Will he get in to UMASS/UNH? thoughts?

momrules · 10-30-2009, 10:24 AM

He hit "send" on his common app (early action)...2.95 GPA, 25 on ACT, nice essay, a few ec's. Any thoughts out there for this anxious mom? UNH is 1st choice.
Also applied to: U. Southern Maine, Salem, UConn (my almamater but too hard to get in?), UMinn.
Thanks!!!

rodney · 10-30-2009, 11:07 AM

If he is OOS for Umass, wouldn't be surprised with an acceptance...apparently they are trying to increase OOS to a whopping 30%

nightchef · 10-30-2009, 11:42 AM

I'd say his stats are right on the bubble for UMass Amherst. Don't be surprised if he gets in, but don't be surprised if he doesn't. I don't know as much about UNH, but I'd guess the admissions picture is pretty similar. Southern Maine seems like a good safety for him.

editor · 10-30-2009, 01:42 PM

I'm not too sure about UMass. My D applied and was accepted last year (3.6 GPA, lots of honors/AP classes, 25 ACT [only took it once]. Based on the info we received on the visit, we thought she would also be accepted to the business school, but was not. Admissions was very competitive last year. In the end, she did not choose UMass.

I don't think UConn will happen.

Good luck!

JustAMomOf4 · 10-30-2009, 01:52 PM

momrules - what state are you in, NH?

*edit* I see you are in Va. Not sure about UNH. Used to be very very difficult to get in from out of state. I am not seeing UConn either. You never know though.

Donna101 · 11-01-2009, 09:33 AM

I don't know personally about the other schools you listed, but I can tell you how it went at Umass for my son who had similar stats (perhaps a slightly higher weighted GPA) and is OOS. This was last year when he was a hs senior. After we visited in October he fell in love with the school, esp after meeting with a faculty member in the dept he wanted to major. He applied early action, wrote a letter of interest, maintained communication with the faculty member he met, and became very committed to the idea of going there. He received a letter at the very end of December that his application was deferred for regular decision. He was extremely disappointed, but still hopeful. Over holiday break he applied to four other flagship schools. We visited one of those in the third week of April, (Indiana University), after he was accepted and he still hadn't heard from UMass. Ironically he fell in love with IU, and while we were there he checked into his UMass online acct and found out he was accepted. This was one week before the May 1 deadline! Too much too little too late. He is now a happy freshman at IU, and in the end I think UMass's handling of his application spoke volumes. Not only did he find a school he liked as much, even better, but he just didn't feel the love from UMass. You could say a large state flagship can't provide that kind of attention for each applicant, but I can tell you first hand that IU did and it made a big impression on all of us.

thumper1 · 11-01-2009, 09:44 AM

Sounds like he wants to move NORTH...brrrr. Is he looking at any of the public universities in VA? There are a few I can think of that would be inexpensive and probable safety admits for him.

UConn is quite competitive these days. In state students are being accepted to the branch campuses. I don't think they give a "legacy tip" at all (unless you donated a building

).

UNH...seems likely to me...but then I'm not an adcom.

UMass? If what Rodney says is true..and they are looking to increase OOS students, then this could happen too.

Southern Maine is very probable.

He has a nicely balanced list!!

momrules · 11-02-2009, 05:36 PM

Thanks to all...I will again raise the issue of applying a little closer as well. He is (as of today anyway), adamant about NOT applying to any VA schools. As I predicted (feared?), he has gained a girlfriend so the girlfriend, hockey and vidoe games occupy most of his time (notice that homework is not on that list!). I know that all of this is pretty normal but it's really me out here sweating right now! I want him to have options and I think he could thrive at UNH. Right now he seems to vascillate (sp?) about wanting to stay in HS to wanting to get away...a roller coaster I guess. Thanks to all!

momrules · 11-02-2009, 05:38 PM

Donna101: thanks for the UMass experience. It will be interesting to see how it goes with their aggressive approach to OOS students.

rodney · 11-02-2009, 05:48 PM

Donna101: story is so interesting; we know a young woman who had the exact same experience...the other way: IU deferred her, then waitlisted her..she was accepted to UMass.....fell in love; IU accepted her the week before the May 1 deadline but she was done.....so weird that these two schools seem to bounce off of each other....

another story: two kids from our local HS; almost identical stats:
she: accepted to Umass off the waitlist, rejected from IU

he: accepted to IU off the waitlist; rejected from UMass.....

yabeyabe2 · 11-02-2009, 08:36 PM

mom, if you want to broaden the list a bit, I think he would be a strong candidate at URI, Kansas, Pitt, Arizona State and others. If the Va schools are not an option, but you want him closer (or he remembers he does not like snow), how about Towson and Salisbury in MD or the NC schools other than UNC?

LakeWashington · 11-03-2009, 11:47 AM

UNH attracts New Englanders from other states with reduced tuition, about 150% of resident tuition. Also, UNH Zoology and Biology may be the strongest of the New England public colleges. Finally, UNH is much closer to Boston than UMass-Amherts.

AnudduhMom · 11-03-2009, 12:06 PM

LakeWashington -- we thought that too, but there is a key element to this program that families need to be aware of:

Quote:

NEBHE’s Tuition Break program, the New England Regional Student Program (RSP), enables thousands of New England* residents to enroll at out-of-state New England* public colleges and universities at a discount. Students are eligible for the RSP Tuition Break when they enroll in an approved major that is not offered by the public colleges in their own state.

This is from New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) - Tuition Break

Please note the last phrase in the quote. A fin. aid rep at a college fair made us aware of this, and it changed our whole perception of how this works.

It's true that UNH has an excellent Bio/Zoo program, but Bio, Marine Bio, and Zoology are offered as majors on at least 2 UMaine campuses, and UMass, URI, and UConn. Residents of those states would NOT get reduced RSP Tuition for students choosing those majors at UNH, for example.

2 things occurred to me:
-- students have to declare a major when they apply for RSP; the fin. aid rep said that if a student enters the RSP program and then changes to a major offered by a state school in the student's home state, the family will be billed for full OOS tuition!

-- you have to find a mighty esoteric major to have it not offered in flagship universities in any New England state. And you have to be pretty sure that's what you want to do for 4 years.

If anyone has any different information, please share.

thx

momrules · 11-03-2009, 06:10 PM

I agree about Towson. Personally, I love NC but again, he is saying he wants frigid cold! (I know, one year of that he may want to transfer to FL!). Another parent has been touting ODU and I may offer to set up a visit as we have friends close by and can make it a visit, not just "mom dragging me to another school." Oh my aching head!

martina99 · 11-03-2009, 06:39 PM

momrules, I feel for you.

My son was adamant about only applying to nearby schools (to the schools his friends were applying to)

It helped to talk to him with the guidance counselor, and have the counselor suggest he needed more match/safety/financial safety choices.

These were things I suggested that he dismissed, but when the counselor suggested them, he was all agreeable. Sigh.

UMass Amherst is more competitive now that the economy has tanked; many kids with higher stats that would have gone to an expensive private are looking at the state flagship school. They claim that the OOS drive is to increase the student body overall, not accept fewer in state students.

My feeling is that my son with a ~3.3, 1300 SATs, few EC's has about a 50/50 chance. And a zero chance of getting into the engineering school, which is what he's interested in.