@Novacat9191 - it’s true that questions are unlikely to change from year to year, even the supplemental ones. But if he’s entered them in the Common App platform, they will vanish upon Aug. 1 rollover. So make sure he’s saved them someplace else. The personal data stays, but the essays etc will disappear.
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The Common App (and some other apps) asks applicants to waive their right to FERPA, supposedly to preserve the confidential integrity of letters of rec. You can decline to waive, but with uncertainty over how schools will interpret that. Seems like some schools let you ask even if you do waive but it could provide cover for others.
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Agree that the decision to release the records is at the colleges’ discretion. I know my child waived FERPA on the Common App, but filed a FERPA request to obtain her admissions file. However, I don’t think the letters of recommendation were included.
I might be mis-remembering but I think the FERPA waiver in the Common App is only for LoRs.
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This is insightful. Thanks for sharing. What is the formula for calculating AI (as opposed to simply simply recalculating GPA with the "A+/A = 4, A- = 3.7, etc)? Did they factor in test scores?
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I don’t know the exact formula for calculating AI. For this specific college during the year my child was admitted (2019), AI was a calculated value that combined GPA, SAT/ACT, and subject tests, which were recommended but not required (dc submitted two subject tests).
I have no idea if its accurate but an AI calculator here:
Just made hotel reservations for the last set of college visits before it all happens! Wish colleges would release their September tour times and reservations! That will be almost 20 colleges visited all over the country -PHEW!
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so = merit seekers here (for the most part) - and just fyi U of AZ and U of AL have both updated their matrices for auto merit for 2023 grads; no big changes. I certainly appreciate these last few universities with those big auto merit awards; things have sure changed since i joined this board maybe 8 years ago!
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Tuition for OOS is up 5% this year at Arizona and they dropped the top award by $3000. So that is a huge difference.
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oh thanks. I didnt catch that.
hmm; AZ is not full tuition with that difference then. Off by like 7K now. . .
wish i could edit my above post! 
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@silemon thanks for that info….sadly I knew it was coming! I also no longer see the Dean’s Distinction Award listed on the U of A merit page which was an extra $1000 for high-achieving students.
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Not the bargain it was last year, but I’m still relieved it can be an OOS safety for California kids in case they’re shut out from all the instate options.
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I have an OOS D21 at Miami of Ohio. She got a $34,000 merit scholarship plus another $2,000 for participating in a competition for a full ride scholarship. The various merit awards tiers are on the schools website. However there is a pretty broad range for the various tiers which are based on GPA so be aware.
A nice feature that Miami has is the tuition, room and board prices stay the same for all four years. So you don’t have worry about the 3%-4% a year increases a lot of schools add.
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Hi I’m a first time college parent who is excited to join y’all for this adventure! My typically high stats DD23 suffered a life threatening medical crisis that caused her to miss her entire junior year and her rigorous (for her small town school) coursework to go with it. So her original college plans are having to be tweaked in a huge way.
Her original expectations for what she wanted and can achieve in college admissions have been greatly altered due to lack of course rigor and tenuous SAT scores (taking for the first time next month). With the new college admissions environment and her new challenges we have had to come up with back up plans and back ups to the back up plans! Her goal is to go away to a solid university next year if at all possible.
Stats: 3.9 GPA but only 2 years of classes and low rigor because AP classes etc aren’t allowed till Jr/Sr years at her school
No PSAT/SAT or ACT so far due to first Covid and then medical crisis. Will take SAT in August and Oct. Before injury she likely would have gotten a very good score but at this point we just don’t know what to expect - accommodations have been arranged.
Decent / Normal EC’s - Choir her entire life, a unique and involved club sport since childhood, various clubs, regular volunteering, a couple smaller school leadership roles, theater.
Full pay, not need-based aid eligible. Around 40k - 45k budget per year we hope for tuition and room/board. Hoping for a little Merit Aid esp if she does well on SAT.
WA State resident
College wishes:
Study science (chem, bio or physics) at a large research institution.
Some fellow students who are intellectually curious and take school seriously.
Traditional college experience, nice cohesive campus, with some fun sports and greek life.
Opportunity to compete for fun in her club sport which I won’t disclose for privacy but only some schools have it.
In or near a city and not in the middle of nowhere.
COLD weather and snow - or at least four seasons.
Diverse and/or Liberal leaning student body.
Current Curated list:
SAFETIES
University of Nevada Reno
University of Maine
Colorado State University
Western Michigan University
Washington State University
MATCHES?
Miami University of Ohio (however she is worried about Ohio’s political climate)
REACHES
University of Washington (was her dream school and in state so have to at least try and apply)
University of Denver
University of Vermont
University of Connecticut
Michigan State University
She is going to apply EA wherever possible to get good feedback on where she stands.
Thanks for reading!!
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Sorry you all had a tough time like that. What about CU Boulder? One thought - these are mostly state schools. Maybe some private schools in the mix? What about Boston University? . How about UPitt? uDel? I would stay out of Ohio due to state politics.
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Just for my understanding; how a college smells? Been to several - not sure I get it!
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You may want to consider adding the University of Utah to your list. Price is well within budget (especially with WUE) and location is great. SLC is a nice convenient city. My liberal, outdoorsy D18 from CA loved it, and it’s high on S23’s list.
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Welcome! I’m a bit confused - is she graduating on time with her class or is/was she a 2022 student who lost a year b/c of the medical crisis? You said she missed her entire junior year.
Welcome to the group. I’m sorry your family was thrown such a curve ball.
I was wonderring if in this situation applying EA might work against her. If she applied RD, she would have a semester to show her academic recovery. Maybe apply to 1 or 2 true safeties EA and save the rest for regular. If she hasn’t already, she should reach out to admission counselors at each school for advice.
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