Excellent! Will do, thanks!
Even with in-state discount + $2K/yr, UofSC COA is still 10K-15K higher than our in-state UMD. Our daughter will commit to UMD and withdraw UofSC admission along with the other 5 schools she got accepted to.
Thank you everyone who provided help and suggestion during the admission process and good luck to to those who ae still waiting for admission.
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Congrats - UMD is wonderful. We got in, no $$, so itâs far higher than U of SC. and we never visited. Ultimately, my daughter is headed to Charleston, which costs more than U of SC with Honors and Superlative - but for her, taking pedigree aside, she just felt most comfortable there. UMD would be $53K or so, U of SC $28K or so, and Charleston about $34K or so.
Itâs winding down. Iâd have loved to visit UMD but with no aid it made it tough. She wants to work in govt and American was her top choice (costs more than UMD, even with merit) so UMD with the subway into DC would have been a nice alternative.
Wonderful school - congrats on being a Terp.
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Thank you and congrats of your daughter acceptance to several good colleges and I think C of C is good choice as long as she is comfortable there.
When my daughter applied to colleges, she applied to mostly nearby public schools with the hope of finding a school that is cheaper than UMD and we failed miserably.
Did your daughter apply to GWU ? itâs private but they do give out some merits to bring cost down a bit.
We did a weekend trip and did tours of the three main schools. We should have researched in advance but Gtown offers no merit - and I knew Iâd get no aid. So that was out. $80K a year - not worth it for me. We did Gtown in the AM. Walked to GW. My daughter HATED it. I was surprised because initially NYU was on her list and there is similarity. But it was not for her. What really threw her is they have no dining halls - you only eat at restaurants. Thatâs nuts!!
Then we had a day off and hung in DC. Had I had to do it again, Iâd have made her go see UMD that day. So that was a mistake missing it. Then Monday we did an all day AU event - and it became her top choice. She loved it - I thought it was sort of a dump. They offered $15K. I was disappointed - had they offered $25K I might have stepped up. I really didnât feel personally it was a great school.
We will save about $95K over AU - so while it might be better for govt, my daughter will find her way. And at Charleston, everything is there. Like GW. At AU, itâs a walk to Tenleytown - young girl, walking maybe alone - not comfortable. Their dorms are gross, they have rats, and serve raw chicken - so comments say. Just justifying to myself for breaking my daughterâs dream 
But honestly sheâs ecstatic with her choice and while itâs lesser pedigree, sheâs in Honors and a small cohort within Honors (intl scholar) so hopefully it works out OK.
Iâve read Maryland is really large size wise (not people wise). My daughter is in at UGA Honors which academically would be best. They are strong in her intended major (International Relations) - but the school is enormous and she did not like that. So likely UMD probably would have been out anywhere.
As it turns out, she really chose her best school taking pedigree aside. I suppose more kids shouldâŠ
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I have one twin daughter who has selected UofSC Honors, and the other twin daughter is planning to go to UGA Honors. I sure wish weâd get more money from UGA though, but our requests for more have not been fruitful. We are OOS for both and ironically UofSC was the least expensive for both of my twins even including in-state schools, but unfortunately, they donât want to go to the same school. They are still on a couple of waitlists including Vanderibilt, and Wash U St Louis, but I donât anticipate any/enough merit even if one/both would get in.
Which state? We got Classic (1/2 OOS at UGA) - while U of SC is #1, we got rejected at FSU Honors and WL at Pitt Honors. UGA stats for Honors are off the charts - so itâs impressive the kids who get in.
Her issue with UGA is - while itâs really nice - itâs enormous- the Honors dorm is well located though. But for those in most the dorms itâs bus rides.
I donât think public schools negotiate - and I donât think Honors and Admissions Scholarships co-mingle. They are decided separately. UGA is hard to get into period - so congrats to your daughter.
We are on Emory WL (turned down W&M Wait List). We are also an alternate for a full tuition scholarship at Washington & Lee (admitted). Outcome wise, they are phenomenal for placing in DC - better than the DC schools - so the main professor there told me. On a per capita basis, he said they only trailâŠof all schools - Sewanee for placing in DC, etc.
Itâs four years - so our kids need to make the right choices for the right reasons as it sounds like yours did. Congrats!!
U of SC is really nice - and more compact. Maybe she can get an RA second year at UGA or be a tour guide (think those pay) - find something to cut the cost.
Sending one kid to college is expensive - two at the same time - yikes!! We have one at Alabama - heâs cheap - about $18-20K a year. HmmmmâŠbut itâs still $18-$20K a year We talk about this like itâs pennies!!!
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My D got waitlist at Georgetown and never applied to GW. Now, Iâm struggling to understand why we let daughter applied to Georgetown, Harvard, or JHU, even though the chance of admitting is very low and if even if acceptance, we canât afford to send her there. My only answer is, we were caught up in the Ivie hype . 
If your daughter prefer Charleston over UGA then she probably will not like UMD since itâs big school with lots of students.
Itâs just learning - I didnât know schools did no merit - and then after Gtown, I started looking. So we did a top LAC - but only because it offered merit (W&L). Itâs not the right fit - but itâs too cheap âif you winâ. Same reason we applied to Rice and Emory. Even if we got in, while we likely wouldnât go, there was a chance at merit. Rejected Rice, WL at Emory.
My daughter loved UVA - but itâs impossible and a lot of work to get their scholarship.
I could afford whatever school btw (I think) - especially with stocks way up although we didnât know that then.
Itâs more a question of - I donât want to afford.
I think education is important - but only few will be elite in society and my daughter can get there through hard work and sheer luck. To me, to spend another $40 or $50K a year when most, even elite students, will end up either struggling or middle classâŠmakes no sense. Plus, then thereâs grad school potentially.
I look at it like buying a home. We figured out what we missed in our first home and made sure our second home had it.
So if you have another one going, you get another chance to search more strategically
Also, if you got into Harvard or JHU or even Gtown, if nothing else, itâs lifetime bragging rights and a big confidence boost.
Yeah, her hesitation at Charleston is simply the low ACT scores and rank (itâs regional #8) although I find a lot of kids apply to the same cohort of schools.
She loved the GW area - Foggy Bottom - just not GW. She really sparked at C of C. She liked Columbia a lot and will miss football, etc. But itâs funny - she was torn.
But when she told us she decided Charleston, we were like - we know. When she posted on FB, her friends were like - yeah, we know.
Everyone knew but her
The international scholars program sheâs in is cool. It also helped the head professor reached out to her multiple times.
But all these programs are fantastic and many successful people will come out of all these schools. Go to know about UMD - thatâs my sense - but you never know.
She did like UGA - which is why she applied - but didnât have a spark. To her, she likes to find the cute college area - and thatâs where Urban Outfitters is - she didnât think it was that nice. Same with FSU which was her 3rd choice. She did like 5 points at Columbia a lot - and the Honors dorm and food are apparently strong⊠and then Charleston - which to me isnât all that nice - but the downtown where the school is - is tourist heaven.
Iâm going to cut up her credit card now
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We are from Ohio⊠they wanted to get far away from the snow and cold! We got Classic as UGA as well. Itâs interesting that only one twin went with us to visit UofSC and only the other twin to UGA⊠I donât think they wanted to allow for the possibility that they would both fall in love with the same school since they have said from the beginning that they wonât go to the same school! Unfortunately for us, the one NOT going to UofSC also got a departmental scholarship there so that doesnât do us any good.
It sounds like you have some great options! And yeah, we do talk about $18-20K like thatâs pennies in these scenarios!!! 
My daughter thought Miami would be a good fit. OSU is great but too big. Turns out Miami too isolated. Our very first college we visited was Dennison - way too small. You just learn along the way.
If you go by rank and location (close to ATL which has jobs), UGA is better. But U of SC has more geographic diversity. They can visit one another. Dang - sounds like they should swap so you can use the deptl scholarship at U of SC
The mistake you made - not applying to Alabama - they give merit away like Santa Claus standing on a street corner. FSU is generous too.
It will all work out.
Iâll hang out with you in the shelter - where weâll all be living after spending obscene amounts of money.
I wonder if all this money would be better spent at a Ritz Carlton - where âweâ get to enjoy it instead of on our kids who will complain about bad food, bad roomies, profs they canât understand, and hard classes!! ha
I hear ya! I can totally relate to everything youâre saying! Yes, I tried to pitch Alabama to them, but they werenât interested.
They both loved Miami U by the way, so much so that initially one was seriously considering it despite the Ohio weather, but just couldnât get past that. They both kept saying, âIf only Miami was in warmer weather!â Miami was their next financial package after UofSC.
Yes, they will all be complaining to us, wonât they. Ugh! See you in the shelter!
Oh well - itâs only money. And who needs a roof over our heads. U of SC is really really nice - and compact - I sort of wish my daughter chose it. C of C a better fit for her but itâs dorms are yucky, etc. We are in TN - could have gone to UTK. Nope - gotta let the kids go to where they want!! Yep, come to the shelter in Nashville - itâs warmer
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Just got back from our admitted student tour. Mine committed and absolutely made the right choice for her. Absolutely love the school.
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Congrats!
Congratulations! Mine is between UofSC and Penn State, and will hopefully, finally make a decision this week.
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Has anyone heard any waitlist updates? Anything said by your reps?
We have not heard anything but would love to hear if anyone else has!
Nope, not yet.
Has all financial aid been released?