Need advice in NY State

Parents Forum
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<p>Sybbie, I had done a net price calculator on a different website and then did the first one you give and this one came out around $500 lower, not sure where the difference came – will have to start paying more attention to work study, loan and other details. If this one is accurate NP would be even more affordable. Thanks as always for the expert advice.</p>

<p>Linymom, someone else suggested UHartford – haven’t looked into it yet but you are reminding me to do so. Regarding other schools in CT, I tried Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac’s net price calculators and neither was even feasible.</p>

<p>Momofbassist, thank you very much for the info re. your son’s actual financial package and the estimates given by calculators – I hope this is the case for everyone! </p>

<p>Still i really do like the way that they help me eliminate schools. There is such a big difference between coming up $22,000 short and $6,000 short. Some schools ask right away for GPA and SATs and figure that in to their estimates so it also gives me an idea whether D would qualify for anything besides need-based aid.</p>

<p>Of course $6,000 short is still a lot of money but if there are scholarships based on special stipulations, e.g., scholarship for students having completed a certain number of volunteer work hours, or interest in missioner kids, it seems like it might be worth a try.</p>

<p>GCMom, for us Iona’s price cal also came out outrageously low, also Fairfield’s…Marist also left a huge gap (as I have been warned by other posters!) D really likes Marist tho. I keep telling her it would only be remotely possible if she lived at home all 4 years. That makes her think twice! We aren’t even thinking about Fordham – too many horror stories about low financial aid.</p>

<p>Great to hear that your son has such a great opportunity, going to Lehigh! It looks like a wonderful school. Unfortunately D’s stats are probably too low. I did the net price cal for Lehigh and it was fantastic but then I took another look at admissions and stats. It is early for us b/c she has to get real SAT scores back but still, it looks like a high reach.</p>

<p>Curious – why wouldn’t your D go to Lehigh as well? is it because you prefer a 5 yr program with masters? I really hope New Paltz appeals to your D. It is known to be an excellent school for education. </p>

<p>As for Oneonta, I went back and forth with D about going to the Open House…it doesn’t have as strong a Spanish/Latin Am studies dep’t as New Paltz, or as strong Soc (if that is indeed what D ends up doing – her other interests are a health-related/social service type career without “hard” sciences, which she is not good at and does not even enjoy.) Oneonta has gotten more selective recently from what I understand, but even so it will probably be our safety in case New Paltz doesn’t work out. For financial reasons we are planning on applying to 2 SUNY schools. (By the way NP has an Early Action plan which is non-binding for the student by which lets them know by Jan 1 if they are accepted. D liked the idea of Early Action for NP. If she isn’t accepted at NP, Oneonta would be her next choice, followed by Plattsburgh). But since we are both lukewarm about Oneonta we are going to Manhattanville instead. Afterward we will swing by Sarah Lawrence just because it is close and I am curious about it. I have four other kids who will eventually go onto college, next is son with GPA 99 and all honors classes. I like seeing schools for myself – my experience at Bard, for example, was totally unlike the impression I had of it.</p>

<p>We are still in the mindset of looking at every possible school within the three hour radius to see where price calculators don’t give me a heart attack and where D likes the vibe. </p>

<p>Manhattanville’s president resigned last year, they seem to have a lot of issues going on on campus?? </p>

<p>Okay now onto UHartford – thanks again, everyone!</p>

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<p>Well, Hartford comes out with an estimated gap of $7 K to $11 K, this after D would take out $7 K in loans. So it might be an option but probably not.</p>

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<p>GCMom,
What I know about Holy Cross is through a prof there and friends in Worcester who say it has been climbing steadily for years to now become a first rate college. Holy Cross has an excellent rep for financial aid. I would’ve liked to look at it for D but it is a high reach – maybe for S1.</p>

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<p>momofbassist quote:
*About the net price calculators, younger son is a college freshman this year and I took his info and plugged it into the net price calculators for the schools (public and private) he was accepted to last year. In all cases the calculators underestimated his scholarship and grant aid. So it does seem that me that the calculators are conservatively estimating the projected aid. *</p>

<p>I don’t think it’s really accurate to say that the NPCs are conservative based on your child’s experience. If I remember correctly, your son got music merit awards…those wouldn’t be included in a NPC since NPCs don’t deal with that sort of thing. NPCs are dealing mostly with financial info…and sometimes with stats. Talent isn’t considered.</p>

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<p>My D, the one who is at Plattsburgh, was accepted to UHartford in the education dept with a very nice merit scholarship. We went to an accepted student function and were totally turned off. D said she wouldn’t go there if they paid her! It was in a hotel and they ran out of seats, ran out of sodas and snacks (D practically tackled some boy who was taking the last 3 Diet Cokes to get one for me) and anything else. Then, they showed a video that was all about how much fun they have partying and doing sports. The final straw came when the presenters couldn’t answer any questions and then said oh, you know, it’s spring break week, maybe we should have invited some students. We walked out at that point and my D sent her declination the next day.</p>

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<p>Wow, Joan, not surprised you and your D were turned off. I mean, I know it is ultimately up to the kids to take their studies seriously and everything, and I don’t mean to say there aren’t kids who would thrive anywhere, even in unsupportive settings…but the party atmosphere really worries me.</p>

<p>A billion years ago my brother got a full scholarship to Notre Dame – my parents ran a soup kitchen and never thought they could send us to college. We are very committed Catholics so it seemed like a good fit. Yet, Notre Dame turned out to be a complete disaster for him. He lost his scholarship for not keeping up his GPA, bcause he got so carried away by the party scene. I think he was also in culture shock, going from an inner city to being surrounded by wealthy kids. Since it is such a big school, no one really noticed until it was too late. We were what, sixteen hours away and he didn’t even come for Christmas so we never knew he was in trouble (I don’t think evn he realized until it was too late). </p>

<p>My D is a different person and these are different times but I have to say that I do worry about kids falling through the cracks. My brother never did finish college.</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>Nowadays, grades are often online and with the student’s permission, parents can see them. So, you can “keep up” to see if your child’s grades aren’t what they should be.</p>

<p>And, some schools are requiring that frosh be given “mid semester” grades as “heads up”.</p>

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<p>I don’t know if this has come up yet, but I’ve been told that Hartwick’s financial drops off after the first year. It’s something to consider and even inquire about from financial aid offices. There may be large differences between financial aid offers to lure students to enroll and those that are offered to matriculants.</p>

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<p>Thanks college4three, yes, Hartwick is off our list b/c of net price calculator, I feel sorry for the poor kids who have to take out even more huge loans or to drop out or transfer…</p>

<p>mom2collegekids, good to hear that some things have actually changed for the better!</p>

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<p>Has anyone suggested SUNY Albany? My ex-bf goes there and absolutely loves it. Your daughter would fall within their range. It would be a fairly low reach/target for her (only reach-ish because of regents).</p>

<p>If not, what about SUNY Cortland or SUNY Cobyskill? They would likely be safeties for her. </p>

<p>I’ve heard there are various scholarships/grants given for the above three schools.</p>

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<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>Just got back from Open House at Oneonta. After much back and forth H and I decided last night that it was a better use of time and energy to go to Oneonta than Manhattanville/Sarah Lawrence. The price calcs for those two schools still leave gaps which would make them unaffordable and until we have D’s official PAT scores back we are kind of spinning our wheels without enough to go on.</p>

<p>Also, when contemplating spending a sizeable chunk of our yearly income on private colleges even after reductions (because D’s GPA will not get her into a really generous need-based aid school), HEOP is looking like the smartest alternative to SUNY. But until we get her PSATs back we won’t know where she can apply that would be around the 25th percentile. </p>

<p>We will try to research as much as possible what criteria each school REALLY uses in deciding on their HEOP candidates. But the SAT scores really seem to be the linchpin. Sounds like they should be hovering right around the cutoffs. D has to her advantage that she seeks tutoring in math and science on her own, her two weak areas. This can be documented by her GC and it really is through her (not my) inticiative. This is why HEOP would be a great program, that and our $0 EFC.</p>

<p>So the best use of time right now was to line up two SUNYs.</p>

<p>D liked New Paltz and rated it “eight and three quarters.” Oneonta was “eight and a half”! This is because they have a nutrition program (her idea right now, tho it may change!) The Spanish dep’t was not as meager as I thought: there are five full-time prof’s, one is a Yale grad, one got his doctorate at Columbia, etc. The study abroad program is the same one as New Paltz (as a previous poster accurately pointed out!) and the most popular Spanish-speaking programs are exactly th same, Ecuador, Spain, Chile and Argentina…D does not want to major in Spanish but it is important and she thinks she will minor in it, whatever else she decides to major in. The Soc dep’t is not as well-staffed at Oneonta but again, it has a nutrition major so who knows.</p>

<p>Anyway it was a 2 hr and 20 min beautiful drive and the campus was lovely with a brisk wind but lots of sunshine. I wasn’t as taken with it as D but hey, I’ll keep that to myself – she really liked it, and it has all the ingredients for her to make it work. Faculty - student ratio is now 17 to 1, the town is fine, it’s not too far and there is a bus, and Oneonta would be very affordable, esp with merit scholarship money. It looks relatively diverse (tho not as much as New Paltz, not as artsy as NP but seems to have enough interesting stuff going on to make it an interesting campus.) </p>

<p>The academic fairs are really great b/c they help her get clearer on what she wants to study – and how it relates to what she thinks she might want to study. Example: “I’ll just do physical therapy.” Misconception: it would land a profitable, easy job with little “hard” science. Turns out PT requires the equivalent of a doctorate!</p>

<p>Great for us to learn about what is required by different professions. </p>

<p>I guess my dampened enthusiasm is because I had hoped it would have someone from the Honors Program to talk to but there was no table for the Honors Program (I did ask – probably should’ve emailed ahead of time but I assumed they woud have a table).</p>

<p>D says it’s her #2 SUNY so it’s official. </p>

<p>Now we wait for PSAT scores and in the meantime keep checking out individual HEOP colleges and any clues they might give re. specific eligibility guidelines.</p>

<p>I think we WILL swing by Muhlenberg, even though it is a not in NY and therefore not part of HEOP, but the price calc came out surprisingly reasonable and I’d love to see it. It has a lot of health-related stuff and arts and sounds like a supportive environment, great grad and retention rates, maybe not as ethnically/racially diverse as other campuses but with great religious diversity. We’re going to Wash DC for Thanksgiving so it would be on the way for us.</p>

<p>Okay that is my update. Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the input. It has been confusing so far but little by little…D seems optimistic and that’s a great help.</p>

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<p>Hi Momcinco,</p>

<p>Glad you had a nice visit. I was at New Paltz yesterday. My D liked it as well. Is it just me or does it still have that hippie kinda vibe. I saw a kid with blonde long dreads and alot of beards…LOL…not a bad thing just wondering.
I know that if she liked this campus she would like Bing and Geneseo. She will apply to all 3 and add on Oneonta.
If you are thinking of Muhlenberg have you thought of Gettysburg or is it too far? They gave my son a great package and my D will apply there too.</p>

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<p>[Latin</a> American Studies Program at SUNY Plattsburgh](<a href=“http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/las/]Latin”>http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/las/)
^Would your daughter be interested in this type of program?</p>

<p>[Foreign</a> Languages and Literature Program at SUNY Plattsburgh](<a href=“http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/foreignlanguages/]Foreign”>http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/foreignlanguages/)
^Their Spanish program.</p>

<p>[Nutrition</a> Program at SUNY Plattsburgh - Major in Nutrition](<a href=“http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/nutrition/major.php]Nutrition”>http://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/nutrition/major.php)
^Here’s their nutrition program.</p>

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<p>NY Smile -</p>

<p>I was just going to post those links. My friend’s D and my D’s friend (2 different girls) both went to Mexico in the Latin American program and loved it.</p>

<p>D’s first year roomie is in the Nutrition program. Plattsburgh also has an excellent hospitality program.</p>

<p>Momcino -</p>

<p>Did you get any feel for Oneonta’s poli sci and/or economics programs? We are not doing any college visits as my husband feels they are a waste of time. We did go to see his alma mater (Stony Brook) last week and son walked out to wait in the car. The school is too big and too close. We will have to visit after acceptances. We didn’t visit Plattsburgh till we had paid our deposit; thankfully, D loved it.</p>

<p>There are real differences between the SUNYs.</p>

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<p>My data is admittedly out of date, but HEOP used to be entirely a program for URMs and first-gen. kids. Given that your D is neither and that she attends a private school, I wonder whether she might be accepted.</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>This is a huge misconception as HEOP/EOP/SEEK/CD has never been entirely for URMs/ first- gen students. The applicant pool just happens to be proportionally filled with more URM/ first gen applicants as more of them are likely comes to be both economically and economically disadvantaged.</p>

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<p>I will make a suggestion, Alfred University (NY) 284 miles from Poughkeepsie, 5 hours. </p>

<p>Alfred University (NY) established in 1836, 2,300 undergrads, small classes-know your professors, Division III Athletics, many clubs & organizations, no Greek Life, housing for all 4 years, merit aid, need-based aid, honors program, co-op program for some majors, bus service, small charming village of Alfred, NY with friendly people. </p>

<p>School of Art & Design
School of Engineering
College of Liberal Arts
School of Business </p>

<p>Princeton Review’s Best 376
Fiske Guide 2012
Fiske Best Value
USNWR’s Great Schools Great Prices
Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools
Fiske Small Schools strong in Engineering
Fiske Small Schools strong in Art & Design </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Academics : Degrees/Majors](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/academics/degrees_majors.cfm]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/academics/degrees_majors.cfm) Majors </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Research and Outreach](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/research/]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/research/) Research </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Honors Program](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/honors/]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/honors/) Honors Program (interview required) </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/) Financial Aid </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Undergraduate Cost of Attendance](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/undergraduate_cost.cfm]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/undergraduate_cost.cfm) Cost of Attendance </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Financial Aid : Undergraduate Freshmen Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/scholarships/]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/scholarships/) Merit Aid Incoming Freshmen </p>

<p>The COA for the College of Liberal Arts for 2011-2012 was $38,382 for tution, room & board and required fees. Not a 50k plus school, so it is affordable & we have always found AU to be very generous, having met a high percentage of our need. </p>

<p>We live a great distance away and our D does not have a car, yet she has always found rides home with other students for breaks as there is a university-sponsored ride service.</p>

<p>Alfred University does not fall into the 3 hours away category, it would be 5 hours via the Southern Tier Expressway Route 17/I-86, a very direct route, no back roads! </p>

<p>Check it out, even as a safety school, AU has a lot to offer. </p>

<p>My own personal view on graduation rates, having four children to go through this process? Many just do not complete the 4 years due to flunking out, parents’ job loss & lack of money, or maybe they take their time & only attend part-time & graduate in 5 or 6years. It is easy enough to get accepted somewhere, the hard part is being able to afford it & then it is all up to the student! :)</p>

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<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>Thanks Slumom, esp for the thoughts on grad rates, yes I agree!</p>

<p>Alfred looks great but D has not made the leap of going over a 3 hour radius away from home. Of course even schools which are further might be easier to come back and forth from is there is good public transportation (Platts).</p>

<p>Thanks also everyone for the good stuff on Platts. I have to share a funny anecdote. When we went to the academic fair D was very pleased to talk to the nutrition profs and take a brochure. Comparing schools she keeps bringing up how Oneonta has nutrition. On lookign at the brochure however she found her coursework plotted out: Biology I, Chem I, Biology II, Chem II…and once you get those under your belt – BIOCHEM!!!</p>

<p>Did I mention that she she failed the Chem Regents and that she hates science even more than math. Which is saying something.</p>

<p>So now she is adjusting her ideas and returning to public health, or health education, or something where she could integrate her Spanish/cultural competency and…take coursework which is not ONLY based on hard sciences.</p>

<p>I am hopelessly impractical (which is probably why I married the most wonderfully practical guy), but I do believe kids should go with what they love to study, and their gut feeling on where they want to be, and take the career building from there.</p>

<p>It’s hard for me to bite my tongue and just let her figure these things out, but thank God this time she came to it on her own, and we’re back to Sociology.</p>

<p>What an adventure!</p>

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<p>PS Alfred really does look good.</p>

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<p>GCMom,</p>

<p>New Paltz does have a certain hippie charm, it’s part of the school/village personality, this identity ahs been fading out in recent years and locals complain that it is getting yuppified, but there still is a residue of hippie culture which is central to life in New Paltz.</p>

<p>This said I think the campus is less hippie than the town, and I also think the kids seek out the “vibe” which they are comfortable with, and I hope it would not impede a student from having a great experience there.</p>

<p>If it definitely turns off your D, it is something to listen to. But it might be an initial thing which she might get used to, and which might not really be that important. Bing and Geneseo are definitely supposed to be “better” academically and they are more demanding in admissions, I hear they have different personalities than New Paltz. I doubt D would get into Bing (weak in science and math) and Geneseo is kind of far for us. </p>

<p>I think you are the second poster to mention Gettysburg – thanks!</p>