<p>My d and I visited two schools spring of her junior year. One was a small LAC, which would have been a safety for her. The other was a large state university.</p>
<p>It was clear from this visit that she had a preference for a larger school and had no interest at all in a small LAC. She did not apply to either of the schools we saw on this trip.</p>
<p>Since d would only discuss possible colleges with great reluctance, we decided to put off any further visits until after she learned where she was accepted (all schools were a significant distance from home). Around Veteran’s Day of her senior year (after she had applied to all her schools early action), she suddenly started rethinking her college choices. (I was pulling my hair out at this point.) We made a last minute (and reasonably inexpensive) trip over Veteran’s Day to visit two schools where she was likely to be accepted. She decided one of them was for her, so, when her acceptance came in December, we were all done.</p>
<p>Our strategy was to visit the closer schools throughout the end of sophomore year and during junior year. The early visits got her excited about the concept of going to college in general and made her work extra hard in high school. We didn’t visit the schools that were across the country until after she was accepted. She was convinced one of those schools was perfect for her (site unseen), but after visiting ended up not liking it after all and falling in love with one she didn’t expect to like. So the moral of the story for us was that visits are crucial, and they’re lots of fun too!</p>
<p>This may be a dumb question, but here goes - </p>
<p>Is the middle 50% for test scores (25% - 75%) listed on the common app and other sites, the middle 50 for accepted students or for those who actually enroll? I ask this only because I assume accepted students at the low-end of test scores get offered less or no merit aid and, therefore, some chose to go elsewhere. </p>
<p>This means that the middle 50% for enrolled students is actually higher than the middle 50% for accepted students, so applicants at or slightly below the low end shouldn’t necessarily assume that the test scores will kill their chances.</p>
<p>^ On the other hand, the enrolled student SAT’s may be lower that the accepted student range if a particular school is used as a “safety” school for many high end applicants.</p>
<p>My guess would be it depends on the type of school. A large public may be able to pick and choose easier than a private school that may give a nod to the student that will be full pay or near but is at the lower end of the GPA score. The public schools could theoretically have a much tigher GPA spectrum because of the shear volume of applicants. Your supposition also holds true. There may be kids at the lower end of the GPA spectrum that choose to go elsewhere because of the (lack of) merit/grant finaid.</p>
<p>johnnydoe: Not a dumb question at alltypically it is the stats for admitted students. Some schools, Cal Poly SLO is one, will give you both on their website.</p>
<p>warriorboy all total we visited 10 I think though there were a couple additonal ones we were going to visit but they were crossed off the list before the visit dates.</p>
<p>We cast a wide net because of a need for merit money with the girls. I imagine it will be the same with our S though we still have a couple of years before he gets goin on the search.</p>
<p>Johnnydoe - not a dumb question at all, but I come to the opposite conclusion.</p>
<p>At DS’s college’s website, they give the stats for both admitted students and enrolled students. He attends a selective LAC, but not top-20. The stats for the admitted students are always higher than for the students that actually enrolled. The top end of the kids who are admitted there are enrolling at more highly rated schools.</p>
<p>Actually, almost all schools I’ve seen that show both enrolled and admitted students, the stats for the admitted (larger) group are higher than for the students that actually enroll at that school.</p>
<p>Hi everyone! I have lurked on this board on/off for the past 8 years! My older S graduated from JHU and is currently living in Maryland. I read this board extensively when he was college searching. It is now time for our youngest to head out of the nest…D is a B student at a large public high school, very good at English/Writing, very weak in Math, currently has a tutor 2-3x/week and will probably keep that until she graduates. D is finishing up in Geometry, so will only take Algebra II and probably Stats her senior year. </p>
<p>We are heading back to Maryland in three weeks and want to visit/tour? some LAC’s that are B student friendly…D is not “preppy”, in marching band, loves dance, artistic, creative. Would probably be happy going to class in ponytail, sweats, etc… Right now the plan is Villanova, Saint Joseph’s, Dickinson, Lafayette, F&M, McDaniel, Gettysburg, Loyola Maryland. I feel that she will do better in a supportive atmosphere as it takes her a bit to warm up to new experiences rather than a large university (i.e. > 20,000 enrollment).</p>
<p>ReadytoRoll, yes it’s a reach for those with 3.0-3.3 kids. I don’t really think that Lafayette, F&M, Gettysburg, or Villanova are for the 3.0-3.3 student, but if one wants their child to attend if admitted then why not try.</p>
<p>I agree with northeastmom. We are visiting a couple of those schools and they are a reach. We recently visited McDaniel and Loyola. I personally loved Loyola, but my son felt that it was a very “cookie cutter” school and could be an ad for Abercrombie. </p>
<p>McDaniel sounds like a good place for you to visit, I would also add Goucher to the list. Both schools have a strong artsy feeling.</p>
<p>We just received my son’s subject test scores. Are these scores similiar to the SAT scores? If he received at least a 600 is that good enough to send to colleges?</p>
<p>Cheval, my son is a soph at Lafayette. It is not a “B” student school. I’m on this thread because of my daughter, an 11th grade B+ student who would be a triple-legacy at Lafayette (both parents & brother, plus an aunt & uncle). Even if Laf admits her, I’d be uncomfortable sending her there, because I truly think she’d struggle there academically.</p>
<p>I think Dickinson & Gettysburg are reaches for B students, and possibly F&M as well.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in eastern PA, I’ll revive the shout-outs for Univ of Scranton. I have no personal experience but I hear very good things about it, and it’s more B student friendly.</p>
<p>Warriorboy, yes I’d say 600’s on Subject Tests are worth sending to colleges.</p>
<p>Warriorboy: Thanks we have added McDaniel on our list, as well as Loyola and Goucher.</p>
<p>Lafalum: Very helpful info regarding Lafayette, I definitely want D to be challenged, but not in over her head. Will look at Univ of Scranton also…thanks.</p>
<p>Cheval, if you are going to be in the Pittsburgh area, why not check out Chatham? Probably no marching band, but a women’s college in a nice neighborhood with residences, great academics & cross registration with Pitt and Carnegie Melon. Merit aid is a possibility. I had tried to interest my three D’s in Chatham, but no interest. Rachel Carson is one of their most noted alums. Or at least have your D look at the website & maybe it will appeal to her. </p>
<p>They have not gone co-ed yet, but their graduate division is co-ed. There is also some financial enticement to a Master’s Degree there as well. Could be a safety school !</p>
<p>Does anyone know anything concrete about McDaniel? It may be a safety for D if she likes it, but we really have no time to visit. Can someone tell me about it.</p>
<p>I have McDaniel bookmarked as a potential match for my S. I am interested in the way they bill the college - seems very forward thinking - intuitive to each student - community. </p>
<p>The Catoctin Mountains are beautiful and remote. It is close to DC but 50 miles. I am unsure to what mass transportation there is.</p>