<p>S was admitted EA from OOS, but no scholarship offers of any kind. Will speaking with a Finaid counsellor help at all? He is very interested in UNC, but 30K/yr. is pretty stout, compared to UGA Honors program or near full ride at Alabama and honors, too. Do you think FInaid will be able to help much? We are "middle class squeeze" folks, with high EFC but little disposable income--classic dilemma. Private school tuition is biggest budget item after taxes to uncle and state, but UNC costs would triple even that. What can we expect from UNC-CH? What can we tell them to make a difference?</p>
<p>We are in the same position. Did you fill out the CSS form in addition to FAFSA? The CSS form allows for private school expenses to be listed along with other unusual expenses. Not all colleges use it but UNC does. You can get to the CSS through UNC's financial aid site and also through College Board site. Haven't heard from UNC but private LAC's have been generous in grant/scholarship monies to the point that expenses are close to being affordable as UNC instate.</p>
<p>CSS app deadline has passed..</p>
<p>They meet 100% of demonstrated need with grants, scholarships and 1/3 loans....to make up the package usually. Buy more carolina gear. The trademark funds a lot of scholarships.</p>
<p>FAFSA and CSS/Profile were filed in early January. Problem 1 is that "demonstrated need" is probably tied to EFC, which is high. Problem 2 -perhaps- is that S is not interested in private LAC's. Like the gear, but can't see buying a lot if he goes elsewhere. I figure UNC is only about 18% motivated to attract OOS students. :)</p>
<p>My advice is to wait and see what they can do for you. In general they want your student if accepted. So their packages are as generous as possible. They will help you as much as they can.</p>
<p>where do you go to see if they have received the forms and/or what the outcome is</p>
<p>If you are a new student I think through Applicant central. If you are a current student sign in on Myunc and choose student and under student financial aid is a choice.</p>
<p>Here's the link to applicant central <a href="https://s4.its.unc.edu/sis/browser/appl_pass.html%5B/url%5D">https://s4.its.unc.edu/sis/browser/appl_pass.html</a></p>
<p>merkur</p>
<p>All other things being equal and I KNOW this will be hard to swallow, but UGA Honors or UNC w/o honors any day before near full ride at Bama. Unless Alabama has a particular program of interest (i.e. intended major) that ranks among the top five in the country, academically Alabama (even with honors) is not considered by most (who matter) to be on a par with either other school and will not carry the same weight with employers or grad and professional schools that the other two will. The only caveat here is if you and S live in Alabama and he fully intends to live there after graduation when being part of the alumni network would/could carry some weight.</p>
<p>My D chose U South Carolina over UGA, Clemson, Auburn Honors and others solely because of the program for her major which is consistently ranked number one or two in the country. If it weren't for that she would have gone elsewhere.</p>
<p>eadad, thanks. I truly value your input. Rather than majors at this point, what may be significant is the acceptance rate for medical school for each school. Do you have insight on that from your son's experience? Do med schools take the view of Bama compared to UGA and UNC as you outlined?</p>
<p>As I mentioned in the previous post, grad AND professional schools which are med school, law school etc. Med school admission is tough from anywhere but with UNC's reputation as being somewhat grade deflated, applicants are highly regarded in the process by most all schools.</p>
<p>The difference is that the admissions folks at these professional schools recognize that UNC is one of the toughest undergrad admits around for an OOS student and that Georgia is getting tougher every day especially since Texas invoked the top ten percent rule that has sent many top students elsewhere. When we visited UGA three years ago we were told then that Texas was number two in applicants and admits behind Georgia and they clearly stated it was due to the top ten percent admission policy in Texas.</p>
<p>Alabama and Mississippi have two of the lowest rated public school systems in the country and they both offer BIG incentives to attract top OOS students in order to raise their profiles. The same can be said for South Carolina so as not for me to sound hypocritical. My D has been able to attend school there for less than it would cost for her to attend school in-state. With the generous merit aid she was awarded that included in-state tuition remission it's not even close. However, had it not been for the top ranked program, she would have gone for the higher ranked school. UNC was the ONLY school that didn't admit her by the way, even with a brother who is a Morehead Scholar. Had she been in-state she most likely would have been admitted.</p>
<p>Alabama has been benefiting from the Mercedes Benz plant that located there sending more tax dollars and research monies to the school but still has a long way to go before it is recognized as a top tier school.</p>
<p>eadad, what is the best place to find national rankings for specific majors?</p>
<p>merkur, just to add to what eadad said, I would definitely consider the other two options before committing to Alabama, unless you were to be a part of the Computer Based Honors Program or the University Fellows Experience. I actually am instate, and I have been heavily recruited, but as soon as I got my acceptance to colleges out of state, Alabama was pretty much eliminated from my potential colleges list. Alabama is not a top quality school, no where near UNC, and probably far from Georgia, although I don't know too much about Georgia. They are building a reputation for gaining bright students, USA Today Academic All Americans and National Merit Scholars etc., but as a whole, the college is really lacking. Those students that are the Academic All Americans are undoubtedly amazing students who are incredibly self motivated, but you have to understand that they are definitely the exception, not the norm. I don't know how heavily the financial aspect of it all is weighing in on your college decision, but if you really want to be challenged academically, I would go elsewhere, unless you got into CBHP or UFE. I personally would be making money to go to college at Bama, but there is no way I am going there, because I want to be challenged and because I am tired of Alabama as a state. It's kinda boring down here.</p>
<p>Undergrad rankings (outside of business schools) are tough to find. I've done a few google searches and been lucky and there are some publications out there that, for a price, will share that information with you.</p>
<p>I have had my best luck going to the Departmental websites at specific schools. If they are highly thought of or ranked, they often talk about it. For example the Religious Studies Dept at UNC is one of the top two in the country, year in and year out and certainly the highest rated in a public institution. They have made make note of this on their website in the past.</p>
<p>I don't doubt eadad or packerfan89 one bit, but I think we should be careful to note a few of those comments are very broad generalizations. For example, if your student is the type that is capable of becoming a USA Today Academic All American, and Bama is certainly producing more of them than any other school right now, why wouldn't you consider it with the free ride? In other words, a lot has to do with the individual student. However, I agree that for most, UNC is the best choice. Is it worth $120k more out of pocket over 4 years of undergrad? I don't know, struggling with that one ourselves right now also.</p>
<p>Yeah, I think you express the dilemmas well. UNC is most likely better- although S has been accepted into CBHP, which is VERY attractive- but is it $110k+ better than that or UGA Honors. We'll just have to wait and see- and decide.</p>
<p>merkur, congrats to your son. Getting in that program is no small feat. I have a few friends that are already in it their freshman year this year and one of my good friends got in it this year. I was put in the reserve pool because I told Dr. Sharpe's son that I had no interest in going to Alabama. :P But Alabama is an attractive option for anyone getting into that particular program. I just am ready to get out of Alabama. Anyway, good luck to your son.</p>