Need Help deciding on Safties and Matches for Political Science Major

College Search & Selection
1

<p>The reaches i want to apply to are: Duke, U of Michigan Ann Arbor, Americans and U of Chicago. </p>

<p>I need both match schools and safety schools very giving with financial aid. </p>

<p>White Male</p>

<p>Public Low performing school (average ACT is ~18 and 90% minorities) </p>

<p>45,000/Yearly Income (going to need as much financial aid as possible) </p>

<p>Both Parents under 8th grade education/ First generation College Student</p>

<p>Projected Major: Political Science / Public Policy</p>

<p>Projected Service Hours: 300</p>

<p>GPA: 3.93 UW 4.625 W</p>

<p>ACT: 28 (24 E, 27 M, 28 S, 33 R, 9 W)</p>

<p>Class Rank: 10</p>

<p>Course Rigor 4/5 (6 AP courses by Graduation All Honors cores) (Art history, Calc AB, Physics B, US Gov, English Lang, US History) </p>

<p>Ec’s</p>

<p>Key Club President (senior year)
Poetry Club Officer (Secretary)
National Honor Society member
Freshmen Connection Volunteer (integrates freshmen into my HS 6 week summer program)
Member of:
Asian Club
Chess Club</p>

2

<p>State of residency tends to determine financial aid generosity at state universities. You will likely find in-state public schools to be some of your safeties.</p>

<p>Your ACT of 28 and GPA of 3.93 should get you the UAB Blazer Elite Scholarship ($15,000 per year), but that still likely leaves about $10,000 per year of expenses (out of state).</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not sure what 90% minorities has to do with being low performing, since there are several very high performing schools around here that fit that description. (Average ACT of 18 is low performing, though.)</p>

3

<p>I only included that because my entire counseling staff is hell bent on the idea that because i’m not at an elite Chicago Public High school (Northside, Walter Payton etc.) people on CC generally believe that to be false though. </p>

<p>That my stats are much more impressive then if i went to a school with average ACT of 25+</p>

<p>Highest score of the senior class this year was 29 or 30? </p>

<p>Practice ACT exams given by the school NOBODY… (besides me) scored higher than a 23.</p>

4

<p>It is not clear what your first sentence in post #3 means.</p>

<p>In any case, if you are in Illinois, look to the various Illinois public schools (UIUC, UIC, UIS, NIU, SIUC, SIUE, EIU, WIU, ISU, etc.) for safety candidates. Out of state public universities, except perhaps Virginia and North Carolina, are typically not generous with need-based financial aid. However, some offer big merit scholarships (e.g. those in Alabama).</p>

5

<p>High Preforming Student in Bad School Is better</p>

<p>than</p>

<p>High Preforming Student in Good School. </p>

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Am i very unlikely to get into my reaches?</p>

<p>Or find a way to pay for them?</p>

6

<p>Go to each school’s web site and try the “net price calculator” to get an estimate of cost and financial aid at each school.</p>

7

<p>Of your choices, I think you have a very good shot at getting into American; GWU would be doable as well. Michigan is a bit less likely, but I think you’d have a solid shot. Duke and Chicago are becoming extremely selective and would be more unlikely.</p>

<p>I agree with ucb that Illinois publics may be your best option. The problem is that your stats (ACT score in particular) are not high enough to get a lot of merit aid without going fairly low on the academic food chain, and only the top schools (reaches for virtually everyone) have really good financial aid. Consider either retaking the ACT or trying the SAT.</p>

<p>I recommend looking into the Midwest Student Exchange Program. It’s not quite the same as getting in-state tuition, but many very good colleges in the Midwest will offer you cheap(er) tuition as an Illinois resident. Truman State in Missouri is particularly worth consideration.</p>

<p>[MHEC</a> : MSEP FAQ](<a href=“http://www.mhec.org/MSEPFAQ]MHEC”>http://www.mhec.org/MSEPFAQ)
[MHEC</a> : MSEP Participating Institutions](<a href=“http://www.mhec.org/MSEPParticipatingInstitutions]MHEC”>http://www.mhec.org/MSEPParticipatingInstitutions)</p>

<p>Lake Forest offers some pretty good merit scholarships for Illinois residents in general and Chicago public school graduates in particular.</p>

<p>[Scholarships</a> at Lake Forest](<a href=“http://www.lakeforest.edu/admissions/finaid/scholarships/]Scholarships”>http://www.lakeforest.edu/admissions/finaid/scholarships/)</p>

<p>U Denver would be a match and fits your academic interests very well. Its financial aid does not appear to be terribly good, but it’s probably worth a look anyway.</p>

<p>[University</a> of Denver | Political Science](<a href=“Department of Political Science | CAHSS”>Department of Political Science | CAHSS)
[University</a> of Denver | Institute for Public Policy](<a href=“College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences | University of Denver”>College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences | University of Denver)
[University</a> of Denver | Josef Korbel School of International Studies](<a href=“Josef Korbel School of International Studies | University of Denver”>Josef Korbel School of International Studies | University of Denver)</p>

8

<p>*I need both match schools and safety schools very giving with financial aid. *</p>

<p>Very few safety schools give much aid. :frowning: Many match schools leave big gaps. :(</p>

<p>Very few OOS publics would work for you, since they usually give little aid.</p>

<p>UAB would give you merit…and if your EFC is low enough, Pell grants as well.</p>

<p>Will you test again? higher scores will help. Take the SAT as well. </p>

<p>Are you a junior?</p>

<p>Are you a URM? If so, then you need to target privates that want more URMs and who will give aid.</p>

9

<p>OP is a white male, not an URM.</p>

<p>$45K income so there will probably be some level of Pell Grant. </p>

<p>UMich will be unaffordable. Chicago and Duke are big reaches.</p>

10

<p>Truman State</p>

<p>Tuition/Fees/Room/Board = $20,000 per year for OOS.</p>

<p>Pell Grant and Truman State scholarships = $6,000 (approximate, use their NPC)</p>

<p>Net = $14,000</p>

<p>Travel expenses will be minimal as Truman is within easy driving distance of Chicago and Amtrak is nearby.</p>

<p>It might end up being just as cheap as an instate directional and in many cases, a better school.</p>

<p>You should also consider commuting to UIC.</p>

11

<p>University of Minnesota, Morris is another low OOS cost public LAC-type school, although you should still check the net price calculator and scholarships because low cost in a college context is still about $22,000 at list price.</p>

12

<p>I’ve been intrigued by the idea of Dickinson College. Here’s a financial aid example from their web site:</p>

<p>Sample Financial Aid Awards </p>

<p>Example 1. Kyle’s estimated family contribution is $6,400. His financial-aid eligibility is determined by subtracting $6,400 from the Cost of Attendance.</p>

<p>Eligibility Determination:
Cost of Attendance ($58,250) Minus Contribution ($6,400) equals Financial-Aid Eligibility ($51,850)</p>

<p>Financial-Aid Award:
Dickinson Grant $43,850
Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized) $3,500
Federal Perkins Loan $2,000
Federal Work Study Capacity $2,500
Total Financial-Aid Award $51,850</p>

<p>Example 2. Elena’s estimated family contribution is $20,000. Her financial eligibility is determined by subtracting $20,000 from the Cost of Attendance. Elena has also been awarded a merit scholarship, which is a part of her financial-aid award.</p>

<p>Eligibility Determination:
Cost of Attendance ($58,250) Minus Contribution ($20,000) Financial-Aid Eligibility ($38,250).</p>

<p>Financial Aid Award:
John Dickinson Scholarship $20,000
Dickinson Grant $12,250
Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized) $3,500
Federal Work Study Capacity $2,500
Total Financial-Aid Award $38,250</p>

<p>Kyle and Elena may also consider all or a combination of the following non-need-based resources to assist in meeting their family contributions: an additional $ 2,000 Unsubsidized Direct Loan; a PLUS (parent) loan; and/or a monthly payment plan (to divide semi-annual payments into smaller monthly amounts). These resources may be used to cover all or a portion of the family contribution.</p>

13

<p>GW is a good match (maybe low reach) for you, good poli sci and tends to be generous with financial aid. Denver is also a good option for a match/safety. I think American is more of a match for you than a reach.</p>

14

<p>So if i can get my ACT up to a 30 would that be substantial? or would i need to score between 31-34? </p>

<p>Reading and science might have been a fluke on that ACT exam to be honest. I’m currently working on english.</p>

<p>IL’s state achievement exam (ACT+something else) doesn’t offer ACT writing. Will they consider that without the writing?</p>

15

<p>Also, Would taking two or three SAT Subject tests help? if i score 600+ ?</p>

16

<p>Bump 10char</p>