<p>Take a look at Fordham - if you have strong stats, there is merit money.</p>
<p>There is also St. Anselms in New Hampshire and St. Michaels in Burlington VT</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a Jesuit school with a pricetag in the 30’s, he might want to look at Lemoyne in Syracuse. Total COA is around $38,000 and they give merit aid ranging from $11K-20K/yr. I know several students at Lemoyne now, one is a history major, and they seem to be very happy with the education they’re receiving there…and with the school in general!</p>
<p>How many would you suggest applying to so as to have a good chance of snaring a couple of nice offers to choose from?</p>
<p>We looked at Xavier very seriously. S loved it. In fact, he would have chosen to be a freshman there this year if the price had been right. Unfortunately, it was far away from what we could/were willing to afford.</p>
<p>I would describe ourselves as very middle class - midwest, both working, income under $100,000. Another child in college. Xavier COA was about $40,000. Besides the maximum of merit they offer ($15,000) S was offered NOTHING but loans to make up the rest. No work study (it sounded like not much opportunity on campus and it was saved for those who “really need it”). He would not have a car, so work off campus not likely. As much as he loved it, we and he just couldn’t justify the amount of loans. We met w/ a financial aid counselor and appealed to a couple of people with not a penny more offered. S is very well rounded with activities, a 2-sport varsity athlete, many school activities/leadership and was valedictorian. And Catholic!!! 
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<p>Interesting to us as well, our optometrist has a S at Xavier who will be a junior this year. They have a D who will be starting college this fall. The family LOVES Xavier. But even at their income, they decided they could not afford to send a second child there when other options (for her, OSU) were much more affordable.</p>
<p>So,just want you to be aware of our situations. Loved the school, loved the campus and campus vibe, but was REALLY disappointed in the financial aid offered.</p>
<p>Link to Marquette scholarship information:</p>
<p>[Scholarships</a> | Marquette University](<a href=“http://www.marquette.edu/student/ugrad/scholarships.shtml]Scholarships”>http://www.marquette.edu/student/ugrad/scholarships.shtml)</p>
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<p>I don’t think it’s a numbers game in terms of applications, but more in terms of matching your son’s stats with the schools that are likely to award good merit aid to those with similar stats, have reasonable costs (and pay attention to what the average tuition increases are), offer good programs for his interests, and are schools he would be happy attending. I would think you could narrow it down to 5 schools or less by the time he’s ready to apply.</p>
<p>*DS school doesn’t rank, and when I called they refused to tell me where he stands in his class. His gpa is 3.7, but he had 2200 SAT, (1500 CR/M 760/740) and 34 ACT. *</p>
<p>Not true that CAtholic schools that cost $50k don’t give merit scholarships to kids with stats like your son’s.</p>
<p>The following pricey Catholic schools would give your son good sized merit…</p>
<p>Santa Clara (nephew just got half tuition there with an ACT 33 and a 4.3 GPA)
Loyola Marymount
San Francisco U
San Diego U
Seattle
Portland
Gonzaga
St Louis
(maybe) Fordham
(maybe) Loyola Maryland
Spring Hill
UDayton (assured big scholarship for your son’s stats!)</p>
<p>I’m sure there are a lot more … :)</p>
<p>And, with your son’s stats, there are some OOS publics that would give him big merit for his stats.</p>
<p>Is your son a likely NMF? If so, then Fordham would give him free tuition.</p>
<p>(Does your son go to a Catholic high? If so, that’s probably why it doesn’t rank. My kids’ Catholic school didn’t rank either except to name the Val and top 5 students at graduation.)</p>
<p>Take a look at Wheeling Jesuit University, in Wheeling, WV, 40 miles west of Pittsburgh. A bit off the beaten path, but has strong programs and is relatively inexpensive.</p>
<p>Those stats would make the cut for a nice merit award from Fordham. Look at the % of kids on merit money and the average award to see where he can get the large amounts. He is likely to do well at Catholic schools. My oldest got a closet to or full package from ST Bonaventure, I know. Though Holy Cross and BC do have some nice merit packages, they are very competitive. My last son who went through this process got zip from them, though he did get some nice awards from all of the other Catholic schools where he applied.</p>
<p>Oh, my son really like Duquesne when we visited during Spring Break.</p>
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The above was in reference to Loyola Chicago. I just want to add…Jesuit brothers live in the dorms at Santa Clara University. This is not uncommon at the Catholic and Jesuit schools. SCU is really a very liberal and ecumenical campus. Just because members of the religious orders live in the dorms doesn’t define the strictness of religious belief at the schools. DD is not Catholic and she really enjoyed the presence of the Jesuits on the SCU campus for her four years there.</p>
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What types of things did he like about it, cpt? That one is on OUR list too, but it is 4 hours from us, so it will be hard for us to see it before the applications go out.</p>
<p>One of our friends said they were really disappointed with the aid their DD was offered from Duq. She basically had to pick someplace else.</p>
<p>My son was set on attending a Catholic university as well. Got very good offers from Saint Louis, Catholic, and Marquette, his top three choices, but still left us with 30K in loans a year.</p>
<p>Luckily, we found a wonderful Catholic community at a nearby OOS public that offered him a full ride plus. In fact, the honors college at the university has a similar Men for Others philosophy of his Jesuit high school and the colleges he had hoped to attend.</p>
<p>He will be attending there this fall, with a total cost of less than a thousand dollars a year. A welcome change after paying Catholic school tuition for the last 12 years, which basically tapped us out from being able to afford a Catholic college.</p>
<p>First of all, when we mentioned that he was interested in the business department, the college arranged for him to visit a professor there. And the prof spent time talking to him, making him comfortable and telling him all about what D had to offer, right down to the particulars of a freshman business student. The tour was a nice size with a great tour guide was clearly well trained in all aspects of the school. The school is small, but attractive with a nice combination of old and new. THe view of the river and South Side was spectacular, as was the location right on the edge of downtown. That it also bordered on the more dangerous part of town was also explained along with the security measures the college has taken, the lack of reason to go over there, and the many resources including a Barnes & Noble store right on campus. It was a small school, compact school, but without an inbred feeling with many outreach programs involving the city and area involved. Security for the dorms were good. Lots of dorms on campus. Lots of campus space even though the school is smack dab in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh. </p>
<p>I don’t know how good their fin aid is or their merit scholarships. It appears that my son may be eligible for some small ones. Their cost is also slightly less than other private schools. </p>
<p>The school offered a good mix of pragmatic programs along with a core of liberal arts. Good music program, sports are big there, lots to do on campus–great student center and facilities… Just small, but for a city school, nice sized. </p>
<p>There are bits of the campus that are make it very clear that this is a Catholic school, but it isn’t so “in your face” that non CAtholics would be offended. The tour guide was Jewish and from NY. The professor was also from the east coast and Jewish. Decent diversity, from what I could see. I liked the school as did my son. It will definitely be on his list and if it does come through with some merit money, it will get heavy consideration. One con is that it is 7 hours away from us. A lot of Catholic schools between there and here. Duquesne enjoys the reputation of being the premier Catholic school in Pittsburgh, and that was another thing son like. That the school was well known and regarded there. We visited Pitt and CMU the same day (a triple play!). He also really like Pitt, but it was clear that there would not be the small class sizes and personal attention for the first two years there and absolutely no enclosed campus, but lots of amenities, and great atmosphere. Did not like CMU at all which surprised me as it has the best rep of the 3 schools.</p>
<p>Providence College has priests living in the dorms too, which bothered by college son when he visited the school a few years ago. Felt that their presence was a too invasive for his comfort.</p>
<p>DePaul is also a great catholic school Didn’t visit it this time, but did with my second son. A great choice for a city school. This one doesn’t want to go any further away than Pittsburgh.</p>
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Canisius College has a separate building for the Jesuits, but at least one of them lives in the dorms. He’s like 80, and apparently the students love him. Gotta have an open mind.</p>
<p>With those grades/scores, such a student would be in the running for the Presidential Scholarship (full tuition and fees paid) at Fordham. Also, I haven’t heard the bit about Catholic University of America being conservative (actually, they’re quite into social justice… also, the theater program attracts many gay students, many of which I met on my visit, and no one there seems to have a problem with them). CUA isn’t as expensive as other schools, and is good with merit aid. Sounds like both Fordham and CUA fit pretty well. I’d also advise Loyola Maryland, but I’m not well informed about their merit aid.</p>
<p>Son did not like Loyola in MD. The campus just felt too crowded and narrow to him. Didn’t like the feel. It’s also a very expensive school. We are looking at Catholic when we do the MD/DC tour in the fall. Fordham is already on the list, and I agree with you, BillMc, that those scores put that student in line for the Presidential and most certainly for half the costs.</p>
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Really? On the various college websites, they keep saying “top 1% of class” or “top 10% of class”, which doesn’t seem like it would include DS. Should we be including these schools (Fordham would be on the list if a scholarship seemed even remotely possible. just in case they are more flexible than their websites lead you to believe? </p>
<p>Also, I notice some of these places are pretty lop-sided (Niagara 60% women, 40% men). Maybe that will help the situation?</p>