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help with finding merit for oos in warm weather state
1Lotus
69 replies7 threads Junior Member
Hi, Searching for D class of 2021. We just got back her PSAT scores-1350, SI 207, so no NM here, but hoping to find schools in warm weather climate that would at least have OOS tuition waiver and maybe a little merit.
STATS-
4.0
Pre-ACT- sophomore year 32
8 AP classes by end of junior year-AP Calc AB and BC, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Physics C, AP Seminar, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology
Sophomore practice ACT 32
NHS
Cross country-2 years
orchestra (in school) 2 years-conflicted with AP class times this year
Science Bowl 3 years, Math League-1st year for club this year, FTC (Robotics)-does not like so this year only, PT job on weekends, some volunteering-performs violin solos and with choir about once a season.
Although she does not run cross country anymore, she is an avid runner and won her age division in 10K this fall. We are from a cold weather state and she wants to go somewhere warm!!
She is interested in Math/Science/Engineering and has considered Psychology/Psychiatry as well. She scored in the 99 percentile for reading/writing and 93 percentile in math.
I like UT-Dallas and would like to visit if it seems possible/likely to receive AES. DO @3scoutsmom or others have opinions on whether her stats would make it possible? If so, we would probably spend spring break visiting. Is there someone to contact at the school to discuss this?
U of Alabama Huntsville is on radar as well.
We think that she would prefer a medium-size school but willing to look at others as well. I don't think she has a big preference to urban/suburban/rural but currently lives in suburban setting and is most familiar with it. We visited local schools over the summer with differnt sizes/settings. All in our cold state or reciprocity state.
We would like to take a spring break trip somewhere with her to visit a warm weather school that she might qualify for merit or at least OOS tuition waiver.
Currently sending son to college for under $25,000/year COA and hoping to do the same for her only in a warm climate...any ideas?
30 replies STATS-
4.0
Pre-ACT- sophomore year 32
8 AP classes by end of junior year-AP Calc AB and BC, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Physics C, AP Seminar, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology
Sophomore practice ACT 32
NHS
Cross country-2 years
orchestra (in school) 2 years-conflicted with AP class times this year
Science Bowl 3 years, Math League-1st year for club this year, FTC (Robotics)-does not like so this year only, PT job on weekends, some volunteering-performs violin solos and with choir about once a season.
Although she does not run cross country anymore, she is an avid runner and won her age division in 10K this fall. We are from a cold weather state and she wants to go somewhere warm!!
She is interested in Math/Science/Engineering and has considered Psychology/Psychiatry as well. She scored in the 99 percentile for reading/writing and 93 percentile in math.
I like UT-Dallas and would like to visit if it seems possible/likely to receive AES. DO @3scoutsmom or others have opinions on whether her stats would make it possible? If so, we would probably spend spring break visiting. Is there someone to contact at the school to discuss this?
U of Alabama Huntsville is on radar as well.
We think that she would prefer a medium-size school but willing to look at others as well. I don't think she has a big preference to urban/suburban/rural but currently lives in suburban setting and is most familiar with it. We visited local schools over the summer with differnt sizes/settings. All in our cold state or reciprocity state.
We would like to take a spring break trip somewhere with her to visit a warm weather school that she might qualify for merit or at least OOS tuition waiver.
Currently sending son to college for under $25,000/year COA and hoping to do the same for her only in a warm climate...any ideas?
Replies to: help with finding merit for oos in warm weather state
Furman in Greenville, SC - no engineering but great STEM overall
Clemson
Univ. of South Carolina
But getting to $25k or less could be hard.
I agree that U of Arizona could be a good target - the runners I know in Tucson seek cooler temperatures in the surrounding mountains when it gets hot. Same goes for UNM and Albuquerque. Huntsville has the cooler mountain climate thing going on as well.
Salt Lake City wouldn't make a list of "warm" climates per se, but the highs average around 40F even in the coldest months, so not a "cold" climate either except at altitude in the mountains. Terrific place for outdoor recreation, and UofU has good merit opportunities as well as the option to gain in-state residency after a year. Great STEM, honors college, etc.
Reciprocity-wise, are you eligible for WUE, or MSEP, or...?
It will affect your list a lot, whether keeping the engineering option open is a must, or whether strong non-engineering science options will suffice.
Are you familiar with U of U as a quality education? It has been on her radar and I don’t know much about it. Do you know if they have OOS tuition waiver for certain stats or only the in state rates after first year. I will also look at the website to research it a bit. Highs of 40 would be minor compared to what we endure here.
Why not the flagship University of Alabama as well?
When will she have actual ACT scores? (Or SAT?)
https://financialaid.rice.edu/
The school is surrounded by a gravel, shaded 5K path. Would be hot/humid the first month or 2 of school but the rest of the year the weather is great.
Unfortunately, since they are all midwest schools they are not really warm weather (particularly not right now).
Some other potential options are LSU, Ole Miss, UAB
Thank you @ErinsDad and @Sybylla definitely things to consider. My h is U of MN grad...started engineering but back in the day found it a weed out major--and he was NMS! He ended up finding his fit in actuarial science.
When we were hunting merit, I would pick a state and go to the Wikipedia page for "Colleges in (state)". From their lists I would go to each college's website and check out the COA and auto merit charts.
While UNM will weed out because of the entry to major set up, the eng drop and weed outs will do it anyway, wherever they are, at less rigorous schools that just means later rather than sooner. Uminn used ot have a 3.2 for entry to say chen, but at U of U one would lose the scholarship (assuming you get a good one) if your GPA is less than 3.6.
Consider University of New Mexico for your D.
UNM offers
--an ABET accredited engineering program
--close proximity to 2 National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Lab and the White Sands Test Range for internship opportunities
--much better air quality than Utah. (My D who recently moved to SLC just asked for an air purifier for Christmas!)
--cooler summer temperatures than Phoenix or Tuscon
--a dry, low humidity climate
-- mild temperatures year round w/ 278 sunny days/year for a long running/training season
--altitude (ABQ is at the same altitude as Denver.)
-- a very competitive cross country team
ABQ has a ton of international runners living here to take advantage of the long training season, altitude and abundant running trails.
Your D would be eligible for the Amigo Scholarship (automatic merit) at UNM.
UNM Out of State Freshmen Scholarships
Tuition would be ~$7.5K/year, room & board about $11-12K/year (depends on housing and meal plan choices)
She would be eligible to join the Honors Program--
https://honors.unm.edu
The other school I would suggest that you explore is Arizona State U, in conjunction with their Barrett Honors College. The school has invest much into their STEM science programs and they currently have some very impressive programs with research components.
The Barrett Honors College (which requires a supplemental application for admission) presents a 'school within a school' with tremendous perks, including small, discussion-based GE classes, early registration, robust advising for both Honors and within the major, as well as the option to live in the Honors complex.
Good luck.
She is also interested in study abroad-in particular Japan. A school that offers Japanese language is a plus, but not a deal breaker. She has 2 years of HS Japanese that she took online.
@WayOutWestMom To clarify...she is interested in running as a hobby and not cross country anymore. She regularly runs 10k and not planning to run with a team, but if there is a great cross country team, then chances are there great running trails. Thanks for the links to the auto merit and honors. I appreciate when a school has auto merit chart!!