<p>@fogfog: I don’t know enough about the list to go through it and mark each one that was over the 3.0-3.3 baseline. I followed the thread in the last few months. I just remember some posters from an inactive 3.3 to 3.6 thread participating in that one. A few unlikely colleges immediately pop out, Kenyon, Syracuse and Reed for example. I think the majority are probably within that 3.0-3.3 limit but wanted to provide that caveat.</p>
<p>Tried to set up an appointment to visit Ithaca College 8/31. Got a reply back that that is the only Sat. they’re closed. Go figure… They asked if we could come a week earlier. Uh, no. Road trip is packed to the gills and there’s very little flexibility. Bummer… Looks like we’ll be doing a quickie “drive by” and maybe pop in a cafeteria or bookstore.</p>
<p>I enjoyed reading the list of accepted schools from the 3.0-3.3 GPA thread. Even though some of the schools might be a reach for kids in this range–it’s good to remember that there’s so much more to acceptances than just GPA (test scores, ECs, essays, LoRs, class rigor, etc.).</p>
<p>Another thing to keep in mind is that some kids on that list may have applied to more “reach-y” schools early decision vs. regular decision. From what I’ve seen looking at common data set stats from colleges that offer early decision, the chances of being accepted can go from 40% to 75%.</p>
<p>D is determined to “aim high”, and she’s hoping her other talents and passion will overcome disappointing test scores.</p>
<p>Ithaca College is a Regional University, noted for communications.
Syracuse University is a National University. Neither one are noted for meeting a high percentage of need, if you are eligible for need based aid. YMMV (your mileage may vary)</p>
<p>I was very happy none of my four children applied to SU, my alma mater, as I knew that we would not be able to afford it.</p>
<p>momofwon</p>
<p>We were visiting at a college on a Sunday back during break… saw 8 schools…1800 miles/ drive.
The coach our student has been emailing with met us on campus. If your student is an athlete, has a specific EC that will continue at college etc…perhaps contact that coach, club etc and see if someone can meet you on campus for a chat etc.</p>
<p>SLUMOM and fogfog, thanks for the tips/comments regarding visiting schools when the admin office is closed. Also, appreciate the comments on Syracuse and Ithaca’s general lack of assistance re: merit aid. D will have a lot to consider after our summer road trip. Applying ED may mean giving up unknown merit $$$. I’m sure we’ll be weighing the pros and cons carefully in the fall.</p>
<p>ABC world news had a segment on last night about how to find more money for college and the kid they were working with is attending Ithaca next year. Most everything they mentioned has already been discussed here at CC.</p>
<p>On a happy note, today DD turns 17! She finally has a list of colleges to apply to starting this summer.</p>
<p>1) University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
2) Truman State
3) Knox
4) Beloit
5) Iowa State</p>
<p>Will push by luck in the fall and ask her to apply to Alabama and University of Ohio where she might get some really good merit aide.</p>
<p>Chiming in on BobbyCT’s post above in case it’s helpful to anyone - </p>
<p>"@fogfog: I don’t know enough about the list to go through it and mark each one that was over the 3.0-3.3 baseline. I followed the thread in the last few months. I just remember some posters from an inactive 3.3 to 3.6 thread participating in that one. A few unlikely colleges immediately pop out, Kenyon, Syracuse and Reed for example. I think the majority are probably within that 3.0-3.3 limit but wanted to provide that caveat."</p>
<p>I’m a parent on the 3.0 - 3.3 Class of 2013 list whose child FWIW was admitted to Kenyon and Reed (not ED). She had good test scores and very strong EC accomplishments, but a solid 3.3 GPA (with no help from weighting) as a result of an uneven academic path in HS. These were obviously reach schools for D and I assume this is an outlier result, but that said, it’s not always all about the GPA.</p>
<p>@daisychain: Is your daughter attending either Kenyon or Reed? Kenyon is one of my favorite colleges and had hoped that one of my kids would want to attend but none of them loved it as much as I did.</p>
<p>@bobbyCT: no, at the end of the day, D decided on Hampshire. It’s the one school where she really clicked and felt she belonged. She loved many different aspects of Kenyon and Reed (and the other schools she got into), but felt that she would be happiest and most successful as a student at Hampshire. We’re just grateful that she had a lot of wonderful choices.</p>
<p>Hello. I am new to the club. I saw this thread and thought it would be a good place to be. I am sending off my first to college. Its been a very interesting process so far. We have seen 5 VERY different colleges. Its all been driven by the sport he plays.</p>
<p>My son is a good student, national honor society, captain of this and that. But, not an overachiever and doesn’t love any topic in school enough to go for it in college. I almost think the college search has gotten him off track as colleges that have shown interest in him don’t really fit him. </p>
<p>He likes fitness, nutrition. At one of our tours he struck up a conversation with the colleges strength and conditioning coach and hoped if he went to this LAC he could work with her for internships. I know that would be his favorite part about college but, he would not leave an LAC with a degree in it. </p>
<p>I am hoping that he figures some things out. Being a planner, I am doing my best to be his assistant but, not the boss.</p>
<p>Glad to have found this group.</p>
<p>MOMOFWON:
We visited Ithaca college recently. I was impressed with it once I got inside and spent some time in the different buildings. I wasn’t expecting the industrial look so I really needed that look inside experience.</p>
<p>I think this is the one school that works best for my son. Fortunately, he got the good feeling and turned to me during the tour to tell me that. </p>
<p>Parking is tough here. We needed a parking pass for the date that my son registered. They did check that we had it when the admissions parking lot was full. If you park across the street, you probably can get away without one. That was overflow parking the day we arrived.</p>
<p>Hi, have been following this thread and decided to finally join in. </p>
<p>My DD '14 (3.2, 1780 SATs, 27 ACT, taking both again) is looking at LACs (psych/women’s and gender studies combo) with D3 swimming, a liberal vibe, active choral groups, good study abroad options, and a location that isn’t too isolated. So many LACs are in small, rural towns which won’t likely suit her. An active Jewish population and racial/ethnic diversity are big plusses.</p>
<p>So far she’s interested in Goucher, Clark and McDaniel (all CTCL schools). We’ll likely check out Wheaton (MA) and Ithaca soon. She also wants to see some west coast schools.</p>
<p>A couple of questions – I’ve noticed some comments about schools (F&M was one) that no longer give merit aid. Where would I find this info – any particular websites or from the college’s own data?</p>
<p>Looking forward to hearing more about your kids and contributing to the discussion!</p>
<p>I thought it might be helpful to you if I post my son’s stats and results. He had a 2.82 in the fall, maybe got it up to a 3.0 when the midyear transcript went out, but he already had some acceptances by then. 26 ACT twice, although if superscored, 27.</p>
<p>Accepted: Wheaton (MA) ($7k/yr merit) (attending); Ohio Wesleyan (EA) ($18k/yr merit); Ursinus (EA) ($17k/yr merit); Hofstra (EA) ($13k/yr merit); Eckerd (EA) ($10k/yr merit); Goucher (EA) ($10k/yr merit); Marlboro ($10k/yr merit); Puget Sound ($5k/yr merit); Denver; and Adelphi.</p>
<p>Waitlisted: Muhlenberg; College of Wooster</p>
<p>Rejected: Beloit; Lake Forest; Providence; Juniata; and Clark.</p>
<p>@LisaK216-Have you considered Muhlenberg? I don’t know about their swim team but it is the first school that came to mind when I read your post. (actually, the first school I thought of was Kenyon but that is located in a rural area. Great fit otherwise). </p>
<p>@pkdof13-It is always fascinating to see which schools accept with merit aid while others reject outright. Congratulations to your son, those are some impressive colleges that accepted him with merit. Good luck and thank you for sharing.</p>
<p>Hi Bobby,</p>
<p>You’re right on about Muhlenberg…wish they had a swim team. They even have a six lane 25 meter pool! Otherwise it would be right up there. Thanks for the suggestion 
Kenyon is one of the top D3 women’s teams, so my girl probably wouldn’t have a shot.</p>
<p>Anyone considering Ursinus? We met a rep at a college fair last week and I am intrigued.</p>
<p>Also pkdof13…thanks for sharing! Some impressive results, and merit $$…gives me hope!</p>
<p>LisaK—once I read psych/women’s study/gender, etc and D III swimming, I immediately thought of Clark. We visited last summer, but determined that my son is looking for something a bit more traditional. Traditional may not be the correct word. It was an impressive school but not the right fit for my son. I may have my facts wrong, but I thought this was one of two schools we visited where a student can stay on for a fifth year to earn a graduate degree tuition free. Am sure there was a GPA requirement. The school started as a grad school, which is a different twist. Definitely a different feel, but women/gender studies–a good place.</p>
<p>As to isolated…well, that depends on your definition of isolated. Worcester is less than an hour from Boston, but I am not sure how much Worcester has to offer. There used to be billboards promoting ten colleges in Worcester but that is going back 20+ years. One could argue that Ithaca is far more isolated, but Ithaca is a great college town. (Voted #1 college town this year.) The student populations of IC & Cornell double the population of the town. </p>
<p>Re: figuring out which schools offer merit vs. need-based aid. Well, you could look to the CDS, section H, except that F&M’s most recent CDS shows them still offering merit aid. I think it would require some careful reading of a school’s FA section of their website. For example, F&M’s FA page states at the top: “Franklin & Marshall College distributes financial aid based on need. The College pledges to meet 100 percent of every student’s institutionally determined need for all four years. Half of our students receive some type of need-based aid.”</p>
<p>I don’t know enough to advise you how to decipher grant vs. loans vs scholarship, but imagine that others on this site will know far more than I.</p>
<p>LisaK–Kenyon is also a tough admit, or at least it appears so from our HS. I agree–very competitive sports teams.</p>
<p>Now, this is only based on 12 admits from the past five years, but 3.55 & 1960 SAT were the averages. (Four were ED so RD figures are higher.)</p>
<p>Thanks CT1417…Clark is right up there for D. We both liked it a lot, great fit. </p>
<p>I should clarify what I said about location – my D would not do well in a school that has no off campus activities nearby. She wants an active campus, but also doesn’t wants to be someplace where there’s nothing to do but drink on weekends. Some LACs are in towns that seem really small and out of the way. We live in a small town now, but she attends an urban high school and loves it.</p>
<p>Worcester is gritty, but it’s diverse and Clark plays an active role in the community through volunteering, research, etc. The school has turned it’s location into an asset. We really liked that.</p>
<p>Sounds like the merit info may just be a matter of consulting multiple sources then. Was hoping for a shortcut if there was one ;). Thanks, I will continue sleuthing!</p>
<p>Btw, where are the other folks from CT looking?</p>
<p>Lisa–no easy answer on that one. Just pulling up five year enrollment figures from Naviance–and looking at enrollment and not acceptances–BC, BU, Bucknell, Charleston, Colby, Colgate, U Conn, Cornell, Dartmouth, Dennison, Dickinson, Elon, F&M, GW, Gettysburg…well, you get the idea. Those are the ones with more than ten enrollments during past five years.</p>
<p>Trending schools: Santa Clara and U of Miami, but that is just based on my observations. We are looking at/chasing all the same schools as everyone else in the tri-state and New England areas.</p>
<p>Agree about Clark converting its location into an asset. They are much more integrated into the community than HC up on the hill. My son decided that neither was a fit for him.</p>