We have a $35K budget. My high rigor, high stats kid plans to apply instate to UMD, which we could afford without merit, and to a few Ivies and other highly selective schools where the NPC indicates it would be affordable.
He’d like to round out the list with a few safeties and targets where he would be likely to get merit to bring the cost under $35K, and a few schools where he has a shot at a full ride.
His top priorities are strong engineering, and affordability. He’d also like to be in a state where his trans sibling would feel safe spending time, and has a preference for urban environments, but could be flexible on that last one. He’d also, ideally, like to be within driving rather than flying distance, but again could be flexible on that too. He doesn’t have preferences as to the size of school, but I’d love to see a few smaller schools on his list, in case he ends up deciding that’s what he wants.
Since merit usually depends on gpa and test scores, it’s hard to say. One if my daughter’s applied to 20 schools, mostly public and mostly in the northeast, and I still remember what some of her offers were, although it was 5 years ago.
He is a rising junior, so we don’t know the actual GPA or test scores he will apply with. At this point he has a 4.0 UW with a ton of rigor, and a 35 on the ACT taken freshman year. His guidance counselor, who has a lot of relevant experience, says that there aren’t any schools that he wouldn’t have a shot at, but that admissions can be unpredictable.
The issue can be that the more selective the school offer less merit (besides a handful of bigger scholarships). But high stats can bring better merit from less selective schools. A 4.0 35 will probably bring UDel below $35,000.
At many of the most selective schools, the NPC’s are showing that he’ll get enough need based aid. Besides the fact they give generous aid to everyone who qualifies, many of them consider siblings in college when calculating aid, and that makes a big difference for us. So, the category I consider admissions reaches/financial safeties (e.g. getting in is a longshot, but if he does he’ll get what he needs to go). The categories that we’re looking for are schools that are safeties or targets both admissions wise and financially (e.g. UMD is a target admissions wise, and a financial safety), and schools where he’d have a shot at a full ride.
He really likes UMD. It’s a great fit. They take a lot of kids from his school, but it’s hard to predict which students will get in, and specifically which kids will get into engineering. He knows some very strong kids who have been rejected. So, we are hoping to add a few safeties to the list.
Below are some schools your son may want to check out. They are sorted by my guesses as to his chances for admission.
Extremely Likely (80-99+%)
Clarkson (NY): About 2300 undergrads, a more remote location
College of New Jersey: About 7400 undergrads
Manhattan U. (NY): About 2700 undergrads at this school that @Bill_Marsh speaks highly of.
U. at Buffalo (NY): About 20k undergrads
U. of Hartford (CT): About 4200 undergrads
U. of Maine: About 9600 undergrads, a more remote location
U. of Vermont: About 12k undergrads
Virginia Commonwealth: About 21k undergrads
Wentworth Institute of Technology (MA): About 4k undergrads at this Boston school
Likely (60-79%)
Binghamton (NY): About 15k, but not urban
George Washington (D.C.): About 12k undergrads
Howard (D.C.): HBCU with about 12k undergrads
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ): About 4200 undergrads
Stony Brook (NY): About 18k undergrads. Used to have a commuter/suitcase student vibe, but I’ve heard reports that’s beginning to change.
Syracuse (NY): About 16k undergrads. Only a likely if he shows demonstrated interest.
Union (NY): About 2100 undergrads
U. of Massachusetts: About 24k undergrads and part of a consortium that allows students to take classes at nearby schools Amherst, Smith, and Mount Holyoke. Amherst is a college town, but not an urban mecca.
U. of Pittsburgh (PA ): About 26k undergrads at this school that many on CC are very fond of
Worcester Polytechnic (MA): About 5600 undergrads
Toss-Up (40-59%)
Bucknell (PA ): About 3900 undergrads; a more remote location
Fairfield (CT): About 5400 undergrads (leaning likely)
Lafayette (PA ): About 2800 undergrads
Lehigh (PA ): About 5900 undergrads
Villanova (PA ): About 7k undergrads. Leaning towards lower probability
Lower Probability (20-39%)
Low Probability (less than 20%)
I would urge your son to take the PSAT this fall, as he could qualify for National Merit Semi-Finalist (and then, likely, National Merit Finalist) which could open up some automatic big merit awards, including at schools like U. of Maine and Virginia Commonwealth.
For the schools in the toss-up category, run their NPC as they may end up being affordable through need-based aid.
Some of the schools listed may offer full tuition scholarships only and not a full ride covering room & board, but I think these would be schools worthy of greater investigation.
Would he be interested in colleges as small as Cooper Union (NYC) or Olin (let’s say “outskirts” of Boston)? If so, those could be worth checking out.
Lafayette, Union, and Bucknell are more normal LAC-sized with Engineering. Bucknell is admittedly kinda in the middle of nowhere, but a very well-regarded college. Union is in a larger town, but pretty far from a major metro. Lafayette, though, is in the largest metro area of these (I am treating it as part of the Allentown metro area, which the Census thinks too), and not far from either NYC or Philly.
Finally, maybe Villanova (Philly area)? It is more of an engineering college than I think some realize.
A few schools on your list that jump out at me, are UVM, WPI, GWU, Pittsburgh, and TCNJ, all schools I think could be a fit. But is getting the cost to $35K realistic at any of those places? UVM, TCNJ, and Pitt are all FAFSA only schools, which is an issue due to siblings. GWU and WPI don’t have great reputations for financial aid.
I think he might be interested in tiny schools. He did a summer program last summer at a pretty small school, and he liked it a lot, but has ruled it out due to being in a very trans-unfriendly state. He says he would love to be in NYC.
Sports are important to him, and he’d probably need to find another outlet for that, but I am sure there are lots of opportunities, especially in NYC.
To be clear, I’d love to find some small schools, because I think it would be good to have a varied list. He’s also fine with giant schools, and in between schools.
If he decides the plane works, University of Denver came in below 35K in pure merit. Case Western also came in right around there with merit. Someone mentioned University of Maine and it was incredibly affordable less than $15K total cost of attendance - all merit. But it is by no means urban and really stretching the drivable line.
I think he’d love Case, and it’s definitely driveable for us. I didn’t think it would have a chance of being affordable. I’m not sure about Ohio though.
I saw that too! He is a kid who likes to have multiple friend groups and I imagine that he would find people to play with, even if they might not be from the same school.
What about Colorado School of Mines? I think merit is a possibility there.
University of New Mexico (I think you would reach your price point with the amigo scholarship which is currently guaranteed @WayOutWestMom ). UNM flies under the radar screen for east coasters, but its engineering is strong.
I just looked at the spreadsheet and was $36K after merit - now this is old data, so don’t know how generous they are now, but I wouldn’t rule it out assuming the Ohio piece works for him. Definitely demonstrate interest, it’s huge for them. Both my kids received generous merit package, but both visited and were in discussions with coaches (or in my daughter’s case auditioning for programs).