Help me realistically assess this situation?

Parent Cafe
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<p>First and foremost, let me state that I want the opinion of parents/adults. If it's not necessary, please don't move this to the financial aid forum. </p>

<p>I am a high school senior, currently living in New Jersey. My parents make too much money for me to qualify for financial aid, and have told me that they will devote approximately 200k to my education. This means that if I go to an expensive private university, I will have no money left for graduate school. Therefore, I would like to go to spend my undergraduate years at a university that's reasonably cheap(100k for 4 years ideally), but also quite reputable/selective, for the purpose of saving money for graduate school. What are my chances for getting merit aid and at which schools with the academic profile presented below? Also, I would like to stay in the north east so it's not too expensive or difficult for me to see my family occasionally. </p>

<p>I understand that to some degree I'm trying to bake my cake and eat it too, but I'm interested in other peoples' thoughts. </p>

<p>Academic Profile:
SAT: 2220-800 reading, 710 math, 710 writing (7 essay, 760 Multiple choice)
SAT II's: French 720, Math II 720
GPA: 3.85ish unweighted
Honors courses taken/currently taking: sociology, world history, french accel, AP French Language, Multivariable calculus/Linear Algebra, Precalculus, AP English language, AP English literature, AP Physics C, self studied Calc BC and got a 5 on the AP exam.</p>

<p>I've participated in several activities and excelled in various aspects. Would a scholarship be mostly based on extracurricular/personal qualities at more selective universities? </p>

<p>I'm considering taking a gap year in which I would:
1. get a perfect score on the SAT and some SAT II's-I know I can achieve this.
2. Work in a lab/do some sort of interesting project/get a job </p>

<p>Then, I'd reapply to colleges with a better chance at merit aid. </p>

<p>THOUGHTS?</p>

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<p>First of all…why do you want to take a gap year? I hope there is a better reason than wanting a perfect SAT score.</p>

<p>Have you looked into Rutgers for instate scholarships for top students? That would be your best option and least expensive…and Rutgers is a fine school.</p>

<p>With a 1510 combined CR/Math SAT score, you should be competitive for some scholarships somewhere.</p>

<p>It sounds like you haven’t really done anything in terms of looking for colleges for Sept 2009. Some of the application deadlines for special scholarships have already passed…or are December 1.</p>

<p>Re: SAT II’s …they are best taken right after you have completed the coursework related to the subject area of the test(s) you are taking. </p>

<p>I guess I have to wonder…why the gap year?</p>

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<p>I could earn money for college, increase my chances at getting merit aid/acceptances into prestigious schools, do community service abroad, apply the calculus I’m learning to do research or just have an interesting experience.</p>

<p>I’m applying to some of the ivies, U Chicago, Rutgers, and some schools in Canada. I’ve already gotten into Rutgers.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure what prestigious schools you are considering…but the Ivies do not give any merit aid…only need based aid.</p>

<p>You have a good list of colleges to which you have applied. If you get a scholarship at any of these, would you attend? </p>

<p>Rutgers is a great school, and your instate status means your costs would be well within your $100,000 threshold for undergrad school.</p>

<p>I’m really not sure what you would gain by taking a gap year, unless you really are not ready for college. </p>

<p>I hope someone else sees this from a different perspective than I do…maybe that will help you.</p>

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<p>Right, what you said is true about the ivies. The flaw in my college list is that I don’t have many schools that will give me merit aid. I sort of dislike Rutgers because I grew up near New Brunswick; I’d like to go somewhere new. This is why I posted this thread. I’d like to add some more schools to my list. I already finished my common app, and don’t think it’s too late to do some more supplements.</p>

<p>I guess I might sound like a prestige whore. I care about fit, but only to a limited degree. I love the city. I also love rural areas. I’ve taken a course at Rutgers and enjoyed it, but I’m also enjoying a course I’m taking at Princeton this year. Also, I feel that it’s the niche you carve for yourself that counts more than anything. Thus, prestige, cost, and location are the biggest factors for me.</p>

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<p>Why a gap year? I don’t think it’s going to change your chances for scholarships. You have plenty of options but you really should have done the research by now and had EA applications completed and sent. I’m not going to do the research for you. You should have had your college list made by the end of your summer after Junior year and your college applications just about completed and sent out by now. If you were hoping for merit aid, your applications should have been sent out by Dec. 1st. </p>

<p>Fill out the Online Common Application now and at the very least, send it off to your public state universities. Your idea of taking a gap year for lab work and retaking SAT’s doesn’t make sense to me. Merit scholarships are based on your high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores. They’re not based on taking a GAP year, outside lab work, or retaking your SATII.</p>

<p>Ivy’s do not give out merit scholarships so keep that in mind.</p>

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<p>OK…what about schools like Muhlenberg, Lafayette, U of Delaware, Lehigh?</p>

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<p>I’ll look those up!</p>

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<p>So few of what CC considers prestige colleges offer merit aid. Duke and Chicago come to mind but they’re hard to count on. Can you name some schools you would happily consider to have necessary level of prestige?</p>

<p>I’m also wondering what type of grad school you’re considering. Maybe it’s OK to spend the whole nut on undergrad depending. Chances are to get significant merit aid you won’t be looking at schools of the caliber you seem to want.</p>

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<p>From what I understand, a graduate degree is necessary to succeed in today’s economy. I can’t quite say what I intend to major in, but I know that I have an interest in math. I am a pretty good debater, and am also considering law school. </p>

<p>In terms of prestige, I’d say a reasonable school has an SAT at or over 1350/1600 and generally takes in good students.</p>

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<p>The cost of graduate school varies tremendously by the field. There are relatively few scholarships/fellowships for professional schools (law, business, medicine), while there are quite a few in the natural sciences.</p>

<p>Some professional schools, especially business, really expect applicants to have at least a few years of work experience before entering their program. If you graduate from college with no student debt, you will already be ahead of many of your contemporaries.</p>

<p>If you are thinking of taking a gap year to earn money for your education, you will earn much more as a college graduate taking a year or two between college and graduate school rather than as a high school graduate taking a gap year before college.</p>

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<p>If say, you go for a PhD in math, you will probably be fully funded by the school. Law school would not be covered, but if you’re a top student and get into a top law school, taking loans should not be a big issue given starting salaries at top law firms if you’re willing to work at one. You’ll also have a much better shot at a top law school from a top college.</p>

<p>Finding big merit at a school with a 1350 average will be a big challenge IMO.</p>

<p>What’s your class rank?</p>

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<p>School doesn’t do class rank, but I’ve taken a pretty rigorous courseload. I’m applying for a scholarship at McGill University whose average is like 1370/1600 and would be like 100k in total even without a scholarship. Perhaps McGill is an anomaly since it’s in Canada.</p>

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<p>Does your school have guidance counselors? You seem to be leaving this all very late.</p>

<p>I’m a fan of gap years, but I can’t see why you’d take one. Unless you don’t feel that you’re ready for college, or you want a breather, why? Like the other posters, I don’t think a gap year would improve your application.</p>

<p>OK, here’s the story: If you’re a prestige whore and want merit aid, you’re out of luck. The very top schools don’t offer merit aid. Why would they? They don’t need to in order to get the best students. If you want merit aid, you have to go down a bit. But then again, you’re in luck: there are plenty of small LACs that would offer you merit aid, and that would give you a great education that would get you into a top grad school if you worked hard. Then you’d have the prestigious graduate degree and no one would care that your undergraduate degree was from Hendrix or Rhodes instead of Harvard. (Hendrix and Rhodes just given for example; I know that they are good LACs, but I don’t know if they offer merit aid. But plenty of LACs do.)</p>

<p>So, prestige or merit aid, choose one.</p>

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<p>I think you might have trouble finding lab work without having previous experience and/or being afflilated with a college. What kind of lab do you want to work in? Why?</p>

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<p>McGill doesn’t even require SATs, so if the average is 1370 that’s for a very limited number of it’s students. Maybe not the best way to evaluate McGill.</p>

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<p>^yes. Only required for US students (either ACT or SAT plus several SAT II) and I think the OP is quoting minimum to be considered, not average scores.</p>

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<p>Have you considered Olin? It’s free if you can get in. Cooper Union also, although they have a limited range of majors.</p>

<p>The University of Rochester gives out merit scholarships, and it’s a very good school, strong in a broad range of disciplines. I’d look at Pitt’s Honors College also.</p>

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<p>I would look at Case Western. It’s prestigious in math/ science and good about merit. </p>

<p>You might also want to include some good publics. Even if you don’t get aid, they may run a bit cheaper than $200K: UVA, UNC, U-Michigan, Berkeley and UCLA. </p>

<p>If you’re willing to look at a southern school full of northerners, consider Tulane-- it’s also good about merit.</p>

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<p>OOS tuition, fees, room and board for these schools is about the same as some of the private schools this student is considering.</p>

<p>Agreed re: Case Western, and Tulane, and U Pitt.</p>