We are trying to narrow down my daughter’s list. We live in New York. Her GPA is 90 (on a 100 scale) in a well-respected school with a lot of rigor- almost all honors, AP, and DE classes. She has a 1360 SAT. Not as many extracurriculars, but some clubs, dance for 10 years, and she has a part time job that takes up most of her time. She would like to major in Secondary Education / Math.
We are looking for a school in the Northeast. Cost has to come in under $30K. Right now, my daughter seems to be leaning towards large flagship-type schools. I am trying to figure out if any of these schools would be possible to get merit at to get COA under $30K. My research shows me that it isn’t likely in the NE, but I’d like to try. Any of these (beyond the SUNYs) a possibility to get to that price? Anything I’m not thinking of?
Her list is:
Likely: SUNY Oswego, SUNY Oneonta, Washington and Jefferson
Target: SUNY Geneseo, Syracuse, University at Buffalo, UNH, URI, UMass Amherst, Hobart and William Smith, Marist, Pitt, Loyola Maryland
Where does she hope to reach after college? If she has a state preference, it’s good to get her undergrad degree in that state as the school teacher training program will fulfill all the requirements to teach in that state.
It sounds like the NY publics meet your price point, and that’s great.
I think she would like to teach in NY, but is open to all of the Northeast. I am grateful that we have some SUNYs that will work for us financially. My daughter knows that this is the limiting factor and she won’t be going somewhere above that price point, I was just looking for some more choices. I don’t know if its worth it to go look at some of these schools.
I would suggest you run the net price calculators for an estimate of your net costs at all of these colleges. That will give you at least a sense of what the costs will look like.
Also, if you do a chance me/match me thread, and answer all the questions on the prompt, this will help posters here give you suggestions. Right now, we are working with incomplete information.
I would suggest only considering the least expensive options, especially if your daughter is considering pursuing a graduate degree in education post-undergraduate to transition into leadership, administration, counseling, or to teach at a community college as an adjunct instructor (some colleges only require a master’s degree). I would apply to colleges outside of NY only if they offer full merit aid/scholarships to OOS applicants.
Keep in mind, most states require a masters degree within a certain number of years after your initial certification. School districts used to have funds that helped support this, but those funds in many places have been reduced a lot.
Many beginning teachers (I would suggest NOT during their first year) take courses towards their master degrees in the evenings. This is very common.
I think the OP is very fortunate to have a number of SUNY schools that could work out well!
I don’t see targets and reached coming close. We live in NJ, my kids had higher scores/gpa’s, chased merit in the northeast, out of 30 or so colleges, only Saint joes in Philadelphia and some of our in state public’s (not flagship) came in under $30,000 with merit. Pitt offered $8000, UMD $3000, UCONN around 20, UMASS around 18. Your best bet are your in state public’s.
Cost of attendance at a number of the PASSHE schools would probably be under $30,000, but they aren’t large flagships. For a NY resident who wants to teach in NY, the SUNY schools are almost certainly a better choice. Unfortunately, the COA at the larger, state-related schools (Penn State, Pitt, and Temple) is over $30,000 for instate students and much more expensive for out-of-state students.
Assuming not and even if you do, let’s square a few things:
Most your list aren’t large flagship
I don’t know about W&J cost but it definitely isn’t.
I would eliminate all your target privates unlessyou have demonstrated need. Have you run their net price calcualtors. And I would eliminate all your OOS publics - because you have near zero shot of getting there $ wise - meaning UNH, URI, UMASS, and Pitt - and then UMD as well plus it’s a reach.
When you have a budget, you have to pick schools for a budget. The first I looked at was U Maine because of the flagship match which could get you up to $17K - but it’s still too much. But U Maine Farmington (very small) likely hits with merit - it’s a bit over but 99% get aid. Others like this that could hit (but not assuredly) are MCLA and RIC (Mass College of Liberal Arts and Rhode Island College (but URI has near zero shot).
What may hit - if a 90 is considered a 3.8 - will be $31K ish - so a little above but goes down $2K if can get a 1360 - is WVU. That’s your big flagship. I’ll call it NE. Others won’t. WVU is less than 90 minutes straight south. And you have W&J - that’s less than an hour N of WVU.
So WVU may get close depending on what a 90 is - as far as large flagships. Otherwise you are South or Midwest to places you don’t want to be.
Who to add?
WCU - not Northeast - or any NC Promise School is under $30K. That’s Fayetteville, Elizabeth City (near Virginia Beach) and UNC Pembroke, in addition to W Carolina. Elizbeth City State is further North.
The PASSHE schools - so Slippery Rock is showing $29K. These may not all hit but you can look at all. I put the list at the bottom.
You have to be realistic given your budget and your list, short of need available at privates, isn’t.
Sorry
These are the PASSHE schools. I looked at West Chester which is likely the biggest PASSHE school. It’s over but with merit it maybe gets there. You have to go school by school but at least at today’s costs, Slippery Rock is there.
Agree that this can be a problem! This has been her preference, but we have seen a lot of different schools, and she is open to other types of schools. She has really liked smaller schools such as Geneseo, Colgate, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. But she hasn’t been able to take any of these larger schools off of her list yet.
In the list we made (my kid & I), we had a column showing net price – which had a huge range. And that seemed to hold some sway over preferences. YMMV. Great that you visited lots of schools! Some kids are just drawn to that big school, big sports, Greek system, etc., kind of experience.
Thanks for all of this information. We have run the NPC for all of these schools. We have some demonstrated need, but I’m not confident that I am filling it out correctly. For example, both UMass and UNH had us paying $51K, but URI had us listed as $33K. That number surprised me, as I didn’t think URI would be that much different than the other two, but gave me some hope. W&J has us at $29K, Loyola at $35K, Pitt at $46K, HWS at $50K, etc. Kind of all over the map. But I don’t know how to determine which schools are likely to provide merit aid, except that it seems that the OOS publics will likely not provide any.
I will look at WVU. I have a feeling it will be too far. Pittsburgh and W&J are already pretty unlikely because of distance, so going even further is probably not realistic, but if it is the only financially viable flagship, she may be interested. Same goes for NC - too far, especially since the education major is tied so tightly with the state of certification.
Marist just announced a cap on tuition for NYS residents at $32K, so that was just added to the list.
I actually think her list is pretty realistic in that she has 5 schools she can afford! Just trying to determine whether any of the others on her list are possibilities.
I think she viewed Cortland as similar to Oswego and Oneonta, and since she already had those on her list, didn’t want to add another. But I will talk to her about it. I know it has a good reputation for education. Do you think it is better for education than Oswego and Oneonta?
If she is set on education, it’s probably the best bet. Plus it has football and a fun rivalry with Ithaca College. I’d probably replace Oswego with Cortland if she must remove one. But SUNY apps are free in October so why not apply to a bunch of them? Check to confirm that.
Out of state schools are unlikely to give you need. Some have big merit. But they are there to support their residents, not residents of other states. And while there are some compacts, like New England, NY doesn’t participate.
I don’t know how a 90 shows on a 4.0 GPA scale - but there will be others but in the midwest and South. I don’t think anyone who likes Wash & Jeff should say WVU is not NE (I’d make the same statement of Pitt to WVU). WVU gives big merit.
I looked at directionals in CT - but they don’t hit but U Maine Farmington should (it’s tiny) and I think Rhode Island College and Mass College of Liberal Arts could hit (they offer NYS a discount).
The PASSHE - maybe not all but Slippery Rock and I imagine others - outside of NYS publics - are likely the best case.
But short of a UNC/UVA and maybe W&M, Wisconsin, and Michigan - and that’s a maybe - I would not expect much need based aid OOS, if any.
Has she looked at Albany (for heft/size)?
PS - your OOS schools are more likely to provide merit than privates - but if they are known to or like WVU or others (not in your geographic zone) have a merit table.
The privates that are second and third tier - like a W&J or Hartwick - are also likely but their stickers start higher. Hartwick actually took price down - but then also merit so won’t come in under 30K - but yes, they realize no one (even full pay) is going $80K + for them.