Does paying more for Case just because it’s smaller make sense? Note that the STEM intro lecture classes will still be pretty big (unless he plans to AP out of them).
I personally would choose UT-Austin even at the same price. If he chooses Case, I’d have him assume the loans for the price difference. He should weigh just how important being at a smaller school means to him. Is he willing to sacrifice a car/condo/whatever he likes that money can buy for that?
But anyway, the issue may have been not applying to more schools. UT-Dallas is respected in STEM and would have given him large merit scholarships, I believe. Then he would at least feel like he has choices. (Advice to other parents and kids)
For now, play up the study-abroad/study-away opportunities that are more possible with the money saved. Some should be possible summer right after freshman year and sophomore year.
BTW, if he lived one state over, his safety would be LSU and he’d have a much tougher path even to get in to UT-Austin.
BTW, how much AP credit would he get at CalPoly? I don’t see why he wouldn’t graduate in 4 years if he brings in a bunch of AP credits and doesn’t change majors. The first registration phase allows you to sign up for 16 credits a quarter (classes are typically 4 credits, 180 credits to graduate, so 45 a year, 15 a quarter). Granted changing majors at CalPoly could seriously ■■■■■■ graduation as for almost every major, the vast majority of classes seem required. It’s almost like a UK/European system in that the school tells you the classes you should take for your major and if you switch majors, you’re almost starting over again.
UT Austin at instate prices is his SAFETY? He is a lucky lucky kid even though he can’t see that now.
It’s called…love the school that showed you the love. In this case…it’s UT, even if he was an auto admit. They accepted him.
The suggestions to apply to UAH and UA (is he NMF, I forget) are good ones for choice purposes…IF he is interested in attending those schools.
Some folks have suggested you GO to Case now for a visit. I’m going to be the contrary one here. At this point, your school counselor should be contacting Case to provide worthwhile updates and say clearly that this kid loves the school and WILL attend if accepted off the waitlist…IF that is true. I just can’t imagine taking a kid to a waitlist college right now when everyone else visiting will be for accepted student events.
Give him a couple of weeks to catch his breath - this college application process is so overwhelming, it’s natural to second guess yourself or wish the outcomes were different. But, generally speaking, kids are resilient, and it’s fun to get excited about moving to campus and meeting new people. The vast majority of students do this - my fingers a crossed your son is one of them!
I totally get that the instate option doesn’t feel exciting but OMG, UT Austin for engineering is one of the top ranked programs! Does UT have any overnight programs for accepted students? Has he joined any accepted students pages on social media? Does he have swag? He can always try to transfer somewhere else later, but I bet once he gets involved, he’ll not want to leave.
I know it won’t help your son to hear this, but it’s true. (You could also try playing “Love the one you’re with” by Stephen Stills over and over again until he gets the message…)
But seriously, you mentioned that your son wants CWRU because it’s a smaller school. Kiddo #1 originally wanted a small LAC, but ended up at a large public. What she realized was that ability to walk from one class to another quickly, class size, accessibility of professors, etc. was actually what mattered to her more than number of students at the university. I would encourage your DS to identify exactly what “smaller” means to him, because CWRU might not be what he wants. My DH took Kiddo #2 to CWRU and he was shocked at how large class sizes were, how many grad students each professor had under them, and how that would leave little time for undergrads. (DH was once a grad students in engineering school, so I trust his judgment on this one.) Kiddo #2 really liked CWRU, but DH and I think he’d get far less personal attention there than he would at two of our largest in-state options. We consistently hear that the largest in state option doesn’t feel so big once you’re up there.
It’s hard when you feel that a decision is out of your control; that it’s been made for you. Hopefully your DS will come to a point where he owns the decision and go “all in” on UT.
Your son had really excellent stats and it’s a shame that a kid like that would be denied admittance anywhere. That said, he got accepted into a really great school and he needs to remember that what he views as his “safety” school might very well be someone else’s “dream” school. If he goes into the experience with lukewarm enthusiasm, he will get lost in the crowd - guaranteed.
Look at the school’s website, check out the social media pages - if he looks, he will find opportunities for himself. Which organizations does he want to check out? Are there any study abroad opportunities that look interesting to him? Does he want to get involved in intramural sports? Look at the faculty profiles and the work they are doing.
Let the other schools go and embrace the school that has welcomed him. That is where his focus should be now.
This kid has a 1570 SAT and is top 1% of class and NMF.
The full ride offer from UA for NMF is only available to him this year. He has to name UA first choice for NMF before May 1.
So he would have to apply asap to have this option.
You could take him on a visit to UA and schedule an honors and engineering tour, and if he brings an official high school transcript he could probably apply on the spot and rush SAT score.
If he wants to.
Otherwise he will hopefully embrace the excellent instate option he has in UT Austin.
First, you need to tell your son that the system is polluted and he got a raw deal. His academic numbers are awesome. He should have gotten in to one of those schools.
Second, his safety school is a fantastic place. Do tell him that other kids would love to get in but got denied. He should be thrilled
Lastly, tell him that the world works in mysterious ways. As a result of his unfair treatment, your family will keep more savings. Perhaps, you can use this for grad school or helping him get started.
He now needs to get focused and happy for his situation and prove the schools that rejected him to be wrong.
The competition was pretty fierce this year and he was up against many kids with equally good or even better stats. He should avoid getting hung up on the perceived unfairness of it all and move forward without looking back.
The school that selected him is the right choice for him. He will excel.
^He didn’t get a raw deal and the system isn’t polluted. There are oodles of kids with top stats vying for top schools. He is one of many. Plenty of NMFs don’t get into top schools. But he got accepted to a top, top school for engineering AND at an affordable price. I don’t know why he wouldn’t be grateful for this incredible opportunity. I don’t know why you have to somehow compensate. No one cares about prestige for engineering anyway but UTAustin is mighty prestigious. I wouldn’t fuss over him. Give him some space to process and either he goes to the school he can afford like most every other student has to do or he gap years and works. After he graduates he can live anywhere he wants. College is not an award ceremony or a final destination. It’s just a layover in life.
@gearmom
If I had his stats or my kid had his stats - i would call it a raw deal. Because you know they took kids with far inferior qualifications. And - imho - the system which takes less qualified kids is polluted.
However, as I said all he can do is be focused and happy in his situation and prove the other schools wrong.
I can’t believe OP’s son didn’t get near full ride merit money from OOS Honors Colleges (did he apply to them?) since he was NMF and had good hard stats. FWIW one of the best students at my kid’s HS in Southern CA went to Texas Austin on merit scholarship over Berkeley and UCLA, which is totally understandable to me.
It seems the OOS publics he applied to only offer very few, very competitive merit scholarships,
or only provide need based aid with the CSS profile (i.e. U Michigan, UNC, UVA, Georgia Tech).
With his stats he could most likely have gotten full tuition at Pitt and high merit at Ohio State.
He could have gotten full rides at several schools for NMF.
But it seems he didn’t apply to any of these schools.
FYI Case Western took >500 kids of the WL last year…they are very very careful about managing to get just the right amount of students. So make sure he responds to the emails they send and if that is his #1 WL choice to let them know he would 100% attend if admitted.
Also honestly if you have to pay without the child’s fathers help I would look for the cheapest option and a tippy top state U like UT Texas Austin has to be an excellent affordable choice.
The problem is that your son is only 17/18…he only knows what he has experienced. We as adults know that College zips by fast and all of a sudden you are looking for a job that could be anywhere in the US.
There’s no value in telling a kid it’s polluted. That encourages victim thinking. Nor do I think he should need to be bribed with 50k for s downpayment mom doesn’t have.
He needs a moment. Then the call to be rational. Mature. Don’t let this be obsessing or blame. Don’t let him think he’s settling, was robbed, others took “his” place. We don’t know his full picture. But the choices are what they are.
Since the OP stated that the main problem is that his S wanted a smaller school experience, maybe the S should start looking at how he can make his experience “smaller” at UT. Look on the website now for clubs he wants to join. Plan to meet with an adviser early on (or maybe even contact one now?). Find out the details about moving into the honors program soph year.
I went to school in my “backyard”, just 40 minutes from home. I never went home except for holidays and my parents never popped in. I felt like I was way farther away than I was. I spent summers on campus or living in the city with my friends. I wouldn’t worry about that part of being “local”.
My DS18 is also a NMF. Your son sounds a bit like mine: very bright, motivated and he wants to spread his wings. He was accepted to our in-state flagship, UM Twin Cities which, like UT Austin, is a great university, but he’s decided to enroll at UCF rather than our flagship. After a couple of official visits, he loves the atmosphere at UCF, plus he’ll get an automatic 4 year full ride scholarship. As NMF, he’s an auto admit to the honors college, gets priority registration for three semesters in advance, faculty and peer mentoring opportunities and he’ll have opportunities to participate in research and internships. We feel so fortunate are grateful.
If your son is receptive to considering another choice, send an email to Luke Van Blaricom, director of the scholars program at UCF, and ask if they’re still accepting apps from NMF’s for enrollment this fall. Luke is the contact for the NMF’s at UCF and he responds to inquiries very quickly.
Just a final note: please ignore posts instructing you to tell your son the system is polluted or whatever. During a time like this you can acknowledge and respect you son’s disappointment, but your son needs to hear positives from you.