You always encourage someone to “love” a school they’re certainly going to get into and that you can afford. If you don’t think Santa Clara is certain, then it can be one of several favorites.
I personally have pause with the school based on data they published. The web pages are deleted but I snapped data from the school in 2024 and wrote this below the link. I’d ask why? I don’t even know the questions they ask - just what they labeled. I put the requisite page at the bottom. You can see when you click on it, the link is dead. Honestly, they asked an interesting question and there is nothing to compare it to because I don’t know of any schools that ask the question. Perhaps, they didn’t like the result so they don’t post the question anymore? I don’t know but I’d ask (that’s me).
I’m not saying not to attend, etc. but I would dig deeper on career outcomes to ensure they are placing to the level you expect given such a large likely cost.
You’ll see the dead links after you open this and click on a department.
As for negotiating for more aid - first, of course, you have to get in. Different schools have different policies. Some may offer for a stud but not for someone they consider on the cusp. Some might offer to someone who - can assuredly pay the bills. But to get to a UC, you are asking for - in essence half. The big thing is to ask - but you need offers to compare it to, etc. And of course, with his stats, you can go out of state - for lows 20s and up - so even cheaper than UCs. But if he likes SCU, might he like other Jesuits - a U Portland is supposedly very aggressive, as an example. Gonzaga may be as well. And like any negotiation, you need to sell - why would your student be additive to the school community, so much so that they should work hard financially to get them there. What two or three bullet points can you make selling him? And then, of course, offering to commit on the spot if they hit a certain #. I suspect most don’t negotiate, but you never know. The other thing some schools are doing, not saying SCU, is coming up with more money to those who don’t commit. So maybe you plan to commit April 29th and they’re worried, the class isn’t filling up and on April 15th, they offer you $5K more. It happens at some schools - not saying SCU. The downside may be, depending on housing policies, that you’re later in line, etc. for certain things.
Good luck.
Social Justice - Santa Clara University
If you look at the career outcomes I posted above and I’m not sure how they determine this - they have a metric called good to excellent prep for a career and life.
For business, both are 83%.
For engineering, it’s 73% and 50%. So engineers aren’t feeling prepared for life, etc.
I’d reach out to career services for more data. Job types, companies, locations.
That’s how you determine - you want the entire picture vs one off anecdotes.
Their report is very high level, incomplete so demand more info. It’s their job to sell you on attending.