D22 has a list of targets, matches and reaches but not so many safeties. She would be bummed to only be accepted here but would be happy to go here.
Would you consider this a sure thing safety?
Stats: 27 ACT, 3.979 UW GPA, top decile(probably 8%)
2020-2021 CDS
Acceptance rate 82%
ACT 25%=23, 75%=28
GPA average not reported on CDS but other sources say 3.5
Percent accepted in top decile= 17%
Knowing your home state and which university it is would be helpful. If you are in-state and this is a public university, it does look quite hopeful for admission.
@ucbalumnus’s first question is a big one also. No university is a safety unless you are very confident that it will be affordable. If it is possible (it is not always) then avoiding or at least minimizing loans can help you and your child a lot down the road.
Are you requesting financial aid? If so, not a safety.
I find it hard to believe that a school with an 82% acceptance rate has an average 3.5 unweighted GPA. Does this school accept by major or program?
Does your D’s school have Naviance or Scoir, which you could use to help assess chances? If so, is your D applying to a major/program that is typically more competitive than the average admission, e.g, CS, engineering, direct admit nursing?
Lastly, I echo the affordability comments…a safety isn’t a safety unless it’s affordable.
Thank you all. Yes it is affordable. We will fill out a FAFSA, but will not qualify for aid. It is not in state. She is applying pre Nursing as they do not have a direct admission program. CDS says demonstrated interest is not considered but she did do an in person visit, as well as online sessions and communication with the AO. Naviance data is poorly maintained at our school it seems, but what is there looks like a “sure thing.”
At some colleges, pre-nursing admission is significantly more competitive than the college generally (plus then there is a secondary admission gate to be fully in the nursing major after a few semesters of college).
Any chance they give acceptances early via rolling admissions? Many schools with similar stats do - though not all. If so, you’ll have your answer early enough to look for another option.
Sounds like it is - can you name the school?
That said, if you have any concern (perhaps the major is a hindrance) and it does not have rolling admission (i.e. you can find out early), make sure you have a second school as a just in case.
If it’s an out of state public, what could work against you is being from OOS - many schools have an in-state mandate and thus out of state students have a bit tougher of a go.
It sounds fine on paper - but I personally believe you should have at least two safeties just in case.
But many schools have rolling admission - so the earlier you apply, the earlier you know and if you know before most schools have deadlines (Nov 1, etc.) then you’re good.
Few schools out of state will give you money. Send in the FAFSA but it likely won’t impact anything. You can actually send in the FAFSA later. There’s no rush there.
Good luck
Sure, it’s James Madison. They do not have rolling admission. The only other sorta-safety she has is Duquesne but I don’t think she’d really want to be there.
Why?
Because that school is accepting nearly all candidates, and a 3.5 unweighted GPA is well above average. My guess is that’s a weighted GPA average.
James Madison has non binding early action and is test optional. I would think it was a safety even for pre-nursing but you can certainly test it by applying EA.
From 2013-14 forward James Madison University will no longer report GPA data (C11 and C12) in the common data set.
Just another data point here’s the 2019-2020 data
17.6% top decile 50% of students are in the top quartile of their graduating class and 90% are in the top half. Remember when you are looking at those numbers in the CDS they are enrolled not accepted students.
What does the rest of her list look like?
JMU - I’d say she’s in since it’s pre-nursing. But I would find another safety - to be sure.
I would not apply to Duquense - for simple reason that you said - I don’t think she’d really want to be there.
So you need to find a school - a safety that it’s:
What are her hot buttons - JMU is a school that sort of owns the town, kind of middle of nowhere. Are you a VA resident?
I’m thinking WVU, Ohio U, East Carolina, Radford (smaller), WKU - sort of in the vein of JMU but easier…schools not in a big city but sort of dominate their town…ok, maybe not Radford but it’s a VA public.
Good luck
My D22 is looking at similar schools and I am seeing a lot of them. Doesn’t seem too uncommon in a state like VA where you have publics like UVA, VA Tech, William & Mary all up higher on the pole. Is the GPA listed on the CDS commonly the weighted or unweighted GPA?
Montclair State would be a second safety. No test score necessary. The schools are nearly clones of each other (except no hills at Montclair) physically and admit-wise with Montclair being slightly easier in general and a way better location for finding jobs, experience and internships. Montclair is in an urban/suburban area (very wealthy) but you would not know that once on campus. The nursing web page describes how admission to nursing works.
My brother in law played football there and husbands whole family is from NJ. I will take a look, thanks.
The rest of her list are target/match and reaches:
Delaware (double legacy)
Temple
Scranton (maybe)
Pitt
Duquesne
Clemson
U of SC
Villanova
UMiami
We are really struggling to find a place she likes that is a near guarantee. Pitt went in today and they’re rolling so I will just pray lol.
Nursing is such a crap shoot because there is limited spots, you may want to throw in a bunch of additional applications and see what choices you end up with. Here’s a few more schools to consider, these were where some of the schools that my Ds friends ended up at or were accepted at for Nursing.
University of Tampa
Fairfield
University of Rhode Island
Sacred Heart