Is anyone else worried their kid isn’t applying to enough schools? My son is applying to some UCs and CSUs…. Really wants to stay in California, plus USC and two out of state safeties. We’ve dropped all of his out of state target and reaches because he just doesn’t want to go to school out to state. I think it’s 13 schools total. I’m not sure why it’s making me nervous. Probably because I feel like the UCs are just a crap shoot these days.
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The UCs can be unpredictable but the CSUs generally aren’t. Do you have enough CSU safeties that he would be happy attending?
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All is good. I didn’t take any offense at you directing the comment to me. 
That is good to point out about CollegeVine, because it’s wise not to rely too heavily on these tools.
Yeah, I can understand that and felt the same way before we had access to Naviance.
If it makes you feel any better, D23’s high school is so small that the data is noisy and minimal. It’s not very useful.
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We have 3 CSUs on the list. He should be very competitive at all for his major. He really can’t see himself at any other CSUs. Not sure if we should add more out of state schools beyond Purdue and U of Arizona?
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Yes and no, I guess?
D23 has applied to 5 colleges, and may apply to 1 or 2 of the CSUs (SFSU and SJSU) if she feels like it when the application opens. All of them are easy enough to get into, so no worries there.
The big stress is merit aid—not sure if that’s going to come through anywhere in the amount we’d like from any of the places she’s applied.
So I’m only worried that she hasn’t applied to enough on the aid side, not the admission side—on the admission side, she probably didn’t even need to apply to as many as she did.
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Hunting merit definitely complicates things. We’re fortunate that all schools other than USC will be a financial fit. My husband says he’s willing to pay full price for USC, but if our son has better choices he’d take them. He could apply to more California privates, but they’ll also be full price and dad isn’t impressed enough with any to pay 75k a year.
D23 is in a similar boat, Bay Area resident and really wants a UC but feels like they are all reaches, (I can’t convince her to apply to Merced- they don’t have her intended major) even with a solid UC gpa and very good EC’s. She’s applying to 3 or 4 of the CSU’s - and 4-5 small CA privates. According to the cost calculators, with her GPA some are willing to give decent merit - about equal to UC (and with 4 year guaranteed housing!) Have you run cost calculators for some of the privates with your son’s GPA to see what they might offer?
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Good! If you happen to be at Tufts the first week in October and see a mother-daughter sitting on a bench, people-watching, give us a wave … LOL.
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I have not. Do you mind sharing which schools seem to offer decent merit? I assumed we’d be full pay at California privates with no demonstrated need.
Some California Privates that offer merit aid:
Chapman University
University of the Pacific
University of Redlands
Occidental University
USC- Apply EA
Whittier College
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
I am sure there are many more.
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I think 10-14 schools is perfect. My son has 12 right now and that should do it! I understand your hesitation with the unpredictability of CA schools, but looks like he has a few OOS safeties on his list and, as long as those are affordable, he’ll be in good shape. Good luck to him!
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Huh, and pretty much right after I posted that, D23 told me she wanted to apply to Towson’s film and media program (which includes a sound editing track), because she likes their curriculum. That’s a completely new one for the list.
It turns out that you (optionally) apply for the honors program at the same time as you apply for general admission, so she has an essay to write for that before sending the app in, but now we’re up to 6 and maybe 8.
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just checking back in - mom of a 2023 daughter in northeast ohio. Thinking of political sci major with goal of being a foreign service officer, dreams of grad school at Hopkins SAIS, Fletcher or London School of Economics and Political Science. took ACT three times and settled with a super score of 30 - 34 english 35 reading. Math/Sci not so great. Taking 4 APs and 1 honors course this year and playing high school soccer for the first time so crazy busy right now.
Started this past summer with a list of about 12 schools as a recruited athlete. Got positive pre reads and merit estimates from many including Grinnell, Macalester, Bard, Kenyon, Fordham, Stonehill, Clark, Brandeis. Decided at the end of Aug to verbally commit to Clark and submitted her ED application on 9/1. She has a positive pre read from the admissions office and a preliminary FA that includes over $40,000 in grants and scholarships per year. It’s a great fit academically, socially, and athletically. Fingers crossed all goes well. Glad this crazy ride is almost over!
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I added the percentage of freshmen without need who received merit aid and what percentage of students received the aid for the schools that @GumbyMom listed. If the school includes academic info on the NPC, definitely run them as you should get a picture of the minimum amount of merit aid your son would receive. If I recall correctly, I think your son would be a very strong applicant for most of these, making me think that his awards would stand a good chance of being greater than average.
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Very cool!
What sport? Soccer or another?
What did your student like best about Clark?
Since we are seeking merit and/or Tuition Exchange, we will be focused on a wide variety of schools.
Might apply to 15 or so.
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yes - soccer, a GK. From the start of this crazy process my daughter has wanted an urban school with a very liberal student body. Clark certainly is both. The coach saw her at a showcase and initiated contact and my daughter researched the school and really liked their stats and placement for grad school. She is a political science major and wants to possibly be a foreign service officer. After touring the school and talking with admissions and the coach we both liked the campus, felt safe with the location and like the vibe of Worcester. She will be able to study abroad spring of her junior year and play soccer while studying overseas and there are a lot of internship opportunities. The coach was wonderful and someone I feel was in it for the right reasons. My daughter will be able to challenge for playing time as a freshman (not super common for GKs) and really likes the competitiveness of the NEWMAC conference. Financially the merit money offered in her pre read was competitive and the NPC fits and will likely allow her to graduate debt free so it checked the most boxes and she just went with her gut feeling and committed.
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The kid has winnowed his list further, even after applying. He’ll end up with 11 complete applications sent. Because he’s accepted at Pitt, he feels like he’s in great shape no matter what else happens. But he is still casting longing eyes toward Brown and CWRU, and mama is making sure to mention the higher merit he might end up with elsewhere.
Final list:
Brown, CWRU, Pitt, Bama, U of SC, LoyNo, UNM, FSU, Cleveland State, Montclair State and Southwestern.
Crazy, but he doesn’t want to pursue Temple, and I thought that would be one of his top ones. It’s that city-roaming thing, and realizing that he’d be stuck on campus for the most part, unless he “traveled” downtown.
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Thing 1 & 2 got their formal acceptances to Texas A&M today! We knew it would happen since they are both auto admit but it’s exciting none the less to see it officially! I just completed the first Phase of housing for both and put down the deposit. With TAMU, everything is the sooner the better and first come first served, so this was crucial!
Thing 1 is 5 for 5 and DONE! Now to just make a decision once we get all his financial packages in.
Thing 2 is 3 for 3, and has 4 more EA apps to submit by Nov 1, but he’s almost there as well!
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