Chance/Match a high school senior [3.6 GPA, 32 ACT, Business, <25-30K]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US citizen
  • Public High School

Cost Constraints / Budget
30K max

Intended Major(s) Business Administration/Management

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.6
  • Weighted HS GPA: 5.0/4.0
  • Class Rank: N/A
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 32

List your HS coursework

  • English: Accelerated English 1, Accelerated English 2, AP English Lang, AP English Lit
  • Math: Algebra 2/Trigonometry, Precalculus, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics
  • Science: AP Physics 1, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science
  • History and social studies: AP World History, AP US History, AP US Government, AP Microeconomics, AP Psychology
  • Language other than English: Italian 3, Italian 4, AP Italian
  • Visual or performing arts: Fiber Arts, AP 3D Art
  • Other academic courses: PE 9/Health, PE 10/Driver’s Education, DE Business 111, AP Computer Science A

Awards Local school/extracurricular awards and AP Scholar with Distinction

Extracurriculars

  • Nursing Home Volunteer and Musician
  • Hostess
  • Summer Camp Counselor
  • All-State Orchestra Cellist
  • Varsity Hockey & Team Manager
  • UX/UI Design Intern
  • Investment/Stock Market Club Marketing Manager
  • FBLA Treasurer
  • Youth Financial Literacy Club Founder & President
  • Knitting Projects

Essays/LORs:
Fairly strong writer & good connections with teachers and other recommender

Schools

  • Accepted to*: Creighton Heider, Case Western, Miami University Farmer & Honors, Penn State Smeal, decent financially safe in-state college
  • Waiting on: UF Warrington, IU Kelley, Purdue Daniels, UIUC Gies, Villanova
  • Looking for: 3-5 more “reach” or “target” schools with strong aid for regular decision applications. Right now looking at Chapman, Fordham, and American.

*Currently other than financially safe in-state college, other colleges that child has been admitted to gave decent merit yet no need-based aid so they are more costly than the net price calculators predicted. That’s why we’re looking for a few more options hoping to see if we qualify for need-based aid or could get stronger merit if possible. Child would prefer to attend a diverse, collaborative, urban college with over 10k undergrad population. Thanks!

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Out of state public universities are unlikely to meet your budget because they don’t meet need for out of state residents. Unless you live in Indiana, Purdue and IU won’t meet the budget.

Run the NPCs on for the schools you are considering and see if they are affordable.

Glad to hear you have an instate affordable option!

I’ll let others recommend other private schools to try for business.

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How does a 3.6 UW calculate to a 5.0/4.0 weighted? Is your HS’s weighting system out of 6?

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No, the school’s weighting system is out of 4.0.

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Unfortunately, you applied to schools that had zero or near zero chance of making your budget. When you have a budget, you have to pick schools for it, not for name. Too many don’t realize that. It’s not about rank.

So Miami Ohio, Penn State (even if in state), UF, IU, Purdue, UIUC were, I won’t say not good apps - but wasted apps unless in -state. It’s also odd that your list does not match your desires….specifically urban or diverse.

The first school I can think of is U Louisville, large, diverse and a few miles South of downtown in a big city. Direct costs are $43K but merit can get you under $30K but not knowing where you are from - I don’t know if it will.

Looking at your list of where you applied, the first that comes to mind since you have UF is its less selective but very good - and has tons of smart kids due to merit SEC sibling - Alabama. With your stats, you get $28K off so you are that $22K-ish. Culverhouse is an excellent b school. They don’t superscore for merit - so if it’s a 30 single score, you’d get $24K off. If it’s below a 30, then it might not work.

There are other SEC schools like Ole Miss, Miss State and maybe more that will work but Bama will be the best known and is most similar to UF. It’s basically a copy school of UF. Up and coming - not sure if it would work $ wise - is - Arkansas. They’ve invested a ton into the Walton School, it’s a leader in finance, and business is booming. Fayetteville is a nice size town.

Two others - Central Michigan is $28K total and has merit to bring you to $22K or so (it’s a few thousand higher the last two years). W Carolina is about $20K-ish all in.

If you seek the big flagship, then Bama because their merit is with a 3.5 but is earned with a top ACT - and you hit the $28K tier. Schools like WVU, Miami (Ohio), and Kansas - the GPA matters but not the test for merit - so while they’re lower cost flagships, won’t hit $30K. Bama uses the ACT to determine aid once you hit the 3.5 GPA.

Depending on your state, you might also have a regional program (MW exchange, New England exchange, Academic Common Market, WUE) - but you didn’t say what your state is. That could open up other schools to hit $30K…so if you provide your state, I can help you.

So those are ideas - some of which will work no matter what. Louisville might be the best fit but I can’t assure but Bama which is most similar to your list and has a more geographically diverse crowd than any school on your list (due to they buy kids in). C Michigan and W Carolina are a bit smaller but still 10K kids and will definitely hit.

Similar to WCU, these three will be priced the same ($20K-ish) but are less known - Fayetteville being the biggest city. You can research. They are called the NC Promise Schools.

Elizabeth City State University

Fayetteville State University

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Finally, two more. More suburban but it’s smack in a 200K very educated city - it’s just not a city with a major downtown or sky scrapers - is UAH - which is known mostly for engineering but has business. It will be under $25K with automerit. It’s a bit under 10K kids

And UT Chattanooga - is across the pedestrian bridge from a great, touristy city - skyline and all. I think it will be a few thousand over budget but I may be missing some more $$. It might be the best fit based on your description of what you seek - if urban it is and 10k students and I’ve only ever heard great things (it’s a popular choice where I live).

But based on your big, public, rural list up top - Alabama would be the most similar and would beat the lower tier of your budget. And Louisville, if it hits and I can’t be 100% positive, the closest to what you actually described.

Good luck.

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I am wondering what state you are from. In many cases at least among public universities your in-state options will be the most affordable.

For those private universities that meet full need, I am wondering whether in general whatever the NPC’s say matches your budget. Often it does, but often it doesn’t. There are a variety of reasons why a university’s definition of “need” might not meet a family’s reality.

Unfortunately NPCs also vary in terms of whether or not they predict merit aid, and how accurate they are. Sometimes you just need to apply and see what sort of offers show up.

Have you run the NPC’s?

By the way, as universities get more and more expensive, the cost of education has become a significant issue for a large number of students and their families. Recent university graduates frequently find a first job that is good for them, and is a good start on a good career, but which does not pay very well. Graduating university with no debt is a big advantage, but will in many, many cases depend upon choosing an affordable university in the first place. There is nothing wrong with aiming to attend an affordable university. Rather, this is a very responsible and sensible and very important consideration to keep in mind. Also, sometimes it is up to the parents to be the “adults in the room” when cost considerations come up. Your child will thank you somewhere around about 5 years from now.

I have wondered about this exact question. However, the way that high schools compute weighted GPA in the US varies so enormously that I am just ignoring the weighted GPA and going from the unweighted GPA, which is pretty good.

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Since you want need aid, check schools that meet 100% of need. What do the NPC say?Some won’t be of size though and will be need aware - meaning they can say no even if admissible, because they don’t want to cover your bill.

Miami Florida, BU, Northeastern. Case Western. For publics, if not too late non direct admit UNC and UVA as they are the two publics that meet need for all. Someone noted UNC is doing some direct admit now. Not sure if deadlines have passed.

You might look at Rochester, Lehigh and Emory too and if a name matters more than size, look at Richmond even though it’s smaller. W&L, Dickinson and F&M fit small school flyers. They don’t meet need but Syracuse is becoming very aggressive it seems.

If you’re ok with your in- state and I’m sure it’s fine, then check these that are hard admits

I don’t know why the NPCs were off but I’m guessing at CSS and IDOC schools, many people don’t provide their full picture. The schools dig deep so the NPC and real costs don’t match.

But for a merit seeker, the list I provided above is much better because it has assurances due to automerit and / or low upfront cost vs these I’m listing here.

American, Fordham, and Chapman won’t be aggressive. AU has budget issues as does Brandeis but it (Brandeis) meets need. The three you mentioned could but don’t assure to meet and I’d be doubtful they would if Creighton doesn’t.

Two more - in PA - St Joes gets very aggressive - not sure if that aggressive and one poster for creative writing - between big merit and need - is under $30k I believe at Susquehanna. It’s a fine LAC with b school but everything you don’t want - size, diversity. But far more likely to hit budget than those you mentioned if your initial private acceptances like Creighton missed.

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Congrats to your kid on the acceptances so far. Those are some great schools!

Did you use the Net Price Calculators (NPCs) on the schools’ website or a tool like MyIntuition? If the school’s NPCs were off significantly, you may want to reach out to the financial aid office with copies of the NPCs to see why they are coming back so differently.

But to save some time, fill out the NPC for Princeton, which is arguably the most generous school in determining financial need. I understand that Princeton is not urban, over 10k undergrads, and is highly unlikely to provide an admittance. But if Princeton’s NPC doesn’t come back as affordable, then nobody’s NPC will come back as affordable when looking at it from a purely need-based perspective.

I’m also a bit perplexed at your kid’s wishlist when combined with the schools applied to. But if your kid is wanting an urban campus, then they need to look for cities with a lower cost-of-living. NYC, D.C., and L.A. are all very expensive places to live that would probably need at least $20k for living expenses, and there aren’t many popular colleges that will reduce their tuition down to $10k.

These two may be pretty much guaranteed to meet budget, if the scholarship deadlines haven’t passed:

  • U. of Houston (TX): About 33k undergrads, and even a modest merit scholarship can potentially come with in-state tuition…but the priority scholarship deadline may have passed.

  • U. of New Mexico: About 17k undergrads at this Albuquerque school

These are some other options that may be able to meet budget, with some likelier than others.

  • DePaul (IL): About 14k undergrads at this Chicago school

  • Louisiana State: About 33k undergrads at this Baton Rouge school

  • Loyola Chicago (IL): About 12k undergrads

  • Marquette (WI): About 7700 undergrads at this Milwaukee school

  • Saint Louis (MO): About 11k undergrads

  • U. of Cincinnati (OH): About 31k undergrads

  • U. of South Florida: About 37k undergrads at this Tampa school

  • U. of Utah: About 27k undergrads at this Salt Lake City school, and if your kid stays over the summer, then can qualify for in-state pricing after the first year.

  • U. of Wisconsin - Milwaukee: About 18k undergrads

I’ll second Tsbna’s suggestions of U. of Louisville, U. of Arkansas, and St. Joseph’s, too.

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