Thank you for clarifying @BrownParent !
The 2015 Fall freshman class at University of Iowa has 5,241 students, including 399 in the business school and 607 in pre-business, so about 20% of freshmen are business or pre-business:
http://admissions.uiowa.edu/future-students/first-year-student-profile
@Madison85 okay, that is what I was told at the orientation I attended but I really don’t think the number of accepted students matters in this specific thread, thanks for the correction though, makes me look better as 1/400 than 1/900.
@Madison85 http://tippie.uiowa.edu/undergraduate/admissions/ admitted, just so you know, about 900. Maybe 400 actually attend.
http://tippie.uiowa.edu/undergraduate/admissions/prospective.cfm
Looks like applicants need a 26 ACT and 3.6 GPA for direct-admit.
Also note that the scholarship deadline is March 1, 2016; apply even if you think you will be going to your dream school.
Probably easier to get into the business school at Iowa than at U Minn - TC where the average student has a 29 ACT and is top 10% of the class:
http://carlsonschool.umn.edu/degrees/undergraduate/admissions/freshman-students
Thus you may do better in getting scholarships at a school were you are closer to the top of the applicant pool (University of Iowa).
I already got in months ago @Madison85
I was referring to applicants in general, not you specifically.
The UC’s are public universities with the goal of educating California residents (whose parents have paid abnormally high taxes to the state of California). Priority funding and admission goes to our California kids. Your current stats are not competitive for San Diego. UC’s admissions priority goes to CA HS and CC students. You need over a 32 ACT and over a 4.0 to be somewhat competitive.
I am attaching the copy of the Residency requirements for California:
http://ucop.edu/general-counsel/_files/ed-affairs/uc-residence-policy.pdf
Why you won’t get in-state rates for the UC’s:
Your high school transcript is a big red flag that you are coming to California for educational purposes. Once they see the OOS transcript and don’t see parents living in our state, you will be billed a minimum of $55K per year. That’s $220K for 4 years. You will not receive a dime of financial aid from the state of California because your parents haven’t paid California taxes.
from page 14:
from p. 17:
Which means you have to work for almost two years, without attending any California school, and without help from your parents because your income (w-2 forms) has to match your expenses with no parent loans or help.
Living with an aunt and uncle means that you are not relying on your own income to support yourself and to pay our outrageous taxes.
From p. 20:
Our rents near UCSD are minimum~$1500-$2000 per month and, as entering freshman found out earlier this year, on-campus housing is not guaranteed. Did you even visit UCSD?
You need to schedule a meeting with all of your family members and find out exactly what kind of funding you will be getting from each family member. Not this business of paying 1/3. You need dollar amounts so that the bills can get paid.
For our dd’s UC, we get our bills immediately, and payment is expected immediately.
My dd registers for classes and then we get the bill notice via parent emails, snail mail, texts and university mail to the student.
If your tuition isn’t paid by the prescribed date, the university dis-enrolls you from the classes. So, you need your money in-hand immediately. Classes can be difficult to get, so being disenrolled is a BIG deal because you’ve just lost your classes and you have to hope you can get into those classes again.
But we Californians don’t mind OOS students, so much, because your fees of $55K per year, give our State much needed funds.
FAFSA is the federal application that allows you to have the $5,500 loan you can’t be refused.
Since your mom will give $7,000 and a UC is 58K, it means your dad has to be willing to either
1° Take on a Parent PLUS loan of 45K on your behalf (that you’d then pay back, but that he’d be liable for if you don’t)
or
2° “lend you” the money and expect you to pay him back or forgive you the loan later on.
That’s still a 180K loan, which is HUGE for undergraduate.
A 3.5 GPA IS SUPER HARD in college. It’s nothing like getting a 3.5 in high school.
(To give you an idea, med schools want 3.6 because that’s supposed to indicate the very top students in a college).
For a freshman, a 3.0 is already a pretty hard barrier.
And if you major in engineering, a 3.0 is very high.
In addition, if I understand correctly, it means your dad gets to choose your major. A problem is that parents may not know what majors are professionally strong (ie., because of the craze for stem, some parents ignore the fact English has better prospects than Biology…) and may not realize how hard a major may be for their child (there’s a reason so many students “change their minds”/drop out of engineering or cs…)
Carlson (UMN) is very hard to get into, harder than Tippie. You’re a very strong student for Tippie, but just very average for UMN Calrson. It means you’ll be challenged more at UMN but it may be more comfortable in Iowa.
Not all state schools are the same - UMN is urban and huge, for instance. Also, you need to look into the residency requirements.
What about applying to one more university so that you have a choice in the Spring?
@MYOS1634 I’m not sure where else to apply
@“aunt bea” yes I have been to UCSD 2 times, one on an official tour, once recently over thanksgiving break. Thanks for the information
I would suggest that whatever agreement you make with your dad be put into a formal written agreement. If you end up going to a UC or other pricey college, you are both agreeing to a LARGE financial commitment. Added to this is the whole divorce situation and future father’s spouses.
One thing to clarify about the GPA requirement is what happens if something happens that is beyond your control. For example a major illness or mental health issuee that serious impacts your GPA? It happens more often then you think.
OP I saw your comments also on the other thread. Sounds like you should still apply for Indiana Kelley - you may still receive scholarship etc - yes ‘best before Nov 1’. Get in ASAP and see what happens.
Look at Cost/Benefit. Do not choose to go into horrible debt for UG.
Many HS students think the debt will be ‘no big deal’. They also outweigh the benefit to the high cost.
Get UG degree, and later maybe you can establish yourself in CA and continue on with school/life later if you want to live in CA.
The world and opportunities can be wide, but not if you dig yourself into a big debt situation as an UG.
@SOSConcern I think I’ll probably end up going to Iowa because I won’t get into a UC Either way. Thanks for the heads up!
Sounds like you have a bright future @LilRussian - look at UC doing you a favor and not tempting you into big debt.
You have a final HS semester - enjoy the stage of life you are in. Enjoy the Christmas break. Do the preparations to put your best foot forward once you are at college.
All the best!
Thank you @SOSConcern !
Also confirm what post #68 says about grades in college. My DD2 who matches your ACT score but had higher GPA in HS (4.0/4.2 weighted, college prep catholic school) is doing well in engineering at college with a 3.4 GPA, attending state flagship - in her second year. She had all english and history done through AP, so all courses for her major - math, physics, engineering. Public speaking course was A+. In STEM MBA program and A in that.
You want to have strong GPA in college - your state flagship can provide a very good education for you.
You want to be able to adjust to college life, be social enough, but also continue towards your career and professional goals.
Hello LilRussian, be happy you can afford to go to college in Iowa without incurring a huge debt if any. Having gone to one of the UC’s you list and currently financing an education for my own child at another one, there a very slim chance you will be accepted into any of the 3 you applied for with a 3.92 UC GPA. Maybe Merced or possibly Riverside, but you applied to the toughest 3 that pretty much require >4.3 GPA and >32 ACT plus a lot of extraordinary EC’s, essay etc.