<p>We just visited Seattle U last weekend and she LOVED it. Thanks for all the replies…It just seems so overwhelming when I come onto CC and everyone seems to have a 4.4 gpa and a TON of outside activities and an almost perfect SAT.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid…I don’t think we will qualify. SO looking for the BEST for merit aid. She would like to go to a school where she is in the top 25% of her class with job internship and research opportunities.</p>
<p>NO dancing in college. She loves it but does not want to be a ballerina. She wants to be a surgeon. So most likely majoring in Biology.</p>
<p>Her schools that she likes:
Seattle University
University of San Diego
Loyola Marymount LA
Loyola Chicago
University of Portland
and I want her to apply to:
Marquette
St. Joes in Philly
St. Eds in Austin, TX
Trinity U in San Antonio
Xavier in Cincinatti</p>
<p>REALLY would like to be also in Denver OR Wash DC</p>
<p>and the really funny thing is: We are not Catholic…but she loves the service based community and the smaller size. And I love the merit scholarships.
She did NOT like Santa Clara U (too close to home).</p>
<p>Seattle U is first so far and we have visited about 10 different schools. She loves how it is right in the city. Loves the class sizes (less than 25 in most). The cafeteria and food were amazing! The campus was small and all the kids were friendly. She just felt like she “fit” there. Went to PLU and it was too outside Seattle and was small “like a high school” and toured Seattle Pacific and it was too far from the center of the city and “too Chrisitan” for her. She also loved University of SD…It is not right in the city so I don’t get it. But she loved the campus and the tour. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>I feel bad that wasn’t even as good as your “average” daughter. :*(</p>
<p>I go to Michigan, which is my state’s flagship. She should probably just suck up the fact that it’s a little bigger than she would like and go to hers.</p>
<p>BTW…we live in CA outside of Sacramento. I know we are in the land of great UC’s and CSU’s but they are BIG and take 5 years to get thru…also super competitive.</p>
<p>She won’t get merit aid but Pitzer is within her reach. Be warned that it has a very low acceptance rate and I suspect that the good majority of applicants were more than qualified. </p>
<p>I disagree about the UCs. The four year system wide graduation rate is pretty darn impressive although class sizes for popular majors like biology tend to be quite large. </p>
<p>Has she looked into the University of Puget Sound? It’s in a suburb of Seattle, and will likely give your daughter enough merit to bring the COA down to in state UC levels. I was impressed by its science facilities and class sizes tend small. </p>
<p>I don’t know much about SMU’s merit aid policies but where I’m currently living, it has a good reputation and is located in a nice part of Dallas. It’s far less Methodist than the name would suggest and generally offers smaller class sizes. </p>
<p>Another possibility is St. Louis University, a Jesuit school. Strong biology which is complimented by the presence of a med school. No idea about merit aid policies since the only guy I’ve known who goes there comes from a lower middle class family.</p>
<p>My DS didn’t end up choosing U of Seattle but did apply, tour, interview and get accepted there (he loves the city of Seattle, but ended up staying closer to home.) I was so impressed with his acceptance packet. Not only a nice merit aid offer we didn’t expect, but a handwritten note from the admissions person who interviewed him saying how much she had enjoyed reading his common app essay, mentioning specifics about it. How about that? If that’s any indication of how they treat students, well, it must be a great place to go to school.</p>
<p>The title of this thread is misleading. Your daughter is by no means “average.” She is quite exceptional. Either what you’ve been reading on CC or the folks you know in your own community have somehow distorted your perspective. </p>
<p>I know many lovely, truly “average” kids in terms of their grades, scores, EC’s and motivation. And there are a lot of colleges out there for them if they want them. But they could never even come close to competing with your daughter’s credentials.</p>
<p>“Average” high school students do not go to four year colleges or universities. About a third of the population eventually attains a bachelor’s degree (though an additional portion of the population attains an associates degree or other education at a community college or trade school).</p>
<p>She does not need any specific undergraduate major to do pre-med, although she will need to take the pre-med courses. About half of applicants and matriculates to medical schools are biology majors (so about half are not).</p>
<p>What kind of cost limit is there, or is it “as cheap as possible to save money for medical school”?</p>
<p>Good luck mamamoes…we are also in CA, and while my D has higher test scores, she has a far lower GPA and less interesting EC’s than your daughter. We are skeptical that she has a chance at any UC, and as a UC grad myself, that is very painful to see and really skews your whole outlook. Your daughter will do just fine, I am sure!</p>
<p>Yeah, DS wasn’t accepted to my and DH’s UC alma mater, which stung a little I must admit. But things are different now and UCs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. He ended up at a mid sized LAC with small class sizes that is a much better fit for him. He didn’t have little mamamoes’ great stats though. She’ll have lot of options that will come with merit aid at many of the schools she likes I think!</p>
<p>Just echoing the others. She’s not average in grades or in scores. I also know that being a dedicated ballerina is so time consuming that there is no time for any other activities!</p>
<p>Have you guys looked at La Verne? Another CA option.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about La Verne other than it’s a safety and that there are some nice financial packages and scholarships to be had. We only know one kid there but they are pretty much tailoring a major to his interests and he’s going for next to nothing.</p>
<p>Willamette is a nice school in Salem, OR. Is that too rural for her? My neighbor’s kid attended it & liked it there. They are known for offering merit aid to highly qualified students like your D.</p>
<p>mamamoes, Seattle U campus is one of my favorite spots in Seattle. I go there just to look at the gardens. It is very beautiful for an urban campus and people there are genuinely friendly. Elliot Bay Bookstore, Seattle Central Library, Town Hall, Capitol Hill neighborhood are all within walking distance.</p>
<p>A bit over your target size but with known merit aid is U. of Miami.</p>
<p>U. of Rochester is an excellent fit, especially for pre-med, and there is some merit aid. Substantially colder than CA. Free music lessons at Eastman!</p>
<p>If she likes Catholic schools, Boston College is a possibility. Being from California, she might get a geographic diversity boost. No idea about merit aid, and it’s a little bigger than your target. Scores could make it tight.</p>
<p>Brandeis is just outside Boston and her scores look good for there. Very Jewish, but they’re trying to diversify.</p>
<p>Geo. Washington is a bit over your target, but a good fit scorewise. American could work, as long as you’re in DC.</p>
<p>Tulane is just a smidge big, fits scorewise, though she’s a bit on the low side, and has known merit money. Don’t know they attract many CA kids, so that might be a plus.</p>