He is a rising Jr.
3.8 unweighted gpa
4.1 weighted
PSAT 1350 (taking SAt prep course and test soon)
He plays the cello in school orchestra since age 7.
He is in the county orchestra all hs
He volunteers and received awards for volunteering in town music program for younger children each summer
He works as a math tutor.
Jr year he has AP Psych, Ap Com Science, AP Chem, AP Spanish on schedule
He is interested in Business and possibly medical
We live in Northeast. We looked at BU, Northeastern and Bentley. We also looked at UCOnn, Fairfield U.
Bentley is more his style. Possible NE but too large
Hard to tell about merit opportunities without an SAT or ACT score. Take a look at the stickies at the top of the Financial Aid forum. One thing to figure out now is how much you can afford for college each year. Run the Net Price Calculator on the school web sites for your list and get an idea of what they might cost.
get a book on college admissions to understand the process and realize it is a 2-way street. One I recommend is “Admission Matters.” Colleges choose who to accept, but you choose where to apply. You’ll want to learn about not the just the nuts-and-bolts of applying but how to find a college that is a good fit.
When colleges are back in session I suggest your son visit schools in your area of various types to get a feel for what they are like – a large urban campus, a campus in the surburbs or rural area, a LAC.
I’m guessing he wants to study business if he likes Bentley. With the limited information (no standardized tests) he might qualify for merit aid and schools like Fairfield, UScranton and Marist. I’d also look at Fordham if he wants a mid-sized university near a major city with strong business.
Although I agree with mikemac that Admission Matters is an excellent book, I strongly disagree with visiting random schools based only on size and location.
Many kids have a limited tolerance for college visits. Why waste time on schools they won’t consider because they are too reachy, too expensive, don’t have crucial offerings such as majors and ECs the kid wants to continue. Every school is different and has different things to offer, even if they seem superficially similar. Many kids like schools that are quite different for different reasons: they aren’t stuck on size or location.
Visit schools that are reasonable prospects, including safeties. Remember that most kids change their minds about majors, and that there are many fields of study that they know nothing about upon graduating from HS. Try to keep options and minds open.
And avoid the “dream school” phenomenon like poison.
