<p>I have been lurking on this site for months and could really use some advice for my high school senior! </p>
<p>He has his heart set on Vanderbilt or Notre Dame, but after researching I know it is a game of chance as to whether or not he will get in. He already has been accepted into a large state school with significant merit money, but is not in love with the school because of its size. I need help in guiding him to other safety schools.</p>
<p>Summary of stats:
Public high school
34 ACT
3.9 GPA UW
9 APs
Varsity basketball and volleyball
NHS
Started a club at school to assist students in AP classes.
Link leader
Senior committee
Math Tutor (paid and unpaid)
Volunteer hours (but not a ton)
Summer job</p>
<p>He is not sure what he wants to major in. He is talking about engineering, political science, economics, math - ugh! A college offering a large number of majors for this undecided is important.</p>
<p>He is in love with Vanderbilt and Notre Dame because of their prestige and size. He is looking for a similar school, but here is the kicker - sports are very important to him. He won't be playing in college, but he wants a school he can "follow for the rest of his life." </p>
<p>He doesn't want to be too terribly far from home. We are from Missouri, so anywhere within a seven hour drive would be wonderful. This has been a terribly difficult search for us!</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any advice you have for us!</p>
<p>I would approach it like this, focus on the limiting factors - engineering, 7 hours from home, school where his stats will get him merit awards. Then see if those meet the sports criteria.
You may not be able to get all of those requirements met.
At his state school would he be eligible for an honors program of some sort that might make the school seem smaller?
WUSTL, Purdue?</p>
<p>"but here is the kicker - sports are very important to him. He won’t be playing in college, but he wants a school he can “follow for the rest of his life.” </p>
<p>That’s a VERY POOR reason to go to a school.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the help! I am having trouble wrapping my brain around the rah-rah thing - that is my son and husband! He would be willing to go far for a school he loves. He is going to apply to an Ivy just to see what happens. I am so worried he is placing too much hope on Vanderbilt and will not have the ECs to get in. </p>
<p>He has already been accepted into the Honors Program at the state school (not our state), but is not convinced that is where he wants to be. I want him to be excited about a school, and so far that isn’t it.</p>
<p>I know it is a poor reason! That’s the problem I’m having. That is why I am asking for advice - I need to find another school for him to fall in love with as a safety.</p>
<p>If he is willing to go a bit further, his stats qualify him for full tuition at U of Alabama, and full ride at U of Alabama Huntsville. But the cut-off date may be coming up soon. Go to the Financial Aid Forum, and scroll down until you hit the threads on guaranteed merit-based scholarships. There is one thread specifically about guaranteed full rides.</p>
<p>Isn’t it his job for him to find another school?</p>
<p>I don’t know who wouldn’t go to a school with significant merit money. Not in love with a school because of its size is a cop-out.</p>
<p>If he wants to go to a school because of “prestige” and the sports teams, that’s fine. But, he shouldn’t expect his parents to foot the bill when he is already offered merit money at another school.</p>
<p>St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN. It’s smaller than Notre Dame but with the sister school close to the same UG size as ND (single gender schools but all classes and activities are combined-just no co-ed dorms) but has a similar alumni network, involvement, rabid football following and the most successful football program at any level in the nation :D. They have a 4/1 engineering program with the University of MN. Depending on where you are in MO, it’s a bit farther than 7 hours but a good back up to ND–and they are generous with merit money!</p>
<p>music222–I STRONGLY disagree that finding a school where people follow them for life is a poor reason to pick a school. The networking done at the games is invaluable. The school spirit that strong followings create also makes for a wonder college experience. Given the OP’s other choices, I am sure that academics are important and they can research that as well.</p>
<p>Just because a school offers merit scholarship(discount) doesn’t make it the right school. If money is the primary driver then everyone should be going to community college.</p>
<p>oldfort–really, why? Plenty of schools give great merit aid and are the “right” school for a lot of kids. If our kids went to the CC down the road they would be paying MORE than what their net is so far at their school of choice.</p>
<p>I am getting a feeling of deja vu! My son had similar thoughts last year. I would add Duke and Wake Forest to his list. I think these are a little further than Vanderbilt for you. Not sure if it fits the 7 hour restriction! </p>
<p>(No, in fact I just checked and it is over 8 hours just from Nashville to Durham and 7 to Winston-Salem. What about Northwestern? They have D1 football and i think are pretty good this year.)</p>
<p>SteveMa - because it should just be just one criteria, not the only criteria, because there are people who think:
Not in love with a school because of its size is a very legitimate reason. Not going to a school without one’s interested major is also very valid.</p>
<p>The reason a school would give a student merit money is because there is something a school wants to buy, more often than it is student’s above (school’s) average academic record. It is a way for school to elevate its academic record.</p>
<p>Yes and no. It is not hard to find schools to fit OP’s criteria, there are many sourcse OP could go to find those schools. The issue here is that OP is not 100% in agreement with her son’s school selection criteria. When we worked with a private college counselor few years ago, the first few sessions were to get all of us, as a family, to agree what’s important - location, size, FA, prestige…before he helped us to come up with the list.</p>
<p>Ah, and I missed the part about not being in love with the choices. It more seems to me parent is worried student might not be accepted to top choices and wants a safety that meets his criteria. (I have so totally been in this boat.) I might suggest UW Madison, but it is much bigger and somewhat different culture than Vanderbilt (thinking of freshman experience – living off campus after first year after UW vs in dorms all 4 at Vanderbilt) but it has the sports and the majors, and I think it’s one of the schools you don’t need to choose engineering vs other majors from the get-go. (I think his chances at Vanderbilt are excellent, BTW.)</p>
<p>Thank you to those of you offering suggestions. My son is doing his own search, I was looking for additional help. </p>
<p>SteveMA - thank you for your comment. I know many people don’t agree with the fact that he is looking for a school to follow. It is important to him, though.</p>
<p>LBowie - I am so glad someone else went through this.</p>
<p>He is applying to Northwestern, also, and we were talking about Wake and Duke. </p>
<p>The bottom line is that he is in love with Vanderbilt and Notre Dame, and I think they would be perfect fits for him, but IF they don’t work out I would love to help him find a school he would love just as much.</p>