Safety/midrange schools to add to my list? (Top choices: USC & NYU)

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Hi,
I have a lot of schools I really want to apply to, but I’m concerned that I’m reaching too high and that I either won’t get in to or won’t be able to afford any of them.</p>

<p>I’m looking for schools that offer great writing or journalism and design programs (some schools have great art programs, but no design offerings) that are a step down from what’s already on my list, and/or schools that are relatively strong in the areas I’m looking for that also offer very nice merit aid packages. I’ll qualify as a National Merit semifinalist, so National Merit aid should be considered too!</p>

<p>Here’s my list:
Schools I have a small chance of getting into: Brown (my dream is the Brown/RISD dual degree program), Yale, Stanford
Schools I have a slightly larger chance of getting into: Wash U in St Louis, NYU, UCLA, USC
State schools: IU Bloomington, U of Michigan, UW Madison (I have a pretty good shot here because I’m an in state resident and I get great grades)
Maybe considering: Tufts/SMFA, Eugene Lang/Parsons, other UC schools</p>

<p>I like larger universities in urban areas, but I’m open to anything.
Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>Syracuse
Missouri </p>

<p>have good journalism programs</p>

3

<p>University of the Arts as a safety?</p>

4

<p>what about Boston U or GWU? Those are the two other big city universities that come to mind; both have journalism programs, from a simple google search looks like BU might have more art/design options. Less selective than NYU/USC but probably not in the safety range</p>

5

<p>With an 18% acceptance rate, USC would be tough to consider as a safe school. It does have an excellent school of journalism and offers NMS and full/partial merit tuition, along with a 2 year honors program. The trustee award, for example is offered to about 175 of the 46,000 applicants to give you an idea of the selectivity for this award. There is much information available on USC’s web page and the cc page for USC regarding NMS awards. You may need to drop USC as a safe school or move it into you top pick category.</p>

<p>I would encourage you to research carefully your current top picks, some of which are neither in an urban environment and/or are larger or have well-developed journalism and design programs.</p>

6

<p>“With an 18% acceptance rate, USC would be tough to consider as a safe school.”</p>

<p>Not if you have superb stats, or if you are a HYPSM material. USC’s admissions are not as holistic as most of its peers, and, therefore, applicants with superb stats are most likely given offers. At the Ivies, having superb stats is just a fundamental requirement, as most of their applicants have such stats anyway.</p>

7

<p>RML,</p>

<p>“Not if you have superb stats, or if you are a HYPSM material. USC’s admissions are not as holistic as most of its peers, and, therefore, applicants with superb stats are most likely given offers. At the Ivies, having superb stats is just a fundamental requirement, as most of their applicants have such stats anyway.”</p>

<p>Yours is an odd and untrue comment. USC is known to be highly holistic in its admission process with superb SAT (2400) students rejected. Perhaps you might want to review the stats for USC at the 25th, 50th and 75th %tiles and admission woes on cc of students with superb stats who are declined admission to USC. You might also review the comments of students who rejected Ivy’s in favor of USC. Prejudiced, baseless comments are not helpful to anyone, nor is encouraging USC to be considered a safe school.</p>

8

<p>I don’t see Northwestern on this list, and it has probably the best-known journalism program out there.</p>

9

<p>*I have a lot of schools I really want to apply to, but I’m concerned that I’m reaching too high and that I either won’t get in to or won’t be able to afford any of them.</p>

<p>I’m looking for schools that offer great writing or journalism and design programs (some schools have great art programs, but no design offerings) that are a step down from what’s already on my list, and/or schools that are relI have a lot of schools I really want to apply to, but I’m concerned that I’m reaching too high and that I either won’t get in to

</p>

<p>I’m looking for schools that offer great writing or journalism and design programs (some schools have great art programs, but no design offerings) that are a step down from what’s already on my list, and/or schools that are relatively strong in the areas I’m looking for that also offer very nice merit aid packages. I’ll qualify as a National Merit semifinalist, so National Merit aid should be considered too!atively strong in the areas I’m looking for that also offer very nice merit aid packages. </p>

<p>I’ll qualify as a National Merit semifinalist, so National Merit aid should be considered too!*</p>

<p>Since you’re concerned about affordability, be sure to apply to a couple of schools that you know FOR SURE that you have ALL costs covered.</p>

<p>What are your parents saying? How much will they pay each year? </p>

<p>Will you QUALIFY for the aid that you need? </p>

<p>You have OOS publics and Eugene Lang and NYU on your list. Those schools do not give great aid.</p>

<p>No. USC is not a safety. Not only that, the student doesn’t know if it’s affordable. If he makes NMF, and gets accepted, then he’d get a half-tuition scholarship, but that still leaves about $40k per year.</p>

10

<p>docfreedaddy, do you know of someone with a 2400 who got rejected at USC? My guess is you don’t. From pass records of USC’s admissions, it looks like USC is a stat hungry school. Many students can actually attest to that.</p>

11

<p>Students with 2400 SAT’s have posted their regrets not being admitted on cc. The context and their comments appeared legitimate. Y</p>

<p>ou seem to have significant personal issues with USC. The pejorative connotation of your comments is extreme. A “stat hungry school”? Interesting. Can you describe what this jab actually means in relation to USC and other schools?</p>

12

<p>USC weighs standardized tests more than GPA</p>

<p>its really no different from the fact that Penn State has never rejected anyone with a 4.0 GPA because they base 2/3 of the decision on GPA</p>

13

<p>Wait, I think you misunderstood me–I never said that USC was a safety school for me, just that it’s my top choice. I’m really scared I won’t get in! I know just how competitive admission is at USC, and for that matter at all the other schools on my list.</p>

<p>I’m hoping here to identify some schools that I /do/ have a good chance of getting into, because as I mentioned in my original post, I’m worried that I won’t be accepted into ANY of the schools on my list since they are all so selective.</p>

14

<p>Thanks barrk123, Wordworker, and CollegeXC1993! I’ll definitely look into Syracuse, Boston U, and Northwestern.</p>

<p>docfreedaddy, I ranked the schools in my list by the chances I think I have of getting in, not my top picks: USC is my top choice because it’s large, urban, has a renowned journalism department, and a small but flexible design option in the fine arts major. It’s the best combination of what I want, and I loved it when I visited!</p>

<p>mom2collegekids, I don’t think I’ll qualify for all the aid I need, which is why merit aid is important. Like you advised, I definitely want to apply to one or two schools where I know the large majority of my costs will be covered–can you think of any suggestions?</p>

15

<p>Sorry, I did misunderstand you. i think it is common when starting the overwhelming prospect of taking SAT’s and considering where to apply that you feel (fear) you will not get into your top choices. My daughter felt the same way and was accepted at nearly all the schools she applied to including those with a 6% acceptance rate (which she did not choose to attend). If you really want a safe school school to add to your list that has an excellent school of journalism, you might consider Syracuse. Don’t be surprised if you are admitted to more schools than you expect, though.</p>

16

<p>mom2collegekids, I don’t think I’ll qualify for all the aid I need, which is why merit aid is important. Like you advised, I definitely want to apply to one or two schools where I know the large majority of my costs will be covered–can you think of any suggestions?</p>

<p>So, you have an unaffordable EFC. How much will your parents pay? We need to know that so we know how much merit you need.</p>

<p>This is IMPORTANT…Since you’re thinking that you need merit…
Merit gets applied to NEED first. So, it won’t reduce your family’s EFC unless it is so huge that it covers all need, and THEN cuts into EFC.</p>

<p>You may be thinking that you can get aid, and then add merit to help reduce what your family has to pay. It doesn’t work that way. Need based aid and merit do not stack to reduce the family contribution.</p>

<p>Possible scenario for USC…</p>

<p>family will pay $15k per year, but your EFC is $35k, so…</p>

<p>COA = $60k
EFC = $35k
Nees = $25k</p>

<p>FA pkg
NMF merit = $20k
student loan =$5k</p>

<p>So, USC gives you $20k merit scholarship for being NMF. That goes towards “need”. They give you a $5000 student loan, and all of your “need” is met.</p>

<p>But, you still have to pay $35k and your family will only pay $15k. :frowning: </p>

<p>It’s fine to apply to a small number of schools that won’t likely be affordable just to see what happens, but if you have an unaffordable EFC, then don’t waste time and money on a bunch of schools that will NOT work. </p>

<p>So, take off the UCs, NYU, Eugene Lang, and all the other OOS publics that won’t give you huge merit and/or need-based aid other than loans… You can keep NYU on your list IF your test scores are spectacular because you might get large merit…but if your family won’t pay the remaining costs, then even that won’t be affordable. </p>

<p>The way to look at it is this. If your parents will only pay $15k per year, and their EFC is much higher, then you need a full tuition merit scholarship. That way, their money will pay for the remaining costs of room, board, fees, books, transportation, etc. </p>

<p>Once we know your stats, we can tell which schools will give you ASSURED HUGE merit scholarships. </p>

<p>What are your test scores and GPA?</p>

<p>How much will your family pay?</p>

17

<p>Mom2collegekids, let me talk with my mom today and let you know what she says about this–we did (mistakenly?) think that financial aid and merit aid stack to cover tuition costs.</p>

<p>In the meantime, I researched Syracuse and Boston University a little and liked them a lot! Syracuse even has a magazine journalism degree and fashion design (I want to be a fashion journalist, so thumbs up.) With acceptance rates of 60 and 58 prevents respectively, and a UW Madison rate of 63% for in-state kids, do you guys think I have a fair number of schools I’m pretty sure I’ll get into? (I have near-perfect grades (my school does percents…99%) and got a 228 on the PSAT. Taking the ACT and SAT in September and October…I hope to do very well on those too :)</p>

18

<p>Are you a national merit finalist</p>

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<p>I hope to be. I got the letter last year asking which two schools I wanted to send my PSAT qualifications to, so I think I am on track to being a semifinalist.</p>

20

<p>The cutoff for Wisconsin last year was 209, so your 228 puts you comfortably in the NMSF category. (Congratulations!)</p>

<p>Check out this list for NMSF/NMF scholarship opportunities:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation-17.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation-17.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;