<p>Cami, have you tried/considered negotiating the aid package? If your son's best friend was able to negotiate a merit award coming off a waitlist - then Brandeis is obviously flexible. (I mean, you can assume that kids who get waitlisted are probably not the strongest of the applicant pool - unless the kid's stats are so strong that he got waitlisted because Brandeis thought he was using the school as a safety). </p>
<p>Keep in mind what I've posted about the strategic use of aid dollars -- Brandeis is throwing out a lot of offers right now to try to entice very strong students who will add diversity to their body -- but their strategy is leading them to throw money at those who are least likely to attend. So a lot of those dollars are going to be freed up in April.</p>
<p>Brandeis might not be the right place anyway, since you say your son is the adventurous type --(it might be too cozy and familiar to provide the excitement he is looking for) .... but don't make the decision based on the lack of merit money without doing a little bit of bargaining first.</p>
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All you have to do is go through the postings in this thread and it is pretty easy to see how the aid dollars were allocated to this year's Blue Ribbon applicants
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<p>here on cc, it becomes easy to fall into the trap of thinking what gets posted here is representative of the world in general. people are drawing conclusions based on very very small numbers.</p>
<p>we do not have data as to how all jewish applicants did in terms of stats vs. merit money. we do not have data as to how all asian applicants did in terms of stats vs. merit money. or for that matter even a statistically significant sampling of those numbers.</p>
<p>it would be great if all schools had stats on merit (and need based) aid similar to the common data set so that applicants knew where they likely would stand. i've seen a few schools that offer a clear chart as to what you can expect with what stats. the fact that most don't provide this is, i think, clear evidence, that they don't want to be tied to any formula, but rather have the frreedom to decide what the want with each admission decision.</p>
<p>also realize -- you are looking at stats that are liikely only a small part of what they are looking at. someone who attended admitted student open house last year told me that they presented info on some of the merit award winners - that info had little to do with their basic academic stats and was more a description of things those kids had done or accomplished. which is not to say that some of those who haven't gotten merit aid haven't also done wonderful things -- just that the issue is more complicated than just sat's and gpa's.</p>
<p>unbelievablem, you make an excellent point. Brandeis- more than other schools- values accomplishments in the real world. They want to attract the student who organized a drive to feed the hungry or founded her own dancing schools. Brandeis wants to see very high GPAs and solid SATs, but in order to continue Brandeis's emphasis on being a school of practicing social justice, they must attract the real achievers: those who overcame adversity and made a difference in this world. </p>
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he had already decided that he wouldn't attend the school unless they wanted him enough to extend at least some aid
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<p>it is nice to feel wanted. and there are good reasons why merit aid can effect whether one school is chosen over another by a student and his/her family.</p>
<p>but if merit aid is simply being seen as an issue of whether they "really" want the student -- all i can say is that within a week of being in college i doubt it will make any difference to a student's college experience as to how "badly" the school wanted him or her. (of course i'm not talking about schools where merit may go with an honors program that would affect the nature of the student's college experience.)</p>
<p>college is an important 4 years of a young person's life. there are many factors that can go into deciding if a school is the best "fit" (which certainly can include economic issues that make merit aid relevant). but students shouldn't confuse how enthusiastic the admissions office may seem in trying to recruit them with how welcome and happy they would feel their 4 years at a school.</p>
<p>I agree with unbelieveablem. Being the recipient of a scholarship really doesn't make any difference once you get to Brandeis except for the amount that you pay. I am in love with the Jewish community here. I'm an observant Conservative Jew and I worry every week how I will ever replace the rich community that I find here after I graduate. Don't let your son write off Brandeis just because they didn't "want you enough." If money's the issue, negotiate. If it's a matter of pride, don't let that stand in the way of an amazing academic and Jewish experience. I visited UChicago for a Shabbat and there's just no comparison.</p>
<p>It's clear that many Jewish students are very happy at Brandeis. I've spoken with my son and he's agreed to hold off on any final decisions until we get further into the process. (He still has a number of applications out.) We'll make a decision in early April whether or not to contact Brandeis and try to get some wiggle room on merit scholarships based on what he's been given from other schools.</p>
<p>We heard through the Blue Ribbon application. It was a slightly modified one that was sent early, and so heard from them early as well. Check out the thread here:</p>
<p>A question for those already accepted to Brandeis: Have they had any further contact with you since you were accepted? My D was accepted Blue Ribbon early February and has heard nothing from them since. It seems strange, since the two other schools she has been accepted to (Univ of Michigan is one and her EA school) have contacted her several times by mail, e-mail, and even by phone to offer to answer questions, to invite her to admitted students' days, etc. Is this lack of contact usual for Brandeis?</p>
<p>We're also a bit puzzled by this. My son has heard nothing from Brandeis over the past month. We've had phone contact, letters and/or campus publications from the other two schools where he's been accepted along with communication from one "likely". </p>
<p>Have other accepted applicants heard something back, or is this just a "quiet time" before the April decisions?</p>
<pre><code>* SAT I: M 670, V 780, W 790
* SAT IIs: Lit: 780, USH: 710, MathIIc: 610
* ACT: it was 31 or so...don't think I used it
* GPA: 3.9 UW, 4.3 W
* Rank: something like 12/430
* Other stats: 4 APUSH [taking 6 AP classes this year], 20ish units at local state college
</code></pre>
<p>Subjective:</p>
<pre><code>* Essays: very good
* Teacher Recs: one was amazing, other was good
* Counselor Rec: probably mediocre
* Hook (if any): I doubt I have one...I've been a ballerina for 14 years?
</code></pre>
<p>Location/Person:</p>
<pre><code>* State or Country: CA
* School Type: Public
* Ethnicity: White
* Gender: Female
* Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: good but few ECs; showed plenty of passion/dedication
* Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: I'm a somewhat singular applicant? Another girl from my school got in early, so I didn't think I'd get in, let alone with a pretty hefty scholarship
</code></pre>
<p>Other Factors: I think that about covers it.
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Brandeis is in my top 3, so... cool +_+</p>
<p>I was accepted via Blue Ribbon and I've gotten a bazillion postcards (at least 4) saying things like "We're holding a place for you..." with corny (but cute) pictures on the front with a group of Brandeis students with one face/body whited out.</p>