Overwhelmed in this selection process - ideas???

College Search & Selection
1

<p>This website is such a help - but all of the good suggestions are adding to the overwhelmed feeling! </p>

<p>Son is upcoming senior. Still not sure what he wants to major in, definitely undecided, which is not helping to narrow this process. (He is - unfortunately, to his way of thinking - very interested and strong in history and related areas, especially military history, so is having a very hard time coming up with even possible majors with his strengths and interests which will also provide him with a living! ;))</p>

<p>Please help narrow the search! Evidently not of the apparent caliber of CC posters here, but is very bright and a very good student. Rural high school, grades unweighted, few AP classes (will be taking this year -didn't participate in PSEO as would interfere with other activities). Average 3.9 right now, with little studying, could have been 4.00 easily but can be lazy if he's not interested in a subject (usually math) or a teacher. Definitely needs intellectual stimulation, but "lazy" factor could interfere in a hugely academic school. Needs a school with intellectual stimulation but where that is not the students' constant obsession. Recently got only a 29 on ACT with little prep but is certain he can bump up a few more within next two tests. Bad guidance counselor so no idea of class rank, etc., especially with unweighted grades.</p>

<p>Has Ecs - soccer, Buckeye Boys State, marching/concert bands, Key Club and student council (worthless at our school), ski club, Academic Challenge, 4-H, Big Sibs. Does not love community service, at least "required" service. In a situation where he can participate in something that he enjoys (very little available in our rural area) will be more motivated, but right now this could hold him back from a college choice. (Actually, kept him out of NHS and we thought he would then be more willing, but he just became more annoyed at what he considers "forced community service" - which in his mind is not TRUE community service at all.) Would also like to study abroad, perhaps, never having been far out of the country.</p>

<p>Pretty conservative in his beliefs, although not "extreme". Would not like an extremely liberal school. Something moderately conservative or not "in-your-face" liberal would be best fits. Not a partier, drinker, or extra super social but not a wallflower type.</p>

<p>Any ideas of schools which might fit a profile like his? He likes the south - TN, NC, mountains, but we live in Ohio so somewhere closer would be nice - Michigan, etc.. Many good schools in Ohio and he will likely apply to OSU but definitely wants to not be TOO close to home (ex: College of Wooster, Cleveland - too close). Seems to be inclined toward schools that aren't too small and many in Ohio are too small for his taste at this time, too much like home. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Any suggestions to look into appreciated! We've been digging around for a while and feel like we're still just starting...!</p>

2

<p>I think your son sounds like he has a lot of potential that has gone untapped. He's definitely thinking about things.... it takes somebody else to let you know (usually a good, encouraging teacher) that you're smart, and it sounds like your son hasn't really had that experience.</p>

<p>Some schools in the southeast definitely worth looking into: Wake Forest, UNC, Davidson, William and Mary, Duke, UVA, Vanderbilt, Rhodes</p>

<p>Schools in the non-Ohio midwest: Notre Dame, Northwestern, Chicago... I'm having a hard time thinking about smaller schools that fit your son's criteria.</p>

3

<p>Has he considered a service academy? His interest in Military History would fit right in. THey are not large schools, and he would have a job upon graduation! You never know, he just might shine there. USNA is my favorite!</p>

4

<p>
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We live in Ohio so somewhere closer would be nice....

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</p>

<p>Lol. Is that mom talking or son? </p>

<p>South and Midwest are probably the right places to look, though. Does he want to continue with marching band in college? That should help narrow the search somewhat. He will find good history departments at many colleges, but not will have a marching band program. Get a Fiske guide and have him start reading about Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Tulane, U Delaware, U Kansas, Indiana U, and schools with big sports and a marching band program. Some big reaches might be UVA and Duke, but it's okay to have reaches if you have a good list of matches and a few solid safeties (OSU). </p>

<p>If he wanted a LAC, I would suggest Davidson and Claremont McKenna on the reachy side, and maybe Gettysburg (strong history) and Kalamazzo (K plan requires study abroad). </p>

<p>He should get his ACT score up to expand his options.</p>

5

<p>YES, a lot of potential and he is definitely a "thinker"!! :) I think if he'd had the opportunity to go to a larger high school which offered more options, perhaps this whole process would be easier. But, alas, that was just not an option. He has had some very good teachers whom have challenged him and is confident in his intellectual ability, but is also by nature not exactly a "leader" - not a complete follower, but doesn't always take the bull by the horns nor usually want to (he's had the opportunity). </p>

<p>Has been VERY interested in the service academies - dad is a war veteran and doesn't discourage this - but we've gotten the impression that it's almost too late for that...however, in Ohio the Boys State program is heavily followed up upon by the service academies so it may still be possible. There is some hesitation on my son's part because of the "lazy" factor in himself which he freely admits to! lol! He is a decent athlete but not stellar and again, isn't always thrilled about the leadership thing. I think, though, that put into the right situation he would surprise himself. He would also be very comfortable in that usually more conservative environment.</p>

<p>On our way to Myrtle Beach in a week we are planning to check out some NC colleges - Wake, UNC, any place else we can find along the way that might be lesser well known...? Also like to look at Clemson. He's doesn't think he'd make the academic cut at some others like Vanderbilt. He also is very much set on a school that looks like a "traditional" school - you know, red bricks and columns! No beige modern buildings for him, but we've convinced him to look beyond that...</p>

<p>And jazzymom - ;). Actually, staying closer to home is not a problem for him, just not right in our backyard! We will not be able to finance his education very much at all, so cost, travel, etc., is a consideration. He will definitely need fin aid and Ohio would be cheaper as in-state, although probably not a lot, depending. He is not interested in band in college.</p>

<p>He is motivated to get the ACT up and I'm sure he will. A superscore school would be great for him, as he did extremely well (in the 30's) on parts on his first ACT, then similarly on the 2nd. Those schools are few and far between, though, so he will need to study for real this next time around.</p>

6

<p>Well, well well. Welcome to the South! LOL. Let me help you here.</p>

<p>Wake is an outstanding school and a lot of kids from Ohio go there, so he would be among company and so forth. Its "WORK Forest" and not an easy school once you are admitted, but they have great sports and party hardy. Not to say its all party animals, its not. And some parties are alcohol free. A great selection for him, and its SAT/ACT optional. The new President is the former Provost at Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Davidson is a smaller version of Wake Forest, on Lake Norman, a few miles north of Charlotte. Beautiful campus. VERY academic and VERY selective. But if you get in, its a great school. Also sports history there too.</p>

<p>Vandy is red bricks and ivy...a stunning campus. Very southern, but a growing population of kids from up north and outwest. Very selective. A superb selection.</p>

<p>Also look at Furman University in Greenville South Carolina. One of the most beautiful campuses in the nation, a strong academic campus without being frenetic. Great sports. Dry campus, but some kids go off campus to party. They are rivals with Clemson, but they also hang with those kids a lot. </p>

<p>Clemson is a state school and a lot larger but also a wonderful school with very good academics. Its definitely a southern school deep in tradition. </p>

<p>Emory might be a stretch in Atlanta but worth a look see.</p>

<p>Also peek at Washington and Lee. But its very quirky in admissions being so small. But for History buffs and military history buffs its mecca. General Robert E. Lee is buried on campus with his wife and horse, Trigger.</p>

<p>Elon University in Greensboro, North Carolina (well, about 10 miles east of GSO) is an up and coming school. Its in the same athletic league as Furman, and resembles Furman in a lot of ways. Very friendly people, very warm and endearing....academic programs are growing in reputation and so are the sports teams. Communications is a very strong major there. They send a HUGE percentage of their students overseas....they almost require you to do that. Just a great little school with VERY friendly people. WONDERFUL scholarships and financial aid as well. I like Elon a LOT. Its a real gem.</p>

<p>I would also look at Xavier in Cincinnati. Perhaps Kenyon College in Ohio.<br>
Bucknell, Lafayette and Villanova in Pennsylvania are my favorites up there.</p>

<p>Private colleges often can become very affordable with financial aid and scholarships.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for all the suggestions so far - already there are several which were not on the radar at all and which sound like possibly good fits to check out...particularly Furman. Think some others might really be a reach but you never know.</p>

8

<p>I don't see why he wouldn't be a good candidate for one of the service academies. He certainly has the grades and the standardized test scores. He has participation in Boy's State, in athletics and in music. Does he have any involvement with your church (youth group, tutoring maybe) or with Boy Scouts? You could post a question in the service academies forum to see what else he would need to boost his qualifications. </p>

<p>The students I know from our h.s. who have recently been admitted to West Point and the Naval Academy both were excellent students who had sports and music on their resumes, but not tons of c.s. or outstanding leadership. Although one was an Eagle Scout and co-captain of the tennis team; the other was in track but not a captain and he was a co-leader of a small music service group (teens performing in nursing homes as a community service to the residents.) Both had support from pastors and of course the recommendation from the local Congressman.</p>

9

<p>For Michigan, he should perhaps look into University of Michigan (as a match) or Michigan State (as a safety). They are quite large and both have great programs (look into the honors colleges of both colleges. Michigan state also has residential colleges for specialized majors, which may be something that your son might be interested in)</p>

10

<p>Lots of goodies being suggested here. As a mom of three boys who have gone through the college search process, I can tell you that this third time around went a lot easier. My son was much like yours and unlike his brothers in that he had no particular agenda he wanted in the way of a college. Not even an interest in military history or any subject, for that matter. He had higher test scores, but lower grades. We started by looking at schools that would be most likely to take him. I really don't think safety is the right category to call those schools, as some of them were top choices for him but in terms of admission, they were safeties, as they were all very likely to take him. In other words, we did not start looking at the "big boys" wi****lly.</p>

<p>You are ever so lucky living in Ohio as you do have a wealth of state schools right there. Since cost is an issue for you, this has to be addressed. What are the costs of the Ohio state schools? Can you afford them without any financial aid? Now is a good idea to run your finances through a FAFSA simulation and find out what your expected family contribution , EFC, will be. This will also help you reorganize your finances so that you can best get more aid if you are borderline in some areas. Since the FAFSA counts the assets sitting there on the day you fill it out, if your son or you have funds sitting there that are already earmarked for something, you may want to get rolling in doing the project so those dollars don't get pinched for college costs. Your son, for instance, might want to start picking up some of his own costs since your assets will be hit at about 5% whereas his savings will be expected to contribute 20% towards college. If you have a large credit card balance, it might be smart to pay it off, if you have money sitting around that can be counted since debts do not offset assets. </p>

<p>If you are in the "middle" class boat economically, it is doubtful your EFC is going to be low enough to guarantee your son much more than subsidized Stafford loans, the max of which is $3500. I don't know if the schools in Ohio are good at meeting college needs if you have any. according to FAFSA, but most state schools are notoriously stingy in coming up with funds that way. Even very needy students are often "gapped", with whatever monies that are offered still not meeting what FAFSA considers your need. Your son's GC and others around can probably tell you what the "word on the street" is in terms of some of the state schools' generosity or lack thereof. Is there a state school nearby where he can commute? Start looking at some of these possibilities.
The next thing is PROFILE which is a financial aid form used by most private schools. If you thought EFC stood for "every friggin' cent". PROFILE looks at the crevices between your toes and other orifices for more assets. Their need number for you is what a particular private college considers need. Fill one out for a nearby private college you may have in mind, or just randomly pick one you've heard of and fill out the PROFILE in accordance to their directions, or a generic one. There are on-line calculators you can use. </p>

<p>You now have an idea what the state school cost, a couple of private schools cost, and what FAFSA and PROFILE think you should pay. One of the top schools in your state, Case Western is the that covers about 90% of need, on average. (I believe that the only school in OH that covers 100% of need is Oberlin) . Both Oberlin and Case are also waaay up there in terms of cost. Your state schools will typically not come close to meeting need (need defined by FAFSA).</p>

<p>Given that info, you might want to get a big book like USNEWS&WR Ultimate Guide or subscribe to their on line services and start getting a list of schools that will meet the bulk of aid that your son can get in. If you can afford what they say you should pay, you are golden. Otherwise you need to have cost in the equation. For those private schools that are off on cost, your son will likely have to be in the top 5-10% in terms of test scores in order to get full need addressed. Merit money can come into play then also. </p>

<p>Your son a good candidate for admissions at most schools. For Case, for example, he would be in the middle of the road with his current ACTs and being a good student with his interests in the humanities would make him a respectable candidate for admissions. He would also be a good candidate for a number of good private schools for admissions; being male will help at the LACs. So money may be the defining thing here.</p>

<p>In that vein, some of the Maritime schools might be a good place to look. My son got a full ride + at SUNY Maritime. No military service obligation and the job opportunities are excellent. Check out some LACs, Catholic schools and see how he feels at them along with some of your state schools. Ours son liked Catholic colleges, something I would have never guessed. And they were generous in merit awards for him, another unexpected surprise.</p>

<p>The above suggestions are great, and give you things to investigate. One word of caution: out of state universities like UMichigan, Penn State do not tend to be generous with money towards kids who are not from their state, unless the kids stats are waaay up there.</p>

11

<p>It is NOT too late to persue an academy. Check their websites or the Service academy forums here! Good Luck!</p>

12

<p>Nothing wrong with Ohio University, "the Harvard of the Midwest." Also for History...
Washington and Lee University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Wofford College (SC)
U of South Carolina-Columbia
Washington University (MO)
Virginia Military Institute
The Citadel (SC)
U of Mississippi</p>

13

<p>Thanks for all of the great suggestions, many of which we just haven't had on our minds at all. </p>

<p>We have played around with the finances, and of course we fall right into that solid middle-class category where we don't have enough to pay but don't qualify for any serious financial aid. I'm sure so many of you are in the same situation. He will have to put some work in and hope to gain some scholarships, even if they are smaller. Ohio's private schools can be very generous with aid, and sometimes almost the full cost is covered. If he can find a fit here, that would be great, but I'm not sure that he's quite the type. Possibilities for him might be Denison, Capital, Ohio Northern. However, he cannot stand to be around "preppy" or "privileged" types and some of those schools at least partly can appear to be that way. </p>

<p>I'm hoping that when he gets to see more of the Ohio colleges, he will not dismiss them immediately. Around Ohio, even Toledo is starting to get a very good reputation. Where we live, we are surrounded by many schools, so sometimes I think the kids here just get used to being around them and don't think of them as "real" schools (Kent, Akron, Wooster, Case, John Carroll, Malone, Walsh, Ashland - we are surrounded by schools). Wooster is practically in our backyard. We are encouraging him to do what he wants, but be mindful of distance with the cost of gas, etc.. Any surrounding state or to the south would be okay with us (easiest drive) if he chooses to go elsewhere. </p>

<p>Thanks once more for all the suggestions. We have a lot to look at...</p>

14

<p>Hmmm....preppy? Well....that is a matter of degree. At many colleges, mostly privates but often at some of the more prestigious state schools, preppy is certainly present. But at most schools there are enough people from different socio-economic backgrounds to find a niche to "hang with". So make sure he doesnt judge a book by its cover too soon. </p>

<p>In the end, going where he feels the best "fit" is likely his best choice. Fit is defined as social fit, academic fit, financial fit, geographic fit, athletic fit etc. Its a personal decision and something you feel when you are on a particular campus. Conversely there may be a feeling of "this is not me" when you are on other campuses, and that is fine. </p>

<p>Private colleges give more financial aid than you might imagine. And of course he can go to work bigtime after high school graduation and save some money, he can also take student loans, or have work study on campus. Its a fact of life for the vast majority of students.</p>

<p>Dont hold back because you fear the unknown. Make your application and fill out the FAFSA, submit and see what happens. </p>

<p>You are blessed with many fine schools in Ohio. Nothing wrong with that. But if he wants to visit some southern schools on your trek to Myrtle Beach that is great! Make your map and go for it, down to the beach and on your way home. </p>

<p>If you are visiting Furman, then by all means visit Wofford nearby. If you are doing UNC-Chapel Hill, then by all means visit Duke and Wake and Elon. It doesnt have to be a three hour tour either. Its a preliminary looksee. </p>

<p>USC-Columbia is also a great school.</p>

<p>A lot of this is also sort of self determined by your academic fit: what are his scores and where does he think he would most likely get in and be around kids like him? or for the very brave...where he will be most challenged to excel. (but be careful with that...college is also about growing up and having fun....not just being a slave to frenetic studying just to stay afloat). </p>

<p>Everyone you talk to will have their own personal favorites and that is fine. Everyone has a view on things. My focus is usually around being reasonably challenged, a campus where the "feel" is just right for you (me), and fulfilling the needs/desires: location, dorms, athletics, activities, social life, etc. </p>

<p>Its a tiring process so strap in. But its also a lot of fun to look around.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>