Should I Apply Anywhere More Prestigious?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I have already applied (and been accepted to) a few schools. I'm considering applying to one or two more "prestigious" universities, but I don't want to waste my time or money.</p>

<p>I've already applied and been accepted to:</p>

<ol>
<li>Stetson University (DeLand, FL)</li>
<li>Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, FL)</li>
</ol>

<p>I've also applied to several other schools, but have not received an admissions decision yet:</p>

<ol>
<li>New College of Florida (Sarasota, FL)</li>
<li>Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)</li>
<li>Allegheny College (Meadville, PA)</li>
<li>Cornell College (Mount Vernon, IA)</li>
<li>Reed College (Portland, OR)</li>
<li>Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA)</li>
</ol>

<p>I've mainly been looking at liberal arts colleges, but I understand that there are many benefits to "power schools" (as I call them) such as New York University, Georgetown University, etc. I'm planning to double major in economics or finance and political science or public policy, depending on the programs offered at each individual school.</p>

<p>To give some background: My ACT is 28 and I have a 3.65 unweighted and 4.1 weighted GPA. Every class I take is a dual-enrollment class at the local college, and I'll graduate high school with my AA degree and high school diploma at the same time. Ranked 30 out of 101 in my class at Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College. I live in Florida.</p>

<p>Some "power schools" I'm considering applying to. Should I apply, or am I wasting my time?</p>

<ol>
<li>Emory University (Atlanta, GA)</li>
<li>Georgetown University (Washington, DC)</li>
<li>Boston University (Boston, MA)</li>
</ol>

<p>What do you think?</p>

2

<p>You should apply to Oxford College of Emory: you spend the first two years in a LAC setting, then you finish at the Emory campus. It’d be a reach but why not? Odds are low but not nonexistent.
However, Georgetown is a too high a reach.
BU is a match, not a reach, and I wouldn’t say it’s a power school - you may be confusing it with Boston College?
Why not apply to a “power LAC” - like Colgate or Davidson, for instance - although, based on your choices, these may not be a good fit so read about them in Fiske Guide or Princeton Review’Best Colleges. Looking at your current list, Macalester may be a better fit, perhaps Connecticut College?
Why not apply to American University or George Washington University? They would be less reach-y than Georgetown but still very good for poli sci and economics?</p>

3

<p>Your stats are likely too low for Emory or Georgetown, but if you feel like spending the time and money to take a chance…</p>

4

<p>New College: Low match
FSU: Low match
Allegheny: Safety
Cornell College: Low match
Reed: Reach
Whitman: Match
Emory: Reach
Georgetown: High reach
BU: Match/High match</p>

5

<p>^I agree with Catria, except for Cornell College (safety) and if you like it, apply to Colorado College (high match/low reach), and Emory, which is a reach but less reachy if you go through the Oxford College application.</p>

6

<p>Should I be looking at Boston College or Boston University with my stats?</p>

<p>Also what about New York University?</p>

<p>I’m mainly looking for city schools where I’d be able to get in without it being too much of a reach. I’m open to suggestions as well.</p>

<p>To give a bit more background. Here’s extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Founder/President - Northwest Florida State College Political Discussion Group</p>

<p>President - Northwest Florida State College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society</p>

<p>Competing Member - Northwest Florida State College Forensics Team</p>

<p>Intern - Crew & Crew, P.A. (Law firm)</p>

<p>Defense council - Florida Teen Court</p>

<p>Lead Web Designer - Elbrus Consulting, Inc.</p>

<p>The senior partners at Crew & Crew law firm both graduated from Georgetown Law. How much weight would a recommendation letter from them give me to help bump up my chances for Georgetown?</p>

7

<p>Also what about George Washington University or American University? Obviously being in DC would be any political science major’s dream, but I’m also interested in New York City. Emory is just nice because it’s only 4 hours from my home in Florida.</p>

8

<p>The recommendation would be a supplemental (wouldn’t replace eachers’ and guidance counselor’s rec) and it’d just be a tiny boost if at all.
as for “what about GWU or American”, I’ll refer you to post #1

:slight_smile:
NYU is great but it’s a reach and we haven’t mentioned FA, because most of the schools on your list meet need, but NYU doesn’t. It’s in fact well-known for being horrible with financial aid. You also need to know whether you need merit aid (ie., your parents can’t pay their EFC, or you don’t qualify for financial aid, so you need merit.) So it depends what your budget is (if you don’t have a precise number, run the Net Price Calculator on a couple of schools then bring the results to your parents.)</p>

9

<p>The hurdle at some of these colleges is the ACT and gpa. At NYU 28 puts you on the edge of the bottom 25%. Same for Conn College and Emory. BU’s average is 30, BC’s is higher. </p>

<p>Look at what the colleges tell and/or their Common Data Sets. That doesn’t prevent an admit, but it makes it harder, considering the lower quartile can be kids with various connections, athletes (poor athletes, we’re always ragging on them,) a non-traditional student, etc.</p>

<p>A lil better at GW and American (mid 50% is 27-31,) but still low. And, understand how many many kids want those schools for the same reasons you do. </p>

<p>You need a good college guide, like Fiske. And you probably have more EC’s than that-?</p>

10

<p>Financial Aid is a big factor. My parents aren’t contributing a dime, but we make $140k. I’m needing some merit and need aid.</p>

<p>“And you probably have more ECs than that?”</p>

<p>What?</p>

11

<p>Your parents have told you they won’t be contributing?
You will get need aid based on your parents’ income and assets, not on what they’re willing to contribute.
That restricts your choices considerably and puts BU and NYU off the table entirely.
Even with colleges that meet full need, it means full need after your parents have paid their part. If they refuse to pay their part, you’re stuck. Hopefully they won’t refuse to sign for Bright Futures and FAFSA?</p>

12

<p>They’re willing to do anything that doesn’t cost them money. They live by the mantra that they put themselves through college and that I should do the same.</p>

<p>Which of these schools that we’ve mentioned hand out the most money?</p>

13

<p>Assuming you’re an FL resident, and looking at some of your other choices, I think New College would probably be a good place for you. My son is there as a first-year Poli. Sci. major. Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions. </p>

14

<p>BC aid is need-based only (except for the top 20 applicants who apply early decision, and the mid-50% ACT is 30-33 so top 20 is up there). They do meet full need, but based on how they calculate how much your family should be paying, not how much your family is willing to pay. I’d take BC off the table.</p>

15

<p>Yes I am a FL resident. Obviously New College would be my cheapest option due to in-state tuition. I will send you a private message when I get home. Thank you.</p>

<p>I hate the “need aid only.” Reed College also does that and it sucks because I know it’ll be out of price range. After much thinking, it’s looking like it’ll be a waste of my money to apply to any of these places. Might as well just go somewhere like New College or Stetson where I’ll get adequate aid. Unless I have a good chance somewhere, it’s really not worth the $70 to apply. I’ve already visited Stetson, Eckerd, New College, etc and I loved them all. Maybe I’ll try for Georgetown Law.</p>

<p>Correct me if I’m wrong and you think I should be applying to some of these places.</p>

16

<p>You may want to have your guidance counselor, or a trusted adult, ask for a family meeting, or someone they trust should explain to them that the situation has drastically changed when it comes to college finances. In our days (your parents’ and mine), it was possible for a kid with a loan and a job to put themselves through college. Today, it’s not. Just look at costs in 2004 and compare to costs today. The inflation has been staggering. Just a few years ago, we couldn’t believe that top private colleges cost 40k. Your parents may not realize that.
If they do,then it’s another ballgame. You need a full-tuition scholarship.
Some are automatic (like UAlabama’s) and some are competitive (like Hendrix’s.)
Need-based financial aid makes sense: aid should go to kids who can get in, but whose parents try to pay as much as they can, but can’t pay full price. If parents could just say “I don’t feel like paying”, no one would pay anything anymore.
In addition if they don’t pay now, it means they’ll have to take on loans for you and pay them later. You, as a freshman, can only borrow 5.5k.
Note that PLUS loans are for parents.
Fortunately, you’re eligible for Bright Futures and they won’t refuse to fill out FAFSA and sign the forms for Bright Futures, so at least there’s that. You have NCF plus FAU’s WilkesCollege.
There are lots of schools like Eckerd, Stetson, etc, in other states, but they won’t be “brand names”.
College of Wooster is one such school, for instance. Case Western has big scholarships but I don’t think an ACT 28 suffices.
Run the Net Price Calculator to see if Wooster would be affordable. Check out Ursinus, Goucher, Earlham, Illinois Wesleyan, Carroll College of Montana, Beloit, Juniata, Lawrence, Clark.
NCF is a great school but it’s not for everyone. And the problem with merit scholarship is that they’re for freshmen, so that if you can’t handle NCF, you either transfer and lose your opportunities for scholarships, or stay there even if it’s a poor fit and the narrative evaluations will make that very, unflinchingly, clear.
You, yourself, will have: what you can save from your job as Lead Web Designer + work study + Federal Loan (5.5K) + whatever the school gives you. Job + federal loan should cover Room&Board in a rather inexpensive city (NOT NYC or most major cities), or room only in a more expensive one (not NYU), work study should cover daily personal expenses. Without your parents’ taking on their part of the costs, you’d need a full tuition scholarship or more, so you can only pick schools that have considerable merit for your stats.
Can you retake the ACT? You’d need a full tuition scholarship and these often require a 32 ACT.</p>

17

<p>(edited/double post)</p>

18

<p>What about private loans? That’s what my parents think I’m going to be getting.</p>

<p>At somewhere like New College it would be $5.5k federal and $3,000-5000 in private loans. I know those are terrible, but it’s my reality. I have 3 siblings. We have no savings. Parents buy cars / house / boat / etc that’s twice their price range, so our whole financial existence is paying for things we can’t afford.</p>

<p>I know it comes a shock to a lot of the parents that are on CC, and that’s because the parents that talk on CC are the ones that fully understand the system. Unfortunately, this is my reality so I have to figure out how to make it work.</p>

19

<p>You will need a qualified co-signer to obtain private loans. Someone who is willing to take on the debt should you not be able to pay. Are your parents willing to co-sign these loans? If not, do you know someone who will? </p>

20

<p>My parents will co-sign for the private loan as long as I’m the one paying the bill. That’s what they did with my car. Question is: will I qualify to pull out $5000 a year in private loans in addition to government loans and then do the same exact thing to borrow my way all the way through law school?</p>

<p>It’s just frustrating that my parents shut down when finances are mentioned. Mom doesn’t even cooperate that well to fill out net price calculators because she doesnt want to be reminded of the situation they’ve put me in. I’m in the worst position I can be in. White male with mediocre grades and parents make almost $150,000.</p>

<p>The exact thing my mom just said to me after talking to her: “We will deal with it when the exact bill comes in from the college.”</p>

<p>I think I’ll just stick with New College because of in-state tuition and Eckerd / Stetson since I can get lots of merit aid there. Sucks I can’t afford NYU, BU, etc, but Ive gotta play the cards I’ve been given, and in this case I have an off-suit 2 and 7.</p>