He got the best tuition package at Utah. We didn’t receive any merit money from USD.
He is used to small, private, Catholic education (p-12th).
Business, athletics, and study abroad programs are really important to us.
My son is having a tough time deciding, and it’s breaking my heart.
Of course, we’ll help him pay for college, but we’d rather he didn’t have too much debt. He’s been living in South OC his whole life, and he’s excited about the change of scenery, but it’s not a deal-breaker.
Any advice? This is my first time sending off a college application. I went to college in-state, but it was still a 7-hour drive from home. USD is in our backyard.
He applied to 17 schools — some were reach, but he made the requirements for all!! However, these three we are tying to decide on are his “safety” schools.
4.6 weighted GPA, 4.3 unweighted; varsity athlete; has a job; 32 ACT; NHS, magnet student (probably hurt more than helped), etc. he worked really hard and is bummed with what he has to choose from. *Waitlisted at CalPoly, WakeForest and appealing UCLA.
Is USD affordable (defined as not requiring loans beyond the $27K in federal student loans?). How about TCU and Utah?
With his stats he would have been direct admit to IU Kelley, but seems he didn’t apply there?
And just to be clear, there is no shame in attending a safety. Not to mention TCU Neeley definitely wasn’t a safety.
In terms of how you presented things, it seems like TCU might be the best fit, if affordable. I also see TCU > Wake Forest…assuming he has direct business admit at TCU, because Wake Forest is competitive secondary admission for business school sophomore year.
What is his basis of appeal at UCLA? I assume for business econ major?
I’m going to assume Utah is most affordable - WUE. You have big 12 sports, tons of cheap flights to so cal, and everyone has access to study abroad - through your school or an affiliate. Utah actually has a Korean campus which is unique.
Not only do you not want your student in debt (debt takes the ability to make choices in the future) - you have to take outcomes into account. Business could pay well but doesn’t always necessarily.
So if all three require debt, you might consider CC.
If studying business is important, why would you appeal to a school that has Econ, not business ?
Wake will cost more in the slim chance it happened. There are still Cal States accepting apps.
Just want to note that if a student wants an undergrad business degree, economics is not the same path. Economics is a liberal arts course of study and gets very theoretical at the upper levels. In contrast, with an undergraduate business program, students typically take a business core curriculum with introductory classes in subjects such as accounting, finance, IT, marketing, etc., and then major in one of those disiplines. Both business and economics are fine paths but they are quite different academically.
In terms of the OPs question – all of the options could work – much depends on affordability and the student’s long term goals.
As others point out you don’t mention cost of TCU. However it has a fabulous business program and the spirit and community of the school is special. There is a significant group that comes from Southern California each year, not sure that’s a pro or con for your son. If it’s affordable I encourage him to give it a good look.
Neeley is a great school if it’s affordable for you. My kids also attend(ed) a smaller Catholic school (in the PNW) and we send kids to TCU most years and they seem to do well.
USD is expensive without merit, I’m surprised they didn’t give you any! It’s a nice school but I’d go with TCU for their business school if possible.
Utah has a big fan base here on CC but I have heard anecdotally from Washington kids who have gone that there are a lot of commuters and many kids don’t graduate. A lot of that is that the LDS kids go on their missions, so your son would have to decide if that’s a good environment for him. Their business program is highly ranked though and they do have fans here on CC.
In this case and we don’t have dollar figures, but I’m gleaning from what OP has noted that it’s likely lowest cost - but we don’t know if that means affordable.
OP might not have constructed an initial list to meet cost goals - ie an assured and affordable sure thing admission wise - which many of us believe is the most important school vs the reaches many focus on.
If that’s the case (and OP hasn’t provided enough info to know), then a CC for two years or last minute Cal State could be options to look at.
We’re in San Diego and I attended USD. I ended up transferring out because my major changed and USD didn’t have it. USD has always been expensive. Please don’t take a debt out for that school.
My neighbor’s kid went to TCU and had a fantastic time! She had access to any and every program. The school spirit is extremely strong. She graduated and applied to PA schools. She is currently attending UC Davis to become a PA.
I have never really seen that level of school spirit at USD.
I wouldn’t send a So California kid to a Utah school if they’re unfamiliar with that culture.
If he’s used to the multiple choices in activities and food/ drink choices that come out of Southern California, he’s going to miss those at an Utah school. TCU and USD would give him those choices.
My D18 went to Utah and we have quite a few neighbors whose kids went there since, including for business. Despite being in the Bay Area it’s not been a concern for liberal atheist kids to attend, even though some aspects of the culture are a bit of a shock (a handful of classmates got married during undergrad for example). But many chose to stay in SLC for the buoyant economy and low cost of living: the lifestyle is great for young people. My D would move back in a heartbeat if she had the opportunity.
It is amazing for outdoorsy kids, the skiing, backpacking, climbing etc can’t be matched anywhere else. Campus does empty out a bit a weekends because kids often go to the mountains. Having a car is very helpful to facilitate those trips, my D would drive all over: they went to Mammoth for the weekend, Banff for spring break one year and the Oregon coast for surfing another year. She climbed indoors and outdoors and had 20-30 days of skiing each winter. And she spent every summer in SLC (even during Covid) rather than coming home.
I’m mystified by this comment (and I don’t think my D knew anyone who was LDS before she went there). SLC has a great food scene and decent professional sports (basketball and soccer). Alcohol is a bit more restricted than in CA but far from absent (not least because there are kids who’ve been on their mission and are 21 so can buy it at the liquor store). I’d agree that the campus food is far below UCLA standards, but equally well it’s far cheaper to eat out than in SoCal. And outdoor activities are better than anywhere else.
The OP has 3 choices and it really depends on the son’s personality.
I said that “I” wouldn’t send a SoCal kid there because of my kids and their friends experiences. They’ve traveled there with us, as well as with their friends (who attended schools there) and it’s a different environment. The OP/son need to hear differing opinions. My opinion is based on my experience.
One of my daughter’s friends/teammate attends a university there. She’s there to do a grad school program and was there for undergrad. She is very social and she likes the people and the skiing there, but she “likes what she knows” and gets frustrated that she can’t drive home immediately to get her favorite foods and boba drinks.
She was originally unfamiliar with the culture, but became “accustomed” to it. She takes flights back home, frequently, because she misses the SoCal “vibe” and ocean.
It wouldn’t fit any of my three very picky children, but the OP and son need to visit all three campuses. I wouldn’t recommend USD over TCU and I attended there! Very beautiful and great education, but too expensive. TCU does get hot!