@texaspg I’m not sure if your post was pointing out the variances, but I think the numbers support each other. The info session we attended mentioned the 82% admittance rate for in-state number previously posted. Since they don’t know who will accept exactly, so they don’t always hit their number.
18% OOS is certainly a better number than an Ivy, just not a lot of diversity in a state school that could maybe use it. Hopefully a lot of those in-state kids are transplants.
(D17 is applying to several schools in NC/SC, but not CH)
In terms of applications, I think she is applying to 6 for sure (all admission safeties and assuming NMF also fiinanciall safeties and only 1 financial match?? It isn’t automatic merit, but she is way above their 25%, so we are thinking she should be awarded merit $, so not sure it really is a merit reach).
She has 2-3 others she is unsure about (waiting for some responses), only 1 is an absolute reach in terms of merit.
She isn’t applying to any schools where admission is a stretch.
If something extremely bizarre happens and the numbers are so unpredictable and she isn’t a NMF, then 2 of the schools become her only serious application contenders. Then, we will have to come up with plan C (which I hope isn’t a worse fail than plan B.)
For us, a big MAC is defined much more narrowly than for some you. We need 100% of tuition covered or a low cost of room and board with minimal residual tuition. For example, we can’t place Alabama in the same category as OH State. At OSU if you combine the Buckeye with the Maximus, the total only brings you down to instate tuition. Only 75 students receive their top award making it a merit reach.
QOTD: I know @Mom2aphysicsgeek (very safe SI), @Tgirlfriend (very safe SI), @srk2017 (on the bubble), and myself (on the bubble) are definitely still factoring in possible/probable NMSF/F into college applications. Anyone else still waiting anxiously for the release of the cut-off in September and may drop/add some schools depending on the outcome?
I was calm about it for a while, but now I’m getting antsy again. I’ve checked my research multiple times and there are absolutely no other schools that would work for D, so NMSF would make me feel so much more comfortable with her options. Any TX homeschoolers on this thread?
@2muchquan - I see there is a variance in CDS and website which was not what I was looking for. I was trying to identify why many complain about the low OOS admit rate at UNC-CH and found the numbers showing the admit rate is below 20% for OOS but over 50% for instate.
Essentially only 1 in 5 is getting admitted.
Unfortunately for all parents, it is lot easier to get gin on every college campus no matter the age.
QOTD for the mere mortals: short of opening each CDS, anyone have a great search string for determining where stats put you in the top 75%+geographical region where you might have a shot at some bucks? i cant seem to figure out a great way to pull up that info easily (i think CDS are a slight PITA-i dont want to d/l a ton of stuff only to find out that nope-no soup for you!).
on the hunt for financial safeties which are seemingly elusive on the east coast. i’ve been looking in nearby states iso places that may work. i’ve stumbled on a few things i’ve never heard of where apparently my average kid would be elevated to rock star status and would love to find a couple more that are worth taking a look at…we are gearing up for a comic con road trip so i’d love to combine it with random college pitstops if i could.
just looking to compile the info quickly so i’ll take any suggestions. i played around at niche with the price range, but again, short of googling each school/cds, it wasnt exactly what i wanted.
i would just like a filefolder of destiny. i could only dream about a binder. :))
@eandesmom I don’t think you’re being a wet blanket! It is just the reality of the situation. I’ve been thinking about this and researching this for a couple years so I know the low likelihood of getting the waivers. I’m definitely going to make some calls to the schools directly before apps now. Thanks for all your advice!
@kac425 I don’t know of an easy way. I have spent a lot of time on http://www.collegedata.com bc I have found it the easiest way to get a quick profile of the school. I like the way they break down the test scores so you can see the exact percentage in each category.
@itsgettingreal We are the lower number of the TM range for our state, so no, not factoring NM into our college plans at all. No plans on taking SAT. We are the opposite…if it happens, we’ll look at add’l schools. Or, maybe not.
@kac425 If I understand your question correctly, you might want to try College Navigator. It’s a government website search tool that compiles all CDS data. I find it very useful.
I don’t mean to sound negative but one thing that I am doing when looking at Merit aid for DS is:
1. What does he need to do to keep it?
2. Is there a probationary period where if he goes below the GPA he can either get it back or keep it?
3. If he loses it how much would it cost for him to finish his degree there?
I know we all think our kids are smart but I have sort of been through this before. DS13 was a 4.0 high school student. He went to Georgia Tech on the Zell Miller scholarship(free tuition). He had to keep a 3.3 to keep it. He went below a 3.3 and now has the regular Hope(pays about 80% tuition for a GPA of 3.0 or higher). They look at the GPA at certain points and he hasn’t had the 3.3 when they have looked although he has had it when they aren’t checking.ugh. While it’s not a huge amount of difference it does cost us more.
So while I would like to think that DS17 will be able to keep whatever merit scholarship he gets I have to look at what happens if he doesn’t. Anyway I am adding those things to my spreadsheet.
@MichiganGeorgia Great suggestion. Our DD knows that if she loses her merit, she has to come home and go to one of our instate options or fund the difference herself!
“Some kids will apply EA to some schools and then if they don’t get the decision they want, will apply EA2 to others. It’s the same with ED and ED2 accept with EDs being binding” unless the financial aid offered is insufficient to support attendance in which case you say thanks but no thanks and move on to RD elsewhere.