<p>I was wondering if you could help comparing schools for my daughter. She is applying for the Fall 2015 semester. We are looking for schools that are in the East Coast (preferably in VA or NY) and have good Management/CS departments. My husband and I are unable to do nothing more than to google things. We both finished our undergraduate education abroad, and have zero experience in this area. So if you could lend us some advice, I would be very thankful. It's a quirky situation.</p>
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<li>The reason why my daughter wants schools especially in VA or NY is that she has family there. My husband and I are living in NY, while her grandparents live near Washington DC. She would not be a in-state applicant in either state. </li>
<li>My daughter's SAT scores are 2310 (CR 760, W 750, M 800). </li>
<li>I know her SAT scores are okay, but the problem is her school life and ECs. They are nonexistent. We have been moving around a lot (around the States and abroad) because of our jobs, and she was not able to have a conventional education. Even though she had tutors and did attend schools in different countries, she didn't graduate from high school. We deliberated on the issue for quite a while, but my daughter adamantly believed that self-studying suited her better. So, she passed the GED this year.</li>
<li>I am willing to pay for her undergrad education. Ideally I'm looking for a price range between 20-30k, but I'm more than willing to make things work if she needs more.</li>
<li>The schools she were attracted to after her visits were George Mason, University of Virginia, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Binghamton, and NYU. Though I'm not certain, she seems to be attracted to a diverse and large student community and wants a campus not too near to the city, but not too far as well. </li>
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<p>I know all that she has are her SAT scores, essay, and recommendations, while other students have strong applications. We have considered the option of entering a community college and transferring, but she really wants to go to a big campus and have an American uni life. Could you please tell what kind of options my daughter may have? She is only sixteen, so if her credentials are substandard, we are thinking of the option of gaining more volunteer work or other kinds of EC next year.</p>
<p>Sounds like she would be classified as a homeschooled student so I don’t think that’s an issue. I’m not sure her lack of grades would put her in the running for NYU’s few good scholarships so that may be just unreasonably costly. Frankly, with Stony Brook and Bing on the list I don’t see an issue with trying for her entire list and see how the financial/merit aid offers fall out. I think she’ll get into both SUNYs and that should come in on your budget. </p>
<p>Each college has a net price calculator on its web site, which you can use to get a financial aid estimate. If not affordable on financial aid, check for whether merit scholarships are available.</p>
<p>Starting at a community college, particularly one in the same state as a targeted public university (VA or NY) can be an option, since public universities often have transfer credit articulation agreements with community colleges. Community colleges are open admission and lower cost, but the student must then apply to transfer to the four year school, usually as a junior, to complete a bachelor’s degree. In some cases, there may be guaranteed transfer after completing the needed course work with sufficiently high grades. Starting at community college may work better if her high school course work is incomplete (e.g. she is not yet ready to take calculus or a higher level math course).</p>
<p>@"Erin’s Dad" I didn’t know that she would be considered a homeschooled student. Maybe we will visit SUNY and NYU campuses again if she gets in. With our finances, there’s a slim chance she’ll qualify for financial aid. I just hope she ends up in an university she would be happy with. Thank you!</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus Community college is our very last resort. My daughter has sufficient skills in math and science, but lacks knowledge in US history. She may also lack in American literature, but I don’t think that would be a big problem (or so I hope). I’m crossing my fingers that Management and CS departments put a bigger emphasis on math and practical skills than on subject she lacks in. Again, she won’t qualify for financial aid, so a merit scholarship would work best. Thank you :)</p>
<p>If you don’t mind, are there other universities we could consider? I know her application is a bit unconventional…</p>
<p>Colleges generally have an English writing requirement to graduate (in any major). So it is best if she enters college with good enough writing skills to avoid needing to take remedial writing courses before taking the actual college level writing courses.</p>
<p>However, keep the community college option as a backup in case the options are limited due to her high school record being incomplete or missing things that colleges want to see. (For some schools, sufficiently high scores on AP or SAT subject tests in the given subjects may be accepted for high school subject requirements.)</p>
<p>Her story may be unconventional, but her experience of many places and cultures can also be a strong hook for her. Also, universities are accustomed to seeing the “military brat” phenomenon of kids who have moved so often they had no opportunity to establish significant depth in extracurriculars, so while her situation is not the norm it is a familiar one to adcoms.</p>
<p>I’d have her look at Goucher and James Madison. Both a little further from DC than her current options, but they are excellent schools with good merit aid opportunities and good urban access to both their home cities and nearby DC.</p>
<p>Also, in NY, look at the CUNY Macaulay Honors College. All admitted students receive full tuition, laptop computers, museum passes, and other perks. CUNY may be a little <em>too</em> urban for her, though.</p>
<p>I also second the recommendation to consider CC. Your daughter sounds very bright and driven, and I do not doubt that she could earn Phi Theta Kappa in CC, giving her access to many PTK scholarship opportunities when transferring. NOVA (Northern Virginia Community College) routinely sends transfers to many of the best schools in the region (Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, UVA).</p>
The only one of your initial list that give good aid is UVA. The rest, no. There are some good recommendations above like the CUNYs and NOVA which will be relatively less expensive. And while your D’s story might make a nice essay it’s not a hook. A hook is something the college needs/desires like a 250 lb all-state linebacker. :)</p>
<p>Binghamton doesn’t really give aid…but it doesn’t have to as it is under $30,000 and is top 5 in out of state colleges with the best value (Kiplingers). My daughter went to Binghamton and loved it.</p>
<p>Are you registered in your high school district as a home schooler? NYS requires us to submit paperwork by certain deadlines if our children are within compulsory age limits. Usually it’s until the last day of the school year they turn 16, although in some districts it’s the end of the year they turn 17. (Google “NYSED 100.10” for a complete list of NYS home school regulations.) </p>
<p>I’d also check each college’s website for home school admission policies because they do differ from regular admissions. We had to show that our son completed 4 years each of Eng, history, & math; 2-3 of science (with labs); 2-3 of foreign language; at least a year of music and art; 2 years of PE; and several electives. I had to provide a school profile, all 4 years of our Individualized Home Instruction Plans, a course list with detailed descriptions of what was covered, 4 years of quarterly reports with grades, yearly standardized test results, SAT scores, textbook list, proof that high school equivalency was met (in your case, the GED will suffice), and recommendations from outside teachers. It’s not easy. Good luck.</p>