<p>Oneson - that is a really intersting link - thanks for sharing. </p>
<p>Coralbrook - look into summer programs/day camps for a part time job. Many of those wrap up in August before the summer is over.</p>
<p>As a parent of an LD AdHD kid, I enjoy reading this thread and congratulate all the succeses and send out positive energy for those of still waiting. However, as I read through all the anxious posts, I am unclear about something that perhaps someone can elucidate for me. That is, here in So Cal, we have a fairly good state university sysytem, CSU, some of which are nationally ranked and others regionally well known and offer a great education for less than $20k annually. For all but say, SDSU, the polytechs and LBSU, all apps with a 3.0 are guaranteed admission and offer study abroad, internships and graduate ops. More importantly for folks here, remedial help and lots of caring profs that know the limitations of their student body and want their kids to succeed.</p>
<p>I guess I have to wonder why you all wouldn’t apply at your state schools given that options are limited for our kids? Personally, my D wants to live elsewhere and is applying to womens LAC so we are sticking our necks out too. But I wondered what everyone else’s reasons were here? just curious are states schools frowned upon or too last resortyish??</p>
<p>For us, the CSU system just didn’t seem right for DS. Classes are huge, hard to get all the classes you need to graduate, and I just thought DS would get lost there. We are looking at much smaller universities and colleges. DS has already been accepted to 6 great colleges/universities, most with significant merit $.</p>
<p>I also have an LD/ADHD kid, with highly-giftedness thrown in…leading to a huge discrepancy – she has very high test scores and a hugely challenging curriculum, but really poor grades. So one reason for looking at only small LACs with individualized admission processes was a hope that they would take a look at the whole picture and not just rule her out b/c of grades. This was successful for the most part…getting to know her admissions officers and having great interviews I am sure helped her. Don’t think our state schools interview at all. Overall, she would not have made the cut at flagship state school due to GPA, and she did get in to challenging LACs.</p>
<p>But the main reason we never considered state schools was that we (and she) felt she needed a really small, nurturing community where she will know her peers and professors well – she’s a kid who contributes a lot in the classroom and often achieves amazing things, but she also drops the ball frequently and will definitely need LD accommodations to boot.</p>
<p>She recognizes that she wants a campus where a professor might cross her on the path and say, hey, why weren’t you in class today? Or how is that paper coming along?</p>
<p>She didn’t apply to any school bigger than 1800 kids…</p>
<p>Also, she did get good merit money at the schools she was accepted at, making them more expensive than flagship state school but not as much more as I would have thought</p>
<p>My D (class of 11) was also dual exceptions- educational disability and giftedness. We looked at our state system schools (SUNY), in particular New Paltz and Albany- and she got into both. Neither really had much support for her disabilities (and any there would have to be sought out, not easily accessed). Also, as previously noted, she would not get smaller classes and more personal relationships- both of which help my D to succeed. For us, there was about a $9K/year difference between one school and all her other FA/merit packages (both privates and publics). So she was best served by applying widely to both publics and privates.</p>
<p>Just found out this morning that my DS got accepted into UConn for engineering! UConn is his top choice but I think we should still try and get him into the engineering program at Umass so he has some affordable options.</p>
<p>We still struggle with this question so I thought I’d offer some thoughts. DS is mild-medium LD/ADD with handwriting limitation on top of that, also gifted, which translates into the classic discrepancy between high test scores and lower GPA. He’s graduating from a very large public high school in which he’s had minimal accommodations (his determination to fit in) and we have gone around this block a couple of times in our college search: started at University of Arkansas engineering (smaller program within a larger school); followed by ED rejection at a small LAC (too selective plus some likely FA issues); and now a mix of smaller state schools and larger LACs. The real question for DS comes down to giving up some choices within his science major at the more nurturing smaller LACs (2000-3000), or having many more choices in his major at two larger state schools (14,000 and 24,000).</p>
<p>Here’s what we’ve learned regarding supports available to students in each of these very different settings. </p>
<p>Much of the tutoring at the state schools we’ve checked out seems to be remedial, in the sense of offering additional help to students struggling with the academic content itself. There are some freshman programs which offer students help with overall college expectations, including writing, etc.</p>
<p>In talking with the disability services at the two state schools, it seems like they have a suite of services available for students once they are accepted as qualified. These services or options are mostly easy for the student to access, and can often be requested or scheduled online. However, the advising process for course selections and scheduling does not offer any particular additional guidance (although one of our two state colleges does offer early registration) and the reality is that all of the potential negatives of larger class size, hard-to-get prerequisites, etc. are in play.</p>
<p>So, to summarize for the state schools he applied to: a separate department and staff with options and accommodations available to the student within a formalized - if fairly easy to use - process, but the routine experiences of academic advising, classroom learning, etc is the same: larger (300+ in many of the required lower division) classrooms, TA office hours, etc. I do think it’s important to carefully consider this additional layer of procedures/requirements and how that simply adds to the load for a student who struggles with organization.</p>
<p>The larger LACs (for us, large enough to have more science options) provide fewer formalized supports, but more informal and generalized supportive environments: smaller class size and the greater classroom discussion this makes possible; direct relationships with professors, tutoring and academic support programs available to all students, etc.</p>
<p>One important difference we noted was that the advisor in the LACs will be a professor in the student’s major - not someone on staff in an advising department. </p>
<p>As much as he’d really like the more robust academic program in his major (and livelier campus life) at a large state school, DS prefers the idea of choosing what he feels is an environment that will support his success more broadly, with professors who will be able to see from his classroom contribution that he is motivated, hard-working and bright.</p>
<p>For him, it came down to envisioning himself at the back of a large auditorium vs sitting around a U-shaped table arrangement. Also, he wanted to have a better chance at access to research which will be important for his grad school applications. (Research universities sound great but the access to opportunities is very competitive)</p>
<p>Here’s the compromise we’ve reached: he’ll start at an LAC; worst case he’ll transfer after his sophomore year to a large state school if either the LAC feels too small or he wants/needs more options in his major. By then he’ll be two years older, more mature and with greater understanding of his academic goals, and he will have completed some of what will be for him his toughest courses (calculus, physics, chemistry) in the smaller classes at the LAC. (Yes, we considered a community college - although I must relocate to care for my mother and the community college there is not great - but we both feel DS can be successful and it’s important for him to try)</p>
<p>If he is not admitted to his top choice LAC, he’s already admitted to his top choice state school, and will be just as happy to attend there - with some adjustments (accommodations) to compensate for class size etc.</p>
<p>Hardly ideal given the issues with transferring, not least the student’s experience of adjusting and belonging. But sometimes you just have to start somewhere with the willingness to adjust as necessary, trusting that you’re making the best choice with what you know today, and will make the best choice later with what you will know then.</p>
<p>I had all the same issues and concerns but ultimately chose a smallish state school in a college town. I thought impaction was mainly a CA problem so I wondered why parents from other states would go through the admissions ringer if there state options.</p>
<p>My DS didn’t want accomodations either, he has a variety of neuro probs but he managed to pull out a 2.9 on 18 units. I have to wonder if he would’ve fared any better at a LAC. It would be interesting to follow these students through both systems and compare results or student satisfaction.</p>
<p>In any event, my kids profs genuinely appear to be invested in his success. (I get copied on his school email, I know still helicoptering but whatever, I figure I am my son’s accomodation until he gets some legs under him). So far, he’s thriving but, not gonna lie, it was rough, I’m just not sure it wouldn’t have been different elsewhere. Maybe we could hear from some grad parents on this?</p>
<p>@Pk Congrats that’s awesome! We cast a wide net for DD also a hardworker who doesnt look great on paper. So far, one deferral, four acceptances, all safeties though still holding out for the brass ring. Ultimately, we figure if they don’t want her, we don’t want them. She’ll happily go where she will be appreciated for her own value.</p>
<p>Via iphone</p>
<p>@Ones,I feel your pain, as many of us here probably share all those same anxieties over this decision. However, it looks like you have a plan b, c and d in place for whatever contingency, all will eventually work itself out.</p>
<p>@mdn, wow 1800 is smaller than our high school class. I guess for me it ultimately came down to tuition. We lost 25% income this past year and I have another one right behind him so, without merit aid, just couldn’t swing a LAC tuition. As for my DS who’s very thrifty, he couldn’t wrap his head around borrowing when he had a healthy package from a state school he loved, so that’s that. Fingers crossed that he continues to receive the support needed.
@kinder this year we are going thru the LAC process for the first time and so far, I can’t see how our kids get merit aid when there’s such a discrepancy between ability and GPA. Saint Mary’s has a Student Success program and so do schools like ASU, for an additional cost, so we are applying there.sorry for the multiple posts, still kind of a noob here :)</p>
<p>SalveMater, just want to let you know that with research, merit aid is definitely possible! DS has received two $20k scholarships and another $19k, all from LACs considered moderately selective (40-70% admission rates) and attractive for different reasons, but all a good “fit” academically.</p>
<p>Many, if not most, of the LACs use a more holistic review process and - even without an interview - “see” the potential in these kids.</p>
<p>I am also just cynical enough to wonder how much those higher SAT/ACT scores may count in the decisions…average GPA for the admitted classes is somewhat open to interpretation, but median and 25%-50% test scores are not, and at least some of these LACs are keeping an eye on the benefits to future rankings when they admit a high (for that college) test score student. </p>
<p>We received advice to target those schools for which DS’ scores would be in the top 25%, which began to make sense especially when we realized the benefits to DS and being in the top of the stats pile instead of stretching to make it into a reach.</p>
<p>This college acceptance stuff is so weird. My dd was accepted to Marquette ( 57% acceptance rate) with merit money and was deferred by Miami University Oxford (EA acceptance rate 85.5%). She did the Miami ap completely on her own and it was the very first one she filled out, so now I’m all worried she made some mistake. She wasn’t, however, an absolute shoe-in: 3.0 GPA and 28 ACT. Anyone else have similar surprising ups and downs?</p>
<p>Frazzlemom - I totally agree. I’ve noticed it with other schools with DS2. With Miami, at least I have personal experience and I can tell you Miami has gotten a lot more competitive from 2011 when DS1 was accepted until 2013 when DS2 was accepted. They changed their merit scholarships and are really trying to pull in high stat students and I think it worked. Programs like the Farmer School of Business has also gotten much more competitive to get into (fewer direct admits and they raised the transfer GPA requirements, too). Hang in there. We’ll all get through this even if we don’t understand all the “whys”.</p>
<p>First, I just wanted to come here and celebrate the fact that my son didn’t fail Calculus this quarter…YAY!!! :)</p>
<p>My son applied to a branch campus of Penn State. The main campus and other state schools were all too big for both of our preferences. His guidance counselor made a point to talk about other kids on IEPs that were getting great support and doing well at those schools. I’ve also found that the larger schools generally had more support systems in place that are easier to access than a lotof the smaller LACs we looked at. So we didn’t rule them out because we thought he’d get more attention at a smaller school. We both think he is more likely to get lost in the shuffle at a big school which is a slightly different issue that has more to do with his personality. Plus, he doesn’t like crowds and wants to be in a small, intimate setting. Again, this is more his personality coming out than concerns about academics. I hate that many state schools where he would’ve qualified for auto scholarships were never in the running because of their size.</p>
<p>frazzle…my DS had some weird results like that last year too…he is also a LD/ gifted kid with sky high test scores but middling grades…mostly because he hated homework and didn’t know how to study…or probably more just didn’t want to put the time into it. He has around a 3.4, but he was at a very rigorous private prep, tons of AP’s with 4"s and 5"s, and 2200 SAT( 790 CR). Anyway,he was deferred from UVM and Lewis and Clark… both of which have high acceptance rates EA… 80%+, and admitted to schools with a lower acceptance rate. It was a HUGE shock. The good thing is that I went ahead and let him apply to some of his matches, but we added a few more likely schools…om eof which he will be attending in August( he is on a gap year). He received HUGE merit awards( something like ($600,000k total over 4 years), and I think one of the reasons is in which onesonmom stated… they liked his high test scores. He also had very impressive EC"s. At every school that accepted him and gave him merit, he was well above their 75% in test scores… and also like onesonmom, I think it is the best place for him. He knew from day one he wanted a small LAC.</p>
<p>Just a quick report on our visit to Guilford today. It <em>is</em> a very nice little school, although smaller than we thought. Of the reported 2,900 students, only 1,500 are traditional students. The rest are the older ones who tend to take the evening/Saturday classes. There is a lot to recommend it–yes the students do call the professors by their first names, and yes the professors often eat lunch/dinner with the students. I guess most/all campuses are going green these days but I think one of the tour guides said they’re trying to be self-sustaining by 2040 (?). I’d have to say the student body looked more jock-y than I expected–seemed like every other kid walking around was on an athletic team. DS had a good visit but sait it really felt too small for him. Standing on one end of campus, you can see all the way to the other end, and it’s only about a five-minute walk. I have no doubt the kids receive a great education from very caring profs (we heard one story about a professor working with this kid in the library until 11:30 at night after he’d missed a class, and another about a professor taking a 2:00 AM phone call)–just not sure it’s the right place for DS.</p>
<p>On to Wooster/OWU/Miami next week.</p>
<p>Congrats, confused! Two great schools to choose from. He must be thrilled!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>:confused:</p>
<p>Sorry, I have to challenge that statement.</p>
<p>Prove that some school offered your son $150 million a year in merit aid … or it didn’t happen.</p>
<p>Even $150,000 per year makes no sense.</p>
<p>Did you mean $60,000 over four years?</p>
<p>Leacoop - thanks! Hoping that maybe we can leverage the UConn and UMass Lowell acceptances (along with the improved SAT scores and 1st semester Senior grades) into a move from Undeclared at UMass Amherst into the Engineering program at UMass. DS will be calling Admissions tomorrow to see where things stand.</p>
<p>I wanted to reply about the CSU system from the earlier post. We are in California also and looked very carefully at the CSUs for D. I think the key thing about the CSUs is that the majority of them are commuter schools. </p>
<p>For example, CSU Fullerton has a really good program for my daughter’s major. On our visit we saw beautiful brand new dorms. But, those dorms only hold 1,200 freshman and there are 37,000 students at Fullerton. So you know that only a small percentage of the freshman class is living in the dorms. That, and all the high-rise parking structures everywhere for the commuter or suitcase (go home on weekends) students :)</p>
<p>Same situation at most of the CSUs, except maybe SDSU. I hear that Monterey Bay may have a higher percent residing in the dorms. My D wanted the full college experience with most of the freshmen living on campus and participating in school activities. So, even though it is economically enticing, we are waiting to see if the private colleges will get close in cost.</p>
<p>I think it boils down to whether your child has the stats to try to get good merit/scholarship at a wonderful private college and/or whether parents can squeeze out a little more funds. Also, UC costs are much higher and there are many privates that can match the cost of the UCs. In fact, Cal Lutheran (wonderful small LAC in Thousand Oaks) guarantees a tuition match if a student is accepted to a UC.</p>