Understood, but that is only merit aid, not need based aid. Some students received a good deal more, and there is a scholarship - albeit a very competitive one - that provides a free ride.
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I put it on the list! Thank you. I think our plan is for her to start working on applications in the summer before Senior year and apply to tons of places. See where she gets in and what kind of financial aid she gets. If she applies to 19 places -maybe it will increase the odds of having a choice or two.
Oh wow - didn’t even consider that. Okay -Bucknell is off the list. I’ll have to check the others. I know that the ones in MA can fly in and out of Boston direct. Guessing the NY ones can fly in and out of LaGuadia or Kennedy.
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Definitely anecdotal, but I had a friend who had enough merit scholarships to Hope College to make it cheaper than Michigan Tech (in state). It was not through the Hope Forward program. She said they kept adding on scholarships. I don’t know which scholarships she received, but she was a STEM major.
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For people who don’t live in Atlanta/Dallas/Houston/Chicago/NYC Metro/LA/Denver and a few other major cities/destinations, not having nonstop flights to a place is the norm. Can it be annoying? Absolutely. Is it a dealbreaker? Hopefully not though it does depend on everyone’s circumstances.
Now, if a place would always require at least 2 layovers? That would probably be more in line with what I’d think of as a dealbreaker.
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Confused on this - whose calculators are based on FAFSA? CSS schools will ask questions about income, assets, home equity and more. Are you sure you are using the school’s NPC and not the generic one that many schools use (myintuition)?
It might be worth checking out the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities. The ACTC is a consortium of 5 LACs/LAC-like small universities in Minneapolis/St. Paul. All of them, except for Macalester, would be very likely admits for your D. There are a few full-tuition and full-ride deals to be had. It is possible to double-major across partner schools. St. Thomas is the school with engineering (not biomedical engineering, but the Twin Cities have a plethora of biomedical engineering/manufacturing companies for internships.) St. Kate’s has the ASL major/certification. The Twin Cities are a great metro area, and all these campuses are in cute neighborhoods near the Mississippi. MSP is a convenient airport hub.
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I think she was referring to Hope College and Kalamazoo College, both of which do not use CSS profile.
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You have 20 slots - and you can do some schools independently or on Coalition- but you get burnout - so you have to be judicious.
Some people apply to schools they never should have because there was 0% chance of them going - but they don’t look at that up front.
So you have KU. Assuming it works, the other - if you did 20 - the other 19 - don’t matter.
But some schools will hit a price point regardless.
Now all the schools in your first list - the LACs (Bates, Vassar, etc) - don’t have engineering. But if schools like that are ok, then why not a Truman State - which will hit cost - and you can get the Midwest Student Exchange too.
You want to have safeties - 2 to 3 - so the KU types. You want engineering so…Vassar doesn’t work but Bucknell, Lafayette, Union do - if their NPCs say so (they meet need).
But you need the 2-3 Kansas, K State, Truman State types (once you determine - must it have engineering).
Maybe you put in a few hail Marys - SMU Presidential, W&L.
But don’t shot gun.
Every school on your list should be grouped:
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Safety - admission and cost.
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Safety/Match - good chance but not assured to meet cost - Texas Tech
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Safety or Match - may make cost but unlikely to - like a Delaware, Miami Ohio, South Carolina
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Reach if interested - preferred meets 100% need - Lehigh, Miami Florida
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Hail Mary - W&L Johnson (they meet need too), SMU and there’s more.
Truth is, only #1 matters. But you still want to apply to others that give you a chance - the best chance - so you have options!!
One easy way to shorten your possibilities - if engineering is now a must, lose all the LACs that don’t offer.
Here is the MW exchange list - I have it populated to Kansas resident and Bachelor but you may need to. It has lesser known names - but then again, UNL is on there. When you are budget constrained, unfortunately in many cases, unless someone is 100% meeting need, drives the decision.
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True!
I was thinking more about how to get to/from the airport from schools that aren’t near one.
I know big schools like IU offer shuttles but bucknell is 90 minutes from the airport- and without public transportation might prove challenging to get to!
I think a lot depends on whether the kid is going home at a regularly scheduled break or not. I’ve heard that many schools, including small schools, arrange shuttles and such when it’s a scheduled break. But if someone wants to go home for some random weekend in the middle of the semester, it might be harder/more expensive if there’s not some kind of a shuttle service.
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Honestly - I’m just using the links at each school that say Net Tuition Calculator – I’m guessing some are ‘based on the FAFSA’ because they only ask income and GPA - no asset questions The ones that use the CSS always ask about assets which helps a lot.
I think some schools don’t use a CSS? (Michigan Tech? Public universities)
She may not want engineering --it’s just a possibility. She has an ‘Engineering experience’ this summer that I hope will either push her that direction, or push her away from that direction.
I think that should help eliminate at least 5 (or more) one way or the other.
You discussion of burnout and shot gunning was one reason I wanted to cut the list down.
I’ve also eliminated any place where she has less than a 10% admission rate. She already has plenty of reaches (Smth, Scripps, Bates–adding Case Western from recommendations) that fit her criteria but at least those are between 12 -25% reaches rather than 5% reaches.
I LOVE your further breakdown of options. That’s a good way to look at it.
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If she applies to CWRU, definitely do a tour as they track demonstrated interest. Ask her if being near the water is a deal-breaker. There are so many fabulous LACs that aren’t coastal- places like Beloit College, Macalester, Oberlin, Earlham, Lawrence, St. Olaf. My son is at an east coast school, less than an hour from the ocean and he hasn’t been to the beach at all since he started in August- there’s too much fun to be had on campus. If she’s set on engineering, check out Rose Hulman or NJIT. Some of those LACs have really great financial aid, so don’t be afraid to check them out, many have 3-2 programs where you can finish your engineering degree at another, larger school if you decide to go that route.
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Correct - privates - especially those who meet need - require CSS (and some IDOC - which is you sending in tax/brokerage/bank documents, etc). A Michigan Tech or Kalamazoo won’t meet need so they don’t need all the info.
Others may have their own form (instead of CSS), etc.
Good luck
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She is applying to 19?! Holy cow! Thank goodness for the common app.
Based on our son’s experience, I recommend applying early to every school where it is an option. The acceptance rates for EA are generally higher than for RD, and the student can get the whole process over that much sooner.
I second demonstrating interest in CWRU. They practice yield management and defer highly qualified students they think are using them as a safety.
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Yes, it’s great if she’s having an experience - we did that for our son.
If she decides she wants it, then you simply remove all schools that don’t have it from the possibility.
Or if she’s unsure - the same. If she’s out, now the potential pool can be bigger - like a Truman State, as noted - great rep, low cost, etc.
Always better to have the availability of the major than not. And there’s tons of schools that will work for her needs - it’s just a question of your flexibility on name.
Good luck.
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I’m a full - not merit chase - but budget person - so we used buckets.
My kids both got big merit - but that was not planned. For example, one was going to Purdue (under the $50K budget) til he saw the dorms at Alabama - who happens to buy kids in. So lucky.
The other one met budget with basic merit at College of Charleston - but then after enrolling, won an endowed scholarship that took care of tuition. That was just dumb luck!!!
But we applied to ensured to meet acceptance and cost schools.
And then other schools were it was realistic.
And then others where - unlikely to meet cost - but not impossible, etc.
Your budget is tighter - so does require more planning.
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It doesn’t need to be ON the water --just not mid-western, red states, or Rocky Mountains. That pretty much leaves coastal states --mainly New England, West Coast, Mid-Atlantic!