Deferred at WUSTL. need help finding new college

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I got wait-listed at washu. i want to go to a college that has strong engineering and physics programs. My parents collectively only made $74k last year so i need a school that has good need based aid. Where do you guys think would fit my needs?
4.0 GPA
Ranked 1 out of 499
All AP classes senior year
ACT Composite 30
-Math 35
-English 32
-Reading 23
-Science 30
-Writing 8</p>

<p>EC's
Orchestra
Jazz band
debate team
newspaper reporter
musician's club
GCE: Ambassador to exchange students
play in a local indie rock band
pep club
work at local grocery store 15 hrs/wk
community service: playing free music concerts within community</p>

<p>awards
invited to and attended Boys State
best features story on newspaper staff (conference/regional)
illinois state scholar
annual school scholar program</p>

<p>i thought my essay was pretty good and so did my english teacher. it was about a foreign exchange student who i became great friends with, and i talked about how he opened my mind to other cultures and taught me lessons about appreciating people with different backgrounds.</p>

2

<p>Where else have you already applied?</p>

3

<p>Lehigh, Union, Tufts, Rice.</p>

4

<p>I’ve applied at IIT, University of Illinois, Saint Louis University, and that’s pretty much it. I’m in the St. Louis area, but it’s not a priority to stay very close.</p>

5

<p>You should hear from IIT soon. My guess is that it will be positive.</p>

6

<p>Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, Rice, Rose-Hulman, and Bucknell are possibilities in the match-to-reach range.</p>

<p>So far, you’ve only applied to one very competitive reach and 3 safeties (maybe UI is more of a match if you are out of state). You need more reach-match-safety balance not only for admission but also for the best shot at good aid offers. More selective schools typically have better need-based aid.</p>

7

<p>I’m in the St. Louis area</p>

<p>You’re in Missouri?</p>

<p>If so, and you need lots of financial aid, then UIUC, UMich, and Purdue won’t work for you. Those are OOS publics, they won’t give you the need based aid you need, and your stats aren’t high enough for any large merit scholarships. Your family would be expected to pay $35k+ per year.</p>

<p>Have you applied to Missouri-Rolla (or whatever it’s newer name is). If not, you need to. Hopefully, you haven’t missed any scholarship deadlines.</p>

<p>Your reading score hurt you significantly. An ACT 30 is going to hurt at the better schools that give lots of aid…like Rice.</p>

<p>I’m concerned that you didn’t apply to any financial safety schools (schools that you know for sure that you can afford and will accept you).</p>

<p>SLU will accept you, but it doesn’t meet need. SLU does give some merit, but not a ton…not enough to make it affordable for your family.</p>

<p>Since you’ve missed the Dec 1st deadline for some of the schools (with eng’g) that gives lots of aid for your stats, you need to identify the ones that still do. Miss St will give you a good sized merit scholarship and has vrey good engineering.</p>

<p>I know that you have your heart set on a more prestigious school, but with an ACT 30 that may not happen (or in the case of UIUC, won’t be affordable.) </p>

<p>I’m concerned that you’re not going to have any affordable choices in the Spring, and then what will you do?</p>

<p>Hopefully people here can suggest schools where not only you’ll be accepted, but will **ALSO **meet your financial needs - which are great.</p>

<p>How much can your family pay each year?</p>

8

<p>Are you a resident of Illinois (you mention “illinois state scholar”) or Missouri?</p>

<p>If Missouri, apply to your in-state publics if you have not missed the deadlines for financial aid and scholarships. Most out of state publics like UIUC will likely be too expensive with too little financial aid.</p>

<p>If you have missed the deadlines for the in-state publics, start looking at community colleges to see which have the needed courses to prepare for transfer to your state flagship university as a junior.</p>

<p>Your stats indicate Blazer Elite Scholarship at UAB, if there is money left in that pool (their scholarships are handed out first come first served to those with the needed stats, and it is already late in the process).</p>

<p>Check each school’s “net price calculator” or “financial aid estimator”.</p>

9

<p>I live in Illinois. I’m not really sure how much we could pay per year. Maybe $10-15K/year? My parents have a decent amount of money saved up.</p>

10

<p>Case Western Reserve - very solid engineering and sciences programs. Good financial aid too.</p>

11

<p>^Case is a great suggestion. I’d say Carnegie Mellon, Rice, Northwestern… are WashU peers.</p>

12

<p>Ok here’s the full list of places I’ve applied: Wash U, Northwestern, Case Western Reserve, IIT, UIUC, Illinois Wesleyan, and SLU. I’ve also applied to these colleges because my mom wanted me to apply because they were free to apply: Trine University and University of Evansville</p>

13

<p>Have you tried Santa Clara University? They offer both good engineering programs and merit-based aid.</p>

14

<p>They are one of the quirkiest of colleges for admission. Zillions get waitlisted. Best policy is moving along. At least you know early and can regroup.</p>

<p>Make a LIST of schools you like and FIT well with you. Prestige is not the the only factor. </p>

<p>Apply to 8-10 schools. Good luck.</p>

15

<p>Hey I applied to Washington University in St Louis too and just found out I was deferred as well. I am really disappointed seeing as Wash U has been the school of my dreams for years. I am in the same boat as you, top ten percent of my class, 95 GPA, good test scores and plenty of volunteer work and extracurricular activities. Based on what you wrote, I am amazed you didn’t get accepted. I never even thought about being waitlisted until now however and I am finding that a lot of other top schools are no longer accepting applications. I just applied today to USC, I really like it but since I messed up and didn’t apply before December 1st I don’t qualify for merit scholarships. This is really bad news for me because there is no way I could afford to attend. I am really nervous and can’t believe this is happening. I feel like my whole world is falling apart. I am looking into other Cali schools and hoping to find someplace that interests me. I am from the Northeast so I kind of wanted to get away from there. Good luck with everything!</p>

16

<p>I live in Illinois. I’m not really sure how much we could pay per year. Maybe $10-15K/year? My parents have a decent amount of money saved up.</p>

<p>Ask your parents so you have a better idea. They may have money saved, but because they don’t earn a lot, they may need that savings for things other than college costs.</p>

<p>You need financial safeties and right now, I don’t think you have any.</p>

<p>I think you should test again. Some schools might give you more merit if you raise your ACT. Practice that reading! It’s unfortunate that that one section dropped your Composite so much. :frowning: </p>

<p>Try…</p>

<p>Miss St.</p>

<p>U Dayton (not a financial safety, but might give you a generous aid pkg)</p>

<p>I don’t know UDayton’s policy on later test scores, but I know that Miss St does accept later ones and will increase merit for higher scores. If you could get your composite up to a 32/33, you might end up with a near free ride from Miss St. </p>

<p>Again, I know that you have your sights on “top schools,” but your ACT 30 is a negative.</p>

<p>Rice’s middle quartiles</p>

<p>ACT Composite: 30 - 34 </p>

<p>You’re at the bottom of the middle quartiles…that’s not a good place to be.</p>

17

<p>^ Bottom of the middle scoring quartile is not a great place to be, but it’s also not the bottom quartile, and the OP’s other qualifications are strong. He’s been deferred (not rejected) by WUSTL, one of the most selective schools in the country. Rice seems to be slightly less selective than WUSTL. So I think it’s worth applying there as a reach. Rice is a rich school with a lot of money to dole out for need-based aid.</p>

<p>I agree with the rest of your advice. The OP needs a clearer picture of his Expected Family Contribution and whether he’s aiming primarily for need-based or merit aid.</p>

18

<p>All is not lost for the OP. I also do not agree with the suggestions of state school. The OP will hardly qualify for any aid from them. The mistake that the OP made (and one that many naive high schoolers often make) is just apply to this one big REACH for EVERYBODY and then a bunch of schools that they wouldn’t like to attend… Nothing in between.</p>

<p>It’s times like these that people need to realize that schools like Rochester, Case Western, CMU Brandeis and Lehigh will give you just as good education as like WUSTL and etc.</p>

<p>Go to USNEWS best value college list. I think that generally the list is pretty accurate in terms of quality and aid. Look into the list and apply to those privates that are just a hunch below WUSTL and them in ranking while at the same time even offering better need based/merit aid.</p>

<p>[Best</a> Value Colleges | Great Schools, Great Prices | Top National Universities | US News Best Colleges](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/best-value/spp+50]Best”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/best-value/spp+50)</p>

19

<p>Don’t overlook SIUE. Strong engineering program, right in your neighborhood, affordable for instate residents, and for someone with your stats, a safety.</p>

20

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<p>As an Illinois resident, UIUC is a fine state school, though the OP will have to consult with the parents about what actually can be affordable.</p>