good feedback. Thanks
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Of course. And if it doesn’t work out, there is always Duke. 
There are a surprising amount of Duke grads from CA, NY, VA, PA, NJ, and FL who didn’t get in to Carolina.
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I viewed OOS merit at UNC the same way I viewed significant merit at schools such as Emory. In other words…it’s not just academics and scores, and it is highly competitive.
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My daughter applied OOS. I did not know UNC has an optional essay for business school. I guess it does not matter any more at this stage. My understanding is for the sheer number of applications, optional essays will not be read by AOs at all. Am I right?
I would hope not but you never know. You might be referencing this.
I know someone at a university in Nashville who admitted for kids not making an academic cut, they weren’t read - so holistic really wasn’t. She just said it was too much work and none were going to get in.
But I would assume if an essay is submitted, you should assume it to be read and to matter.
In the end, you’ll never know though.
https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article317803833.html
Are you talking about the assured enrollment essay for direct admission to KF? If so, admissions absolutely read that…. What is your source saying they won’t read that essay?
If this is what you are talking about, it’s required, not optional.
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these are rarely optional at any school is my understanding… (though may be regional etc etc YMMV).
UNC really doesn’t have merit money for out of state applicants unless they win the Morehead Cain full ride scholarship. She would need to be nominated for that by her school and it’s a highly competitive process with interviews and a finalist weekend. Her stats are certainly in line with kids that are awarded that scholarship. If she is not already in competition for that scholarship, she will not get any merit at UNC
Agree, it is probably a reach for her as it is a reach for everybody out of state unless they are a legacy, but her stats are certainly on the higher end of accepted students.
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Those will be read because any optional essays are students who want to be considered for special programs. If the student is a strong candidate, those will be read to see if they’re eligible.
Thanks for the info. She just missed the deadline for her school to nominate her. Her counselor told her that there is also an admission office nomination scenario and she has some other accomplishments that her counselor feels would almost automatically trigger that AO nomination. She plans on going to law school afterward and we’ve told her we’ll pay for one of the other. She’s already got a full ride at one school that she likes, so she’s thinking, exit law school with no debt, so she is definitely merit scholarship shopping.
I’d love for her to go to CH, but she has some really good options. She’s the oldest of three girls so we are cutting our teeth with this one.
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Honestly, whether she goes to UNC or U N Dakota - it won’t matter. Look at how many schools are represented at Harvard in the first year class - this year near 140, last year over 160 - from Cal State LA and College of Charleston to U Idaho and K State to Utah and WVU.
At Penn more than 192 colleges in the law school 200+ last year) - from Arkansas State to Marshall to Washington College.
UVA lists top colleges represented - also over 100 - schools like Alabama and Arkansas amongst the most populace in a given year’s first year class.
When you mention paying for one or another, it’s a no brainer - in my opinion, to chase the $$.
Her GPA, LSAT, what she does and now more than ever, a year or two of work experience (for top law schools) - will be what matters - not UNC or UNCW.
Good luck to her.
Thanks, that is great info. we’ve talked to a few attorney friends and they’ve given her similar advice. Pick the top school that gives you a full ride and prepares you for law school. Thanks for the stats on law schools. As I mentioned, we are just cutting our teeth here. When I and her mother went to college, you just picked the state school closest to you and that’s where you went. Times have really changed.
That’s still the case today. But when you come on the college confidential
I mean, I’m in Nashville, in a wealthy school district - and kids by and large go to Mid TN State, W Kentucky, U Tennessee, UAH, and U Alabama. Yes, they go elsewhere too but by and large - I mean, look at the SUNY system - they are 90%+ in state. But you also have schools throwing money at kids today to get them in - and advertised with social media - so it has also created “travel paths” too that often the wealthy follow (yep, the high merit schools are loaded with wealth - go to Tuscaloosa - BMWs and Benz’s are EVERYWHERE.
Not all law schools list where their undergrads came from (or how many years of work experience in between) but Harvard, UVA for 1L, Penn for the entire school - and I’m sure there’s more. Don’t get me wrong - a higher % of class at top law schools will come from top undergrads - but it’s likely because they were top kids to get into top undergrad to begin with - hence you have the Arkansas States, Cal State LA and U of every state in so many of these schools. My daughter was in a special program at her regional school - and in her cohort, there’s a kid who did a Masters at Oxford and now is in the Harvard 1L class. So there’s Honors programs and other cohorts (like the Charleston Fellows my daughter was in) that throw money at kids too - if you are lucky enough to get accepted.
It also depends on what type of law school they want to. For example, my son went to a school that gives 5 years tuition for NM kids - and some go, and then get their first year or year and a half of law school paid for - even though it’s not the biggest name. Others want the biggest names.
Law school could be another $300K+ - and substantial debt is never good. Actually, no debt is good but sometimes unavoidable. If you pay $60K a year for UNC, that’s let’s say $250K and with inflation, it may be more. But it took you how much pre taxt to make that $250K - unless you have a 529 that’s grown, etc. It could be $375K for someone to cash flow $250K (assuming taxes).
Now, if she doesn’t go to law school - statistically likely - and doesn’t attend another grad school, then you might wish she went to UNC. I don’t know her major - for law, can be anything - doesn’t have to be Poli Sci like so many think.
But whatever major she chooses, other schols will likely have it too - and many will have equally brilliant students - maybe not as many - but still many.
In the end, if she’s a great test taker, she’s already one step ahead. The other thing is - how many applicants will there be? If Law School applications and enrollments stay down, that’s another advantage for future students.
UNC is a fine school - and there’s plenty that can provide a similar experience.
My daughter chose a regional public over top publics and a top LAC - and got into a selective “work” program following school - one loaded with kids from Ivies, UNC types and also kids, like her, from less selective.
If she chose your in state or an Alabama/Kansas/WVU type to save money up front or a regional school for fit like mine did (I knew she was headed there the second we visited), your daughter will still have plenty of opportunities in the future.
Best of luck whatever she decides.
Not sure about the admissions office trigger although I do know that is a possibility. If this is something she would be interested in I would have the counselor reach out to the admissions office and plead her case for her to be considered for nomination. Not sure it is something they do on a regular basis so it would be worth a phone call. I think it would certainly help if the counselor did a mea culpa and took responsibility for missing the deadline. Sounds like it is not something they are used to doing (our school nominates someone every year for both that and the Jefferson scholarship at UVA).
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