<p>She's graduating in May from a competitive high school in an affluent district where about 98% will be going on to 4 year colleges. She has a 3.8 GPA, unweighted, taking honors and AP courses. Very interested in languages and linguistics and has the coursework and grades to show for this interest. She has 3 years of high school math, stopping with Algebra2. No math as a senior -- to make room for language classes. She does not have her SAT scores back as of this afternoon -- but expects to test over 2000. How far over she doesn't know. No real test prep, just self study, but scoring close to 2400 on practice tests. So, only SAT1 -- has not taken, or apparently even thought about SAT2s. I am not impressed with the "affluent high school" college counseling.</p>
<p>The family has NO money. She's been employed -- working 2 different jobs since she was 16 -- so has no sports or interesting ECs beyond working 2 different jobs and managing to get a 3.8 in honors and APs (which I find pretty impressive all by itself). </p>
<p>She's looking at a directional state U which she thinks she can pull off with direct student loans, some extended family loans, working, and small scholarships. She's very aware that she wants to graduate with as little debt as possible. She is a hard worker. She wants to stay in the local area -- maybe up to 100 miles from NYC.</p>
<p>And of course, it's Christmas Eve with no way to get the high school to do its thing on any new schools before 1/1/14. She has no college essays written, because the directional U is stats driven. She also wasn't thinking of intimate LACs or other private opportunities before I started asking her due to cost, so she's not aware of deadlines or other requirements. </p>
<p>I just feel she is selling herself short and she ought to see what sort of merit or need based aid would be available to her at some of the private LACs. Oh yeah -- she would be top 5% of the incoming freshmen at the targeted directional U.</p>
<p>I offered to pay application fees for her to any place she wanted to apply if she'd do the work to get the apps in.</p>
<p>In an affluent district, does the family have affluent income, but no savings? Or are they poor? Big difference! If poor, she could get a “free ride” at some schools that meet full need.</p>
<p>Well, almoast all the colleges and universities in the country do not require SAT IIs, so that should not be a stumbling block and publics should be at this point rolling admission so timing on that should not be a stumbling block. I think at this point you could help her most by finding a couple privates that might offer her big merit dollars because of her scores, geographic diversity and perhaps her interest in languages but its unfortunate she wants to stay within 100 miles of NYC. Perhaps you could do some research on the financial aid forum and do some research for her. I don’t know about the NE, but in the Midwest most of the colleges have application deadlines of 2/15. She would miss the EA dates of course, but would not miss regular decision.</p>
<p>It’s nice to “aim high” for kids that have parents who can back them financially. For this student the single most important factor will be finding a college that meets her financial situation and her potential academic interest. </p>
<p>Before you start suggesting Lake Forest and other privates that have very good financial aid, make sure she would even be interested in traveling far away to college…and if the family can withstand those associated costs (even were she to get a very, very generous financial aid package).</p>
<p>In our school, we see it all the time: people taking out loans to pay for public school when a private might actually be less expensive. But if they really have no income, won’t she get aid at the public that is substantial?</p>
<p>Starting off at a community or state college can save a lot of money. At this point, she is pretty close to a lot of private LAC deadlines. Otherwise I would suggest the “Colleges that Change Lives” website and book, and Loren Pope’s other book “Looking Beyond the Ivies.”</p>
<p>Middlebury is good for languages I believe. Not too far from NYC.</p>
<p>The family has <strong>no money</strong> as in low income, single mom was long term unemployed but recently back to work, older sister in community college, father not around, uncle might be able to assist. </p>
<p>She wants to be “in-state” but I don’t think “in-state” means much more than in state tuition as opposed to local. I am pretty sure she wants to be relatively close to home.</p>
<p>My list for her off the top of my head was Wheaton (MA), Connecticut College, Middlebury, and perhaps Yale after seeing her SATs – but there are no SAT2s yet, and no essays, and who knows, maybe no recs so I am not sure how a competitive application for Yale could happen.</p>
<p>cnp55-there are colleges with 1/15 deadlines and later. Probably a number of them with no SAT II requirement. Absolutely will not matter that she doesn’t have EC’s. The fact that she has held 2 jobs shows a level of responsibility which will both override her lack of EC’s as well as provide an explanation for the lack of EC’s. Let me think about some schools which might fit within that 100 mile range.</p>
<p>Too late for me to edit. Would she consider women’s colleges? Bryn Mawr has a 1/15 deadline and although I haven’t researched their linguistics offerings, I know that students can cross-register at Swarthmore, which has a terrific linguistics program. Geographically, that should meet the 100 mile range. A bit farther afield would be Mt. Holyoke, which also has a 1/15 deadline. A co-ed possibility is Muhlenberg, which has a 2/15 deadline. None of these colleges requires SAT II’s. Bryn Mawr and Muhlenberg should be within a 2 hour range of NYC. Mt. Holyoke is a bit further away.</p>
<p>The other alternative, of course, is to finish out a year at her local CC or the directional state U and then apply as a transfer. From the little you’ve told us, she is not going to be challenged academically at the directional state U. She may be quite bored. Of course, she’s going to have to fill out FAFSA, too, but there might be a little leeway with that. Let her get working on her essay and filling out the common app.</p>
<p>I think she needs a lot of convincing. Start with 18 months ago I heard (from her) that she’d be going into the Navy, family tradition and all that to get money for college. I think she’s convinced herself that Directional U will be fine, and it’s a brave front.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone ever said to her – with your stats you might get a lot of free money aid from a really good private college and you should look at the option. What I said in addition was you cannot fall in love with anything until you see the financial package.</p>
<p>Her eyes got big when I offered to pay her application fees – like I had taken away the barrier she’d use to say nope, not considering anything by Directional U. I should call her mom this week and repeat the offer.</p>
<p>Is she a NY state resident? I would encourage her to look at one of the more competitive SUNYs, like Binghamton, as an affordable safety. Finding out if they are likely to qualify for a non-custodial waiver is critical because it will affect where she could attend. </p>
<p>If she could fill in her applications over the next few days and if she has a good chance at that ncp waiver, I would have her consider Barnard. It is within her geographic preference, has wide breadth of coursework and a long-standing commitment to low-income women (high percentage of Pell Grant recipients compared to peer schools).</p>
<p>If she lives in NYC, have her consider applying to Barnard and commuting (to save on travel and other associated costs with living away). Not sure what its deadline is. Unfortunately, the Macaulay Honors deadline has passed. </p>
<p>Sent from my iPhone using [URL=<a href=“Tapatalk”>Tapatalk]Tapatalk[/URL</a>]</p>
<p>I didn’t want to post identifying information … but she’s not a New York resident. I used 100 miles of NYC as we’re in the NYC area, but not in NY. Her dad is in New England. Her safety is going to be the public directional U in our state. </p>
<p>And I just chatted with her mom online – who is thrilled with my offer and on board with getting her D to consider reaching higher.</p>
<p>This student would have been a viable candidate for Questbridge. So after you’ve done what you can for her, pay a visit to her HS guidance counselor, slap him/her upside the head, and make dead certain that counselor has the link [QuestBridge</a> Home](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/]QuestBridge”>http://www.questbridge.org/) so that no one else with her profile misses a chance on being informed about all of the options in the future.</p>
<p>Sheesh. Heads should be rolling in the administration within that “affluent district”.</p>
<p>Maybe you aren’t telling some of the details for privacy concerns but I think it is really unusual for someone with a 3.8 GPA to be attending a school where 98 percent go to a 4 year college and to not have taken SATs until December of senior year and to only be applying to one “directional college”, not even the state flagship. Is it possible she really wants to stay close to home, or has serious procrastination issues? I think you’d have to be really oblivious to be a high achieving student at a competitive high school and not notice all the emails and mailings from colleges offering merit aid.</p>
<p>It’s possible I don’t have all the details. I was SHOCKED that she didn’t have SAT scores available yet. It’s more possible that this girl has a lot of talent that’s been going unrecognized within her high school. There may be a “boyfiend” issue pushing the directional college. She’s a bit of a free spirit – or maybe just contrary and running counter to the herd. She’s very aware that money is a huge issue – and for most kids in this area money is not a huge issue.</p>