First-Time Parent Poster: What Colleges Should My Son Consider...

Parents Forum
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<p>Hi Everyone,</p>

<p>I've a junior so we're in the throes of researching college. My son is more humanities-bent, and while his top choices are Berkeley and UCLA, I'm trying to show him the wonders of a small LAC. Background: We are Americans currently living overseas (I teach at a top international school in Asia, and my son goes here and will have attended all 4 HS years) so when it's time for him to go to college, anywhere geographically in the US is open (although we have loads of family in Cali).</p>

<p>My son's profile:
- Based on the PSAT, will score around 1400 on just the two sections, critical reading and math (the writing part was lower -- not sure why he tanked grammar!).
- He's a late bloomer GPA-wise from grades 9 and 10, though his weighted GPA this junior year is a 3.8, with mostly all IB courses and 3 of those high-level.
- He's involved in Model United Nations and is a chair and just attended the Hague, etc.
- He's a strong, creative writer so I think he should do well with the college essay.
- He is proficient in Spanish currently taking HL IB Spanish (we worked/attended an international school in Buenos Aires prior to moving to Beijing) and is currently picking up Mandarin fast. Plus, he's high-level English and Social Studies.
- He doesn't do sports at all and hasn't picked up any arts in HS, despite getting leads in theatre in MS and ES.
- He will have a total of 7 years living abroad when he enters college. So my concern is that while he's technically American (born and raised first 11 years in the US), he will need support repatriating because he won't have a driver's license, etc. So basically, I'd love a significant international student body on campus as well as a nurturing college since I'll have to continue working overseas when he moves back to the US.
- He's more urban than rural, although there's no 'non-negotiable' at this point.</p>

<p>So far, we are looking at: Reed, Grinnell, Macalester, Wooster, Goucher, Carleton, and of course, his dream of Berkeley and UCLA.</p>

<p>Anything else we should consider? I just recently discovered this forum and have been reading the posts almost-obsessively. :) I appreciate the parent input here tremendously! Thanks for your help!</p>

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<p>It strikes me that his dream schools are large and in California, but the other schools are smaller and in other parts of the country.</p>

<p>I just don’t see someone who wanted to be at Berkeley being happy at Grinnell. They’re too different.</p>

<p>What appeals to him about Berkeley and UCLA? Could he add some colleges to the list that have those qualities but are a bit easier to get into?</p>

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<p>He’s interested in UCLA and Berkeley because we’re from California so they’re what he’s familiar with. So it’s not like he wants a large school per se. This is why I’m trying to expose him to small LACs because knowing him, I actually think he’d thrive there better. He becomes alive when interacting closely with his teachers so small classes would be great! The merits of those large California schools are that we have close family up and down the coast, although not sure his grades are good enough. This summer we’re touring some of those small LACs that I just mentioned.</p>

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<p>Berkeley and Grinnell are different in scale but not that different in student composition. Other than UCLA which you explained - his list looks quite consistent. The one thing I see is the “more urban” thing. I don’t know Wooster, but Grinnell and Carleton not urban. They are perfectly in line otherwise, though. Reed is a great, urban environment since sports are not a must have for him he might be well suited.</p>

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<p>Welcome! “Reading the posts almost obsessively” sounds like most of us (I have heard CC described as like “crack” for parents of college-bound teens). Glad to see that you have Macalester on the list, it is urban and fits your requirements quite well. Also agree with other posters that Grinnell is VERY rural. </p>

<p>What about one of the Claremont colleges? They kind of have the best of both worlds – small LAC feel for the individual college, with the resources of all 5 pooled together (and while the architectures vary, it is a relatively seamless campus).</p>

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<p>What about Occidental College? It’s a small LAC in Eagle Rock outside of Los Angeles.</p>

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<p>Significant international presence at Carnegie Mellon. Suburban. Big name. Has a HSS school and can share classes at adjacent Pitt. Moderate size and compact. Probably an alumni chapter in Beijing.</p>

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<p>Any of the Claremont schools?</p>

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<p>I have to chime in with the Claremont colleges. He sounds like a perfect fit for Pomona, to me.</p>

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<p>Oberlin, Kenyon and Middlebury are somewhat more rural…but…may have strong programs of potential interest (writing and languages) to your son.</p>

<p>Also look at Vassar and Wesleyan.</p>

<p>What about UC Santa Cruz?</p>

<p>None of these schools are like UCLA or Berkeley, though…</p>

<p>By the way…I have a child who grew up in the US and attended college in the US…and didn’t have a drivers license. You’d be surprised to learn that there are many more than you think!</p>

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<p>

I go to Pomona, one of the Claremont colleges. There’s a great support network for international students here. While your son may not technically be in the international category (as a US citizen), I think he could fit in well with that group. Would be an admissions reach though.</p>

<p>Look into Pitzer, too.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much, everyone. Good to know about the driver’s license thing. :slight_smile: He has expressed no interest in learning to drive so it’s not a big deal, but I know there will some (home) culture shock that he will likely face. On the other hand, he’s such a global citizen and is so well traveled that I imagine he would learn to adjust quickly to stateside living.</p>

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<p>Carnegie Mellon has a huge Asian presence, but humanities are not really it’s strong point. Neither of my kids have gotten around to getting drivers licenses (one has graduated the other is a sophomore) and it really hasn’t hindered their college lives. At urban colleges most kids don’t have cars. If your son were willing to go to the East Coast, Tufts is very open to international students and ones with international experience. American also might be a good safety for a kid with Model UN type interests.</p>

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<p>If Reed, Grinnell, Carleton and Macalester are good fits, then Oberlin is one of the schools that get a lot of cross-applicants for these schools. Ditto Brown and Wesleyan if he wants a bit larger and more urban. His UW GPA may be a bit low for some of these places, but at LACs, guys have an advantage (more female than male applicants) and many schools discount the freshman year GPA, especially for guys who are often late-bloomers. Pomona is going to be a reach, but might be worth a try.</p>

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<p>When you say that he’s more humanities based, has he expressed an interest in anything particular or any career goals???</p>

<p>Lots of int’l students at Tufts…but that’s east coast.</p>

<p>You’ll be OOS for UCLA or Berkeley…will that cause an affordabililty issue or are you willing to pay the $50k+ per year for him to go there? If he’ll need aid, then those schools probably won’t work. But, if paying is no big deal then great. :)</p>

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<p>He is interested in psychology, law, writing, and international studies, probably doubling with Spanish. Oh God, we’re hoping for merid aid for sure (and I know those are tough to come by).</p>

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<p>I was thinking of Pomona too. There are lots of advantages to the Claremont Consortium (5000ish students total, from 5 colleges - I think 2000 at Pomona). My son wanted engineering available and applied to Mudd. But prior to that we had visited Pomona too, and I really liked it.</p>

<p>Oh… I just saw the mention of merit aid. You won’t find it at Pomona. That’s the case at most of the very top schools. But there are lots of colleges out there, and you are at the right place to find help for finding suggestions. The college search boils down to the bet combo of fit and finances.</p>

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<p>Have you checked the cost and financial aid aspects of each school? Check very carefully about how each school treats US citizens who reside outside the US for financial aid purposes. And check the net price calculators at each school.</p>

<p>Carleton (and its neighbor St. Olaf) are not in a big city, but are near a big city.</p>

<p>If cost is a concern, some less expensive LAC type schools include University of Minnesota - Morris and Truman State University. You may also want to check this thread (and perhaps try similar college searches tuned to your desired parameters):</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294383-less-expensive-list-price-less-obvious-schools-attract-good-students.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294383-less-expensive-list-price-less-obvious-schools-attract-good-students.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>MoH, We are also Americans living in Asia and college was the first time my son had lived in American since kindergarten. His highschool counselors liked the idea of small LACs for these third culture kids, and it proved to be the right path for my son, though among his classmates, many did equally well at big State U’s and medium sized privates. </p>

<p>I’m a graduate of Michigan so we visited Ann Arbor. He was thrilled by the concept of the mega-university (30,000 teenagers!) but ultimately and surprisingly chose a very rural LAC. The friendly and nurturing atmosphere was exactly what he needed and meant a lot to his faraway parents as well. The downside was that in Asia no one has ever heard of his LAC. :)</p>

<p>LACs have distinctive personalities and visits can say a lot about the culture and fit. If your time is limited you’ll have to pick your spots, so try to visit a range of personality types. Visit more more safeties than he’ll need because they’re harder to fall in love with.</p>

<p>Living in Asia is itself an excellent extracurricular. Colleges like kids who can contribute to the campus community – both in and outside of class – and exposure to different cultures, religions, political systems is a valuable asset. That plus model UN is enough, as long as he can communicate his level interest and commitment effectively in essays, resumes, recommendations.</p>

<p>He should submit examples of his creative writing as well and if he’s won awards add that to his resume.</p>

<p>Especially for LACs, colleges look at the whole package: scores, grades, rank of course, but also interests, activities, demographic and life experience. I see nothing in your son’s background that would keep him out of ANY college/university in the US, though of course there’s no guarantee. His list is well balanced, but I would add a few more reaches as well. Pomona, Amherst, Williams and Swarthmore all like internationals, but money may be an issue.</p>

<p>Before you go any further you need to clarify your financial picture. If your family qualifies for need based aid your son can proceed with a fairly open list. If you need or want merit aid, his list will be quite different. If you don’t know, use an on line calculator to get an idea of your expected family contribution. If that works, continue. If it doesn’t you may have to rethink some of your son’s choices.</p>

<p>Do that first then come back.</p>

<p>PS, Ten years later, my son still hasn’t learned to drive.</p>

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<p>Have you considered USC? The location is right for your S, and I have 2 sons who do not like sports who are, yes, having a fabulous experience there. These days USC is filled with academic kids, artsy kids, sporty kids, nerdy kids, film kids, and international kids galore along with the biz majors and music majors, etc. Big city, lots of ethnic restaurants. With new light rail service to downtown LA and to the beach about to start right on campus, no car will be easier soon.</p>

<p>His stats make this a little reachy, but his international background may make up for that. They do offer merit aid for the top 25% of their admitted class–and frankly those kids tend to have GPAs/SATs similar ivies, but it’s holistic and you never know. It’s possible.</p>

<p>I second the suggestion of Occidental as a good LAC choice in a nice area of L.A. with a beautiful campus and warm feel. His stats make this a match and he might even qualify for some merit.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>