@hafamama he already took the PSAT sophmore year and did not qualify. We didn’t know about the NMF part. He took the test without prep and got a 1320. He prepped for the SAT and got a 1470. He will take the SAT again.
Only the junior year PSAT is for National Merit qualification.
We don’t take it junior year here I don’t think?
With this SAT he will get half tuition and fees at Umass Lowell and with slightly better stats he might get full tuition and fees off. Unfortunately for the full ride (tuition plus room and board) Umass Lowell is looking for 1500++. But if he makes the full tuition then you only have to pay room and board which might be doable for you. Those are not auto merits but quiet predictable.I understand that Umass Lowell is not what MA kids aspire to go but the best they offer is engineering and it is absolutely worth a look. I know by fact that there are a lot of companies in the area that have coop and internship deals with the university and with no exception all the kids from our highschool that went there for engineering graduated with a good job. He will also make honors and they have new honors dorms.
@Skippy00 the PSAT for national merit consideration is taken the fall of JUNIOR year. That sophomore one is practice.
Did he take the test as a junior?
@am9799 Where are you getting that SAT data for UMass for the Commonwealth Scholarship?
Are you interested in schools that will give your child huge merit?
@mom2collegekids we are interested in schools he can afford that will give him a co op option and the ability to get a great job after graduation.
@thumper1 yes I’m sorry I was mistaken he did take it as a junior but did not prep for it and got a 1320. He did prep for the SAT.
@Skippy00 Most all the schools have engineering fairs. He doesn’t need to go to a special school to get engineering internships. Lowell and UAH will do all three.
Umass Lowell sounds great but wish Amherst offered more because it’s closer to us. Umsss Lowell will be a great contender. I just didn’t think Lowell was a particularly safe area of Mass. that’s what I hear so slightly concerned. Am I wrong?
@Skippy00 It’s not the safest area but plenty of students attend and seem to be fine. Boston and Worcester aren’t always the safest either. Kids go to NYU and Fordham and they are not always in the safest area.
UMass Lowell security report. Crime stats on Page 72
https://www.uml.edu/Police/Alerts-Statistics/Annual-Security-Report.aspx
Thanks. Do any of you know much about Raise Me? I saw it on the Umass Lowell page so we signed up. Not sure what it’s about though?
That’s fine. Schools with state of the art engineering complexes are also going to have co-op or internships connections. No worries about that.
What discipline of engineering interests your son
@mom2collegekids I hate to say this but he “thinks” he would like engineering. He is “thinking” civil engineering. Can you imagine after all this he ends up hating it. I know that’s possible. He also mentioned maybe aeronautical engineering too but civil is first.
Btw I’m pretty sure he is leaning towards engineering because he’s confident he could find a decent paying job in that field. This is what he tells me.
If engineering didn’t work out I think business or computers is second choice.
I am a sole proprietor in my (very small) business, and for us, NPC were actually in the ball park compared to the offers received. Just to provide some hope.
@DoinResearch esearch,
did you kid apply to colleges that use the Profile?
Or only the Fafsa to determine “need”?
@menloparkmom Both profile schools and Fafsa only. In each case, the NPC (I have screen shots of all the estimates) was in the ballpark. My business is small, so that may account for it. I’ve been reading CC for a while now, and I know I was very worried about the actual offers compared to all the work we did on NPC. We received offers that stretch us, but are do-able. I know there’s a lot of self-employed people these days with the “gig” economy, so I just thought I’d offer a nugget of hope.