Match DD24 4.0/1460 seeking merit and a motivated student body

Do you have a link to this information? I was researching it tonight and couldn’t find it under the scholarships. Was it somewhere else?

Maybe it’s this - although they give no amount.

Pennsylvania Spartan Grant | Admissions | Michigan State University (msu.edu)

2 Likes

They show amount in the net price calculator.

4 Likes

More questions to ponder in order to expand/reduce/alter the list:

A useful question to ask may be: How many Business Majors double major with Arts&Sciences? This, in order to elicit how many (or what percentage) students in the business school aren’t strictly preprofessional, ie., are in college to get a job, v. larger intellectual concerns, broad interests, etc. How easy is it for a business major to enroll in Art classes beyond the gen ed level, access to studio space… and how common is it?
Are there academic clubs she could reach out to, to see what the students are majoring in beside their major subject?

For some students, strength in the major is enough; your daughter sounds like she wants strength in applied math/business analytics/data science AND art and as such has an interesting profile but one that’s rarer.
In a study conducted about various majors across a variety of colleges, the results were that… Business majors were those who do the least reading&writing than any major yet less quantitative work than quantitative majors. They spent the least time doing hw. Whereas the business school tended to be more selective than general admissions, once in many students simply didn’t seem to be assigned as much work or chose not to complete it at a higher rate than other majors. The variation depended also on how strong the business school was - a general management major at a random regional university had almost nothing in common with a Wharton graduate. The college I attended considered it normal to assign 100-150 pages a week (or even more) to a freshman seminar. This in addition to non humanities classes of course. At others, it may be 45 pages a week or even less. At some colleges, students read primary and secondary sources. At others, they read the textbook, which may include a short excerpt from a primary source. Reading ability matters because if students read to comprehend and that can’t be assumed by the professor, then the class discussion is going to be quite different from the class discussion where everyone is assumed to be able to analyze, draw inferences, etc. Finally, college culture may encourage a major outside one’s main field or may allow it while not supporting it.

Honors colleges at flagships offer a good compromise - in college, students WANT an easier class each semester because the others (hopefully) will require a lot of work so there will be one among the many thousands offered yet there’ll be plenty of challenge, especially if the university offers honors-specific major-related and gen-ed classes - at some universities, you may have 3 or 4 courses from honors offerings whereas at others it may be 1 with everything else being the “normal” class (at which point general academic quality becomes paramount, ie., a “normal” class at UMichigan and at UArkansas isnt taught the same way). Since not all Honors colleges and not all “regular classes” are the same, it would be important for your daughter to find concrete evidence of what matters to her.

Typically, the strongest Honors Colleges have consistently been: ASU Barrett, PSU Schreyer, USC Columbia Honors, UT Plan II.

Other issues may come into play: Blount and Randall, Honors within Honors, will offer plenty of challenge, and the Honors College at Alabama is its own motivated community. However, some young people may hesitate to attend due to some state laws. (Same in many other states, just using Alabama as an example).

Seconding Raikes - interdisciplinarity and in-demand subjects mean students with versatile interests and high academic achievement, but it’s a reach for everyone !

5 Likes

We’re PA residents and went through very similar process in 20 with slightly better stats. Your D will find academic peers at all schools on your list.

Your reaches most likely will be unaffordable. Maryland or OSU at full-pay OOS makes no sense over Pitt or PSU. Especially if she gets in an Honors program.

The good news is you have great in-state options. Temple’s offer for S20 was basically full tuition. I really liked Fox’s setup, especially for analytics. That said, it’s in Philly. Do your own due diligence.

S20 had very nice offers from Pitt, DePaul and SMU. Covid hit and had to turn down SMU. No visit. Fordham Gabelli might get close to your $50k limit.

S20 ended-up at Georgia Tech and switched to Industrial Engineering. He’ll graduate in 3 years plus he’s had internships and a co-op.

I’m not a big fan of Data Science degrees. Too many unknowns. Some schools are strong with business but weak on CS/math and vice versa. I recommend a STEM degree that’s a known quantity. Or go straight business.

I would recommend your D look at Industrial Engineering at other schools. I would also recommend an application to Georgia Tech. Their business school is also top-notch. Good luck.

3 Likes

I would reconsider an app to Pitt’s honors program. There can be nice perks plus if she wants to be in business honors I think you now have to be admitted to regular honors. Please verify. They also just got a nice infusion of money.

She can also take classes at CMU. They have cross registration. World class fine arts programs if she likes art. The Carnegie is also across the street.

3 Likes

GaTech is great and Industrial Engineering is awesome (I graduated there), but there are 2 problems here.

  1. GaTech does not provide money for OOS (I thought merit is in the subject). You are talking about 50k+. I can see it is in range, but you will not bring it to 35K.
  2. GaTech is a top school in Industrial Engineering for last 20 years. GaTech requires SAT/ACT. I am not sure that the above profile will be enough for an acceptance. Acceptance OOS is extremely competitive.
    For perspective: DD (not for Industrial Engineering but for BME) applied with a significantly stronger profile. She was deferred to RD, and then waitlisted. She got in only after an email during COVID meltdown (many students delayed enrollment) that she had acceptances to UMich and CMU but wanted GaTech since she was a legacy. So you can apply, but please do not count on it.
3 Likes

@MYOS1634 basically described what my daughter looked for in a school, although she did not seek a school that had a more elite reputation beyond wanting to go to a large R1 research university.

But she is in the Honors College at a large public school that offered strong merit aid to an out-of-state student. Partly because the school is not super-selective, it grants lots of AP credit and makes it easy to double major, switch majors, etc. There are design majors in the business department and a maker space shared by business and engineering students.

My daughter is getting dual BS degrees in Business Analytics and Accountancy (will have enough credits for the CPA exam in four years) and a minor in Sustainability. She is taking Honors classes like “Governing After the Zombie Apocalypse,” which required writing her own constitution, and “Because It’s There (and Looks Fun): Survival as Entertainment.”

She chose Oregon State University, which is never the first school that comes to mind when people talk about Honors Colleges or business schools, etc. And that may be WHY it was the best choice — the pathway to make her own way seemed more accommodating to her.

It was the visit and tours that sold her, not anything on the website or in the rankings. That’s why I think visits are so important. Anyway, just food for thought.

9 Likes

OP. I still think GT is worth an app.

Yes. GT is a reach OOS. That said, the M/F ratio is 60/40 so an F with a 760 math is competitive. Even though GT says they don’t admit by major, an app for business or ISyE isn’t the same as CS.

S20 said he knew at least a dozen kids that applied to GT. There were 3 or 4 admitted and stats were higher and lower than his. GT looks for other things than just stats. Rank, leadership and EC’s play a role. I think essays also weigh a fair amount.

As for cost it’s about $50k/year. However, three years is doable with AP/DE credits. Especially business. Add paid internships and co-ops and the cost was no different than what we planned for 4 years at Pitt or Penn State. It was a no-brainer to attend GT.

4 Likes

Kid wants mathy something and studio art, and GT is the resounding solution? And we’re encouraging three years of college for a kid who is still exploring possible majors and paths?

I think there are better options frankly. Three years to do math whatever PLUS art, plus get exposed to lots of different fields and disciplines? Feels like this kid is cutting off 25% of a college education that way… just to make GT affordable for a kid who does not want engineering???

5 Likes

OP’s upper budget is $50-55k. I’m assuming it includes 4 years. GT fits that budget. I’m just mentioning that it can be less if a student chooses.

Atlanta has a lot of opportunities including art. OP can find volunteer or paid opportunities in that direction if so inclined. School isn’t the only path to explore those interests.

S20 has had internships, jobs and a co-op. Opportunities he wouldn’t have had if he needed 4 years to graduate. I’m fairly certain he’s gotten more out of these experiences than another year of schooling.

1 Like

Just curious - how would the internship and co op be missed over four years vs. three? I assume by job, you mean graduating a year early led to an earlier job and thus another year of income?

Yes, he could’ve done the same path and graduated in five years instead of four. It would’ve just cost another year’s tuition. Not cheap.

I was pointing out that going to school for three years and using a fourth for other experiences was better than just going to school for 4 years. In his case. It’s also cheaper and he still managed some great experiences including visiting about a dozen countries for very little cost.

1 Like

Ok - thanks

1 Like

No harm in applying though if student is interested. GT doesn’t offer any binding admissions so op’s dd has plenty of time to research and compare it to her other options should she be admitted.

2 Likes

Agree, Ga Tech is a great school - about $50K listed price.

Two #s that may interest OP - just because they’ve mentioned b4 and these are undergrad.

5,764 Asian out of a population of 18,415.

11,178 males to 7,237 females - unsure of breakdown by major or school.

Concentrations are below and obviously, it’s a city school (adjacent downtown) vs. a Miami of Ohio or Penn State.

Guessing based on past comments on gender balance from OP’s child it might be a hiccup - but there will be something wrong with every school in America to the annalytical eye.

1 Like

Thank you I did not realize this and you are right, admissions to Fredericks is required. I will have to discuss this with her as she is about to submit her Pitt application.

2 Likes

This may be a sticking point for her. Also we didn’t consider GaTech because it seemed like too much of a reach with her stats. My impression has always been that they are looking for students with heavy STEM involvement in their ECs on top of being academically strong.

1 Like

Talk to me more about this. Is the degree too new and thus misunderstood? Sometimes I read that it really requires a graduate degree and alone can be difficult to find work. I suggested DD do business combined with data science. Or just do MIS or something along those lines.

I plan to discuss Industrial Engineering with her again.

1 Like

I would not worry about reaches. It’s ok to get rejected. I wanted my kids to get rejected. One did to two out of 15 and the other four of 21. It shows you went high enough - if - at the time, you’re after pedidgree - forgetting that both mine landed at the bottom of their competitive set.

Gender I get - but you might ask the b school - because tech is a huge engineering school. I wouldn’t think she’s a definite rejection - she’s in the ball park.

I didn’t make the comment but my opinion is data science is fine - but before it would be in math or stats. You have CS people doing it too. It can be housed anywhere and everywhere. There are “cute” majors today like Neuro - which existed b4 in other elements. I wouldn’t worry about the names - but the content.

My biggest fear is - the data scientists at my company - all they do is build dashboards. I’m not sure if it’s different other places - they don’t know or have no ability to analyze and use the data. It seems a wretched job to me.

In the end, it sounds like your daughter will have to open her mind a bit because everything isn’t perfect - and you’re not really comfortable going over mid 30s. And there’s nothing wrong with that - that’s why so many low cost schools attract these really smart kids. She may be too rural or not enough diversity or lower in a US News ranking, etc. - nothing is perfect unfortunately.

And when you think it is, then you get there and find the dining hall :slight_smile:

1 Like