Any thoughts on Beloit? Seemed like there were some issues and now I can’t remember what they are!
We haven’t really done the real list yet -she’s only a sophomore! I’d like it to be closer to 10 which I still think is a ton. But with the financial constraints, I’d like to give her a good shot at something other than her safety.
And yes EA to every one that has it!
My son applied to schools in August and had acceptances within 2 weeks. (He wanted to go to a state school -so he applied as soon as it opened.) He was done with applications before school opened.
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There are schools like Salisbury, Christopher Newport, Millersville or West Chester that could hit budget with merit. Or U Maine or URI.
The first three are very regional - meaning mostly in state. The latter two will have a party atmosphere, etc.
Minnesota Morris is in the land of 10000 lakes but their majors are interdisciplinary and it’s rural I believe. Southern Oregon is in Ashland and is not far from Medford - if not wanting engineering. But these are safety type that might work - but will she be uncomfortable if they are very regional?
There’s never going to be perfect given the desires unfortunately.
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Yeah -the budget is not great. I’m well aware. We got hit very badly by the 2008 recession and had times where we were ‘pay for cat food with quarters’ poor, or eat cereal at the end of the month. We always had a roof and food, but not always much else.
The fact that we got were we are now is a bit of dumb luck and fortitude. But to college folks, it looks like we just frivolously spent all our money instead of saving for college.
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I added Southern Oregon after you read the last email.
No judgement or need to explain yourself.
It’s just a question of building a list within your means. There are schools out there that will work if they agree with your budget situation and you can get in. Or there are others that you know will work on day 1 - and that’s what I’m trying to find.
But the why your budget is what it is doesn’t matter. But you’re being a great parent in getting ahead of the curve!! And I just read she’s a sophomore - so she’s really ahead of the curve.
Certainly don’t discount the KUs and KSUs of the world - and maybe look into a few of the MW exchange schools. But if your travels somehow take you to further away ones, great to look at them too.
I think your summer plan of engineering - will really help to shape things - and you can safely wait til after summer to re visit as you’re a bit early!! And will know more then.
Hopefully it’s a residential program - it’s great for them to live on campus, etc.
Anyway, it’s all good - whatever your situation - no explanations needed.
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Thanks! It IS a residential program and I’m excited that she will get to see -at least a little bit -what college is like. I told her even if she hates engineering, she gets to live in a dorm and eat college food and explore the campus --so yeah for all that! 
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Wouldn’t it be great to have that big decision settled so early?
I have a question for CC parents: If the OP gets a slew of acceptances early, but their preferred school does not offer enough aid to make their budget can they contact that school and say, “I’ll come, but you need to provide more aid”? Is there a chance of that working?
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OP student is a 10th grader - so the decision would never be this early unless your that kid grew up saying Rock Chalk Jay Hawk - and it was decided in first grade. And that does happen, by the way. But in this case, the student is curious or maybe interested in engineering and going to a summer program. We did the same with our kid - we wanted to validate his interest and it did. And if the student says, yes, I want engineering for sure, their list will potentially and in this case, likely look different if engineering is off the table. So it’d be nice to be done early - and if the student grew up destined to be a jayhawk, they would be done. But alas, that doesn’t appear the desired destiny.
On aid: One can always ask. The worst they can say is - no.
Some have had success and posted such success on this chat board although it sounds like it’s usually a peer school and a school with a very big endowment - like the meets need types…but generally not publics.
tsbna, I realize the OP is a sophomore. I was referring to them applying EA at the beginning of their senior year like their brother so they get the school process over as soon as possible.
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If it’s still early in the season, they should probably wait, because sometimes additional awards come later.
If it’s getting on towards the end of the admissions season though, and the student has better awards from other comparable schools, I’ve seen a few on CC report successful negotiation at the very end. I don’t know how MUCH of a chance, but there’s a chance, if the school really wants the student and has the flexibility.
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SOU is almost 3 hours from the coast.
ahhhhhhh - sorry. I misinterpreted.
by a lake and yes 2.5 hours to the coast - but more looking for affordable safeties in reprroductive rights friendly states - I don’t think abortion friendly is the right term.
Plus OP said this: 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.
So I think Southern Oregon and again, it’s another regional, but I think it meets the desired requirement - sans engineering if that becomes a desire after the summer.
And if they decide they like Shakespeare - then they’re home!!!
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I like SOU, but based on what the OP is looking for, the Oregon school I’d choose would be Portland State. Beautiful campus, in a vibrant town, with a big airport, closer to the coast, and they have a college of engineering.
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Relatively few colleges use CSS Profile, though the ones that do tend to be concentrated among more selective private schools with better financial aid (the kind that these forums focus on).
Some of the FAFSA only schools’ NPCs allow putting in your SAI to short cut the calculations.
Fair enough - and we’ll see if OP wants engineering after summer.
Do they have a $25K price point for OP?
Tuition is $32K so they have varied housing but if you say $15K - that’s $47K.
Can they find $20K+ in merit?
That’s why I picked SOU - lower tuition.
But I found on a new page - it’s also going to be unaffordable. Less than PSU but maybe I was looking at a by semester. Or as a resident. Oops - sorry OP.
My bad.
@eyemgh any low cost not rural schools in Oregon?
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Yep, neither SOU or PSU fit the bill cost wise.
Crap - yes, i blew that one. Any others out there you’re aware of?
Unfortunately, not out here
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One of her instructors did recommend Oregon State - I guess they have had luck before getting students merit scholarships.
As far as the person who asked about negotiating…it’s been done by the students around here. “I got this deal from X school, but I really want to go to Y school -can you match” I doubt it’s a HUGE jump in fundng -but if you need $5K more to make it affordable? That might be doable.