<p>Bad news: my daughter was rejected by Swarthmore on early decision (already rejected by Yale early action but that was not nearly as upsetting to her). Good news: she got into Brandeis. Bad news: She was only offered loans and work study. This is making the Macaulay Honors program seem better and better if she gets in (free tuition, free dorms)…</p>
<p>Macauley Honors is one of the most awesome deals in higher education. How many young people would pay through the nose for the opportunity to live in Manhattan? How many would pay through the nose for the opportunity to get a college degree in a highly-selective environment? So how about getting both for free? Awesome.</p>
<p>Of course, she first has to get in. But considering her average (95), ranking (24 out of close to 800) and the summer program she did with the Macaulay Honors program last summer where she got an A and A- in her two courses, I am thinking it is highly likely. She was set on going away but if she went there, she could still live in a dorm (away from mom and dad) and have some extra money in her pocket since we wouldn’t have to pay for all of that…</p>
<p>My daughter is really bummed. She had hoped so much for Swarthmore and had had such a connection with the interviewer. And she knows the financial aid package from Brandeis was terrible. Our friend’s son goes to Brandeis and they said they didn’t get much either–an $8,000 grant and the rest loans. I’m not sure why we didn’t even get the $8,000 they got since they make more than we do. Now I am trying to assess her chances at her other choices and the financial aspect. We make decent money but in NYC, it is not that high an income–$130,000 before taxes, high maintenance and mortgage, some money in the bank not not a lot, no other property at all.</p>
<p>First…she applied to Oberlin, Haverford, Clark, Harvard (yeah, right), Syracuse, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Geneseo, and the CUNY Honors program.</p>
<p>Her average is 95, ranking 24 out of almost 800, 740 on each section of the SAT on the only taking, I think she got 740 on World History and 760 on bio. She got 4s or 5s on her APs in World History, AB Calculus and US. SHe is taking English Lit, Eco and Environmental AP this year. She did an independent study in Intel Social Science. She has done heavy theater tech since 6th grade, and has gotten to positions of leadership–Assistant Stage Crew Chief…that has been her main EC since it was so time consuming, summer programs at John Hopkins/CTY and last summer at the Macaulay Honor Program in Bioinfomatics, getting an A and A- in the two courses she took.</p>
<p>I am figuring that she is fairly likely to get into the Macaulay Honors Program and, of course, that would be the best financial deal with free tuition and dorms. But she so much wants to get out of NYC. What are her chances at the other colleges? What kinds of money do they offer?</p>
<p>And, I forgot, she is a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.</p>
<p>SueMac -</p>
<p>You might want to take the question about money to the experts in the Financial Aid Forum. If your daughter desperately wants out of NYC, she may still have a change of admission at places that would offer her good merit money for her NMS status.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a></p>