<p>S just got offered his first scholarship today at UVM. Very expensive OOS public school and I doubt he will end up there, but I think it felt good for him to see that a school would offer him merit!</p>
<p>elizabethh -
Thanks for the input and the list. Nice set of acceptances! </p>
<p>A couple of them might be considered by the kid I’ve written about…but some might get knocked out due to needing relatively easy and reasonably priced transport. </p>
<p>Having learned from putting one child through school on the other side of the continent…it’s important to have transportation options. Especially if driving, bus and/or train are not an option! There were 3 airports child could fly into to get to school, and 5 airports child could fly into to get home. Rarely had to switch planes, and always found great airfares! (Didn’t come home at Thanksgiving…when there weren’t good airfares, especially for the Sunday return.) </p>
<p>All of which brings up another point: sports and transport are significant issues in the college decision for this child! It seems counter to the obsessions that most on CC have about money/merit aid and prestige! Once the decision is made to look at large public flagships, or 1 step down from flagships (the type of schools listed by elizabethh, and the ones of interest, so far, to the child I’m writing about) things like sports and transportation become more major factors than they might be for kids aiming at HYPMS and other top 20.</p>
<p>Transportation is big here. We are willing to do what it takes to get little digdig to school, but she is the one who is wary of spending a full day getting to/from. She is quite an introvert and concerned about navigating the country alone.</p>
<p>Related to that quality is her desire for a quiet dorm. Communal living may be her largest challenge at college. If she isn’t several states away she may be able to come home when she needs a break. That said, she recognizes the very close-in schools aren’t the best choice for her, either. Let’s not make it too easy to bail out, hmm?</p>
<p>Elizabeth, once you see Kansas let me know what you think. DD has not gotten her acceptance yet but she should hear any day. She swears she won’t go there but I told her not to cross any place off her list till we see what the FA will be.</p>
<p>RTR, congrats on UVM!</p>
<p>Congrats to all - our kids are getting some nice reasons to celebrate this holiday season.</p>
<p>S2 got a fat envelope from McDaniel, along with a generous merit scholarship.</p>
<p>McDaniel was one of his safeties, but he will seriously consider the scholarship offer. I noticed that there is no CC discussion thread for McDaniel. S2 visited with his Dad; I have only checked out the website, and of course the write up in CTCL. I like what I see. Any info from other parents would be helpful. (He’s interested in Political Science)</p>
<p>mom2sons, we’re in the exact same situation. My S2 also got the big envelope – with “Congratulations!” written on the outside, which was nice for me because I didn’t have to wait for S to get home to find out the result! – with a nice scholarship. It is also a safety for him. In addition, he visited with his Dad, so like you, I only know what I’ve read in CTCL and on McDaniel’s website. The difference between your S and mine is their interests – mine would list math, English, music, and theater. </p>
<p>Every once in a while I log on to CC with the thought of checking the McDaniel forum, and then I remember there is no such forum! I recently did a search and found some helpful threads, such as [this</a> one](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/434602-mcdaniel-college-md.html?highlight=McDaniel]this”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/434602-mcdaniel-college-md.html?highlight=McDaniel), but they were a couple years old.</p>
<p>Sorry I don’t have any useful current information to add; I hope someone else will chime in!</p>
<p>DD just got her acceptance to Kansas. This was her absolute safety. Although the odds of her attending are very low, it’s always nice to get that acceptance.</p>
<p>Peg, congrats, that’s how we felt here. That first envelope with “Welcome!” on it was the safety and so fun to see.</p>
<p>Recently Redlands sent their acceptance in a small envelope, the first to do so. I’ve noticed they are the stingiest with promo literature. That said, they sent a rep to my d’s school who really connected with her–very influential in the decision-making.</p>
<p>RE McDaniel, congrats! I thought it might have been the subject of a visit report or a separate thread–look up McDaniel in the search function. I had some emails with an admissions person who was very good, but we did not visit.
I recall–on CC or elsewhere–2 comments about lots of cigarette smoking and remember either the 4 year graduation rate or the freshman retention rate causing me some concern after the glowing CTCL description.
I believe one CC poster has a child there and is very happy with it and friendly–she may have posted a thread I remember as asking for comparisons with 2 similar schools (followed by “oh my!”).</p>
<p>Well, I had to share that my son received a nice holiday surprise today. He recieved two FA packages today. To our surprise, he recieved great packages with a combination of merit $$ and FA. One included loans and the other was all grants. This puts both of these schools below all of our in state publics.</p>
<p>This was a very pleasant surprise for all of us!!!</p>
<p>Congrats on McDaniel. We visited and were impressed with our tour guides and the admission staff. It felt like a very close knit community.</p>
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<p>How do you get these before you complete the Fafsa? Is one for the ED school and did you send the CSS Profile?</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant to also say, “CONGRATULATIONS”!</p>
<p>They were both CSS schools. One was for the ED school. We still have to file the FAFSA…</p>
<p>warriorboy - congrats on the package for the ED school! That’s the best outcome from Early Decision!</p>
<p>Well, if the ED package looks good, FANTASTIC!</p>
<p>We completed the profile for a few schools, but no packages here! I didn’t even expect to see one til March.</p>
<p>We filled out an estimated CSS Profile for Tulane, but also don’t expect anything until spring. Actually, I don’t really expect anything at all because I don’t think we will qualify for any need-based aid. I’m unclear as to whether the CSS Profile can ever trigger merit aid…</p>
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<p>I have no idea, but I believe that some schools require an applicant to file for financial aid to receive merit aid. I can say that we filed the profile and my son has only heard back from one of the profile schools so far regarding his admission decision, and he did receive merit aid from them. The amount was the same amount of merit aid that the peer fafsa only schools have offered him so far (I am accounting for sticker price in relation to merit aid).</p>
<p>My kids, who only got merit aid, had to fill out fafsa and/or profile to get it. They would not have gotten any aid if we had not done that. Editing, a few minutes later… I guess we did get an initial package for our son on acceptance and then an additional amount after doing the Fafsa.</p>
<p>The nonbinding ED school sent out one letter that had merit aid and FA all on one form. I don’t know enough about the process to know whether we had to fill out the CSS in order for him to get the scholarship. (The other school was/is a potential ED II school which is why he received the info) The important thing for us is that we didn’t think that he would qualify for any aid. These are 2 of his more expensive schools and are now affordable.</p>
<p>Most of his acceptance letters have not included merit aid. He had to wait a week or so to get a seperate letter. A couple schools have said that he would hear in January. It seems as if the whole process would be easier if all the info (merit and FA) was received at once.</p>
<p>A question for someone/anyone … My daughter is rather susceptible to opinion. Now that she has several acceptances there is some deep thinking to be done. I know what I say has the potential to sway her, but I want her to make her own choice after really considering what each school is at its core. Do I weigh in? For instance, there is a school high on her list that appears to me to be just like one she eliminated. Should I point out those qualities in the candidate school that caused the other to get the axe?</p>