<p>Congratulations, Rockevillemom!
Am I right that students at the “Alfreds” can cross-register for classes?
University of South Carolina: you probably know how I feel! Culturally difficult for our kids who are used to a diverse, inclusive environment. Although maybe if enough of our kids attended they could change the culture.</p>
<p>levi-not certain about cross registration.
FYI if you are looking for an environment with lots of other Jewish students, neither of the Alfreds fit the bill. There is a Hillel House at Alfred U, but not a lot of Jewish students.</p>
<p>Are there admission requirements for those programs at the Academic Common Market, i.e. like essays or high school ECs, to show that you really plan to major in that locally unavailable area? And what happens if you change majors, does tuition go up to full OOS rates rather than Common Market euro dollars?</p>
<p>Congrats to your son, hope he has a wonderful trip!</p>
<p>Any link to that thread you’re talking about re: Miami merit aid? I can’t tell based on just thread titles, but there’s SO much to look at around here I don’t know how everyone keeps up.</p>
<p>Also, curious about GW/American for merit aid? I’d heard both were really good but also heard contradictory comments. And am back to waffling about school ranks vs costs. Sigh.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Here are answers based on the ACM Maryland FAQ.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“2) the ACM application must include a letter of acceptance into the specific program of study offered at the out-of-state institution”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I didn’t see this exact question on the FAQ, but the answers to several others on there make me think the student would lose his ACM benefits.</p>
<p>“Q. What if my major is removed from the ACM list in the future? Will my residency revert back to out-of-state?
A. No, if a program has been removed from the ACM inventory, students will be automatically “grandfathered” under the agreement between the ACM states. However, students who did not remain continuously enrolled, fell below full time status or were placed on academic probation at the time the program was removed, lose their ACM benefits.”</p>
<p>“Q. What happens when a student falls below the institution’s required grade point average (GPA), goes on probation but gets back in good academic standing; gets dismissed and reinstated, drops-out but returns full-time later; moves from Maryland to another ACM state; transfers to another ACM institution; or switches to another ACM major in the same institution?
A. Any of these changes would cause the termination of ACM benefits. Should the student’s program be removed from Maryland’s ACM inventory while the event took place, ACM tuition benefits would no longer apply. To be re-certified, the student must apply for ACM as a new applicant and abide by the application deadline. Transfer students who begin studies at one institution with the intent to transfer to another ACM institution/program are not guaranteed ACM access.
It is the student’s responsibility to remain informed about and abide by ACM policies.”</p>
<p>“Q. Is it necessary to reapply each year for ACM?
A. No, certification is a one-time-only procedure provided that there are no changes in the student’s status, e.g. change of major, probation, etc.”</p>
<p>[Academic</a> Common Market Facts](<a href=“http://www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/acadAff/AcademicCommonMarket/commonmarketfaq.asp]Academic”>http://www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/acadAff/AcademicCommonMarket/commonmarketfaq.asp)</p>
<p>One of the wrinkles with the ACM is that the acceptance letter must state the major - and it has to be one of the approved ones on the list. So, if the university just admits you as a freshman - but you don’t declare a major until the end of sophomore year - you would pay OOS rates for freshman and sophomore year - and then once you declare your major - and it is one of the preapproved ones for ACM - then you can get the in-state rate for junior and senior year. However, I am quite sure that South Carolina actually puts the major on the initial acceptance letter - meaning S2 would get the in-state tuition rate for all 4 years.</p>
<p>If you change majors - and now you are not doing one on the pre-approved list - you then have to pay OOS rates for the rest of your time at the university - but you do not have to repay the difference for the previous year(s).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Keep in mind that students in 16 states - not just Maryland - can use this program.</p>
<p>Quite a find, eh?</p>
<p>Out here on the West Coast…</p>
<p>"Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.</p>
<p>The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!"</p>
<p>[Western</a> Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) | Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education](<a href=“http://wiche.edu/wue]Western”>Save On College Tuition | Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE))</p>
<p>sujormik - I’m not sure if you mean University of Miami in Florida or Miami University in Ohio - but both are great schools - with lots of merit aid and abundant Jewish life. University of Miami is the harder school to get into - but is within reach for a B+ student with strong test scores. Miami University is a true “B” student option.</p>
<p>Here’s the link for University of Miami - shows their various levels of scholarships:</p>
<p>[New</a> Freshmen / First Year Students | Enrollment Management | University of Miami](<a href=“http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/scholarships/freshmen/]New”>http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/scholarships/freshmen/)</p>
<p>And here’s the link for Miami University in Ohio</p>
<p>[Scholarships</a> | High School Students | Financial Aid | Admission | Miami University](<a href=“http://www.miami.muohio.edu/admission/finaid/high-school/scholarships/index.html]Scholarships”>Costs, Scholarships, and Financial Aid | Miami University)</p>
<p>and [University</a> Merit Scholarships | Miami Scholarships | Scholarships | High School Students | Financial Aid | Admission | Miami University](<a href=“http://www.miami.muohio.edu/admission/finaid/high-school/scholarships/miami-scholarships/merit.html]University”>Costs, Scholarships, and Financial Aid | Miami University)</p>
<p>Miami University does a nice chart that shows the levels of available scholarships to OOS students - starting at just a 3.7 GPA (I believe this can be weighted) and a 26 or 27 ACT - one is eligible for a merit award.</p>
<p>More on domestic exchange programs like ACM and WUE</p>
<p>[FinAid</a> | Other Types of Aid | Domestic Exchange and Study Abroad Programs](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>sujormik: Here’s the thread I was talking about that’s on the Miami (FL) board where students give their stats and note their merit aid. Not for a B student, but with great scores/rank, you never know. My DD has a friend who was offered great merit aid at Miami with SAT’s under 1300 (I don’t know the rest of her stats though); interestingly, she’s passing that up for James Madison (I have no idea what they offered her, if anything).</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-miami-florida/1172090-chances-16-000-20-000-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-miami-florida/1172090-chances-16-000-20-000-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>Thank you guys, I was indeed talking about U of Miami in FL. My D is an A student with 32 ACT but not a superstar with ECs and we REALLY need her to get merit money! Appreciate the links!</p>
<p>sujormik - with those stats - I would say she has an excellent chance of merit aid at Univ. of Miami. I would suggest Tulane as well - also has great merit aid for top students. If she does Tulane - apply early - as in September.</p>
<p>Deleted due to idocy.</p>
<p>“Deleted due to idocy.”</p>
<p>Aw shucks, I missed it!</p>
<p>Last I knew, American U did their merit money determinations based on the numbers (scores, grades) and not on the rest of the application. They did reduce the amount of the top merit award (from $27K/year in past years to $20K/year, which is major), and the cost after the merit award is still pretty steep, but it’s worth a look.</p>
<p>I think that American does consider numbers for their merit awards, but also leadership and extra-curriculars. For their honors program, it is more purely numbers based. You are right about cutting back merit aid last year–I would say it dropped on the average of $7K to $10K per year depending on the award.</p>
<p>Any sense of whether GW is any better with merit aid? My mom’s friend’s granddaughter (hello jewish geography) has a full ride to GW, so needless to say Grandma expects us to get the same LOL.</p>
<p>We are hitting the skies at 6 Tuesday morning for a visit to American, GW and Georgetown, then megabus-ing to NY for a just-for-grins stop at NYU and Columbia. NYU unlikely due to the $$ and Columbia, well it’s not really even a reach, but since we’re celebrating the grandmother’s 100th birthday on Long Island, figured we’d check out the biggies LOL.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!</p>
<p>Sujormik, I know that GW offers merit aide to students with stats in your daughter’s range, but I’m not sure how much</p>
<p>Have a great time on your trip. I visited all of the same schools (except Columbia) with my daughters so I’m curious to hear your impressions. If you daughter likes GW and NYU, you might want to consider BU and Northeastern in Boston. She would definitely get merit $$ at Northeastern, and would have a shot at BU.</p>
<p>Have a great trip - and keep in mind - the term “full ride” can be so misleading. You really have no idea if that is merit aid, need-based financial aid, or a combination of the two. It could also be a combination of the two with some exaggeration thrown in as well. I always take such claims with a large grain of salt.</p>
<p>Yes, RVM, one is relieved seeing the award letter, and then each semester happy that tuition & room and board are covered. Even though it’s right there in front of you, you don’t always process the fact of how much of that financial aid is in the form of loans.</p>
<p>But then a couple of months after graduation, the letters about repayment and monthly bills start coming in and suddenly you realize how much of that was in loans.</p>