<p>Classof2013dad</p>
<p>You might want to add UMBC to the list. This college is good for science and has a good scholarship program. I am pretty sure they give them to OOS too.</p>
<p>I think you might of put her weighted GPA instead of her unweighted. GPA scores are on a 4.0 scale. I hope she gets a slightly higher SAT because it will open up even more doors.</p>
<p>2013Dad, I think you are on the right track. Make sure weather is PERFECT when you visit Boston. For a kid interested in “urban,” Boston is college student paradise. My son wanted primarily to be in Boston and has been very happy at Northeastern. (As long as you are there, check out their campus - it’s a real campus). BU is not as well defined of a campus and BC is close and convenient, but not actually in Boston. And if you are already there it would be a shame not to at at least take a look at Harvard and Tufts. </p>
<p>We learned the hard way - keep them close. If you think flights home from CA would be expensive, check out the price of you flying out there on 2 days notice to deal with a crisis.</p>
<p>oh, btw, we are not URM, we are WRM (well represented majority/minority)</p>
<p>And if you get as far afield as North Carolina (Charlotte area) take a look at Davidson. There is a young man currently attending, (on the basketball team) who originally committed to Howard. Hard to think of two more different schools.</p>
<p>Classof2013dad; how did the PSAT go? Might she make National Achievement? If you/she is okay with that, and if she checked the box to share info with schools, she may hear of some unknown gems she might want to look into.</p>
<p>A good time to visit Howard is at homecoming. If she is “into it”, she will know.</p>
<p>North Carolina State University (NCSU- 2 of my kiddos have graduated from here) does not offer a BS in Nursing. But these schools do in NC:</p>
<p>UNC Chapel Hill (son attends)
UNC Wilmington: on the beach!
UNC Greensboro : has a brand new joint school and program with NCA&T in nanoengineering and nanoscience (hot, hot program!)- also BSN+ MS (N) NA program
East Carolina Univ- also BSN + MS (N) NA program
UNC Charlotte- also has MS (N) Nurse Anesthesia (NA) program
Western Carolina University- has a MS(N) Nurse Anesthesia program in addition to the BSN
Appalachian State University
UNC Pembroke
Fayetteville State University: HBCU
NC Agriculture&Technical : also an HBCU, one of my most favorite hidden gems! (also have a son attending here) campus for new nanoengineering is here, also ABET
NCCU: another HBCU</p>
<p>The above are all publics. They are all capped at 18% OOS- so difficult to get into BUT are always looking for diversity. However, they all award merit scholies and need grants.</p>
<p>Duke and Wake Forest (both privates) also have MS(N) Nurse Anesthesia programs, but obviously not at public school prices!</p>
<p>Hope this helps. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Classof2013Dad, have you and your daughter looked at Northeastern in Boston? That’s a school that can be very generous to high achieving URMs, as well as those from outside the northeast. Two AA students from my daughter’s high school here in Denver went to NEU on full rides. My daughter also got a lot of FA – we’re white – because of NEU’s tendency to build its geographic diversity as well.</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks for all the great feedback.</p>
<p>Momof3greatgirls: Ill look into UMBC. It really hasnt been on the radar because Im not a huge fan of Baltimore, but Ill see what it has to offer. I think youre right. That is her weighted GPA. Thanks!</p>
<p>NJres: Great suggestions. Well definitely have the opportunity to visit all the Boston schools. Were only 45 mins to the north so were in Boston all the time. Glad to hear your son has been happy at Northeastern. When I worked downtown Boston back in the 90s I had several Northeastern students working for me in the IT Dept. Many of them were hired after graduation so I know its a great school that positions its kids for success after graduation. It hasnt been on the radar, but well look more closely at it. One of the things Ive heard about Northeastern is that because of the coop program students dont seem to have that RA-RA school spirit. Has your son ever mentioned that?</p>
<p>I think Davidson maybe too small for her. Im hoping our upcoming visits will help her begin to start narrowing down what she does and doesnt like in a school. Personally, I think she would thrive at a smaller school based on her personality. I think because we live in a small NH town she believes the grass is greener at a bigger school in the city. I think once she actually visits those opinions will begin to change. Well see .</p>
<p>Thanks for heads up on WRM. I like it!</p>
<p>Shrinkrap: She wont qualify for national achievement from her PSAT. Shes currently in week 4 of a 6-week SAT prep course. Shes consistently scoring in the low 1900s which is a 300 point increase over the PSAT. Im hoping she can get the extra points to bring her score up to 2000, but she appears to be peaking in the current range.
Thanks for the homecoming suggestion for the Howard visit. Im sure most kids would love to experience that at least once in their lives:-)</p>
<p>Katwkittens: Thanks for all the wonderful options in NC! A good friend of ours has a freshman at NCSU in the engineering program and he absolutely loves it. He turned down MIT, UVA, and Georgetown for a full-ride at NCSU. I agree with your assessment of NC A&T. My sister is graduating in May with BS in BioEnvironmental Engineering. She absolutely loved her experience there. Ive been trying to send my DD there for homecoming the past two years and the timing was always bad. We were planning to attend the graduation but the excitement over Michelle Obama providing the commencement address has capped the availability of tickets. Has your son mentioned anything about the hype surrounding the graduation ceremony? </p>
<p>Katliamom: Thanks for the advice! Well certainly check Northeastern out. Im all for her getting a great UG education at the best price. If she decides to go to school in Boston, its a win-win for all of us.</p>
<p>lacrossemom: 15 schools sounds like you have some good candidates. Any serious contenders? What are some of the lessons learned from your son’s experience?</p>
<p>Yes, they are limiting the tickets to 8 (maybe 5?) which is not making students happy. And it is a really big deal on campus. Love, love A&T, son is a mech E major and has really enjoyed his time there as well. With a 4000 undergrad population it feels and works as a private school campus and education. I love the campus and it is in pristine condition. Not a blade of grass out of place!</p>
<p>As a campus it is similar to Swat’s but has some really nice new dorms, that architecturally match with the older buildings. Much nicer than NCSU’s but that is my own personal bias. Son’s classes are much more “team” oriented and profs are 100% accessible, very different than a large state uni. Especially for engineering, 12-15 per class. Unbelievable. </p>
<p>And homecoming. WOW. Just WOW.</p>
<p>Nursing is a strong and popular major on campus. I would have your daughter try and take a look at the school. It has had generation after generation of families on campus. That really means something to us a family and as scholars. </p>
<p>Kat
Aggie Mom! </p>
<p>Again, a hidden gem as you probably know</p>
<p>Class2013 - Yes we have 15 schools right now. Will see how she finishes off the year and reexamine our list. Right now she has a wide mixture of schools. We have 4 schools I consider backup that she actually like and most likely will give merit. Then we have 4 that are most likely with a few potential with merit. Next we have four reach schools that includes her favorites. I think of them as toss-ups because you never know what the admission office is looking for based on all of the great candidates this year that were rejected. Finally we have 3 Ivys which may or may not be reduced. </p>
<p>Spent yesterday researching FA in detail since we have another college kid. Didn’t realize the impact of EFC being capped and what that opens up for DD. Son is not receiving FA because of our EFC and he goes to a college that doesnt give grants. It is more advantageously for us to figure out scholarships for son and focus on FA for DD. This basically means EFC is cut in half and then becomes a possibility. </p>
<p>I spent yesterday going through the financial calculators for each of her reach schools trying different financial scenarios. It was very eye opening the differences of aid and what elements mattered the most. It is good to realize this now since this year will be her base year for aid.</p>
<p>2013Dad, I heartily second UMaryland-Baltimore County. By the way, it’s not actually in the city of Baltimore. The precise location is Catonsville but several years ago the UMBC administration convinced the US Postal Service to permit the school to use “Baltimore” for its address. It’s been a ride to the top since then in terms of reputation, largely due to university President Freeman Hrbowski III. The focus of UMBC is STEM and bestowing STEM education, research and training to hard-working Black students. The STEM program scholarship, known as the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, is now open to all students and continues to be a great success. Even without Meyerhoff money, STEM students admitted to the Honors College get a lot of benefits.</p>
<p>Thanks Kat! You’re making A&T sound very appealing. The price is right too! It’s funny how sometimes you need an outside opinion to confirm what you already know. I’ll definitely have my DD talk to her aunt about A&T as a potential option for her and I’ll check out the nursing program and the opportunities it provides.</p>
<p>Sounds good lacrossemom. The FA process sounds like it can take on a life of its own. On the positive side, it looks like having both kids in school will work to your advantage. Ive also used the financial calculators for the schools on our list and theyve been very helpful. Were still early in the process, but I certainly intend to weed schools out that will be financial show-stoppers. I believe there are plenty of options out there that provide good value and an affordable price.</p>
<p>Your strategy for your son actually brings up a question I have for the general forum pertaining to scholarships. I currently have a list of approximately 200 sites that offer minority scholarships. I havent really started going thru them yet, but it does appear that many of them are need-based. My question is has anyone really had success applying for merit-based scholarships? Was the time applying and writing all those essays time well spent? If your DD/S was fortunate enough to receive a merit-based scholarship, how did it impact any merit $ provided by the school? Thx!</p>
<p>LakeWashington, thanks for sharing your insights. We’re down in the DC metro area quite a bit so we’ll put UMBC on the visit list. Hearing everyone’s feedback is definitely eye opening to new possibilities. I believe we’re all so bombarded with interest and discussion on the top 50-100 ranked schools that sometimes these lesser known schools, while great institutions, get lost in the hype.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I understand. You’ve heard Northwestern and Notre Dame don’t give merit?
I’ve heard ivies dont give merit, and some publics (UC’s) don’t give much, but it’s otherwise rare for a school to give NO merit.”</p>
<p>Shows what I know…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1323615-schools-known-no-merit-aid.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1323615-schools-known-no-merit-aid.html</a></p>
<p>Still, I wouldn’t say MOST don’t offer merit.</p>
<p>We seem to have greatest luck with local scholarships. Since son is at a state school, he doesnt receive aid. This year, I primarily paid with a few scholarships. Hoping next year ghe amount of scholarships will increase. There are more opportunities he can apply for next year that will be available his junior year/my daughter’s freshman year.</p>
<p>Big puzzle…</p>
<p>Thanks! That’s encouraging to hear. My DD’s school GC told us that on average most students receive at least one regional scholarship. They tend to be in the $1-2K range, but hey, every dollar helps. Good luck with your applications this year. Perhaps we’ll both hit the scholarship lottery!</p>
<p>Thx for the links, Shrinkrap. And congrats to you and your daughter.</p>
<p>Good luck with scholarships Classof2013 and lacrossemom. Let us know how the college visits go.</p>
<p>Whew! Look away for a sec 'cause you think a thread is dying – and WHAM – ya miss all the fun! :-)</p>
<p>2013Dad – I know it’s late to add my 2cents, but when I can’t, in all good conscience see my neighborhood school being rep’ed & not chime in! I’m . . . ohhh . . a 10 minute walk? from the UMBC campus, and can tell you it’s certainly the pride of our little suburb. I know TONS, simply TONS of AA kids w/grades like your d’s & middling to decent SAT scores who got merit aid to attend.</p>
<p>Here’s what I’m NOT sure about. UMBC IS still battling its longtime status as a “commuter campus.” An out-of-stater MAY feel a little isolated . . . </p>
<p>If it’s warmth your D is seeking – hard to beat the Florida schools. Not great for merit $$, but the out of state tuition is typically affordable. I like New College in Sarasota. True it’s an honors college, but your d’s grades make her competitive. Sarasota has grown exponentially since I lived there, and is now quite a young person’s paradise. Plus your d would have access to all the resources of the University of South Florida just a few miles down the road in Tampa.</p>
<p>Finally, I must, MUST give a “shout out” for BRANDEIS!! :-)) D will graduate w/honors in 3 wks., generous merit, and she absolutely LOVED her years in Boston, making great lifetime friendships.</p>
<p>Hey SuperMom! Its never too late to receive good advice. Thanks for chiming in! Ive heard and read good things about UMBC. Youre not the first to mention it potentially being a commuter school. Thats definitely an issue. Were planning to hit Maryland, DC, and VA in June so well definitely check it out.</p>
<p>Thanks for the FL suggestions. New College is definitely too small. Its spring break here in NH so we visited some schools this week. On Tuesday we visited UMASS Amherst and Amherst College. Amherst College only has approximately 1700 students. DD couldnt picture herself there. She likened it to one of the prep schools we live near. So small LACs are out. </p>
<p>She thought UMASS Amherst was OK. There was a lot of construction underway so the campus didnt put its best foot forward. On the positive side, we had a great tour guide whose enthusiasm was infectious. It made a big impact and resulted in DD connecting with the school and being able to picture herself there. The big negative is that she wasnt thrilled about the location. Amherst is a nice college town, but she really wants to be in an urban area. Well put it down as a safety school.</p>
<p>Yesterday we visited Northeastern, Boston University, and Boston College. Three tours in one day is exhausting! DD loved all three schools. Boston University was her favorite, but she could easily picture herself at either one. Like most kids she has expensive taste. Of the three, Boston University appears to be the most generous. Now that theyre real contenders Ill have to put some effort into researching them more thoroughly.</p>
<p>Congrats on your Ds graduation!!! Thats a great achievement. Its time to celebrate!</p>
<p>Glad to hear Brandeis was a good experience. Its on our list to visit. Well probably hit Tufts and Brandeis sometime in May. The funny thing is that Ive been waiting for DD and my DW to get excited about the college search. Until recently, theyve been lukewarm. After yesterdays visits we made a huge breakthrough. As we were driving home, DD leaned over and said WOW Dad! We shouldve started this a long time ago. All I could do was smile and think its about time. Let the fun begin! :-)</p>
<p>Notre Dame only gives need-aid, not merit</p>