Why would you think this? I understand they haven’t taken the test yet but the vast majority of admitted applicants to TCU and SMU don’t submit test scores and at least for now they remain test optional. And if OP does score 1200, that’s within the mid-50 range for TCU. Both schools have acceptance rates > 50 percent for early action applicants. OP may get in or not but I don’t think it’s accurate to categorically say that it’s “not happening” if they score 1200.
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Auburn is the first that comes to mind. Also maybe look at USF or UCF.
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Neeley and Cox, Not TCU and SMU
And then there’s budget - an unaffordable acceptance is not an acceptance. And Neeley adds a premium to boot.
Anyway, at this point OP doesn’t know how the student will do. It was a guess.
So too early to speculate. With a 90 I’m assuming 3.5 but we don’t know. My chancing could certainly be off.
At the apparent schools of interest, are there significant costs related to joining sororities that should be budgeted for?
Yea. I feel like your chancing is low. My two oldest have or had 91 and 92 averages and that was equal to 3.7 and 3.73 UW. Average GPA of admitted students at both SMU and TCU is 3.67, so I would have assume 90 is right there. Rigor will matter somewhat to get into the business programs but overall their admission standards are definitely not anywhere near the same level as “elite” schools. Based on what has been said about OP academics they seem very on par with a typical admit.
And yes, their budget is definitely a consideration, especially at these expensive schools.
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Yes, definitely. Even when not living in a house (which is most years) the dues costs can be $1,000-$3,000, sometimes more. Of course it costs more to live in a sorority house, but that may or may not that different from the cost of living in a dorm/other housing.
And OP should absolutely factor that in. Each school will have a budget.
They can be thousands a semester -I’m reading $3-5k on line but some include meals.
Good point - OP may need to ratchet down the budget. I’m so thankful my daughter’s were less than $1k per year.
I have a senior who applied to both. Was told a 1240 was in the range for TCU but not SMU, so going TO at SMU.
bama sororities are 4-5k a semester but includes meal plan
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Not including all of the dresses, jewelry and costumes required for their rush themes. I saw an estimate at bama between 6k-12k (if living in the house). Definitely need to keep that in mind if the applicant has her heart set on rushing at SEC schools. Preparing for SEC rush as a PNM - buying the dresses, shoes, E-newtons, rush bags, etc. can be costly as well.
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Yes! A friend’s daughter rushed at Alabama last fall and spent around $20k on rush week alone!
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Was getting into one of her desired chapters more or less competitive?
Whoa. I am glad I have sons!
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It was a more competitive sorority.and this was their choice to spend so much on clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. But I’m sure she wasn’t an outlier in this respect.
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Absolutely have to figure in the sorority costs. It will always be an added expense but the big time schools will be higher. We live 3 hours from Bama and the number we hear as far as straight dues goes is average of $5000/ semester and I’m not thinking that includes all the clothes and accessories which are absolutely a cost.
I had a dad from another SEC school telling me his daughter had a dress subscription that sent her a certain number of designer dresses on loan each month and he was complaining about that expense and the mom was countering with what a savings it was versus purchasing all those dresses. Now, the people that do it, do it by choice and find it worthwhile, so not knocking sorority life just know it is absolutely an expense far more than books or travel that should be accounted for in the budget.
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$5,000 per semester or $10,000 per year is nearly as much as in-state tuition and fees at $12,484 per year.
But then maybe high sorority costs are part of why miscellaneous costs are listed at $3,962 per year. But that would be an average, so it may be that sorority joiners (49.1% of frosh women) would have higher costs, while those not participating would have lower costs.
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lol my 22 year old daughter finds ways to get subscriptions like this free, but still stressful, she wore a pair of baggy white jeans to the bars here one weekend and she spent quite some time scrubbing the bottoms. As a Jersey girl at Clemson she borrowed so much clothing from sorority sisters and friends, they’re in color while we are in black and white.