Who is saying UMW is not academically challenging? It is certainly a very decent public school, but usually not one of the TOP choices for the top instate students in Virginia . Even more puzzling for a student from SC , when they have schools like College of Charleston, Clemson, and USC, at possibly/probably less cost to the family and also very well regarded… The OP and daughter will just have to look at acceptances/ cost when all this plays out . Hopefully, UR will come through in February.
@tacocat333 @sevmom @citymama9 @Twicer @vistajay
We like everything we have read about UMW, my DD applied ED to Richmond, a bit of a long shot but we will know 2/15. We are leaving 2/19 for a scholarship competition at Roanoke if she doesn’t get in RIchmond and will tour UMW and JMU at that time. I hear great things about the area and she is applying to their honors program. They are not as great with aide as Roanoke however, esp if she gets an additional scholarship along with the merit aid they already gave her so that might be the factor but we are looking forward to checking it out! While many of you point out the OOS tuition when I have great schools here, she IS applying to C of C but so far w/ the $19,250/yr from Roanoke and she is attending this scholarship competition at Roanoke, she could likely end up paying the same or near the same price at either school and w/ Roanoke can experience going away like she wants to badly do, I think it will help her maturity to be more self reliant and on her own. Many kids go to schools OOS, I see nothing irresponsible in letting her do it, as long as we can afford it. I consider those 2 schools her “safety” schools.
We have a $30K college fund and $14K/yr from another grandparent + $5200 Pell Grant (pr maybe it’s $5000) and GSL for $5K or thereabouts. Add the $19,250/yr from Roanoke + whatever we get from FASFA and it seems doable. Richmond has 100% demonstrated need.
She also applied to Wake Forest (great aide), JMU. UMW, Elon and GWU & American. We had a fee waiver so we took a shot at getting good aide. If we don’t get good aide we feel we can do C of C or Roanoke.
As time goes on and I read (and nice people like you post here and help me out) more about JMU I agree it doesn’t seem like the best fit. That’s why I love CC, I learn so much every tome someone posts and as I go on this journey I have questions about different schools and I guess that is why this thread keeps going, people are nice enough to respond and help me. This is a stressful time and I appreciate it. @Twicer I am sorry that you seem annoyed this thread isn’t changing but it is to me and I am the one asking for help - it changes whenever any one posts and I appreciate your help very much but if you feel it is going in circles enough to tell others to feel free to skip I can’t help but wonder why you bother posting. I am grateful for your help and I am sure I will continue to ask questions. I would be happy to help anyone if I could. If she doesn’t get into UR and we visit schools I might have other questions and will keep asking for help. That is one of the things these forums are for, asking advice and I need it!
Thank you all and anyone new want to wade in I’d appreciate it!
Please keep in touch and let us know what happens. I’m rooting for her!
@citymama9 I will thank you - very sweet of you!
@cloudysmom, I am glad that your D applied to private schools; with this list I see better chances for merit aid or FA.
@Twicer Thank you!
OMG UR said on twitter it mail ED2 letters late yesterday. Nervous wreck!
keeping fingers crossed for your D. Good luck!
Good luck!!
Thank you both, probably not till tomorrow but will still be nervous going to the mailbox today after school!
Good luck to you!!
I have been following your posts and have been pulling for your daughter. I hope that she gets into UR. Good luck and fingers crossed!
@LMHLAW3 @kkmabo Thank you! I appreciate that LMHLAW3 you’ve hung in w/ me for quite a while. I am losing my mind & I know you’re all sick of me, will have to start all over if she doesn’t get in. Maybe a collective prayer to be spared from me will help, lol? Holding my breath till tomorrow’s mail…
I hope she gets in, by why will you be starting over if she doesn’t? Do you mean she will have to emotionally redirect? It sounds like she applied to a lot of good schools. She will get in somewhere and probably be very happy. We haven’t gone through admissions yet, but I imagine it’s impossible not to fall in love with one or two schools, even though we shouldn’t. Hang in there!
@citymama9 Hi! Yes, I guess I mean emotionally and logically. She has applied to quite a few but of the schools left, the only other choice that clicks the most boxes is Wake FOrest and not sure she’ll get in. There are schools she should get into that will not challenge her academically, such as Mary Washington and then there are those that I’m not so sure would be great for her, like George Washington (no real campus, she’s shy, would not meet many others), or American which is need aware and likely to not offer her much aid or as we need aid, might deny her. Things like that, each one has pros & cons. UR is actually, aside from her emotional tie to William & Mary, a better all around school for her in every way. After this one, no real stand outs & most I have concerns about. Even WF I worry will be too Greek. We researched all this before she applied but there were few schools that ticked all the boxes once we added the need aid into the mix. C of C and Roanoke are her back ups, she will be ok going either place for a yr & hoping to transfer. THey are about the same price w/ her merit aid from Roanoke, so I just meant that sort of back and forth stress. Thanks for your support! Hope to have good news today or at least know 1 way or the other!
@cloudysmom ^^^
wishing you well too. But the Greek life at Wake is probably not much more intense than at UR.
Also if she ends up at MW, she would be abel to find like minded academic kids too.
@cloudysmom Thanks for clarifying. You mentioned your daughter being shy. I bet that if she got into GW she would have many opportunities to join clubs and get involved, so making friends wouldn’t be that hard. I know she is not a fan of Greek life, but maybe being in a sorority isn’t a bad idea for someone who is shy. It’s a built in social network and she’ll never have a boring weekend. We know a young woman who was always shy in HS who went to a big state univ. She shocked everyone when she joined a sorority, but it was great for her. Remember that all schools have a variety of sororities and some have more serious minded, studious girls than others. I just hope it all works out well for her. Does Mary Washington have an honor’s program? Did she like Ronoake? Both seem like places she could be happy if necessary.
@citymama9 Thanks, I have wondered about that, sorority for girls more like her. Not sure if she’d take that step however. She’s not a club joiner so her EC’s aren’t great. I hope she will come out of her shell more in college. We haven’t visited any of those schools. She doesn’t like Roanokes location but they already accepted her w/ a merit scholarship & if she doesn’t get into UR we go there 2/20 for a scholarship competition. We’ll tour WF, Elon on the way & hopefully JMU & MW on the way home so that will help. Yes, she applied to all the honors colleges at those schools, they all have them. Roanoke is private so I am guessing their aid will be better than MW.
Someone on CC got her letter in today’s mail in FL & was accepted into UR so as we are in SC I am hoping her letter is her today. It’s out in the mail box now, just have to wait to get her at school so she can be the one to get the mail. A nervous wreck! Thanks for your good wishes! Just a few more hours…arrgghhhhh!
You must have the patience of a saint to not tear that envelope open!! I have stuff I want to share with you about having a shy daughter who is reluctant to join unfamiliar clubs etc. I have one, and I have some tips. If your d goes to a big school it can be made to feel smaller by joining clubs and doing volunteering projects. Even if she doesn’t want to she might have to in order to have the best experience. Anyway, whenever I encourage my d to try something she doesn’t want to do she ends up loving it for the most part. That can be saved for another time. Today is about that darn envelope!!
@citymama9 Ha, I agree completely & would love some tips!! I hope to know that school size in about 2 hrs now, lol, but she applied RD to some large schools, so that does worry me. Oh I am DYING to go to that mailbox, had to tear myself away from the window when the mail lady put in the mail, literally had to force myself not to look for a large envelope. Will let you know later, yikes!!