<p>Hi, I will post my preferences below, but here are my stats:</p>
<p>GPA: 3.21 UW (school doesn't weight, 3.33 just junior year, struggled FR/SO year, best private school in my state, so very competitive)</p>
<p>SAT: 2070 (640 CR, 710 M, 720 W)</p>
<p>ACT: 30
English: 34
Math:29 (don't know how I did this bad. I got a 36 on one practice and was consistently in at least the low-mid-30s on other practice tests. Will take again in September)
Reading:24 (always been a weaker area, but this was bad, I know I can do much better)
Science: 33</p>
<p>ECs:
~60 hours of Community Service (planning on doing a lot more this summer and into senior year. My school also has a mandatory program for seniors where they are off for two weeks and work as full time volunteers with the disadvantaged in the Milwaukee area)
-applying to be a retreat leader at both my parish and school (Catholic school)
-4 year two-sport athlete (Track and Cross Country. Hopefully varsity this year! Very competitive team.)
-3 year member of pro-life club
-2 year member of student government (nothing special, just an officer)
-played trombone in school Jazz band freshman year
-working on starting a retreat program at my parish for 9-10 graders (currently only one for 11th graders)
-2 year member of school Ministry Leadership Team</p>
<p>I am looking to study either Philosophy or Business. My career goal is actually to become a Catholic priest, but Business is sort of my back up plan in case anything changes. That being said, I am open to non-Catholic and/or secular universities if anyone thinks I can fit into one. I would still like to have a place in school where I can discuss my faith somehow though, so if not a Catholic college, a school that has a good Newman Center or equivalent. A good sports program wouldn't hurt, because although I don't plan on participating in varsity athletics in college, I am a big sports fan as well and very into school spirit. I am not big into parties, so I would prefer a place that isn't a huge party school. Finally, I want a school that takes academics seriously, and also a place that could give someone like me a good amount of merit aid, as I will be paying for college almost completely by myself.</p>
<p>*My career goal is actually to become a Catholic priest, *</p>
<p>then you’ll want to avoid debt. </p>
<p>Your GPA is going to hurt your merit chances at some of the better ranked schools. </p>
<p>I think you should try:</p>
<p>Springhill (Jesuit, gives merit)
Christian brothers
UDayton
UDallas</p>
<p>and some of the other lesser known Jesuits. The better known ones won’t likely give much with a sub 3.5 GPA. </p>
<p>As for secular…</p>
<p>You’d get good merit at UA-Birmingham. B’ham is the seat of the Diocese and the cathedral is nearby. There is a strong Catholic community in B’ham…lots of Italians…and of course, EWTN isn’t that far away.</p>
<p>Thanks! I am actually considering the Jesuit order in particular (I attend a Jesuit HS now) so Springhill does interest me. So do the other ones as well. As far as my parents go, they might be able to find an extra $1000-$2000 a year to give to me, and I have about $1000 in a college savings account from when I was a little kid, but other than that, they basically told me that if I go to college, I’m paying for it.</p>
<p>Some of the Jesuit colleges give a $10k annual award to Jesuit HS grads. I don’t know if that will stack onto other merit that you would definitely need.</p>
<p>I live in Wisconsin. We make $90-95000 a year, but my parents spend a lot of that on sending myself and my two brothers to private schools, so they really don’t have much left in reserve. I don’t know everything about their finances, they just told me they won’t be able to help me that much.</p>
<p>I don’t know the parents’/children’s situation, but I’ve seen this asked before. If one or both of those younger siblings is still in K-8, then the OP’s tuition money may end up being needed for a younger siblings higher high school tuition. </p>
<p>As someone who sent her own kids to Catholic schools, I saw this sort of issue come up with many families…the tuition money isn’t available for college because it will then go to a rising HS school child. Jesuit HS tuition can be about $10k-18k+ per year. K-8 is usually much less expensive.</p>
<p>And, even if the younger ones are already in HS, the issue can be that the family has delayed some home repairs or other pricey expenses during the K-12 years, and needs to re-allocate tuition money once each senior graduates.</p>
<p>You might get some merit money at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. I do not know whether the merit will take costs to below your state school costs.</p>
<p>Be sure to also apply to a state school that you can commute to. That can be your safety. If that ends up being your only affordable choice, then your parents will be providing room and board which is equivalent to about $10k per year. </p>
<p>Also…look to see what scholarships the Knights of Columbus might offer to future priests…and look to other Catholic orgns. Are you Italian? Polish? Both ethnic groups have orgns that help fund future priests.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids basically nailed it in terms of our financial situation. I will try my best to look into the other organizations and outside scholarships as well.</p>
<p>Just one caution: outside scholarships are generally only good for one year. You’ll then have to fill that void in following years which is very difficult. Try to find scholarships that can be renewed.</p>