<p>I am trying to help a friend's niece. I am not a professional, just a parent who has been through the process and the child of educators who grew up in college towns and in a collegiate atmosphere. </p>
<p>Niece is senior at low producing high school. High school never had her take PSAT. She took SAT once and scored in the low 500s. </p>
<p>She wants to major in kinesiology. She has a lot of sports, but not State Champ teams or anything. Good all around kid. Parents have drug issues, she lives with aunt and grandparents, none of whom went to college. We are in CA. I am going to encourage her to apply to the low end UCs and the Cal states. My concern about those is that they are commuter schools and she will not be able to afford a car. </p>
<p>On the other side, she might qualify for some good out of state merit stuff but there would not be money for travel, etc. </p>
<p>Grandparents are retired, Dad is unemployed, Mom who she does not live with has a low end job. At one low point in her life she was living in a car with Mom. Would you stick with my plan re: UCs and Cal states? I don't want to sell her short of an opportunity but I want to be realistic. </p>
<p>I am meeting with her on Sunday to get her started.</p>
<p>Really need to know her GPA and class rank to talk CA schools. Riverside or Merced might not be that bad if she qualifies. With a 3.0 weighted, she'll get into one. Some CSUs are less commuter than others. Chico might be a good choice.</p>
<p>Unless she has a really high GPA or a sports pull, merit aid seems unlikely with such low SATs.</p>
<p>Sounds like above all, she needs to get out of that environment. Maybe being accross the state is a good idea. Many kids go home with roommates and friends for shorter breaks.</p>
<p>Zagat...thanks, you might be right about the OOS. I don't think she will pull merit aid but she should qualify for lots of need based aid. There really is no viable income from any source to pay for college for her. I have no experience with need based aid as my family did not qualify. Am I wrong about need based aid?</p>
<p>ebeeee, pm marite, she may be of help with some of the eastern privates. Also, you read a lot about generous mid-western & southern LACs (Knox comes to mind) that could be good places for her.
PS - how does your son like Northeastern so far?</p>
<p>Loves it....says his classes are challenging and interesting. He is in an intro sociology class with only 12 students (I think it is an honors section). His largest class is a sophmore level soc class with 35 students. Is your daughter there or thinking about going there (I can't remember)
I'll pm marite. Thanks.</p>
<p>Actually, I've just read this thread. Unfortunately I know nothing of kinesiology. I know something about NE LACs but I doubt many offer such a major. I don't know about aid, though. Sorry not to be more helpful.</p>
<p>She can prep for and retake the SAT, can't she? That could make a big difference. She also has the opportunity to write a very compelling essay. She's fortunate to have you there to guide and encourage her.</p>
<p>That's okay. Thanks Marite. My approach was to do a search for the major, then narrow it from there. I also plan to get some basic stats from her on Sunday and some answers from her about her thoughts on size of school, etc. I think if I listen carefully to her thoughts I will be able to assist her with a plan.</p>
<p>As for kinesiology: the programs that I know about in area LACs and universities do not accept students until after their sophomore (I think?) year in college. Don't know about procedures on the west coast.</p>
<p>within the Kinesiology Dept. at our local LAC are Athletic Training and Exercise Science. Different schools may use different names for their programs.</p>