Case Western would consider both parents’ incomes as well.
Let him be sad for a while. Apologize for letting him get his hopes up for places that consider his dad’s income. Life isn’t always fair. Let him work through the disappointment without trying to talk him out of his feelings for a while. Taking time to process the hurt can be better than seeking quick fixes.
After giving him that time and space, remind him that while UT is not the same as Rice or Case, it’s gonna be better than high school. @Lindagaf’s suggestion to do some dorm shopping or maybe graduation party planning is a good one. Try to look to the future rather than dwell on the past.
After May 1st, he will probably discover that a lot of his classmates who wanted to go out of state are also unable to do so. Some may even have to start at community colleges.
The larger schools have benefits. More research and scholarship opportunities, more clubs and activities, more stuff going on campus wide. More majors if the student changes their mind. More variety of people. The abolity to blend in when you want.
Staying instate at a good price tag frees up money for extras. Extra trips, vacations, activities. It will give him more choices later as well. More jobs choices and more future home choices… there is lots of lemonade to be made out of this situation!
I’d guess he was probably yield protected at CWRU, given his stats and that he would be top 6% in Texas. When we went to the admitted students reception here in CA, it was full of STEM students who’d been rejected by Berkeley and UCLA. I’d expect the same to be true with UT Austin in Texas. So I expect his potential classmates at CWRU would think he was very odd to turn down UT and pay more for Case. But calling and saying he would come would very likely get him in (though I’d recommend visiting before you say that!).
Just because a student goes to a school in their backyard, does not mean they have to stay there. I know one Michigan student who has already gone to Italy and Japan and is planning to go to India and Costa Rica all within her four years. She got funding for all of those trips for study and/or research. If your kid wants to “see the world” from UT, there is nothing stopping him.
@mommdc If OP could persuade CWRU to offer the typical top (Dean’s but not the named interview based full tuition) merit scholarship ($28K pa) which I believe they may give to waitlisted kids, that would get the cost close to budget. I thought that was the objective. I calculated it (for my admitted S18) at $176K total for 4 years including provision for a 3% increase in costs each year. My reading was that he won’t get much if any need based aid even with the father’s information. If OP can afford to pay $40K pa then it would be surprising to get enough need based aid to bring the cost below that level.
They do give it to waitlisted kids - my dd was waitlisted at Case and recieved notification that IF they do admit her she would get a merit scholarship of $27,000.
He was awarded merit aid at Case should he get off the wait list. They send packages to their waitlisted kids. That’s how I know exactly how much it would cost.
If he will be offered merit scholarships at CWRU if he gets off the wait list, it looks like he was an “overqualified” applicant who did not show a high enough “level of applicant’s interest”, so they assumed that he was using it as a “safety” and would not attend.
Sadly, you are also not looking at the fact that the income from his father is being considered and is not available. Some of the issue lies there. The school might be thinking why should we give money when the father just doesn’t want to pay? That’s a factor. Happens to a lot of kids.
I agree that taking a year off and working is an option. Also spreading out college over five years and working part time is another option. Living off campus in the later years to save money. Working part time on weekend while in school.
Sorry he didn’t get the aid and school he wanted. I think time will put things in better perspective.
It is always possible they don’t think he showed enough interest in Case. We waited to find out where he got in before visiting any schools but he responded to emails from them, followed them on Facebook, interviewed and also selected them as his Merit Scholarship top school so he definitely showed interest.
CWRU have a terrible yield problem. We get more emails and letters from them than any other college (2 a day at the moment). It makes them sounds desperate, which is the impression we got at the admitted students reception too.
Book a trip to Cleveland, call admissions and say you are coming and ask to meet. I bet you’ll get in if you offer to sign on the dotted line there and then.
It is unfortunately human that we want what we cannot have. But really, he’s got something tertific. I’m sorry he’s of disappointed - that’s rough. One of my son’s friends had a similar experience and transferred after his freshman year (a little sadly by then as he’d become a bit attached.) I know several kids who have pursued graduate degrees at more "prestigious " schools after dealing with their prerequisite undergraduate degree at the cheapest school.
You can help by not feeding the myth that he worked so hard only to be let down. He worked so hard for an education that will always be his.
It is a life skill to make the most of what we are given rather than pining for what we were not. So help him figure out how to do that thing with his hand while yelling “hook 'em horns”!
Honestly, OP, I think you need to back off and give him space. You can’t and don’t have to “fix” this for him. He deserves to have some time to mourn the dreams he had that now have changed. Give him a hug. Tell him to take the time he needs to have his feels. Tell him it’s okay to be disappointed, angry and even a bit depressed. Remind him that you’re there if he wants to talk then give him space.
This is an intelligent, hardworking and high achieving kid. Have the confidence to know that he can work through the negative emotions, find new goals and a new happy place. I think the only thing that sucks more than a disappointment like this is people telling him either they’re so sad for him OR he doesn’t get to be sad/disappointed by of all the kids who wanted UT-Austin and didn’t get it.
Seriously, he is on his way to becoming an engineer and graduating from a top school. He studied for his education. Too much drama. There is nothing to be sad about in the scheme of things.
It seems like he DID have a strategy to apply to different types of schools but the money just isn’t there. I don’t know how taking a gap year and reapplying would change that. The ‘meets full need’ schools are just out of reach for this student.
I do think you, OP, have the right focus, how to get him to like UT. Are there any accepted student events? A gift of football tickets, an ‘upgrade’ in housing to a dorm he’d rather live in, a weekend in Austin with others heading to school there? Are there other schools in Texas he’d rather attend and where he’d apply for next year?