Any insights on Ursinus? I’m still trying to figure out this school. Just received an email saying their enrollment for next year is +2 from last year, which is a significant win considering the current environment.
Narragansett has limited housing to 3 unrelated people no matter how large the home. Big housing issues for URI with inventory off campus.
@privatebanker I saw the housing issue at URI. In state folks not happy. 2021 is going to be interesting for sure!
I know one boy at Ursinus- I think he just graduated. Recruited athlete (football and lax; played lax at Ursinus). He got a very generous package (don’t know specifics) but he was originally in love with Gettysburg but Ursinus made a much better offer (believe he also qualified for need based but not sure). Don’t know specifics, but he was very happy. His brother was recruited for athletics as well and went to Dickinson, another nice PA LAC nearby.
Ursinus was a very close 2nd choice for my D19. Recruited athlete. They offered great merit, but I think it was about what was predicted on the NPC. We really liked the small ‘homey’ feel to the campus, but a larger school won out for D. We would have been very happy with Ursinus.
@eb23282 We visited Ursinus with S19. We really liked it. Interesting programs. Suburban location outside of Philly. S19 didn’t like how the campus “looked” though. Too many sculptures around. Which I loved! Where’s that “random reasons why your kid said no to a good school option” thread.
S21 was with us on that visit. Unfortunately, he is remembering how that visit went and isn’t interested. I’m hoping to get him to reconsider.
Speaking of Philly schools, anyone familiar with Arcadia? S21’s guidance counselor suggested it through SCOIR. He’s interested in English, writing, and art. Arcadia is NASAD accredited which is cool.
They just opened back up for in-person visits but not sure we’re ready for that. He has other Philly schools already on the list (Saint Joe’s being the top choice and Temple the in-state option). I’d like to add another school likely to offer merit. Arcadia and Ursinus would both be good options. Arcadia would offer easier city access which might make it of more interest to S21.
Never been to Arcadia, but it looks beautiful. Briefly on our ride for good study abroad, but D is now insisting she wants a large school.
So the kid is registered for the August SAT, September SAT and October SAT ( in case of previous dates being cancelled). Should I be registering kid for November too or is that too late? If it even happens at all.
We’ve just decided if August SAT doesn’t happen, he’ll just apply test optional everywhere. Most of the schools he’s applying too (state public universities) have said that applicants can submit text scores up to June 1, 2021 for merit aid consideration. If things calm down after January we’ll revisit the SAT then.
The only thing I know about Arcadia is they’ve probably made what is likely the best marketing decision ever… changing their name from Beaver College to Arcadia University 
I should also add that our Naviance shows they accepted someone from our school with 1.75 GPA for whatever that’s worth.
@scotiagal S21 has not tested at all yet either. He is registered for August and September. But he is prepared to go all TO.
There are two state schools on his list right now that have not gone TO. Hoping that will change. One is a top choice.
Hi all! I wanted to thank you all as part of the CC community, if I hadn’t found this site, I would never have known about the wonderful merit scholarship opportunities available for NMF and CB (Hispanic) Recognition Program. This has really helped us focus the list of schools that S21 will apply to in the fall, once we know whether he made it as NMSF. UTD and UCF would never have been on our radar if it wasn’t for this site, so thanks to you in this wonderful community!
I read through the Class of 2021 thread where some are already drafting their college essays and I sigh as there is NO way I can motivate my son to start his essays any earlier than he absolutely has to…probably September or October at this rate!
@kethra I’m so glad you’ve found some great merit opportunities!
I’m on both threads, and my S21 is starting his essay - rather, he’s preparing to start it - first draft apparently begins in two days according to the schedule for the 3 week class he is signed up for. He is definitely challenged by time management, by procrastination, by getting started on things (issues for many people but all of these are features, also, of his ADHD). Additionally he has slow processing speed and potential dysgraphia so that reading and writing both take him a long time, and writing about himself is a particularly big challenge for him. This is why he’s getting started now - not because he’s so naturally on top of things ?, but because we talked it through - I acknowledged that he doesn’t want to do it now and it’s going to be very difficult for him to work so hard on something so challenging for him these next 3 weeks, and then I asked him whether it would be easier for him or more difficult for him to do that same work once school starts up again, and that was just what he needed for motivation - he was thinking about how hard it would be now, so to then contemplate adding regular schoolwork on top of it - that’s what tipped the scales for him. I think it’s helpful that he has the class because it started yesterday…therefore he couldn’t put it off anymore. Game on! He agreed to the class before I signed him up for it, and it seems the structure of having assignments due daily is helping him stay on track so far. Fingers crossed.
He finished one supplemental essay (expanding on an extracurricular) and is waiting for the Common App to open in August before he does any of the other ones (hopefully he’ll only have a handful, mostly “Why Us” essays)?
@scotiagal I don’t know for sure about whether it’s worth signing up for November SAT also, but the November date should be early enough to use for regular decision applications from what I understand. The College Board shares what date they’ll report scores, I believe, so you could check to see how that matches up with the various school application deadlines. My S21 is signed up for Aug and Sept. Since Oct is only 2 weeks later than Sept (I think?), I didn’t sign him up for that one. He has a lot of November deadlines, so I think if Aug and Sept don’t happen, he’ll just have to submit the score he got last October.
Had S21 check CB and he got his 3 AP scores (we’re in WA): Got a 3 on AP US History which was his weakest link, and got 5’s on both AP Calculus AB and AP Computer Science A, which is good since he wants to major in CS. While I was hoping that he’d make a 4 on APUSH, but given the stress and lack of instruction due to covid, I’m relieved that he might get the college credit for this test…I’ll have to check the schools.
@kethra APUSH scores were brutal this year! A 3 is great! I think it was 46% got a 1 or a 2!
Thanks @NJWrestlingmom! That makes me feel better! Looks like a 3 will get him credit for 1 history Core class at UTD! 
My D got a 3 on APUSH and also on CS Principles. She lost interest in CS at the end of the year and switched what she wants to major in college. She Just wanted to finish it. A few of her friends got 2’s on APUSH, 41% got a 2 or 1.
S21 got 3’s on both AP Lang & APES…we’re fine with it, he’ll get credit at all the Texas in-states he’s applying to.
My friend’s D22 got a 1 on APUSH. Poor kid is shocked. She’s a high honors student who finished with a 97 in the class. Crazy.
Sounds like what happened to one of my S23 twins…a 1 in AP Bio and 2 in AP Human Geo…the kid had 90’s in both classes leading up to the time schools went into quarantine in March. Twin B got a 2 in AP Bio and a 3 in AP Human Geo.