I sent it, I think I have to go out with my dad for a bit now, so I’ll probably come back in a few hours in the afternoon, later today to try to finish this. My aunt that had surgery is coming next week is going to staying to recover for a few months, so I’m almost out of time, since I’ll have to look out for her as well.
I pretty much have to finish this weekend with whatever I have done, and hope for the best. I’ll send the link to my common app essay as well.
I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to do supplementals or additional writing, so I’m leaning towards schools like Colby that don’t require that, and might apply to Dickinson if I have a chance to do its supplemental.
I’m still kind of unsure about my list, should I only apply to around 5 safeties, since they wouldn’t give as much good aid, but do like 5-10 matches and reaches that would give better aid?
@gearmom how do i add someone to a message? Or should I make a new one?
Lipscomb and Belmont do have some good financial aid packages… Belmont has programs for fin aid for specific HS in the Nashville area; and Lipscomb is very supportive of DACA students, especially those from TN high schools-- don’t take those of the table as they would also allow you to get the HOPE scholarship and the Aspire supplement if you qualify. If you are in Middle TN- call up the admissions office and get in touch with the admissions counselor for your area.
@gearmom both Belmont and Lipscomb do seem to have a genuine care for local students in need-- I’ve seen several get great financial support. I mentioned the DACA at Lipscomb b/c many think it is a very Christian campus (and it is)- but it is also a very welcoming community to the diverse populations of middle TN.
Id like to point out that Colby participates in both Posse and Questbridge, which means they have a pipeline for URM students with low EFCs who have some level of formal support even after application season.
both Rhodes and Colby consider race as important in admissions criteria. Rhodes is 44% male (versus Colby’s 48%). Rhodes is 5% Hispanic/72% White, versus Colby at 7% Hispanic/62% White.
Most LACs lean White, female, and relatively wealthy. you will be perceived as adding diversity to just about whichever LAC you apply and the majority will value that.
congrats on your admissions to UTK. You have accomplished a good bit in a short time on your college search!
I tried to summarize the key elements (tried to make … … where things ought to be explicit, OP will hopefully correct with the proper information) but that version still is not very good. That additional info paragraph is going to be essential. I didn’t incorporate the fact having to work meant having to take a leave from school for a week at times, it should be in it. All in all my paragraph isn’t tight enough but use the advice you’ve recieved, cut/paste.
Belmont and Lipscomb don’t have full rides, they don’t have the means to - they do have tuition waivers for local students that match what they want but OP doesn’t live “in town” for either, and neither is especially good for what OP wants to study. Anyway they can be RD applications if OP wishes.
Could your parents be ok without you just for the next couple days (Mo-Wed) so that you can finish up those apps and submit things on time?
I think I’d go with Colby ED1, and Dickinson ED2 (Jan 1) - Muhlenberg ED’s deadline is February 15 so that buys you a bit more time (but you can submit whenever you want before that). Dickinson also has an EA deadline Dec 1st which you’d submit without knowing the Colby decision (if you’re in at Colby, you cancel your EA application at Dickinson, and if Colby turns you down I guess you could email Dickinson after getting the rejection letter to let them know you’ve changed your mind and decided to go ED2 with them.) Colby really wants lower income minority students to apply and their president has made it a priority for admissions to look at first gen and rural applicants. If we can all work on your “additional information” paragraph to make it tighter I think you’d have a shot, because you are exactly who they’re trying to find and I recall their FA was the best for you. It IS a big risk because they turn down so many applicants, so odds are against you and you have to be ready mentally for a rejection and bouncing off immediately toward your ED2 choice - but if you can have that strength, I think it’s a risk worth taking. If you don’t feel it’s worth it or don’t think you can withstand the pressure, then go with Dickinson ED1.
(Run the NPC on Kenyon and Macalester, too: I don’t think they have supplements and if it’s affordable you can try and apply RD there, although odds are very low you’d get in.)
Vassar also has a focus on first gen applicants but between those I’m guessing Colby, being further north, is more likely to need high-scoring Hispanic male applicants.
Run the NPC on Hamilton, as it may be another high reach college that would offer good financial aid. (ED2 deadline Jan1 or, if you apply RD by Jan 1, you have till Feb1 to switch to ED2.)
RHodes has EA Nov 15 and Sewanee has EA Dec1st, but if your application is ready Nov15 for both, you can submit then, adcoms will appreciate it
Right now, the big decision is whether you should apply to Dickinson ED or Colby ED.
Yes, it’s too late for those, but not all first gen/rural/URM students who apply to Colby (and such) go through these programs. What matters is that OP schedule interviews with all of them.
@distressedsenior_ :
what’s your net cost at each of your possibilities for ED1?
My point was the’hook’ he has at Colby would be at least equal to or stronger at many other LACs. You are correct that he cannot be posse or quest bridge because of deadlines.
Distressed senior, I know that this is contrary to the standard CC advice, but I would love for you to focus your efforts on schools where you will be successful in graduating, rather than focusing on getting into the most competitive schools you can. You have demonstrated you are a very capable student, and any LAC you can graduate from will be transformational. It doesn’t sound like your career aspirations can be better met by going to a top 20 LAC versus a lower ranked one. A series of smaller setbacks can be as derailing a larger one. If you stay where your stats are more midrange versus low end, your academic path may be easier. You could keep your semester hours where they need to be to graduate in 4 years with possibly less effort, which is a HUGE thing for need based aid in general. The option of dropping down from 15 to 12 hours won’t be available but once or twice during your college career. If you stay local, you won’t be putting efforts getting to and from school, finding housing during breaks and internships, getting warm enough clothes before winter hits, etc. I know that may sound silly, but really minimizing the stumbling blocks could make a difference in graduating or not.
You have gotten tons of names of colleges to consider, and you have accomplished a lot on a short timeline on you college search. Hang in there!
@NancyTN We’re not suggesting Colby because it is fancy but because it will be affordable. Giving more than the local options. I think OP will be incredibly special for a school like that. Additional you could add in amazing networking opportunities and a great quality education.
If OP gets in, there usually is a support system for (it was called talent development at our school) underrepresented students who could be at risk. Additionally I’d recommend OP going to tutoring sessions, office hours. Warm clothes bought in Maine. I would go to local consignment stores which must be overrun with LLBean clothes.
@oneundecided Yeah I have heard of Lipscomb doing a lot for Hispanic students, but its contained to a few specific programs would have had to be a part of YMCA for. Their merit is already somewhat weak, with their need-based aid being practically unexisistant. I’d be happy to look into it more, if there’s any specific grants/scholarships they have though.
Uhh… I’m sure i could work something out, as long as I managed my time well, and knew what to actually do.
I think they’ll want to do something for Halloween as well, and considering its possibly my last year, I might have to. I don’t think I’d get any work done that day anyways, but it is the day right before November. How do deadlines work is it November 1st at midnight, or Halloween at midnight?
Hmm, the thing is I’m not focusing on top schools because of their rankings, but because of their financial aid. Would lower tier LACs also give me GREAT aid like Colby or Dickinson would? I’m still planning to apply to some safeties, like Beloit, Eckerd, Allegheny, maybe Millsaps, but they just don’t look like they’re going to give me sufficient aid.
I wouldn’t mind an easier course load, but I’m not necessarily focused on good grades more on learning itself if that makes sense. I’m sure I could find a way to balance everything though, but I understand your concern.
Wow, thanks I needed to hear that, sometimes I feel like I’ve accomplished nothing in the time I’ve spent so far researching, typing, and working on this whole process, but I guess its good to take a breathe sometimes and realize how much(i don’t know id like to think at least), I’ve done in the past month.
Ehh maybe I haven’t, I’m not so sure. Sometimes I wonder if its worth it, or if i even have a chance, anywhere though. but Ill work with what I have so far. I do know I’m running out of time
I hope so . . . I really do.
Fairly sure you’re right, man I wish I would’ve known about Questbridge, the deadline for applying was around 3 or 4 months ago though. It really would’ve helped, but what can you do.
Hmm i just ran NPC on Colby again, and it actually comes out to $3,800 without loans or work study, I though they had covered my full-need.
Dickinson is $6000, without loans or work.
Muhlenberg is $7300.
Rhodes and Sewaene are both around $20,000, which is … concerning.
@gearmom, thank you for your kind words. I’m the guy in the photo. But my wife is pretty awesome.
@distressedsenior_
Belmont is actually where I completed my MBA. I was there for the music scene and Belmont is at one end of Music Row. It’s a pretty little campus in a great location in town. One edge of campus is just a few blocks from Vandy, so there are quite a few students in a fairly small area. (I did not apply to Owen, though in retrospect it wouldn’t have hurt to toss an app their way. I would have been a competitive applicant.)
I am not as familiar with Lipscomb. I know that they are Belmont’s rival.
In terms of how many reaches/matches/safeties to apply to, that depends on how much time and cash you have. If I were doing it all over again I would probably apply to 4-5 reaches, 3-4 matches and one safety. Make sure they fit you well in terms of academics, social vibe and environment and that you can afford them (NPC). In terms of Belmont, they might not give great aid overall, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they wouldn’t give you good aid.
Anyhow, I think you could probably call Colby and its ilk reaches (top-20ish LACs) – yes you have URM status helping you, but the GPA and test score keep them in Reach territory. But applying to some reaches is fine – who knows, you might get into one.
If you like Maine you might also consider Bowdoin and Bates. They, along with Colby, are probably reaches. Bates might be a low reach.
If UTK is affordable and you like it, you already have your safety in the bag. So feel free to take some shots.
Don’t forget to apply to some matches, though – you might not get into any reaches, so if you want the luxury of choosing among multiple acceptances, applying to some matches is a good idea. Several really good match-range schools have been mentioned in here, and schools that are similarly selective (based on admit rate and GPA/test score stats of admits) and provide strong need-based aid comprise additional match possibilities.
Figure out:
Academic fit: majors you’re interested in, class size preference, academic calendar preference, curricular requirements, etc.
Environmental: Weather, location, campus and town/city size, campus convenience, etc.
Social: Party/Greek scene, sports scene, available clubs, political activism, things to do in town/city, things to do outdoors, etc.
And based on your preferences, choose some schools. Then run them through the NPC to make sure they are affordable. If so, go ahead and apply.
Finally, I wouldn’t call Beloit (and the others you mentioned in that sentence) safeties. Matches or low matches, but not quite safeties.
And if you really like Colby and Dickinson, figure out which is your favorite and go ED. If Colby is your favorite, as MYOS said you could do ED1 to Colby and ED2 to Dickinson. But it’s best to apply ED only if it’s your clear favorite. If you might change your mind, ED is probably not the way to go. If you get out if it for any reason other than finances, it looks really bad.
Thanks a BUNCH for that, I’ll be sure to work on it tomorrow. Did the google doc ever manage to work though?
Pretty much,I wont be devastated by any rejections, since I’m not expecting anything to start off. It’ll be a fantastic pleasant surprise if I get in somewhere, but I’ll just keep working if I get rejected I guess.
That is the question. Which ones should I pick, since I really don’t have much time left for additional writing, unless the school would be a good fit for me. I should have my safeties/ low matches not require writing right?
Also what if im absolutely unable to get an interview, I think I could manage an over the phone, but im not sure how much that would help, or demonstrate interest? Is there other ways i could “show interest,” and how important is that really?
For a zero EFC kid in difficult family circumstances, the overriding criterion is the financial aid package and how much need is met with or without loans. Anything below $8,000 decreases an EFC zero student’s need to take on a work study job (usually not onerous - probably 8-10 hours a week with increasing opportunities especially within academic depts, covering about $2,500 for personal expenses) and loans ($2,500 subsidized and up to $5,500 total). $2,500 net cost means it can be taken care of with a work study job and come work savings from the summer.
Ideally @distressedsenior_ can find colleges where his net price is a maximum of $5,000 before loans. Those should be the ED and EA choices.
In commonapp, go to the “college search” button, and click on all new england and mid atlantic states plus Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota (that keeps lots of colleges into play) + “no writing supplements”. You’ll have a list of colleges without supplements. Expand the list to 50 a page + Screen capture, save, then start narrowing it down by cross referencing with colleges mentioned on this thread.
I don’t think Colby has a supplement. Dickinson does but its deadline is a bit later. Look at Kenyon (I don’t think it does), Macalester, Vassar, Grinnell (I think they do.)
@distressedsenior_ : remember to “invite” your teachers thrugh commonapp - all the potential teachers who may write a letter. They’ll get a little leeway in terms of deadlines for their letter and if your “resume” + personalization (favorite moment/book in the class, what stands out for you in the subject and why it matters to you, etc) are good it’ll help them. Don’t forget to plan for a thank you note (can be homemade and handwritten, doesn’t need to come from a store at all, in fact teachers odten prefer homemade ones.) YOU submit on November 1st by midnight (ie., before Nov2). As long as you’ve sent the invitation by then, you’re good in terms of college admissions deadlines.
Demonstrate interest by
filling out the “request info” form
you’ll receive emails: always click on a link you find intriguing and read up
on their website, look up “Admission rep …” ← where … is your region/state and write down name and email address
then, after reading a bit from their website, email your Admission Rep, following this script:
Dear … … (their first and last name) or Dear Sir OR Dear Madam (depending on the adcom’s gender).
My name is … … and I am an applicant for Fall 2018. I come from …, a small town in Tennessee, and very few if any students from my school have applied to your college. Therefore I have many questions. I would be most grateful if you could answer a few of them. For instance, on your website, I read that… Does it mean that…? Also, I noticed…, which is of particular interest to me because I hope to…, how common is that opportunity for your students? Does the college have a support system for admitted first generation, lower income students and how do they fare, generally?
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
… … ← your full name
look up … College Admissions Interview. Fill out the interview request form. In the additional comments indicate that your family situation makes it very hard to travel anywhere (only 1 car which is used for work purpose) but would be interested in interviews by Skype or phone if they’re available, as well as Alumni interviews. Explain very few if any students have ever applied to …College and you’re therefore very eager to talk about it with someone who has attended.
For colleges in Tennessee, or within driving distance, especially Rhodes (but see if Centre and Berea would be accessible), you could visit, but it won’t be held against you if you don’t as long as you show 'interest". The reason interest matters is that these days some students throw in a bunch of applications just for the heck of it, which is easy through CommonApp, so colleges appreciate it if you demonstrate you’re actually interested in attending!
Don’t forget to apply to the 1794 Scholars program by Nov 1st, too. Use the info you’ve had through your thread and a version of your “additional info” paragraph. (It may be by invitation only but in that case, email the program director to express your interest in the program and also mention it to your Adcom.) https://honors.utk.edu/1794-scholars-program/about/ https://admissions.utk.edu/find-your-counselor/
@prezbucky basically this, I can’t really afford, both monetarily, and in regards to time, to eliminate schools because of “fit,” but I do understand what your saying.
Will do thanks, and ill report back my results. Is there any reason for that geographic area though, and not anywhere in the South? Is it for geographic and general diversity, and an overall lack of LACs in the South?
Ok, Ill invite them then and submit any applications. Most of my deadlines seem to be around November 15 though, but ill be sure to check, and would definitely rather finish earlier than later.
Am I missing any schools to apply to EA, or one that i should consider for ED??
Ive also called and emailed a few schools already, to check if they would allow self-reporting scores, since I cant really afford to be sending out a lot of scores. Do you know if Colby and Dickinson allow that? The only other solution I have is to have my counselor email them a pdf of my scores, but it wouldn’t be official, and on the transcript
Alright I'll look into that, but I think its automatic if you apply with two essays, or you have to wait for a link?
I've been admitted, but have no idea about the financial l aid situation, or when they release it, anyone know about that?
Most importantly:
Am I missing any schools to apply to EA, or one that i should consider for ED??
hi, distressed! i actually graduated last year and took a gap year, so i have to apply to colleges (again) this year! i’m also from tennessee, though i’m from the east, not the middle. have you checked out tulane or colorado college? some posters may think i’m a fool for suggesting those, but they both offer early action. the former is a university, and the latter is a liberal arts college (if you didn’t know, lol… i just say random tidbits of information). colorado college meets full demonstrated need, though i’m not sure about tulane (i don’t think it does). if you do apply to colorado college, it is best to apply early action (or early decision, even) because the acceptance rate is a mere 5% regular decision. (i requested information from them, and that’s what the booklet said the regular decision acceptance rate is… absolutely bonkers, right? the early action acceptance rate is 18%, and both the pools of early decision have acceptance rates of 33%.) tulane’s early action acceptance rate is around 35%.
i, too, am applying to utk, rhodes, and colby, so if you need a friend or someone to talk to (possibly even a future classmate!) while filling out your applications and simply going through the entire college process, please feel free to PM me when you need to rant your heart out because i relate to you so, so much. we’re in this together!
(p.s. sorry for all of the parenthesized information… also, sorry for this one, lol.)
(p.p.s. don’t think you shouldn’t apply outside of the state! you are extremely qualified [whether you or anyone else believes it or not], and your background is very unique. i am rooting for you!)
(p.p.p.s [so, so sorry!] reed college offers early action! i’m also applying there if you wanted to check it out!)
