Interviews? Too late to show interest?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Rochester
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<p>My son is just beginning to look at colleges (he's a senior), and we looked at the application (via Common App) for UR and he really liked what he saw. He is interested in Digital Media/Game Design/Design/Engr/Animation type stuff and UR definitely has that. He also thought the list of activities was really cool. So, he is planning on applying.</p>

<p>He's a strong student (2230 SAT, 3.95/4.47 GPA with some national honors and local awards), plans to submit a supplement in cello (does UR even accept an arts supplement), but we don't know much more at UR at this point other than the fact that it's obviously a great school.</p>

<p>Is it too late to show interest in order to get merit? He would absolutely need merit and a lot of it, in order to attend. </p>

<p>Are there local alum interviews? We're in a large city.</p>

<p>Any enlightenment about UR would be appreciated. We're across the country so definitely not visiting before applying.</p>

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<p>Check the UR web site Admissions > Visiting > Off Campus Events. They show interviews happening through November around the country. Interviews can also happen locally with alumni or by phone.</p>

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<p>My guy did a phone interview with an alumni and we’re not anywhere near as far away as you are. He got in and got merit aid, so doing that certainly won’t harm an applicant. I’d have your guy sign up for one. My guy applied last minute - deciding to between Thanksgiving and Dec 1st (back when that was the priority deadline). He almost didn’t apply due to weather concerns.</p>

<p>FWIW, my guy is a junior there and absolutely loves it. He’s not in that major (not even close), but if you were to want a student contact to ask questions, feel free to send me a pm. He’s currently an RA in a freshman dorm, works in labs, and is involved in various clubs, etc, so he knows a fair bit about what is going on. He’s very, very glad he chose to apply. He calls that decision “The best decision I almost never made!”</p>

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<p>Pm wayoutwestmom. Her daughter graduated from UR a couple of years ago (now in med school) and I can say WOWM is the best source for info on this site!</p>

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<p>This is a small thing, but if your kid hasn’t signed up at the admissions website to get emails updates from the college, he should do so. Most colleges offer this, and consider it a sign of interest if a kid has signed up.</p>

<p>Here is a link, just put in your zip code to look for events:</p>

<p><a href=“http://enrollment.rochester.edu/visit/off-campus/”>http://enrollment.rochester.edu/visit/off-campus/&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>According to the freshman application page, they take an arts supplement:</p>

<p><a href=“http://enrollment.rochester.edu/apply/freshmen/”>http://enrollment.rochester.edu/apply/freshmen/&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>My advice is that you spend some time researching more with your son on UR. Review everything available on the website. Read old threads out here on the school forum. Read up in guides like the Fiske Guide to Colleges (his GC or the library might have one). Check out c-o-l-l-e-g-e p-r-o-w-l-e-r (have to do that or it will star out) for information. If your son has questions that aren’t answered, then he could email the admissions rep for your area to ask them. And he could say how enthusiastic he is about the school, too. For example, he might want to ask about how to submit an arts supplement. :slight_smile: Also, run the net price calculator on the financial aid page to see what kind of need based aid, if any, he might receive.</p>

<p>Has he considered these schools? Case Western (also offers a fair amount of merit aid), Drexel, RPI, or WPI? All have good game design programs.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the feedback, all.</p>

<p>Creekland, I would love to know what other schools your son applied to and what his stats were in order to get aid. If you’d prefer to PM me, that would be great. My son’s a homeschooler, too.</p>

<p>intparent,</p>

<p>My son has already received emails from UR, so I think he can just go to the link in the email and sign up for a Roc account (I think that’s what it’s called?) and an interview. I did tell him he needs to get to know schools and show interest. I will have him email them and ask about a supplement, and then spend some time on the website. I’ve read enough about UR from these forums to share what’s here.</p>

<p>I’ve run the NPC and, while we do qualify for a lot of need-based aid, without pretty much top merit at UR, he couldn’t afford to attend. He does <em>not</em> want debt. He wants to be able to get a degree and get working and not be saddled with paying back loans. So, I realize UR is a long shot in that category.</p>

<p>Our EFC will probably be between 8-9K, maybe a little lower since my dh’s income will almost certainly go down, next year with two in college. This year, our EFC was $9,500.</p>

<p>I’ve looked at all the other schools mentioned, but there is simply not enough aid. Even a full tuition scholarship will leave around 11-12K of room and board plus travel costs. UR, if he somehow got the top scholarship they offer, comes in around 8K or so, which is doable.</p>

<p>The other schools on his list that have game design-y stuff are UC Irvine, UT Dallas (he’s going to try for the McDermott-why not), and UCLA, oh, and possibly Univ. of Central Florida, which I just discovered has a Digital Media major.</p>

<p>The other schools on his list are focused on engineering, music, and industrial design.</p>

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<p>That is a Hail Mary pass to hope for the top merit scholarship. I assume you know that many schools do not “stack” merit aid on top of need based aid. They just reduce the need based aid by the amount of the merit… some reduce loans, but it varies by college. So you can’t just assume if you get the need based aid the NPC shows that any merit aid (inside or outside of the college) will further reduce the cost of attendance. </p>

<p>Easy to say that he does “not want debt”, but at least he is looking mostly at majors (except music) where he is likely to make a reasonable salary on graduation. I don’t recommend a ton of debt, but the maximum federal loan amount ($28,000) is not too onerous for an engineer or programming type major. Students who need aid and don’t want to take out loans have more limited choices.</p>

<p>If he is going for “big merit”, he needs to be at the very top of the stats pool for those colleges. And it is still a long shot, he needs affordable schools he is willing to attend on his list as well.</p>

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<p>Oh, I definitely realize that, intparent. He’s not a top student (over 2300 SAT, etc. etc), so I realize the chances of his attending UR (assuming he gets in) is slim to none, but it’s still worth applying. He’s strong with his 2230 SAT and 4.47 w gpa. His music activities are very strong and unique and he has some good ECs/awards, but he’s not over the top and he’s a white male</p>

<p>The most affordable school is community college, and that certainly is on the table as an option. The other affordable schools are the local UC/Cal State school. Cal State would be virtually free. Another couple of UCs are affordable, and of course his high reach schools are very affordable. Getting in, well, that’s another story. UT Dallas would also likely be affordable.</p>

<p>Perhaps he will change his mind about debt as he goes along, but that’s how he feels now.</p>

<p>It’s probably hard being in his position watching his older brother go to a good school without accruing any debt. He wants the same, I’m sure.</p>

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<p>Just as a follow up-my son was able to have an interview with the local admission rep for our city.</p>