visit but I look forward to it.</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughtful response. The campus is very pretty and I think the addition of the extra campus will benefit the college greatly. We visited on the last Open House date and we were there early on a Sunday morning. There were no students around except for the ones giving the tours. Our tour guide was very nice and helpful. It does seem that the business school is their biggest attribute academically. What did you mean bubble?</p>
<p>Smaller colleges sometimes say they have a “bubble” feel to it, you never feel lost just like a number. St Joe’s isn’t that small, but not like UConn where you are part of a larger picture. My son went to a college with just under 2000 so that REALLY was a bubble. : )
One of my twins is interested in business but didn’t put the school down because she wanted to wait and see when she got there. They didn’t think switching would be an issue.</p>
<p>Congrats, I saw on the UCONN thread that your daughters were accepted. My daughter is still waiting on some other bigger schools. They send the acceptances out in March along with financial aid packages. Although it really is hard to beat UCONN’s instate tuition.</p>
<p>Thank you, I wish it was their favorite, but it’s not. I doubt (but I can hope) that other colleges will be in the ballpark. One daughter especially would like a Catholic college and a smaller group of students. If it comes down to it though, I know (and they do also) that UConn is a good school, they can get a great education and it will leave money for cars, travel, etc. that they wouldn’t have with other schools.
They hate the “party” label, but know and have heard from students that say you don’t have to be a part of that to have fun.</p>
<p>My daughter likes UCONN but is concerned that too many kids from her high school go there. She also know many kids from organizations and state wide activities she has been involved with. So far, she has been accepted at SJU and UCONN. What is your daughters’ first choice or are they still waiting to decide once they get all their acceptances?</p>
<p>Yes, they are waiting. They also don’t want to have so many familiar faces and be isolated, but there is good and bad in all colleges.
They loved Holy Cross, St Joe’s (although we still have to visit) and Stonehill. They got into Stonehill and St. Joe’s, although Stonehill had less merit money with honors program than St. Joe’s. We really wont know anything until the final papers come out. They also applied to a couple of other Catholic schools and one daughter is applying to a women’s college and one “super reach” she took a class at.</p>
<p>This is a great thread. I appreciate all your insight. Here is my input:
Separate. Scholarship decisions are made purely on merit.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I’m going to let you two handle this one. You’re doing a good job, and I could write for a couple hours about the many differences. </p></li>
<li><p>Yes. Double majors are always possible. The University loves to have the students double major or major/minor.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Sleepy, I was shocked it was so high, On US News Education site:
Average total indebtedness of 2008 graduating class: $39,116</p>
<p>That said, Fairfield was Average total indebtedness of 2008 graduating class: $32,857<br>
Villanova Average total indebtedness of 2008 graduating class: $29,812<br>
Providence Average total indebtedness of 2008 graduating class: $33,297</p>
<p>I think the average is just that, an average. Every situation and school is different for every family. We’re deciding on Fairfield, Loyola, and SJU. Only SJU offered a 12 k / yr. scholarship for my son and we won’t receive financial aid from any of the schools. Heading off to Philly tomorrow for accepted students day.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, my D got a Presidential Scholarship of 13,000 dollars and the financial aid package we received used it to meet need. So merit scholarship are scholarships for those who have no need and are need based aid for those that do. Does not seem fair to me…</p>
<p>My daughter rec’d no merit scholarship (however she did at the other schools she applied to) and rec’d no financial aid either (however, rec’d grant money at every other school) we were very disappointed as this was a deal breaker for her. Don’t quite understand the calculations as we have another son in college who rec’d a lot of grant money from schools and two more children right behind … I must say we are VERY DISAPPOINTED in what St. Joe’s had to offer. Not what we had anticipated.</p>