<p>The NROTC scholarship definitely goes away if he does not begin using it this fall… no ifs, ands, or buts. It goes away, no matter what the reason is.</p>
<p>Still, you need to contact NROTC this week and see if they can get his scholarship transferred either to Rutgers or some other school where NROTC might be able to help him get a late admission. There is no time to waste. This can be done (it happens every year).</p>
<p>I think a lot of suggested “transfer to” colleges are still a little too high of a reach. Vanderbilt and Duke, for example, are not any easier to gain admission than Northwestern. It is perfectly fine to hold out hope for one or two elite universities, but expectations should generaly be scaled back to colleges like the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tulane University</li>
<li>George Washington University</li>
<li>Washington University in St. Louis (perhaps a reach)</li>
<li>University of Rochester</li>
</ul>
<p>Small liberal arts colleges:
Dickingon College
Gettysburg College
Denison University
Colorado College
St. Lawrence University
Bucknell University
Bates College</p>
<p>I hope that he gets into U.Chicago or Dartmouth. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Consolation, was the point that the 3.9, 36 ACT kid couldn’t get into Bowdoin or that is shouldn’t be considered a match? Even with such high stats, some would argue that a school that turns away 86% of applicants, many of whom are very qualified, is not a match for anyone. And when ED and hooks are considered, the odds go down even further.</p>
<p>My point is that Bowdoin is being suggested as a less risky option for this kid when on another thread the parent of a kid with even better stats than this one is being derided for thinking Bowdoin be considered anything but a super-reach. (The kid didn’t get in.)</p>
<p>I haven’t read this entire thread, so apologies if this has already been mentioned, but every year in May there is a Spaces Available list published by NACAC of schools still taking applications. Some years there are some selective schools on that list, so it is worth checking it to see if there are any potential schools of interest to apply to.</p>
<p>I concur with others on the thread that the list of schools to apply to seems to have been poorly chosen, with not enough emphasis on matches and safeties. But that ship has already sailed. I say, go to Rutgers, and with the best positive attitude. I’m from NJ, and I know many of my kids’ classmates who were strong students and got accepted to more selective schools, but ended up at Rutgers or TCNJ for money reasons. A student who goes to a strong state flagship and excels there has excellent prospects for whatever comes next. (And I’m a bit of a school snob - I think that if students attends some very unselective schools, they are reducing their options for what comes next. I just don’t think that strong state flagships like Rutgers fit into that category.)</p>
<p>Agree - go to Rutgers. Agree the list was probably weaker/less deep than it could have been. Agree the ship has sailed. Agree that no application should have gone to Rutgers if the student would not under any circumstances be willing to attend. If the situation in untenable…work a year and start over.</p>
<p>Not sure if this has been suggested. If possible, a PG year in a good private school might be a good option. I know at least some boarding schools offer PG (and if you live close to one, you may be able to go as a day student?). He’d have a chance to strengthen his academic and/or athletic profile and use the college counseling of the school, which will keep him occupied for the year and may help him land a better college next year, if he really dislikes this year’s available option.</p>
<p>There are hundreds of excellent colleges between “Top 20” and Rutgers. If your son wants to try and get into one, then, gap year (or PG year if you can afford it). If your son wants to move on to the next stage of his life, he could do worse than affordable Rutgers Honors.</p>
<p>People, the OP has stated that finances are an issue. So a PG year at a prep school sounds to me like the least likely option. Day student, boarding student- not happening.</p>
<p>If finances are an issue, that argues even more for moving the NROTC scholarship to Rutgers. If he applied to a more realistic list of schools next year, and he was admitted to some of them, how would he be able to go?</p>
<p>Whoa there. For how many are finances not an issue, at least of some consideration? We can handle a private school, hopefully with a little aid$, or a PG year if that is the best solution.</p>
<p>Tech- we’re trying to help. Either finances are not an issue, i.e. you can write a check by wincing and complaining, but cover the full freight of a private college (60K plus for four years) or they ARE an issue. We can’t help you if you don’t tell us what the parameters are. “little aid”- are you talking the 5K merit scholarships that some colleges hand out? Or do you need 30K off the sticker price of a 60K institution???</p>
<p>Although Tulane is in New Orleans, most people do not consider it a southern university. It has a huge contingent of East Coast students and draws all across America. Perhaps because it has always welcomed both Jews and Catholics. One writer said that you cannot escape the East Coast flavor of Tulane, yet neither can you ignore the southern flavor of New Orleans. In other words, the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Personally, if I was 18 again, I would love to go to college at Tulane; both for the university and the city. New Orleans is the most unique city in America. It almost feels European. If the son wants a true change of scenery, then Tulane just might be the place. :)>- </p>
<p>I am surprised that OP’s kid did not apply to TCNJ if big Rutgers campus is an issue. Both of these schools have tons of dedicated students. My son had higher stats and more balanced list and few years ago got accepted into schools like GW(20K merit), American (27K), NYU(7K) and many others but was rejected from his dream school - UoC (waitlisted WUSTL and Northwestern). He said he did not care for anything else and took full ride to Rutgers. He saw nothing but great opportunities there - paid research position, internships with multinational corporations (compensated with college credits plus pay), etc. My other kid was accepted to Rutgers with merit aid this year. As opposed to Alabama that has so much love on this forum it seems Rutgers is dedicated to offer admission and merit aid to great instate students and they will get many of them (mostly CC “middle class”). I am observing with interest how my daughter’s friends collect acceptances to pricey private schools but I fully expect that financial reality will set in the next couple of weeks and some of them will end up in Rutgers honors. We are not a rich town. So do not cry that your kid could have gotten into some BU/GWU/Tulane. One can get to the same place in life with Rutgers diploma. Take your 100K savings and run. Offer your son a nice European vacation as a consolation.</p>
<p>That’s a tough go, and I am sorry. Will he be able to use that ROTC scholarship at Rutgers? How essential is this award? </p>
<p>My nephew was WLed at his first choice school though accepted to the NROTC program there. They would not budge on WL info until after May 1st , and he could not afford to lose the award so he transferred it to his state school, where he was fortunate enough to get a spot. So do check right away whether that can be done.</p>
<p>He did the clear the WL, but then the spot at that first choice for ROTC was gone, he was #4 on the WL for ROTC and it did not materialize, so he stayed at his second choice school for the year and attempted to transfer. He was accepted by that same school as a transfer, but again a ROTC spot did not open up, so…he’s beeen at his state U all this time, but he loves it now and it’s been a great experience for him. </p>
<p>Thank you to all the very supportive and helpful posters. It has been an education. Fortunately, we are going to have to wince, write a check and then smile: He just got into U Chicago. Hooray!</p>
<p>Folks, 3.7 UW and very high SAT scores were not an absolute bar for top schools a few years ago. The climate has changed significantly as more and more kids apply to the lottery schools. Both my kids had imperfect grades in extremely competitive HS magnet programs combined with mega SATs and got into lottery schools (HS 2008 and 2010 graduates). </p>
<p>Will also include the reminder, which I haven’t seen so far, which is that colleges are selecting a <em>class</em> as well as individuals. They love those personal stories and obstacles overcome, for better or worse. </p>