Need help in compiling list of colleges which meet full need, to try NCP waiver

College Search & Selection
61

@gallentjill, Columbia’s brand reputation and academics will outweigh its core curriculum in my decision making.

Here’s what I compiled a list of FAFSA only or at least non-NCP CSS Profile schools- (Will need a little extra help here too, as list is quite long).

  1. University of Chicago
  2. Vanderbilt University
  3. Stevens Institute of Technology
  4. Miami University, OH
  5. University of Virginia
  6. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  7. University of Tulsa
  8. UT Austin
  9. UT Dallas
  10. UT Arlington
  11. ‎UT Tyler
  12. Texas State University
  13. University of Houston
  14. University of South Carolina
  15. University of Kentucky
  16. University of New Hampshire
  17. ‎University of Arizona
  18. University of Utah
  19. ‎University of Alabama, Huntsville
  20. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  21. University of Nebraska, Lincoln
  22. University of Mississippi
  23. University of Arkansas
  24. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
  25. ‎Stony Brook University
  26. Baruch College
  27. ‎Temple University
  28. Gettysburg College
  29. Trinity University, TX
  30. University of La Verne

I know some of these schools aren’t as much as what I’m really looking for, but I have a very small room to cherry pick schools especially on list based on 1st strategy given my family and financial condition.

I liked Baruch but I can’t figure out its net price.

Any inputs on this list?

62

I’m glad to see Baruch on the list. It has an excellent reputation for the business school and because it is right in the heart of NYC, the internship and employment opportunities are stellar. It is mostly a commuter school but the do have a dorm. It is not, from what I hear, a party school in any way.

At any of these schools on the FAFSA list, your stats are going to put you far above the average student, so you may not find the level of rigor you want from your peers, but you should be able to find it from your professors. (My older daughter is in a similar situation at a different school and is loving it).

I want to suggest one more school (sorry, I know you are trying to take schools off the list). Fordham has a very well respected undergraduate school of business. They are also in NYC. They do have distribution requirements and one of them may be related to religion. But, they give out some generous financial aid to high stat students and they are a very studious group.

I’m sure you know this, and I’m sorry if its already been mentioned, but these schools don’t promise to meet full need. So even if your expected contribution is O, that doesn’t mean they will charge you 0 unfortunately.

63

“There are several details which I can trump in my petition. It always doesn’t imply that if I have contact, I don’t get the waiver.”

Please understand that it’s not, per se, about you getting the waiver, you getting to ignore his part, because he’s been awful. It’s about a parent getting off the hook for paying his share. A kid could have a lousy relationship and the problem parent still be expected to kick in his share.

This may no longer be your primary interest on this thread, but it’s important to understand.

And I personally wouldn’t call Skidmore bohemian. It does have a strong arts vibe, among the artsy contingent. But there’s more than that.

64

@gallentjill, I’m targeting these schools for their merit scholarships which at some places are partial, full tuition or even full ride. I have calculated them and in addition to Pell Grant /SEOG/FW-SP and Federal Direct Loans and a couple of thousand dollars a year contribution from me, it should be enough to cover the cost of attendance at all of those schools (except a one or two maybe). This is exactly my first strategy.

65

@lookingforward, I’ll take your advice! :slight_smile:

66

Dropping Lafayette, Skidmore and Union College.

Any suggestions on Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson, Denison and Connecticut College?

67

I also would not call Skidmore bohemian. They are quickly building their stem divisions and attract students with a nice interest mix of artistic and more technical academia. This promotes a more well-rounded student in the big picture. My D is one of their top Math/CS students who loves theatre and music programs. She works the box office and attends many of the shows. I like how her peers are more different than alike.

I don’t think Skidmore is a good option for you @GuessME5 and its wise to remove it from your list. Dickinson is a favorite of mine, Conn College not so much.

“Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people and with few permanent ties. It involves musical, artistic, literary or spiritual pursuits. In this context, Bohemians may or may not be wanderers, adventurers, or vagabonds.”

68

@NEPatsGirl, could you please elaborate more on Dickinson? Inputs on it’s campus vibe, campus / location safety, academic rigor, social/party/Greek scene, kind of students and other areas would be appreciated!

Also, if you wouldn’t mind answering, may I ask why your daughter didn’t like Connecticut College much? Is the New London area not so safe?

69

@intparent, I have seen your numerous posts about Dickinson College on this forum and they are really a ton of information one can gather.

Would love to hear from you more regarding Dickinson College. What’s the campus vibe like and the kind of student body? How is the social / party / Greek scene and is it dominant? How rigorous are the academics and professors? Do you have any idea about the Economics / Quantitative Economics program? What about study abroad and career services? How would you rate the safety on the campus, dorms and the town? Are the dorms guaranteed all 4 years? Is there availability of substance free housing? What about on campus recruiting and alumni network? Finally, how was your experience with the Financial Aid?

How would you recommend this college to me, especially given my interests which I described in this thread? I’m an expat, so I’m depending on parents like you who could share their experiences and suggestions.

70

I’d take local safety off the list of major concerns. All parents consider the local community but our kids attend college on a campus. To a large extent, students can control the risks they take. And you feel you have major financial constraints. That’s your show stopper.

When finances are tight, kids can’t make lists with ideal situations, based on what they’re “looking for.” You can’t just say, eg, that Chicago or Williams meet your wants, without knowing if you meet theirs. And that’s much more than stats and an idea your ECs are good. (I don’t think you know what good means, with respect to any tips. I’ve been seeing apps for years and the vast bulk of even top stats kids have trouble understanding this.)

You need to match their type, as shown in your pattern of activities and- very much- how you present in the app and supp. You don’t tell highly competitive holistic schools (or drop even the smallest hint- or let it showinyour record) that you “hate fun.” I don’t think you should even imply to us that “Greek life, partying, drinking, vomits, noise, disgusting weekend scenes…” are either equivalent or avoidable by some mysterious control process, when you can’t afford to be choosy. This is not about your wish list of “perfect.”

You have to literally dig into why these colleges would want you and I don’t see this critical part has even started. The only input is your stats and desire for a serious environment.

Granted, you have some state unis and far less competitive colleges on the list. But the chance you will get the full FA you need is slim, among them. Not only do they, first and foremost, owe their attention and $ resources to their own state residents, but you will compete with an endless number of other bright OOS or international kids and only so many from any one country will get the nod, despite your citizenship. (It depends on the individual college whether your citizenship trumps or your international schooling.)

It’s not an open competition, there are factors which a college will use to groom the class. Again, not just what you want or what you see as reasons to be admitted.

Instead of thanking us for advice counter to what you want to hear, I keep coming back to what @austinmshauri said: create your list from the bottom up.

Name three colleges you know you match (stats and the full rest of what they seek,) where the aid is sufficient, they offer your major (or close enough.)

I ran the NPC for a couple of your state schools and they do not guarantee that aid, it’s “estimated.” In the real world of paying for college, that’s far from assurance. Any college or uni that’s need aware, may not even accept you, in managing their budget.

UT Tyler, eg, leaves it vague what aid you may get (“median” grant promises nothing.) Even adding in the student loan, they leave your estimate at up to $15.6k/year.

Take a breath, lower your expectations (for now) and learn what it takes.
It is so not what any other poster thinks of a college. You will be judged on what you do for them.

That would be the mature approach. As well, it will help inform your quest. Not asking us what we think of schools.

71

@lookingforward, you’re plainly wrong. I’ve to consider local, community and campus safety. I can’t afford to lose my limited money, phone, laptop and other things in a mugging attempt, I have a family back here and they can’t afford me being a gang violence victim. I can’t afford my bike or car being stolen by thiefs. Neither can I afford a property break in and burglary. I can’t afford a kidnapping ransom act. I neither can afford being a victim of abuse. Safety is important. I don’t care what you or other advise on this topic. If something happens, I’ll be the victim not you people here. Sure, such crimes happen in every college and every area, it depends on how street smart and informed I am. I sure have to be careful everywhere. So why increase risks when you can lessen them? It’s a prioritized concern that will influence my college selections.

Financial constraints are never a ‘show stopper’. If you’re capable to sell your story in the best marketing way possible, I’ll bet it’s going to be a boost. Most of the successful people had financial constraints. It’s what you make best of your case.

The ideology that if Chicago and Williams meet my wants without knowing if I meet theirs, isn’t accurate. My wants and their needs are mutual and go hand in hand. If you’re interested in Mercedes, the marketing team sure knows how to sell you one and want you as their customer. If we think it in a reverse way, if the college likes my qualities, it’s because I like theirs. It’s mutual. And kindly stop saying ‘I don’t you think you know what’s good or something’. I very well know what good and competitive is. They aren’t a big deal to understand either. You mentioned top stat applicants not knowing what’s ‘good’. That’s because they don’t know how to market themselves.

I’ll afford to be choosy. I’m not desperate, I have great options in several countries.

If I hate fun and all of the drinking, partying, vomits, etc., I’m going to mention it and make it clearly evident because as you said, I need to see if the school meets my need and if I meet their needs. If they don’t like my kind of personality, they better make it clear to me before I regret.

I don’t need to show if I have started the critical process or not on a public forum. It all works internally.

I don’t believe in what most people consider slim chances or low odds. If you’re not confident of yourself, you then start fearing the slim chances or low odds.

I don’t have to answer this.

At the state schools, I’m not looking at their estimated aid. I’m smart enough to be aware of that. Most of them practice fooling and bluffing by front loading grants to entice incoming freshman. I’m targeting their merit scholarships, based on my first strategy.

I wouldn’t prefer to lower my expectations, rather increase them. If I college doesn’t meet my expectations, it’s fired, plain and simple.

That is what this forum is exactly for. To inquire and ask. I’m asking experienced posters here if their suggestions and experiences, not that I want them to control my decision and thinking process. To an expat, it’s even more difficult without seeking opinions, guidance and voices. You’re likely to fail when you take introverted decisions. Hadn’t I asked the other experts and kind parents here of the schools I’m/was interested in, I would’ve had to regret.

Thank you for your advice, but please refrain on lowering one’s confidence or questioning their abilities, without knowing them or judging them from a very vague picture from a public forum.

72

I’m not seeking lectures from posters on how to make my decision rather seeking their guidance on trimming down my list. If you have anything to offer, you’re welcome else refrain from diverting from the thread topic.

It’s as simple as you’re not asking someone how to eat but rather what to eat.

ONLY suggestions on compiling and shortlisting my list are welcome, not how should I do or what should I do in the selection process. That’s something I can very well take care of.

73

I don’t see anything wrong with the OP seeking opinions on the feel and atmosphere of different schools. She can’t visit, she can’t apply to all of them and she has to narrow her list somehow. OP has told us that she has the safety school issue taken care of. She seems to be an intelligent and thoughtful planner. I think we can take her at her word that she knows she will have at least one admission to a school she can afford and would be willing to attend. If she has that in hand, she has no reason not to look for exactly what she wants in other schools.

She is also clearly willing to compromise on certain things if the rest of the package is good. For example, she stated she would be willing to accept the core curriculum because Columbia would otherwise be a wonderful opportunity.

As long as she is willing to accept being denied at the places she applies, I see nothing wrong with her desire to let the schools know exactly who she is. She is making the rational decision that she wants to attend a school that wants her, “AS IS.”

Now, if she comes back a year from now wondering why she got rejected from X or Y school, that will be a different matter. But I doubt that will be the case.

In any case, she has asked for specific information from us. I think we should give it if we have it and are willing to do and let her make her own decisions.

74

Gang violence victim? On the campus of Dickinson or Conn College? Are you planning to leave campus inthe middle of the night and wander the darkest corners of downtown? Kidnapping? @gallentjill see why I noted the manner in which OP is considering? Dropping school X because you and your D didn’t like it? With entirely different frames of reference, interests, and needs? Not “input,” but off the list.

“Financial constraints are never a ‘show stopper’.” Of course they are. If one can’t pay, they can’t go. No magic. Simple math.

And I’m involved with apps. It is far more than some “story.” You don’t get into a tippy top or highly competitive based on empathy or some OMG factor. In fact, you can’t even present well, without knowing what those colleges DO look for. They are not trying to sell you a car- or anything. They are looking for the kids they want.

Sure, you want a narrow band of advice that endorses your methodology. I’m trying to suggest a way to make your process more effective. Take it or leave it. But many of us have seen how overconfidence (and assumptions) backfire.

It’s not the amount of work one does to cull a list. It’s the savvy.

Remember: the colleges do the choosing. All you choose is where to apply.

75

if you’re looking for a super competitive/fast-paced environment, most LACs won’t end up making the cut. in fact, the only LACs i’ve heard of being “competitive” are swarthmore and williams. amherst and pomona are huge maybes. you’d be surprised what an open curriculum or the socal sun can do for someone.

most liberal arts colleges are renowned for their collaborative/laid back environments. that’s why kids tend to self-select and gravitate towards them in the first place.

76

@lookingforward, I value your advice and your efforts in making me trying to look at it in a different perspective. It’s up to me whether to take it or leave it.

But I want to work on it in my own way, whether it fires or backfires. I’m taking inputs not directions. I’m sure interested in a narrow band of advice that endorses my methodology, it’s me who’s going to be the applicant. Not banking on ‘empathy’ or something like that, but a story for sure sells. It’s the colleges that look at it and decide if I interest them and more intricate details not found in numbers on an app. That’s the way how highly selective colleges work.

@gallentjill, I highly value your suggestions and you have understood me better than the other. I hope you’re not misunderstanding me as some people are. It’s not that you’re influencing my decisions, but you’re inputs and experiences help me in making informed decisions.

To clear the other poster’s misunderstanding regarding ‘dropping school X because you and your D don’t like it’, Lafayette didn’t seem anything special to me so to shortlist it, it came to the factor of its Greek like. If one’s D didn’t like it, neither am I going to. It’s that plain and simple.

To everyone else, please let’s get back on the thread topic and offer if you have something helpful to, not ‘effective’ strategies in which I should work. That’s my job. I’ll take care of it. I don’t want any poster to remain silent because of lookingforward’s take on my way of working with the list.

INPUTS, SUGGESTIONS, GUIDANCE AND ADVICE ON THE SCHOOLS ON MY PRELIMINARY LIST IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

77

“I don’t believe in what most people consider slim chances or low odds”

well good luck with that attitude 8-|
At the highly competitive US colleges on your list, your odds of acceptance ARE slim or low, due to the fact that thousands of other very good students, with high enough grades and standardized test scores, are also applying AND admissions at those colleges are NOT meritocratic, but are holistic.
Ignoring the advice of extremely experienced posters like lookingforward will NOT help you with admissions to US colleges.
But if that’s what you want to do, no one here can stop you. All we can do is watch the potential train wreck and shake our heads…

78

@menlopark, not ignoring a college app reviewer’s advice, but I’ll see if I can fit it into my process.

Won’t happen. There’s no one perfect recipe or strategy for sure shot acceptances. I’m working on it the way I see that I won’t. But definitely NO perfect recipe.

79

there IS no recipe for sure shot acceptances at highly competitive colleges in the US these days.
but you dont want to hear that…

80

There’s nothing to hear about it. It’s known that there’s no perfect recipe to it.