Is anyone planning to go to Destination USF on April 15th? D23 just signed up. Unfortunately, I’ll be out of the country that week, so she’ll be going solo, but that’s OK since it’s really more for her benefit and will give her more of a feel for things as a student. Looks like a great event!
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We hope to and we may in fact go to the earlier dates. I think it’s needed in our case given the amount of tuition. Even though I’m kind of familiar with the school but D ought to attend the events and ask if they are on track to being ABET approved or whether double major tracks are relatively easy to arrange. What is your student’s major?
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She’s environmental studies, but is also very interested in USF’s six year undergrad/law degree program.
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One of our friend’s son is doing the 3-2 law degree, but with him changing majors a few times already it may end up longer than 3-2. That’s a really great combo! I think they have a bio/biotechnology bs/ms in 5 years.
Yes, that program was one of the most attractive things about USF for D23 and was what had originally gotten her interested in the school. Since then their general outreach messaging seems to have worked its magic on her and she’s starting to fall in love - she has been very impressed with them recently 
REALLY hoping they come through with some need-based aid to supplement the merit scholarship so that it comes within range of being affordable for us.
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D23 accepted with University Scholarship. She really liked the personalized acceptance letter.
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Yes, that was super impressive - D23 is still talking about hers, too
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Financial aid just came out. What’s a global award? They gave us $10.5k which I think must be financial aid and not merit. It doesn’t have to be repaid.
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Interesting - I guess I’ll have to wait until D23 gets home to see if she has an update. Curious if they gave us any additional funding.
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It’s really hard to beat Cal especially if your D gets a scholarship. Housing is a problem unless you are close enough to commute. I’ve known people who commuted from SF using BART. But you summarized on point on the Cal thread the advantages of a small private school plus the 3/3 law program.
She plans to commute either way - and that is a pretty big factor to consider: Cal is about a 20 minute commute and USF is a good hour and a half. Each way. But the USF law program is a huge draw. She also zoomed the other day with the person who would be her department chair at USF and she loved him. They had a good talk, and she was really feeling like she could find her place at USF. That kind of feeling is hard to push aside. So it’s tough. And it may ultimately come down to cost after financial aid and commute time.
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Right! Thanks so much for writing this! I forgot to check their NPC again. It’s been awhile since we started the process. I used the unweighted gpa and there should be a scholarship. If they followed the chart and gave us a grant and D could work on campus we could afford it somewhat.
How should I approach them? I mean, asking anyone here.
Ugh I would feel really awful should they say that we don’t deserve any merit. It’s one thing to see an absence in the letter and another to be outright denied.
Financial aid package was OK, but not amazing. There was the merit scholarship, which is very nice, then another small grant, then estimated $5000 or so or work study and another estimated $5000 or so for federal student loan, then around $10,000 - $15,000 family contribution. We could make it work if that’s what D decides, but not really an offer we can’t refuse.
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I think your best bet is to reach out to their financial aid department and have a conversation about what could work for your student/family. Especially if your student is passionate about attending USF, there is hopefully room to work with them.
D23 received her financial aid letter and it did contain her merit $ from the NPC + the global award, but we have complicated finances and thus do not qualify for any need-based aid. It’s very likely a ‘no’ for her considering she has more competitive offers elsewhere.
Good luck and let us know how it goes with them?
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This is such a tough situation and one we are also in the midst of and understand.
Cost and commute are definitely important things to consider, but I’m sure you’re also weighing the differences in the 2 environments. UCB’s culture is different from USF’s culture in many ways.
We have friends with kids @ large schools who struggle with getting the classes they need, feeling like ‘failures’ for slogging through their tough pre-reqs with so-so grades (having been top students at excellent college prep schools), trying to find community, etc., and other kids that are having the time of their life and doing amazing things in big places.
We also have friends whose kids went to smaller schools and are having amazing experiences really being able to connect personally with professors, build easy and fast relationships, and finish on time, and some for whom the smaller environment is an absolute impediment to their growth.
All this to say, IMHO it’s so important for us as parents to help our kids consider (as much as they are able at 18) what environment they think they might best thrive in: huge and competitive? small and collaborative? a mix of the two? as well as what lies beyond those 4 years, (as you have helped me understand better on another thread).
Since I couldn’t message you privately, I just wanted to say I sympathize with you and your student, and hope that whatever happens you and they end up feeling great about their choice! 
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Yeah, in general I do think USF is a better environment for her - she would definitely thrive with the smaller class sizes and personal relationships and support. You know, if she had applied to L&S at UCB, I would be really pushing for USF because I don’t think she would do well in the L&S environment. But she applied to CNR, which is apparently somehow culturally different from other UCB colleges? I don’t really know much about it, to be honest. So that’s what we’ll be looking at over the next few weeks in order to make this decision.
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Ours is complicated as well but we could simplify it by moving back to the rental which I prefer not. I know some schools don’t consider home equity like the 5C or SCU (possibly). I don’t know about USF so that’s something I need to ask.
congrats!! do you mind sharing your stats? i applied for nursing RD
yeah! i think it was mainly my essays, i got to a performing arts school and they were impressed with my combination of the arts and sciences and mentioned that in my acceptance. but my stats are 33 superscore act, 32 regular, 4.167 (w) GPA (i think i can’t remember lol but around there), 16-18ish extracurriculars (volunteering, jobs, sports, and clubs). i also worked as an ocean lifeguard for the past two years and have my Emergency Medical Responder certification as well as first aid and CPR, working on getting my EMT. lmk if u need anything else
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I don’t remember if you mentioned your D would attend the half day or full day at USF. Hubby and D went on Friday for the half day. She really like the statistics professor who did a mock class and is thinking of Data Science. Professors can make a difference. It’s the major I’ve always thought would suit her but didn’t think she would be interested until the visit. They didn’t tour the science building though. She said the majority of visitors were wearing doc martens 
. Breakfast was not very good but lunch was!
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