<p>Thanks. Sseamom pm me so we can exchange ideas etc.</p>
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<p>Check also how high the college GPA and DAT score requirement for the streamlined dental school admission is.</p>
<p>My advice would be to cast a wide net in the application process, to the point of having people criticize you for applying to too many places, or for not already knowing what you want. Only then will you see what your exact choices will be.</p>
<p>If you are planning on passing thru NYC, I suggest that you take a look at Fordham, the Rose Hill campus. They give significant merit scholarships to students with high grades and scores (and full tuition scholarships to NMSF). While it is a university, it has small classes like a LAC. There is a lot of personal attention and a science integrated learning community where students planning on majoring in science can dorm together. The campus is beautiful and it is a quick ride on the school’s van or the metro north commuter rail (which stops steps from the campus gate) into Manhattan.</p>
<p>Four of my kiddos applied to various HBCUs and the elite privates as well as in state public flagships and OOS public flagships and the service academies. Like others have stated, they casted a very wide and deep (24 apps min) net. They were looking for the best “fit” for them, their goals and $$$.</p>
<p>One ended up at an ivy, one an OOS public, one at an in state HBCU and one at a service academy. Two ended up turning down the service academy appts, others turned down an ivy for the OOS public. Three were pre-health (1 pre-dental, 1 pre-med, 1 pre-vet) so they were looking at professional schools as well and the expense that entails.</p>
<p>Our EFC was much, much lower than yours but was concerned about the bottom line out of pocket.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest the thread about the full ride scholies and take a look at the pre-med forum here on CC where many of these issues are addressed, especially the money. </p>
<p>Middle son is currently a med student (ivy grad, in-state med school on scholie) and he strongly advises to look at the current med school pricing. It is an eye opener. And it goes up every year. He too would NOT advise the accelerated programs.</p>
<p>Emory has the Presidential Scholars scholie, UNC does offer some merit (morehead and Robertson) as does Duke, Vandy offers a diversity scholie, Davidson in NC as does WPI. All strong in STEM. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>I agree with bluebayou that HYPS may be within reach for your son, and I would not be surprised if you got a generous financial aid package from them. You should certainly include one or more on your list if your son finds them to be a fit. Your son should do overnights at Fisk, Morehouse, or Howard and attend classes in his intended major if he is strongly considering an HBCU. If it’s not an academic match, he’ll likely know right away.</p>
<p>I would be concerned about any college where the child is in the very top parts of the applicant pool. I have a young friend who went for the massive scholarship in the much lower college, and he was very dissatisfied. In addition to visiting classes more than once, your son should also attempt to stay overnight. Good luck!</p>
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<p>But if that were true, then most admissions safeties would unsatisfying, since most admissions safeties would have mostly students with much lower academic credentials (the exceptions may be situations like auto-admit-top-7%-or-10% for Texas residents at the Texas public universities).</p>
<p>Whether such a school would be satisfying for the student likely depends on whether there are enough other high achieving students that make it worth it for the school to offer courses suitable for them (large schools and those with a wide distribution of student abilities may have an advantage here). This may also depend on the student’s major – some majors may attract the better students, while others may be seen as “gut” majors that are filled with the lower achievers (the rigorous majors and “gut” majors are not necessarily the same at each school).</p>
<p>In other words, consider who the best students at the school are (and how many of them there are, and in which major(s)), rather than the worst students (who define the admissions selectivity of the school), for this purpose.</p>
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<p>Yes, and there was a long thread on this just last week.</p>
<p>North Carolina Central University, an HBCU and a member of the UNC system, has a cross-registration agreement also. NCCU students can take courses across town at Duke University. You might be surprised to hear that NCCU’s undergraduate core is considered by some to be among the best in the UNC system. At one time, NCCU offered full rides and free laptops to high caliber entering Freshmen.</p>
<p>The major drawback for some folks concerning the school is the location. The immediate neighborhood around NCCU is “frayed,” but then again some blocks near Duke aren’t Beverly Hills either.</p>
<p>If you look at a place with cross-registration options, find out how many people actually do it, and how difficult it is to get those classes. Make sure it’s not just theoretical.</p>
<p>NCCU / Duke cross registration is described here:
[Interinstitutional</a> Registration | Office of the University Registrar](<a href=“http://registrar.duke.edu/special-registrations/interinstitutional-registration]Interinstitutional”>http://registrar.duke.edu/special-registrations/interinstitutional-registration)</p>
<p>When looking at cross-registration possibilities, also consider commuting distances between the schools (fortunately, <a href=“http://maps.google.com%5B/url%5D”>http://maps.google.com</a> can suggest routes between two places by walking/running, bicycling, and public transportation as well as by car).</p>
<p>Along the lines of NCCU is NCA&T, also an HBCU and also in the UNC system. A&T is in Greensboro, very close to UNC Greensboro. While NCCU has a law school and is more humanities centered, A&T has the accredited Engineering school, Ag and life sciences, nursing…much more STEM centered. It is a smaller public, 4000+ undergrads and has maintained its individual character even though it is a state institution.</p>
<p>It produces animal sciences grads that head off to vet school, very similar to NCSU but classes sizes are soooo much smaller than NCSU, true for the engineering classes and many of the STEM classes with labs. There is one central cafeteria that has the BEST food hands down!! and a very cohesive student body. Lots and lots of tradition.</p>
<p>The vet school is at NCSU, the med schools are at UNC Chapel Hill and ECU, dental at UNC CH and a new one at ECU and A&T feeds into them all. The advantage is an LAC feel with the resources of the UNC system. And lots of alumni at all the right locations to help out.</p>
<p>Can you tell I was an NC A&T mom??? But full disclosure between undergrad/grad schools and 5 kiddos I am also an NCSU and UNC CH mom as well!!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>and the in-state tuition was worth moving 3000+ miles!! one more ps…A&T’s new Nanoengineering school is the BOMB! Two brand new facilities and lots of research…</p>
<p>There are plenty of wonderful colleges that are not Ivies, HBCU or top 25. If you broaden your search, you will likely find some wonderful schools outside of these three categories.</p>
<p>Is there some reason only these three types are being considered?</p>
<p>Good points from Hunt and Ucbalumnus about the convenience, or lack thereof, of commuting to another campus to take advantage of cross-registered courses. Investigate and scrutinize.</p>
<p>Also, good points about NCA&T. The Nanoscience Department at the Engineering School has been well received. I’ve been on that campus and know some alumni, most of whom are quite happy with the education they earned at NCA&T. Take note that OOS tuition at NCA&T and other UNC system campuses has significantly increased in recent years, so look for a scholarship opportunity.</p>
<p>One question I have about cross registration is that classes will fill. Who will get priority registration? In some cases- and it makes sense to do so- seniors, students in that major, and students who need the class to graduate on time would get priority- so would some of them be full with students from that school before the spots are open to others?</p>
<p>OP,</p>
<p>I agree with the others that say cast a wide net. But you also want to listen to your child. Since you have the luxury of a high income and good savings, allow your son to get a feel for all possible schools as you travel. </p>
<p>I love that he’s so sensible and mature. Do you get the feeling that he’d do well anywhere? Or does he need to be with intellectual peers?</p>
<p>For the record, my oldest son is 1/2 Puerto Rican, 1/2 Caucasian and he was accepted to all 10 of his schools including two Ivies, three tech schools, and three safeties, one with a full ride +. (That was UT Dallas’ McDermott Scholars Program) He chose the best fit, MIT, and it was a great choice.</p>
<p>We are also from Ca. and he didn’t apply to any UCs. We would qualify for the blue/gold program but it would still be more expensive to attend one of them than to attend MIT.</p>
<p>At the time he chose, we didn’t know about his NM Corporate scholarship and that caused some stress until we knew the amount.</p>
<p>Since your son plans to do graduate school and beyond, it makes sense to have some excellent full ride options. After all the visits are done, he will probably have more of a sense what he likes/dislikes.</p>
<p>Keep us posted!</p>
<p>I suggest you look into Rhodes. A CC’s D got a full ride there and went on to Yale Med School.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great comments.To answer the question: I think my son will do well anywhere. He does not have a competitive me first bone in his body. I can see him doing peer tutoring etc if he goes to a less competitive environment. He gets the most pleasure out of helping others. That’s why a career in medicine or dentistry may be a good choice for him. Time will tell.</p>
<p>WatchfulEye,
I work in college counseling in a public high school which is overwhelmingly African-American. One of our very top students turned down Ivy acceptances to go to North Carolina A&T. They have an honors college where all the students must have a minimum SAT score in order to matriculate and also have the Lewis Dowdy scholarship named after a past administrator which gives up to 40 students “a free ride.” This merit award was a major reason why our student turned down Ivy acceptances. Good luck to your very talented son. I’m sure he’ll have lots of great options!</p>