<p>Always so much to learn here…so, if SAT/ACT scores are in top fourth and GPA at 3.3, are chances of merit looking good at those schools?<br>
Unfortunately, we live in NJ and are looking primarily in the Northeast…look like we make good money on paper but cost of living is out of site.</p>
<p>Has anyone on this thread visited/have experience with Duquesne, UPITT or Endicott College, MA or Clarkson in Potsdam, NY? They are next on our visit list. Thanks!</p>
<p>Tpcrd66: Duquesne is on our D14’s list to visit. We’ve known a few other kids from our area that graduated from there and really liked it. My main issue is the $$.</p>
<p>fogfog… contrary to what a lot of people think on here… IMHO, I think SAT scores play into the merit aid more than GPA. I think if you are looking at the top, top schools, they want both, and may be a bit more forgiving with the test scores, but when you come down the list a bit, I think they want those high test score kids, because very few schools use GPA in their rankings, most use test scores, and I never paid THAT much attention to the GPA’s at schools, because my kids went to a private very rigorous prep with NO grade inflation and no class rank. We just went with test scores when searching for schools, and his GPA was usually in the bottom 1/3 or 1/2. I think the top 30 schools still were not happy with his GPA regardless, as the kids from his HS applying to the same schools had MUCH better GPA’s, even if a lot had lower test scores. I tried to have him apply to schools where not a lot of kids from his HS applied, because colleges love our HS and still would love a chance at the ‘B’ students, because the top students are all applying to the usual suspects and I knew he couldn’t compete with then. My feeling is that he will be better at a school where is at the top of the applicant pool, because he is not a competitive kid, I don’t see him curtailing his EC’s in college, and he wants to go to med school. I am REALLY happy the way it all turned out, well, other than him being at a school the furthest away from home as possible, but he wanted that I think:)</p>
<p>scsiguru…ours as well. I hope they are generous…</p>
<p>Ok, so now I’m officially ticked off too. D just got her final junior grades and has a GPA of 2.98. It absolutely kills me when I see what she could have done to bring that up. That plus the 25 ACT twice is making me think that she won’t get into any engineering programs. It is all on her, she knew what the consequences would be, I just don’t want to have to live with them.</p>
<p>Fog Fog, </p>
<p>I asked a similar question to the author of the article I posted earlier about Syracuse. Below was her response…I hope it is ok to post? </p>
<p>"Hi — It’s typically better to have a higher GPA than a higher SAT score. When it’s reversed some schools might think the student is a slacker if there is a significant gap. That said, with a high SAT score and good grades, he should get lots of merit scholarship offers. What I would do is use the net price calculator of schools to see what kind of packages he might get. Also, I would expand your search beyond where you live. I can’t tell if that is Nebraska or New England (NE). Applying in another region could help him because of schools’ desire for a mixed geographic class.</p>
<p>Good luck and please spread the word about my blog!</p>
<p>Lynn O’Shaughnessy"</p>
<p>5Boys - my S is similar to yours - bright lazy boy who cares more about the learning than grades…I am not sure what to think anymore- we had spoken to a private GC earlier this year and he indicated that if S’s SAT scores were over 2000 - he would get into Conn coll. - but I guess that doesn’t mean merit… I will have to look at the net price calculator to figure out how much FA we would receive…</p>
<p>Also 5boys- how did your on explain the discrepancy between grades and SAT scores? Do you think it is needed? Did he interview a schools?</p>
<p>Hi again,
Speaking of interviews…my son had a mock interview with a friend who does college placement for international students and she worked at Smith College in admissions. </p>
<p>I wasn’t there when the interview started via Skype but spoke to my friend after interview.</p>
<p>Here is some feedback that I hope will help others …</p>
<p>S was still eating breakfast - not good - I don’t thinking hubby was on board with getting things organized…called son into the room once F was on Skype .</p>
<p>One if her first Q was about if he was principal what would he change? S went on about too much homework in AP USH -and reducing work loads… at that point she couldn’t get it out of her head that this was a kid who didn’t want to work heard! ugh…she said it is tricky to discuss HW and difficult work loads without coming across as lazy…She suggested focusing on EC - He could discuss that all sports or ECs should be treated equally …something he is passionate about. Strike 2! </p>
<p>The big thing however is that he talked about what he was not verses what he is( and she knows him!) for example I am on this sports team but it is not really a team - it is a club and we don’t get supported by the school…I am also on the EC team and we have no captain or coach! He fails to mention that his team is the State champs for the last two years! But my friends knows his ECs so she spent time trying t get him to talk about his achievements…
She also asked him If his grades truly reflected his ability and he said …YES ! What!..so we have some work to do… I didn’t realize that he isn’t proud of what he has done and I think he needs a little ego boasting…She said…make sure he focuses on what he has done not what he hasn’t done! She also gave him the same feedback. I have to say I am a little surprised! He usually does quite well in interviews. I am really glad he went through the process - now it is time to find the right moment to discuss it with him. She also recommended bringing his r</p>
<p>I just wanted to thank everyone here for all their nice comments and PM’s after we received unexpected bad news regarding my daughters junior year grades. It was a painful night where all kinds of crazy thoughts raced through my head, (i.e. what if she gets rejected by everyone, should I look at community college, etc.etc,etc.). Fortunately I gathered my thoughts, walked back from the ledge and thought things through. I contacted the Admissions people that we knew at the colleges she is most interested in and they all said that she would still be an excellent candidate with 2 of the 3 saying that she would be admitted. The catch, however, is that she may not be eligible for some of the merit money due the her GPA technically being below a B. I did the math and if she can get a 3.4 in her first semester, which she has done before, she will have over a 3.0. That is the new goal. </p>
<p>Just like the unexpected bad news that we received the other day, we also received unexpected good news today. Her ACT results came back higher than expected, a 25, which is considerably higher then her SAT score. It puts her back in the game but that 2.98 needs to come up in order to make things realistic. </p>
<p>@Proudmama3: I think our kids must be twins, they have the exact same numbers; 2.98 GPA and a 25 ACT. I wish you the best, I undertsnad how difficult this is for you.</p>
<p>onesonsmom…my S really didn’t explain his discrepancy… he just went with the idea that they would either get him or not. His teachers loved him and I am sure his college professors will love him as well. The true love to learn for learnings sake kids are beloved by teachers everywhere. It might not get them into a top college, but I don’t think those types of kids care. </p>
<p>The funny thing about interviews is that every school where my S interviewed ( and visited for that matter) he did not get in, and every school where the opposite happened he got in… so there ya go. My take on that is that interviews and visits don’t make a bit of difference and will take a completely different approach with my 2014 S. My 2012 S is a VERY personable and people love immediately… so much that he snagged an EMT job at a National Park this year that NOBODY his age with no experience had ever gotten… he is that good. So, really, don’t sweat the interview or college visit importance… I think it is an urban legend…LOL!!</p>
<p>5Boys thanks for the advice… My gut tells my S should not explain the discrepancy and just let It be. My S is an introvert so it takes a little bit for teachers to get him but once they do - they usually really like him! Of course not all teachers love him because he doesn’t do all the nitty gritty detail work that some teachers firmly believe that it is only way to learn. In the end he usually blows them away when he A’s the final! But the 0’s on assignments lowers his grades. I think it would be hard for him to explain the discrepancy …on one hand he as ADD and that can be explained but the reality is he does not want to do the detail and jump through hoops …because he doesn’t think it helps him learn. He does it his way…but unfortunately that may hurt his chances for admission or merit to certain schools. The more I read CC and learn about others who succeed - I feel more confident that it will all work out.</p>
<p>FYI all, here is the list of colleges that parents from the class of 2013 thread compiled of where our kids got in, and some of the merit scholarships offered these students. This data is from early April, 2013. Best of luck to you all, remember to apply early if you can!</p>
<p>Agnes Scott
Albright
Adelphi x 2
American (WMP)
Anderson University
Arcadia x 3
Baldwin Wallace
Beloit x 3
Bellarmine
Bryant
Cal Lutheran x 2 (11K)
CSU Fullerton
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Sacramento
Catholic University (DC)
Champlain
Chapman
Christopher Newport
Clark
Coastal Carolina
College of Wooster
Colorado State (5K)
Cornell College
DeSales
DePaul
Drew
Earlham x 3
Eckerd x 3 ($13.5K)
Elon (Fall) (Spring) (Waitlist)
Fairfield x2
Fordham
Fort Lewis College
Franklin & Marshall
George Mason
Gettysburg
Gonzaga ($3K)
Goucher x 6
Guilford x 3
Hampshire
Hartwick
Hobart & William Smith
Hofstra x 3
Humboldt State
Indiana University
Indiana Wesleyan
Ithaca x 4
James Madison
Kenyon
Knox x 2
Lake Forest
Lawrence (WI)
Loyola Maryland
Loyola Marymount (Waitlist)
Loyola New Orleans
Lycoming
Mt St Mary’s U (MD)
Marlboro
Marquette
Merrimack
Methodist University
Miami OH x 3
Mills
Monmouth University (NJ) x2
Montana State ($5K)
Muhlenberg
New College of Florida
Northeastern U (Waitlist)
Northern Arizona U
Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan x 5 ($23K) ($25.5K)
Oregon State ($2K)
Penn State - Behrend
Providence
Reed
Rider x 2
RIT x 2
Roanoke x 3
Roger Williams U ($11K)
San Diego State
St Anselm
St Edward’s
St Marys (CA) x 2
St Marys (MD)
St Mike’s
Salisbury (MD)
Sarah Lawrence
Siena x 2
Simmons
Seattle U
Sonoma State
Southern Oregon x 2
Stonehill
SUNY Albany
SUNY Binghamton x 3
SUNY Fredonia
SUNY Geneseo x 2
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Purchase
Suffolk
Susquehanna x 4
Syracuse
Taylor University
Towson
Tulane
U Arizona ($6K & iPad)
U of Arkansas
UC Merced
UC Santa Cruz
U Connecticut x 2
U Delaware
U Denver x 4
U Hartford
UMBC x 2
UMCP
U Maine / Honors ($9.5K)
UMass Amherst x 2 ($10K)
UMass Lowell ($5.9K)
U New Hampshire
U New Haven ($19.5K)
UNC Ashville
UNC Wilmington (Spring)
U Oregon
U of the Pacific
U Pittsburgh
U Puget Sound x 3 ($23K)
U Redlands x 2 ($13K)
U Rhode Island
U San Francisco x 2
U of South Florida (Summer)
U of West Florida
Ursinus x 2
Wagner
Warren Wilson College x 4
Western New England Univ ($13K)
Western Washington U x 2 ($4K)
Willamette x 3 ($13K) ($20K)
Winthrope University
Washington College x 2
Washington College (Waitlist)
WPI (Waitlist)</p>
<p>Hi Friends</p>
<p>Can someone help me decipher something…</p>
<p>OK there is a general plethora of college brochures etc that they send–based on scores which means you are a target market</p>
<p>Then what does a priority app mean?</p>
<p>Are there several types? I know that there are some that only require scores and transcript and will waive the fee. Our GC calls them snap-apps.</p>
<p>Are there other types of “priority apps” ? </p>
<p>What is the value to the student, to the college? Can one assume with a snap-app its a likely admit?</p>
<p>FogFog, you got me curious about these priority apps. My nephew received a couple last fall. I found an article about them on The College Solution blog (same one that ran the Syracuse article):</p>
<p>[Don’t</a> Be Fooled by Priority Applications | The College Solution](<a href=“Tackling common college questions during COVID-19 - The College Solution”>Don't Be Fooled by Priority Applications)</p>
<p>Bottom line is they’re just another tool for colleges to boost application numbers.</p>
<p>Interesting.
When we visited schools in the spring, K2 has the stats that meet the criteria and after the interview the admission counselor said she’d send a priority app…so that K2 would have one done etc</p>
<p>Also the coach of several colleges that K2 is looking at have said they’d get a “priority app” sent.</p>
<p>I wonder if this depends on the pool?
Meaning if your stats are the top 25%?<br>
I know K1 got these apps for a school …and it wasn’t nearly in the running. K1 went ivy and this school was “less selective” so k1 was waaaaaaay over qualified and would have walked in with 11 APs. K1s stats were way over the avg.</p>
<p>K2 has gotten a few…? hmmm</p>
<p>Here’s an article from NY Times about priority apps:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/education/26admit.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/education/26admit.html</a></p>
<p>Also, in the College Solution blog link I posted, you can read about Ursinus’s decision to stop marketing this way.</p>
<p>LisaK216,</p>
<p>Thanks for posting articles- very interesting ! I suppose if the school is on your radar and S or D receive such an app - It certainly doesn’t hurt to use the free app and save the application fee. However, I think I would have S send the essay anyway.</p>
<p>Back from a very long week of college visits. Here is a quick report in the order we visited. All the schools were good but some just didn’t feel “right” for DD.</p>
<p>1) University of Wisconsin (its a reach school)- Lots of construction going on around SOAR center so hard to find parking. SOAR building is nice with some good places to eat at. I did not like train going thru campus or how many big streets you have to cross. DD liked the school and will apply. Funny that she is not a football fan at all and will not want to attend the games.</p>
<p>2) Earlham- This school was small. The buildings we saw reminded me of my high school. Tour guide was meh, she basically seemed like she goes here because she lives in Richmond “so yeah…”. Not going to apply.</p>
<p>3) Ohio University (safety)- Nice campus. The student union was impressive. The admission staff and students were very friendly and answered all questions. DD would love to attend if she is accepted to the honors program. To be considered you need at least a ACT score of 30, she has 28 (only took once) so hopefully will raise to at least 30 this fall and we shall see.</p>
<p>4) Knox- This was a surprise because I thought on paper the school sounded like a good fit. The school just didn’t “feel” right for her. It was very hot and when the tour guide told us there was no air conditioning in any of the dorms I could tell that they just lost her. The tour guide said it was only and issue for like two weeks in the fall and spring but that’s 4 weeks too much for DD. We did get a picture of the Lincoln chair which was cool. If you visit make sure to chat up Beth in admissions, she is a very nice lady. Not going to apply.</p>
<p>5) Beloit- By now we were tired and I was grumpy since I had done all the driving. DD woke up late and I was tired and hungry so got very mad at her. I was not very nice, I am not perfect and have never pretended I was, I yelled at her and was a bit of a B####. So of course she is not in the mood to tour campus and is telling me “I don’t want to go here”. Luckily we stayed and both calmed down. She felt it! She will apply.</p>
<p>On the way home (6 1/2hrs) I told were done no more college visits. I told her is she wants to visit a school I’ll take her but she has to do the research and planning. We have visited 14 schools all researched by me and I’m done.</p>
<p>Like a lot of 17yrs old she is not sure what exactly she wants. She always thought she wanted a small liberal arts school but she now likes the big schools we visited (scratch my head). I told her apply to 6 to 8 schools and we can decide later after she gets accepted/denied and we see what if any merit she gets.</p>
<p>Hope this might have helped someone.</p>
<p>onlyonemom, I agree with you – I’d still have my D send all the normally required materials if it was a school she was interested in. The free app “by invitation” certainly would make a kid feel special, until you find out the school probably send 30,000 of them! To me, it feels like such a sham. Just another form of mass marketing.</p>
<p>newfaith, thanks for the info and your honesty about the trip stress 
I think we are all feeling it…</p>
<p>I’m curious to know what your daughter liked about Beloit. I liked it for my daughter, but it dropped off our list for now only because we are visiting a lot of other schools this summer, and Beloit isn’t near anything else we’re seeing (we’re in CT). She’s also not into going to school in the midwest, but I got her to agree to see 2 schools is OH (OWU and COW) and that’s all I’ll get.</p>
<p>We’ll be taking two college trips this summer. One to PA and OH, and the 2nd to OR and WA. Plus we’ll be seeing a few nearby schools on day trips. And yesterday she asked to see Warren Wilson, which surprised me because she was adamant about not going to the South. </p>
<p>I’m praying this goes well and that I won’t need the giant bottle of Excedrin too often…</p>
<p>My daughter is very liberal and very into reading and the arts, the students at this school seem a lot like her. I would put it this way: her favorite writer for awhile has been John Green and most people would say who? At Beloit the students were “Wow me too!” and broke into a discussion on his books The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. She typically will like books and music about 6months to a year before others have heard of it. Its funny because once a musician becomes hot then she moves on. The director of admissions says most Beloit kids don’t like being told what to do, I take this not in a discipline way but more of not following the crowd or doing something because that’s the way its always been done. He said that the incoming class has something like 320 students from like 290 HS. Its not a school where friends all go to because they want to continue their HS social scene.</p>