Late College Search

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey CC, I made this second college search forum post to have it be more organized for those of you who decide to help me and make it easier for you guys to have all my information. My old post had information scattered throughout 10 or so posts. So this is a better a way to organize and present my stats, info, and what i look forward to in college. Here goes.</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>-State: PA
-Gender: Male
-Race: Indian American (immigrant)</p>

<p>Prospective Major(s):
1st Choice - Economics (Math-Intensive, for grad school.)
2nd Choice - Philosophy, Politics. and Economics (If college offers it)
3rd Choice - Philosophy (Pre-Law)</p>

<p>-Family Income: $40,000-47,500 (including mine)
-EFC (Federal): $2150</p>

<p>-SAT: 1840 (Math: 660, Reading: 670, Writing: 510) (retaken November, 2014)
-SAT II: US History 710, Taking Math II in December.
-ACT: 30 (Math: 31, Reading 34, Science 26, Writing 28) </p>

<p>-Weighted GPA: 3.7
-Unweighted: 3.5</p>

<p>AP Classes:
-US History: 5
-US Government: 4
-Computer Science: (Pending)
-Calculus AB: (Pending)
-Physics 2: (Pending)
-Psychology: (Pending)</p>

<p>EC's:
-Kumon Tutor/Grader (20 hr/week)
-Multi-Cultural Club (Member)</p>

<p>Also I wrote about my mother absence for three months every year for the past 9 years, where she does religious charitable work across the US. During her absence, my responsibilities at home are greatly increased and due to that i haven't been able to participate in many outside activities. I will also ask my guidance counselor to mention this in her LOR.</p>

<p>College's I'm Considering:
Haverford College (Affordable, but competitive)
Drexel University (Very expensive, so need merit aid)
Temple University (Safety, I guess)</p>

<p>I'm looking for a college with in 5 hours driving radius of Philadelphia. That can be afforded without having to take PLUS loans. Other then that I really just want the best education possible.</p>

<p>Also if someone is willing to help me with my essay, you would be a godsend. </p>

2

<p>Bump. Any College Recommendations?</p>

3

<p>Haverford is going to be a reach even with the SAT Subject and the ACT (not the SAT score).
Drexel is terrible with financial aid for low EFC families. :s
Look into Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Susquehanna, Penn State (hit or miss for financial aid, but apply soon since it’s rolling admissions), Moravian, Lehigh (reach), Lafayette, Franklin&Marshall, UScranton, Juniata, Elizabethtown, Gettysburg.
You also have:
American University, Bard (not sure if it’s within 5 hours but you can check), Marist, Connecticut College (probably like 6 hours unless you take the train), Molloy (not sure if it’s within 5 hours), Drew, Goucher, McDaniel, Loyola Maryland, JHU (big reach), Howard (HBCU), SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Geneseo (outside your 5 hour radius though, but could be on the “less expensive” side).
Happy exploration… and don’t forget to
RUN THE NPC’s on EACH of these!</p>

4

<p>Would Geneseo still be cheap with OOS tuition? I heard Penn and Pitt are terrible with financial aid, does anyone have any experience they could share about Penn and Pitts affordability? </p>

<p>Also would attending a small college be bad for someone hoping to pursue a PhD in econ?</p>

5

<p>Pitt is lower with financial aid because it already has low tuition for in state students. Because you live in PA, you should qualify for the lower in-state tuition. Pitt’s tuition is just below $17,000 for their general studies school, which could be comparable to the price you’ll be paying at 50-60k tuition private schools after financial aid.</p>

6

<p>So the net price calculator says Pitt and Penn State would be both around 25k with just need based aid and I don’t know if I would receive an merit aid from those colleges :-/ </p>

7

<p>Not from Pitt, which is ACT-score based. From Penn State, perhaps, since no one really knows how their merit aid is given. Apply and see… it’s really hit/miss with them.</p>

<p>Small college/PHD Econ: to do a PHD in Econ, you need to do a solid math major. A school that has good math and economics offerings, such as Dickinson, would be a safe bet if you perform (a high GPA will be expected), and the LAC structure helps students who want to go to graduate school. The best major combination would be math + econ minor + taking advantage of Dickinson’s superb study abroad offerings (either in math or in econ or both.) Lehigh would have a very strong math program (but it’s also heavy on drinking, as are Bucknell and Gettysburg). Dickinson, Lehigh, Gettysburg, Bucknell, Lafayette, Franklin&Marshall, Muhlenberg would have excellent financial aid. </p>

<p>Geneseo is still cheap OOS, but I don’t know whether it’ll be doable for you since your EFC is low. Run the Net Price Calculator.</p>

8

<p>Dickinson looks really good especially their math department and its academic offerings . I’ll look more into Lehigh and Lafayette, which offers a mathematical econ program. My question is how diverse are these small colleges? Is the student body really welcoming or is it filled with cliques? Last question would more or less research opportunities at these LAC or a large university?</p>

9

<p>Dickinson is quite diverse for an LAC. One of my kids graduated from there. They pull a fair number of international students there. Gotta be blunt… you are awfully picky for this late in the game and needing nearly a full ride to go to college. You should run the NPCs for the list above to see what you can afford, check to see if they offer the majors you want, and get some applications going. You can go to grad school in Econ from pretty much ANY of these colleges. But your HS GPA is no great shakes – you are going to have to pick your game up at ANY college to get into grad school.</p>

10

<p>Um… sorry for seeming needy or picky. Last question do you feel its worthwhile to apply Haverford or should I cut that from the list of colleges?</p>

11

<p>I would say cut it. Save the time and money and concentrate on others. Best of luck to you! </p>

12

<p>Apply to the others first. If you have time December 20-30 to work on Haverford’s supplements, do it (because they have excellent FA), then forget about it. It’s a very, very long shot so you should not spend time on it before your “real” applications are in.
Within a week, you need to have a list with:
2 schools you’re sure you can get in, like, and can afford.
3-5 schools (at least) where your stats are above the median and up to close to the top 75%, that you like and can afford. Since you need a lot of financial aid, I’d actually subdivide this into 3 schools where you’re above the median and 3+schools where you’re at the threshold for top 75%. This is the group of schools that is most likely to combine having deep pockets and giving money to you.
Then add the schools with selectivity below 40% or where your score places you at the median/average for admitted students.
The recommendations above take into account your stats and financial need.</p>

13

<p>Haverford’s application deadline is Jan 15, so you have plenty of time to do that after all the others are due on Jan 1.</p>

<p>Five hours from Philadelphia puts you into northern central New York according to Google maps (basically Interstate 90 is your northern limit), so schools like Hamilton, Colgate, URochester, Union, Skidmore, and Bard (maybe Vassar) are all possibilities with your ACT score. The GPA might make some of them more iffy, but if you’re hunting for FA, you might consider giving them all a look. Many of these schools can be very generous, but it’s going to be a game of sending in a lot of applications to your best shots and schools you think match you the best, as there clearly isn’t time to visit them before you apply.</p>

14

<p>Sorry to bother you guys again, but i just wanted to let you know that i got a list like you guys said. If you have any thoughts i would love to hear them.</p>

<p>Potential Colleges - Net Price
Hamilton College (Reach) - $5430
Trinity College - $9950
Lafayette College (High Match) - $7660
Gettysburg College (High Match - $8830
Skidmore College (Match) - $9800
Dickinson College (Match & Visiting Saturday) - $ 9550
Ursinus College (Safety) - $13410 (I don’t understand)
Temple University (Safety) - $15600 (I don’t understand)</p>

15

<p>Temple University doesn’t meet need. If they didn’t ask for grades and test scores on the Net Price Calculator, it may be “net cost before any potential merit scholarships”, but overall Pennsylvania “State” schools (especially Pitt, PSU, and Temple, which are “public-related”) as well asthe PASSHE schools, will ask for this amount, perhaps a bit less but not by much, from anyone, regardless of ability to pay.
Run NPC on Franklin&Marshall, Susquehanna, Vassard, Bard, Connecticut College, etc.
Keep Haverford but only after you’ve finished your applications.
(Also, you’ll notice that the “meet 100% need” schools that are the farther away are the least expensive).</p>

16

<p>Hey again,
So I have made some more changes to my list and visited Dickinson yesterday. My dad and I really liked it, especially the math department and the science building. The only gripe with it would be the road and the train track that runs trough the campus. I’m also going to be visiting Lafayette next week. Here is my new list would love your thoughts.</p>

<p>Potential Colleges - Net Price</p>

<p>Haverford College (Super Reach) - $4355
Hamilton College (Reach) - $5430
Trinity College (Reach) - $9950
Boston College (Reach) - $10860
Lafayette College (High Match) - $7660
Skidmore College (Match) - $9800
Dickinson College (Match ) - $ 9550
Temple University (Safety) - $15600</p>

17

<p>won’t Temple give you merit money?</p>

18

<p>Yeah, the net price includes an $8000 merit scholarship. </p>

19

<p>Hey, everyone sorry to post again, but I’m in need of some guidance. So I have almost completed all my applications and my dad just informed me that he can’t afford to allow me to apply to so many schools and asked me to cut my list down. I tried to look for fee-waiver, but Hamilton College was the only one that offered me one after I submitted a net price calculation. So I cut my list down to about six schools and i wanted your guys’ thoughts on it. Also, if possible is there any way I can get free waivers even if I’m not on free or reduced lunch? I’m a vegetarian so I never bought school lunch and thus never applied for the program. When I asked my counselor if I could apply now, she said that it was too late and the budget had run out. We did try anyway and were rejected. </p>

<p>List:</p>

<p>Haverford College
Vassar College
Hamilton College
Lafayette College
Franklin & Marshall College
Dickinson College</p>

20

<p>Do your parents earn less than, roughly, $40,000/year? Then you just check “fee waiver” ON THE COMMON APP itself, and ask your guidance counselor to check it on his/her form, with checking “financial means”.
Did you get SAT/ACT fee waivers?
Free lunch isn’t the only reason you can give - if you live in public housing, for instance, it counts (since it means you not only don’t have the means to own a house, but you can"t even afford private rents). Your principal can also write an explanation. Essentially, most of the colleges on your original list want you to apply and don’t want you to forego applying just because you don’t have the money to apply - essentially, if you don’t have enough money to apply, you are likely to get a fee waiver.
Your list is WAY to dangerous. You’re only applying to top colleges, there is no safety there!</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/documents/applicationfeewaiver.pdf”>http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/documents/applicationfeewaiver.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;