<p>The Jay- I am so suprised that you didn't get more scholarship. I only had a 1300/1890 and 29 ACT and I got 16,500 a year.</p>
<p>D applied with 3.7uw 1220/1600 sat. D is disappointed with $5,000 academic achievement award as problaby will not be doable for us. Until Fiday their website listed academic achievement awards $10,000-$16,000. Now I see they have changed it to read $5,000-$17,800. </p>
<p>Two years ago D#1 with the same stats, received $14,000 merit award so we are thinking they are changing their merit policy as they become discovered as a hidden gem. I think she thought this was her #1 school. And so we learn how unpredictable merit awards can be.</p>
<p>applicantmum77--Two years ago our #1 D's top choice was Wooster. She had stats very similar to your daughter's. We appealed the original merit award she received, simply by calling and speaking with the financial aid people. We told them that she loved the school, but financially, we needed some extra help. Almost immediately, they upped the offer, and she's now a happy Wooster sophomore (though studying abroad in Italy, at the moment)! It never hurts to try!</p>
<p>Applicantmum, That is very disappointing! We were going to visit this school next year with our son. If they cut back on the merit and financial aid it will no longer be a realistic option for our family. </p>
<p>Applicantmum, have you had a chance to tour the school yet, and if so did you and your D really like it?</p>
<p>Hindoo and Northeastmom, </p>
<p>Thank you both for your posts. Part of me thinks this is gift aid and it is not nice to complain about a gift....however, with other far more generous awards in hand, at schools ranked similarly, maybe it is worth a try. Nothing to loose I guess.</p>
<p>We flew out to Ohio in August mainly to visit Wooster and also toured Denison and OWU. The campus is very nice. Lots of green grass, flowers and benches. (Not drop dead gorgeous like Kenyon) I think the main thing that sold D was the welcoming feeling from the students and admissions staff. She had a lengthy interview and felt wanted. Best of all, she felt the kids were "normal" kids. She is not interested in schools where you have to have a certain purse or clothing to be accepted. She loved the idea of IS. Our guidance counselor raves about this school. The town is not much (remember we are coming from LI) but has much more to offer than some New England college towns we have seen. The town felt alive, unlike some upstate NY destinations. We had a nice lunch in town at a trendy restaurant. Transportation via airlines is not too costly and flights are frequent. She felt it offered the whole package. Good education and a more serious feel than other schools where she can qualify for merit money. Also, they don't have minimum GPA's to keep your scholarship enabling one to take tough classes without the worry of loosing merit aid.</p>
<p>Hindoo, did you wait until March to make the call? </p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. I'm thinking I will wait until her other offers come in and then make a call if it remains a top choice. She doesn't feel wanted anymore!</p>
<p>applicantmum, I can't blame her for not feeling wanted anymore. Did she apply later, did she use their priority application (without teacher recs, or essay)? I don't get it. She has nice stats. I would have thought that they'd be more interested in someone from LI, any part of the northeast.</p>
<p>Did you fly out of Akron or Cleveland? Good to hear about the flights.</p>
<p>I don't know if you would qualify for any financial aid, but they have met 96% of financial need in the past. Then again, their average merit aid was over 14k in the past too.</p>
<p>applicantmum77--I appealed the offer almost immediately. Yes, it's "gift" aid, but my feeling was, what does it hurt to ask? The worse they could say is "no." When I called, I simply told them how much my daughter loved Wooster, how it was her first choice school, and how difficult it would be for us to send her there without some additional help. (I did NOT make threats, or that say we wouldn't send her there without more money, just that it would be a really tough for our middle class family.) I was sincere and honest, and they responded in kind. Can't guarantee it'll work the same for you, but it seems worth the try. ... By the way, your daughter sounds like my daughter's twin! She thought Kenyon was the more beautiful campus, but the kids at Wooster seemed "normal" to her and she loved the IS project.</p>
<p>Sometimes appealing does work. I think Holy Cross would have given my son more by the phone calls I made, but it still wouldnt have beat Drew at the time. Clark U which he really liked, just felt comfortable there, wouldn't budge from their 8,000. I read later though a presidents letter to staff, etc. that showed they were not financially stable and hurting in surplus.
Although "courting" a college is okay, you learn that when it comes to money, unless you are an exceptional student in everyway (in their eyes) it wont matter. I envy at times families that only have to worry about getting in, that is a true worry, but was never a big issue with me, it was always paying for it. Getting in is nice, but paying for it is a reality that many students don't fully absorb.
I also think it's great when people post of under-rated gems that will give money to students with potential until they too become over-inundated with apps.</p>
<p>My son applied using the select application at the end of January. I was wondering if this means he'll have to wait till April to hear if he got in. He didn't apply sooner since the earlier dates seemed to be only ED.</p>
<p>Also, anyone else applied to Earlham too? He got in and was wondering what you thought of each college.</p>
<p>Two years ago my daughter applied to both Wooster and Earlham. When we visited Earlham, I was quite entranced, but she wasn't. Also, she hated the town. It became a moot point when she received a much better merit offer from Wooster.</p>
<p>Thank you Hindoo. My son liked Earlham better, but we plan to visit Wooster again if he gets in. Is your daughter enjoying Wooster? It's funny, but the only think he didn't like was that there was a main street running through it. Go figure.</p>
<p>My daughter has loved every minute of her Wooster experience so far. She's made great friends, has had wonderful, supportive professors, and opportunities she never imagined. (This semester she's studying abroad in Florence, Italy.) ... Your son didn't like the road running through Wooster? Neither did my husband, though he finally got past that. We now find it to be quite a charming and cozy campus. ... If your son has narrowed it down to Wooster and Earlham, he just can't go wrong! Both are outstanding schools!</p>
<p>Yay! $20,000 dollar scholarship! :D But I'm kinda confused though at this point. I think I'd be happy at Wooster and they're giving me a hell of a lot of money but I don't know if I really want to go. I'm looking at some pretty appealing schools: Oberlin, Smith, and Bryn Mawr are my tops. I'm afraid my parents will pressure me into going because of the money. I'm not eligible for financial aid and it's not like my parents can really pay for me and my sister's college tuitions. Anyone have advice?</p>
<p>Oh and stats for the curious:
GPA 3.6 UW and 3.85 W<br>
Full IB diploma candidate
SAT 720V 670M 680W
A lot of community service involvement</p>
<p>WOW! Congrats to you! I know what you mean. My parents forced me to go to where I received the scholarship, but it all turned out good. Now, as a parent, I completely understand the parent position, but honestly I didn't until I was faced with tuition bills.</p>
<p>Thanks! I try really hard to understand my parents' view. I guess I've just been brainwashed into thinking that a school marked as second tier isn't impressive and therefore not acceptable. I just have to make myself realize that isn't about getting into the most exclusive school but about finding a good fit. I think that's a major problem for the majority of applicants myself included.</p>
<p>Emma--You sound wise beyond your years. Yes, it's tough to have your heart set on a highly ranked school, then possibly end up at a "second-tier" one because of money. You have to wonder: "Why did I work so hard all these years, getting good grades, test scores, etc., if this is my reward?" My daughter was in a similar situation, and Wooster's very large merit offer eventually won out over first-tier Kenyon and Macalester. She's a Wooster sophomore these days (though studying in Italy this semester), and has discovered that there's really nothing "2nd-tier" about this wonderful school. She's getting a first-rate education, it's not financially killing her middle-class family, and she'll be able to graduate with little-to-no debt. Something to consider. Also, she's meeting equally bright and motivated students that Wooster lured to its charming campus with $$. ... Our other daughter, a freshman at Carleton, will end up with a ton of debt, even after we've done our best to help her! But that was her decision. ... Good luck to you, wherever you go. Oh, and congratulations!</p>
<p>Congratulations to all of you who have been accepted!</p>
<p>I am new to this site (my first posting!) and am very excited that my friend suggested that I join. I am a non-trad transfer student and, with the help of my friend, decided to apply to a bunch of small liberal arts colleges to finish off my undergrad degree.</p>
<p>I recently completed my application submissions (app process for xfer students are different in many schools) and I am excited to hear back from them, especially Wooster. I was able to travel cross-country during the summer of 07, from Hartford, CT to Portland, OR, and was able to visit dozens of schools. My friend and I stopped at COW and I am glad I did. Although it was 4th of July weekend and the campus was virtually empty, I fell in love with it. I loved the location; a small town but not too small and definitely not too big. The people in town were very friendly. COW is my #1, along with Earlham. It'll be a tough decision if I get accepted to both.</p>
<p>I also visited Earlham and I must admit that I didn't get the same feeling as I did at COW. I think it was because I was tired and it was late in the afternoon when we had arrived. I did like Richmond, however, and after visiting the school's website and speaking with admissions counselors at college fairs, I was hooked.</p>
<p>Aside from being accepted, my worries also come down to financial aid packages. I am hoping that I will receive decent packages, especially because I will do not plan on working while attending school.</p>
<p>I hope I get some great news in the near future!!</p>
<p>GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!</p>
<p>Welcome aboard ecota28! Those are all great schools you are considering. Richmond is very different from the others, but their campus is beautiful.</p>
<p>FLVADAD:</p>
<p>Richmond is the name of the town in Indiana where Earlham is located.</p>
<p>Oops! I thought she meant UR, Duh. I thought it sounded a little out of place, lol.</p>