<p>Briefly...D2 is an upcoming HS junior. In her class, she is ranked in the top 5-10 of 450+, and her GPA is approximately 98 out of 100 (uw). She has already taken the ACT in the spring as a sophomore and got a 35. She has taken one AP so far, a 4 on world history, and 2 SAT2s, Math 2 (750), and Literature (740).</p>
<p>She has started to think a bit more about colleges, and this is a little complicated since her main dominating EC is equestrian, specifically eventing, which she wants to continue during college. She is also planning on vet school in the future, and wants to save as much of her college 'fund' to pay for as much of her vet school as she can. She would plan to major in biology or something similar, with a 'pre-vet' emphasis. She is fairly open to location, but is leaning toward staying on the East Coast. She would prefer the Mid-Atlantic area, but is looking from Maine to Florida, and even in the Midwest. We have looked at length at the 'Guaranteed Scholarships' page, and are most impressed with Alabama's offer. She has also looked at honors colleges and scholarships available from other colleges as well, again, up and down the East Coast....and there are some very good scholarships, just not as guaranteed or quite to the same degree as Alabama.</p>
<p>So...the question for today is: given her plan for vet school and her current stats, can anyone recommend a school, honors program, or merit scholarship that would be worth investigating further??</p>
<p>As a showjumper who has given up riding temporarily to pursue her college dream, I’d say focus on the pre-vet school stuff first. She’ll always be able to drive out somewhere and exercise someone’s horse, even during her college years. There’s plenty of listings asking for people like that on Craigslist, and many schools have an equestrian team (mostly hunter, though). If she wants to keep riding AND has time to keep riding, she’ll find a way to make it work at whatever school she chooses.</p>
<p>University of Maryland College Park has a good pre-vet program and significant scholarships for high-achieving students. It sounds like your daughter will be competitive for those scholarships.</p>
<p>Mom2CK- thanks for your reply…I was hoping you would chime in. She definitely will take the PSAT (and prepare for it) this year. I don’t think she will take the SAT though. We have not ever visited UA…and it seems those that do love it. I honestly don’t know if she would love to go that far away from home (we live in PA)…but for the right program, she may. Also, not sure what the vibe is for equestrian and eventing is…not the school, but the surrounding area.</p>
<p>Sikorsky- I am glad someone mentioned UM. I had done some research on them, but had only talked to one other person who knew anything about their honors program/ scholarships. It sounds like there is some good merit aid to be had…it’s just not ‘guaranteed’ based on stats like Alabama. I think she may end up applying to Maryland…we are very close…they do seem to have a great honors program and good possibilities for scholarships…and, it has pre-vet preparation and is very close to ‘horse country’. Another very similar possibility is Delaware.</p>
<p>I don’t know what their regular merit aid is like for OOS, but my ds1 got about $1k shy of a full ride from them between merit and FA (though he chose another school).</p>
<p>I’m sure Texas seems like a long way from home, but now’s not the time to limit choices, and kids change so much these last two years in HS.</p>
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It sounds like there is some good merit aid to be had…it’s just not ‘guaranteed’ based on stats like Alabama.
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<p>True, it isn’t guaranteed, but with an A average, class rank in the top decile, and a 35 on the ACT, it’s not at all naive to think she’s a strong candidate for significant merit aid at Maryland. But this is critically important: in order to be considered for any merit award at the University of Maryland, a student must apply by the priority deadline, November 1. [University</a> of Maryland - Freshman Application Deadlines](<a href=“http://www.admissions.umd.edu/admissions/apply/freshman_deadline.asp]University”>http://www.admissions.umd.edu/admissions/apply/freshman_deadline.asp)</p>
<p>And, really, if she gets the money, does it matter that much whether it was guaranteed or awarded competitively?</p>
<p>She definitely will take the PSAT (and prepare for it) this year. I don’t think she will take the SAT though. We have not ever visited UA…and it seems those that do love it. I honestly don’t know if she would love to go that far away from home (we live in PA).</p>
<p>If she scores well enough on the PSAT to become a NMSF, then she has to take the SAT in order to become a NMF. </p>
<p>I would suggest that she take the October SAT as a practice for the PSAT that will be a week or so later. </p>
<p>Bama has a good number of kids from PA. With her ACT 35, even if she doesn’t make NMF, Bama would very likely offer her more than just the tuition scholarship. Last year, kids with her stats (who weren’t NMF) were given $4k per year in addition to free tuition. And, some were awarded free rides. </p>
<p>And, with her stats, she’d be a highly competitive for one of Bama’s top Honors Programs. Being Pre-Vet, then considering the Computer-Based Honors Program would be wise. It’s not a computer science program; it’s a research program for all majors. Many of the CBH kids are in one of the pre-health majors. </p>
<p>If you can swing it, I strongly suggest visiting.</p>
<p>She’s NEVER going to take the SAT? Even though she has taken the SAT, you might want to consider having her take the SAT as well. She doesn’t have to send it to ANY of the colleges.</p>
<p>Also, I thought that if a student was NMF eligible one of the criteria for being NMF was an SAT score…am I wrong on that?</p>
<p>I had not considered the point of having to take the SAT if she scored well enough on the PSAT to be a NMSF…good point. Otherwise, I don’t think she would take the SAT. We had an ‘issue’ with D1 where a school required sending all scores from all tests, even though she did significantly better on the ACT. In the end, it all worked out and she was accepted ED at her #1 choice.</p>
<p>Mom2CK…I may try to convince her to do a ‘southern’ swing and see a few schools down that way…thanks for your advice and message.
Sikorsky…I completely agree…does not matter if it’s guaranteed, but it sure is nice knowing going in…</p>
<p>Any other schools/programs/scholarships to consider?</p>
<p>Yes…to become a NMF, a student MUST take the SAT and send the score to NMCorp…</p>
<p>He can take it Soph year thru Dec of senior year to have a verifying score. </p>
<p>The code to send it to NMCorp is 0085</p>
<p>Do not worry if her SAT isn’t on par with her ACT. Schools will just take the highest score. Some kids just do much better on one than the other. It’s no big deal. Schools will just take the ACT score if that’s the better one.</p>
<p>Has she looked at Delaware Valley College in PA? They do have a strong pre-vet program. I can’t remember the details about Equine Studies there. If she would consider a women’s college, she should look at Sweet Briar for Equine Studies as well.</p>
<p>It’s a long way way, but another big riding school is New Mexico State. The Aggies have a huge new horse facility on campus and the team maintains its own stable of competitive mounts for team members to use. The Aggies compete in both rodeo and English events.</p>
<p>NMSU has a equine science minor and a very good pre vet program.</p>
<p>And with your D’s ACT score, she’ll eligible for a full tuition scholarship (Presidential) plus a travel stipend. (R&B at NMSU is inexpensive–under $6000/year depending on which options your D choses.) And she’ll have the option of enrolling in the Honors College which comes with all sorts of special perks.</p>
<p>It’s been a while since I was in college so I may be wrong, however, I think most vet schools still give priority to their own state’s students at admissions time. There usually are few seats reserved for oos students. It may be wise to have her attend undergrad in your home state.</p>
<p>Interesting question about oos students at vet schools. However, not all states have a vet school, so I don’t know what their citizens do if other states restrict input…</p>
<p>Vet school admissions work a lot like med school admissions. </p>
<p>Public U vet programs strongly favor in-state applicants (and applicants who live in states with enrollment agreements with those public unis–Like WICHE in the West). Public unis look at where the applicant lives–not where the applicant attended undergrad.</p>
<p>Private U vet programs will consider all applicants equally without regard to their state residency.</p>
<p>@MS mom&dad–states without vet schools (or other professional schools) usually have enrollment agreements with states that DO have vet schools. Residents of states with enrollment agreements are consider on equal footing with in-state applicants for admission. If a student from a ‘sending’ state enrolls in a ‘receiving’ state’s vet program, the sending state’s DOE (not the student or their family) pays the differential between in-state and OOS tuition rates. (At least that’s how it works for WICHE states. Probably does for other regional associations too.)</p>
<p>Then it hasn’t changed much. I know when I was in school in-state residents, especially those attending in-state universities, had a better chance of admission than oos students.</p>
<p>I just checked UW-Madison and out of the 80 seats available only a maximum of 20 students can be non-residents.</p>
<p>I guess if the OP’s daughter wants to attend an oos school for undergrad she could always go back to her home state for vet school. But I would check with that school to verify if they give preference to students who attended an in-state university.</p>
<p>Look at Goucher and Mt Holyoke. Both have merit money, both have equestrian facilities. What it comes down to, is really the test scores for merit money, unless she has something a college really wants and the funds to pay for it. The ivies and many other selective schools do not give out merit money. You need to see what colleges give it out and what she needs to get it.</p>