Tweaking the list?

College Search & Selection
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My son is a rising senior who just got back his SAT scores and got a 1590 (second time taking it - he got a 1510 the first time). We are considering whether we should make any changes in his college search because of this SAT score. We don’t know whether it really makes a difference.

We are from CA. He’s looking at a range of large and small schools. He’ll apply to UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Irvine, as well as the CSU San Diego Honors College. He’s also looking at Puget Sound, Lafayette, Northeastern, Macalester, and Occidental (the amount of merit aid is very uncertain at all), University of Oregon Honors, and University of Pittsburgh Honors,. University of Washington is probably out because of the OOS cost. We looked at schools in New York City, where he would love to live, but he didn’t like the Jesuit aspect of Fordham; Sarah Lawrence seemed to him to have too many privileged kids and not be practically oriented; NYU is too expensive; Columbia is too expensive and hard to get into; Stevens is too science-oriented, and so on. We considered Clark but he really wants to be able to walk off campus to go get coffee or go to a restaurant. He doesn’t want to live in the South, Texas, or Arizona and is probably not into New Mexico or Colorado. Prestige is not a factor for him, but he does look forward to being around kids who are smart and interested in school, and at least lean progressive. He would not be a good fit at a conservative school.

We would like to keep costs between $40-$45K a year max. He wouldn’t go to a school with tuition above the mid/high $20s unless he got significant merit aid. We do not have demonstrated financial need.

He’s looking for a secular school with a residential campus (2 years+ honors residence is a plus for schools with honors program), is not into Greek life at all, really would prefer an urban metropolitan area with a lot going on. He’s a serious person who’s very engaged in current events. He tends to take a while to warm up. Not a macho guy.

Opportunities for internships and a solid study abroad program are important. He’s most likely to major in political science, but might be interested in business/econ or film/tv. He’s definitely not interested in pursuing anything STEM related, although he has done well in math and has taken calculus.

He is top 5% in his class of 250 and has taken a full load of APs, so his weighted GPA is 4.4 and unweighted GPA is 3.95. He has what I consider standard extracurricular activities, nothing really outstanding - plays a sport in high school, volunteered regularly since he was 14, did some internships, works a part-time job.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Sorry for the long post!

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@pickledginger, congrats on your son’s SAT score. I am interested in this question. Have you looked at Rochester?

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Rochester is a great school, as is Pitt. How about the honors college at the University of Maryland - College Park? It’s a short ride by train to DC.

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I’d recommend Rice, where my SoCal-raised daughter has been very happy . . . if not for the “no Texans need apply” caveat. Your son should be aware, however, that Houston is an extremely diverse, multicultural city–and one which, until last year, had a openly lesbian mayor (who was a Rice grad). Location aside, Rice checks off all the boxes on your son’s list except for a TV/film program.

I do think, however, that with your son’s high SAT score and solid GPA, he might want to take a flyer and apply to a super-reach like Princeton or Yale. While these schools do not offer merit scholarships, their need-based financial aid is fantastic. For many folks lucky enough to get in, these elites can actually end up being cheaper than in-state public flagships, much less lower-ranked–and less generous–privates.

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@MrSamford2014, thanks for the information about Rice. I will encourage him to check it out - the info about the former mayor is very eye-opening, too.

@twogirls, he had looked into University of Maryland, but it seemed like the merit aid was unlikely to be very generous, and the OOS tuition is $47K, so that took it off the list. I’m glad to hear that you give a thumbs up to Pitt. There are a lot of things I think could really work for him there. We won’t be able to visit until next school year, though.

@tr831, thanks for the Rochester suggestion. That has come up a few times and I think he needs to take another look.

I welcome any other suggestions. Thanks!

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Pitt is amazing - it’s not on the common app and the application opens in June. Has he applied yet? It’s important to apply early for the best chance of merit.

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@twogirls - yikes!! I have August 1 on my list for Pitt for some reason. Thanks very much!!

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The application was not on the common app and opened in June… in previous years. Fill it out now- including the optional essay.

It’s possible that it changed- I don’t know.

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PM’d you

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Wash U - there are competitive merit scholarships available by separate application. A reach for anybody but sounds like he has the stats to be taken seriously.

I also thought of Rice, Rochester, maybe Carnegie Mellon

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@twogirls, I checked with Pitt and their app for freshman applicants opens July 27 this year - still earlier than I thought!

@mamadefamilias, thanks - we looked at the WashU merit scholarships before. The interview element, combined with the apparent preference for research experience made it seem unlikely that he would be selected. He’s very participatory in class and structured environments, but doesn’t have a knack for the kind of connection that would make him stand out in an interview, at least at this point in his life. He also hasn’t been involved in research.

Keep 'em coming!!

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@Otterma, I pm’d you back. Thanks for the info!

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@pickledginger great news!!

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I would look at top LAC’s that offer merit aid.

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@pickledginger I think I have the female version of your son, but with slightly lower stats. She is looking for very similar things in a school. Rice has been suggested to her as well, even though she does not want to be in Texas. I’m hoping she’ll do some research. She needs more schools on her list.

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@Marcie123, what schools have you been considering for her so far?

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@pickledginger We are also in CA. She’s not applying at any UC’s or CSU’s. University of Denver and Chapman as likelies. She liked Boulder but it’s probably too big but she hasn’t eliminated it completely. She loves Seattle but didn’t like UDub. It felt way too big for her.

We just went out east and she loved Brown and BU.

It’s hard finding schools that meet her somewhat unrealistic criteria. I think she’d thrive at a LAC but she thinks they’re too small and most too rural. My older D is at one of the Claremonts and thinks her sister would like one or two of them. But she thinks there’s not enough excitement on campus.

We’re going to look at LMU and USC in a few weeks.

I’d love for her to include some LAC’s but we are out of time to tour schools and I know interest is important at them. And its hard to find ones near cities. We toured occidental with my other D and she thought it was way too small.

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@Marcie123, yes, it is hard to find LACs near cities! Good luck!!! Sounds like you aren’t necessarily eliminating schools that are stingy with merit aid. I am interested in how things turn out for your daughter.

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DC is a great city for college students, lots to do, great restaurants, public transportstion. George Washington University and American University might be good choices.

One of my Ds graduated from the University of Richmond in VA last year and had a great experience. A younger D is a rising senior there and loves it, too. We live in the mid Atlantic, but my husband and I grew up in New England, and have really fallen in love with Richmond area on our many visits. It has great restaurants, museums, parks, festivals, outdoor activities. It does usually get a bit of snow in the winter time, enough to sled on trays from the dining hall. UR’s campus is gorgeous, about 10 mins from downtown.

High stats students have a shot at winning one of 45 full tuition/full ride scholarships. One of my Ds got a full ride (2300 old SAT, high GPA, APs, etc.), the other D had similar stats, 35 ACT, and got offered full tuition. There are plenty of other smart students and courses are challenging, with excellent professors. Student profile:
http://admissions.richmond.edu/studentprofile/index.html
They do have sororities and fraternities, but no residential Greek houses, and there is no pressure to participate, neither of my Ds were interested and have plenty of friends and other activities they have enjoyed.

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@mama2855, I forgot to say that American is on his list! He loves DC. He likes the GW location but he doesn’t like the lack of residential feel and also is of the opinion that a lot of GW students are “rich kids who didn’t get into GT.” (Sorry if this is offensive or inaccurate, but this is the impression he has developed from looking into it.) He is very in favor of economic as well as ethnic diversity - his public high school is very diverse and he feels strongly that he would like to be at a school with students from a range of socioeconomic levels, not heavy on very wealthy kids. That is part of why he likes the idea of honors colleges and the public schools in CA. Anyway, American is on his list.

I will take a look at University of Richmond and will encourage him to do the same - thanks very much for the info!