Parental Age & FAFSA

Paying for College
21

I agree that the NPCs may not be accurate for a transfer student, but I think that an instate NC transfer would get pretty good results from UNC-CH’s NPC and probably NCState’s. The exception would be that if NCSU asks for test scores, then any “merit” shown on the NPC results probably would not be accurate.

I can’t think of any school that uses SAT scores for merit for transfers, particularly SAT scores received as a soph in college. The thinking is that, of course the scores are high, most people’s SAT scores would improve if the tests were taken in college.

I don’t remember the rule of thumb, but I thought that from high school sophomore year, a student’s score will roughly increase about 50 points each year. If accurate, then a soph in college would be scoring about 100 points higher than his senior year score.

22

In my younger son’s case, he always scored really high on his SAT practice tests, sometimes scoring 800 in CR. But as a home-schooled student, he was not used to a classroom setting; his first SAT sitting was the first time he’d ever been in a classroom with other kids, and I think he was pretty freaked out. He also went through a period during late adolescence when he was prone to panic attacks. (Yes, we took him to a therapist for this; he takes OCD meds; he does not have the attacks anymore; and he seems much more relaxed.) He still scored just fine on the SATs – high 600s – but yes, he did jump a lot this last time around.

OTOH his most recent scores more accurately reflect the scores he achieved on literally dozens of timed practice tests back a couple of years ago. Moreover, I’m not sure his classes at Forsyth Tech were more advanced than his homeschool classes. My husband (a Harvard PhD in [Byzantine] History) was his homeschool teacher, and hubster was a pretty demanding prof! The homeschool curriculum included Latin, Greek, physics, and calculus. Except for that one Biology class, his community-college curriculum did not come anywhere near that level of rigor. Remember, this is a fairly average community college we’re talking about here. DS 2 had trouble even finding upper-level courses in his projected major. Pretty much everything was really basic.

All of which is to say: It’s complicated. I think both of my sons do much better on standardized tests when they’re more relaxed. Age doesn’t seem to have that much to do with it. Older son aced the PSAT but only got low 700s on the SAT…then he turned around and aced the GRE. The big factor seems to be: feeling relaxed and not caring that much. The more relaxed my sons are, the higher they score, it seems.

Anyway, I’m not sure too many colleges would balk at a 770, even from a transfer student. But maybe I’m just kidding myself.

Back in the day, when the GRE was scored much like the SAT, my GRE Verbal score jumped only 20 points vs my SAT score (750 vs 730). Yet I was taking the GRE four years later. Maybe I was just dumb. I dunno.

Anyhoo…I think the bottom line from everyone’s responses is: Don’t expect too much financial aid from most places. This confirms my suspicions. But yes, I will fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile anyway just in case.

Thanks so much, y’all, for all the great feedback!!

LadyDi

23

<<< GRE Verbal score jumped only 20 points vs my SAT score (750 vs 730). >>>

GRE Verbal is very different than SAT Critical Reading score.

I don’t think anyone is saying that any schools would “balk” at a 770 in the Critical Reading. It is a very good score.

Were just saying that SAT scores are often not considered for transfer students, particularly when the tests were taken while a college student. There may not even be a place on a transfer app to put scores.

Your son will be admitted based on his CC grades and maybe essays. I don’t think he’s going to have any trouble being admitted to a number of fine schools. Finding schools that will fit whatever budget you decide may be the bigger issue.

Look to see if Truman State has any merit scholarships for transfer students.

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If you find they WILL consider his updated SAT score then please report back. We’d like to know if any schools do consider SATs taken in college.

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GRE Verbal is very different than SAT Critical Reading score.

Actually, that was not true back in my day. The GRE was exactly like the SAT – it felt as if I was taking the SAT over again, only four years later. :slight_smile:

I think they are very different now. (And they are scored very differently, too.) But back then they were really similar. So was the Math component – for both the SAT and the GRE, it was high school algebra all over again, LOL!

I don’t mean to be persnickety, y’all, but how can kids’ SAT scores go up 50 points a year (especially at a community college)? So, if you get a 750 in high school, you’ll get an 850 after two years in community college? Yes, I am being facetious, but…you see my point, I hope!

26

Obviously, there is diminishing returns at some point. But, the SAT is a HIGH SCHOOL test, and it’s not unusual for a HIGH SCHOOL student who scored, say a 1650 (3 sections) as a soph, to score a 1700 as a junior, and then a 1750 as a senior.

And in your example, you’re adding 50 pts per SECTION…lol… NO.