<p>Many colleges offer non-need-based merit aid to their top undergraduate applicants with the hope of luring these students away from competitor institutions. Because the Ivies and some of the other most elite schools provide only need-based aid, merit money can be attractive bait especially when it is doled out by renowned institutions like Emory, Tulane, Notre Dame, Boston College, Washington University, and other non-Ivies whose merit awards can sometimes cover all expenses. Even less prestigious colleges successfully use merit scholarships to boost enrollment of their best and brightest candidates. </p>
<p>Increasingly, too, merit awards include not only money but also perks such as research-assistant jobs with faculty, spots in honors programs and other selective academic programs, invitations to VIP campus events, etc. And college officials continue to try to dream up new, creative ways to snag their favorite prospects.</p>
<p>So, heres the question Other than the ever-popular money, what ELSE might spur you (or your child) to say yes to a college that isnt number-one on your list (even when the number-one school said yes, too)? </p>
<p>Guaranteed grad-school admission? Summer study-abroad stipends? A single room in the snazziest dorm? Nightly free pizza deliveries? </p>
<p>Maybe some college folks will read (and steal) your best think-outside-the-box ideas.</p>
<p>The Macaulay Honors College at the CUNY schools offers a whole slew of benefits. Even if any one of these alone wouldn’t sway students who were accepted by an Ivy or other really prestigious school, all together they make a pretty persuasive package. I think that other colleges that want to attract the strongest students have to also consider putting together a package like this one.</p>
<p>full tuition scholarship. planning on going to grad school, so if I can make my undergrad years very cheap, then I’ll be in a good spot when I need to pay for my grad degree.</p>
<p>Full tuition scholarship (or even half tuition, TBH), research opportunities and advnaced class registration. UVA almost lured me in with only the last two, although since the Echolls Scholar program doesn’t have a monetary scholarship it wasn’t quite as enticing. If it had included money, however, I have no doubt that I would have gone there (although I’m perfectly happy where I am).</p>
<p>For many students its the possibility of being a bigger fish in a smaller pond, both in terms of the size of the college as well as the academic standing. They want challenge without being completely stressed. </p>
<p>On the other hand I know someone who turned down the Morehead Scholarship (full ride plus stipend) at UNC-Chapel Hill at the last minute because Yale swooped in and offered a spot in March. Parents had to stroke a big check, but turning down Yale was too steep a price to pay for the Morehead, in their views. Interesting choice.</p>
<p>For my kid it was all about comparing general affordability (comparing offers) and then examining the strength of various departments: courses and faculty. That was even before a major was determined. Liberal arts strengths trumped proximity to home.</p>
<p>For others its a sense of adventure and wanting to get away from the high school crowd. I have heard a lot of complaints from kids who went to school close to home only to find their college was nothing but high school part deux. Ugh. </p>
<p>Some kids want/seek out an urban experience. Others want a bucolic rural pastoral scene. (Kenyon comes to mind). </p>
<p>There is no one right answer. There are many answers.</p>
<p>The Yale-UNC choice is interesting. I could see where an in-state student might want to avoid the local high school crowd (sovereigndebt’s point), but since I live in New England, I think I would be delighted if my son were to have that choice … and became a Tarheel. That would certainly save us a few bucks! He wouldn’t run into hometown chums in Chapel Hill (and his dad and I could always head South for the winter ).</p>
<p>I’m curious to know of other examples of students who did–or didn’t–choose a less prestigious college over a more “elite” one … when a boatload of money was on the table.</p>
<p>Years ago I recall interviewing a very strong applicant to Smith who chose instead to go to St. Mary’s in CA (even though she was Jewish). Not only did St. Mary’s give her a full ride, but also they really rolled out the red carpet for her. Their top scholarship included other VIP perks besides just the dough. She definitely wanted to save money for her parents, but she also was attracted to the idea of being flagged as a star from the get-go. I think it was this latter enticement that drew her to St. Mary’s as much as–or more than–the scholarship money.</p>
<p>It seems my son is very much a " star " in the eyes of the Engineering dept . He lives in Ohio , which is a real change from NJ ! He recently came in first in a school competition , where he and his group had to design something . Last year he had a choice of 5 different co-ops , based on teacher recommendations . This was not his first choice school , but we feel he made the right decision to attend there . The only negative is he will probably end up in a job in Ohio .</p>
<p>There’s probably a formula for this with the variables including the family’s financial situation and the difference (perceived or real) in desirability between the two colleges. When I was applying years ago, the Echols at Virginia was almost–but not quite–enough to lure me away from Yale. For my kids, I think it would have to be something like admission into some specific attractive program plus a lot of personal attention.</p>
<p>I think the idea of an honors program within a college (especially if it seems real, not ********ty) could be a draw. Or, special availability for internships or the like. I could imagine a college that really goes out of its way to want YOU would make a difference. A young relative chose Drew because they wrote a letter to her and said they looked forward to her doing (her kind of artistic achievement) when she got there. She felt as if they’d really listened. Another thing that might influence such a decision is fit. Let’s face it, Harvard sounds great, but what if you went to Haverford and loved its small size and personal attention you’d likely to be getting there?</p>
<p>I agree Endicott, that a large public can make its honors program enticing, esp. if they offer 4 yrs guaranteed housing, priority housing, and, most precious of all, priority registration. First crack at internships doesn’t hurt either.</p>
<p>Sally, regarding the 2nd part of your question: S chose a small, less-prestigious college over UC Berkeley after scholarships made the cost even. He wanted the small classes, the interaction with the faculty, and the mentoring. He has yet to hear the phrase “due to budget cuts,” which he grew up with here in CA. Meanwhile, his friend who went to Berkeley is taking absurd classes because “due to budget cuts,” the classes he needs were cut. No regrets here!</p>
<p>I don’t know the whole picture, but the money sure is being a significant factor in our household - as long as the college produces “results” (he wants med school or so he thinks at this point and has since 3rd grade). My guy also wants access to research.</p>
<p>He’s told us countless times he doesn’t really care about the dorm or sports or other “insignificant” things, but he wants debt free for undergrad (if possible) and research opportunities. Therefore, he’s eliminated all non-merit aid schools (including Ivies) and those not allowing freshman research.</p>
<p>If the question is “How can your state flagship lure you away from your first choice college?”, then the answer is it can’t, at least for S1. He was offered full-ride and the honor college with almost guaranteed graduation in two years.</p>
<p>So think outside the box, PaperChaserPop. Surely SOMETHING might have changed your son’s mind, no matter how unlikely … free summers in Europe? an on-call faculty mentor? a car? a chance to star in the next James Bond film? ;)</p>
<p>Keep in mind, too, that I’m not just asking what would draw a student from an “elite” college to the local state university. I’m asking about what would entice a student away from a top-choice college to some other school–not necessarily the public flagship–that is lower on the list.</p>
<p>I think to really do this successfully, schools would have to create really credible honors colleges that offer an experience that is comparable to what top privates offer. (Maybe they already do, and it’s a matter of PR, primarily.) They would need to have dedicated classes and faculty for a significant portion of the student’s college experience, and have developed a track record for attracting top students.</p>
<p>As I think about this, I’m not sure why a flagship would want to go too far–wouldn’t it alienate the non-honors students?</p>
<p>Okay, Sally, to answer your latest question: the lesser school could invite the candidate to visit at their expense and have a charming student in the desired major host while the professors fawn over the candidate and the candidate sits in on the most stimulating classes. </p>
<p>Here’s something else I’ve seen that could tip the scale: the students from a college’s music program offered to host all the prospective music students for the weekend. It included special programs, catered meals, and a concert. I think that would make a student feel very welcome.</p>
<p>I don’t think this is enough to lure someone away from an ivy, but I know a lot of people who chose lower-ranked Western Washington University over UW because they realized they could get far more credit for their IB exam scores.</p>
<p>I gave up a LAC about 70 spots above my current school (according to USNWR) for full tuition, a 2,000 research stipend, a more convenient location, reasonably generous IB credit, and placement into 2nd-year courses for my major.</p>
<p>Despite Michigan (with scholarship) and UVa (in state with Rodman honors) being half the price of MIT, DS chose MIT, with our blessing. And it is worth it. He was in the running for the Jefferson scholarship at UVa, and I would have wanted him to take that. It is full-ride with summer leadership program, special events during the school year, etc.</p>
<p>I think he was relieved it wasn’t offered to him.</p>
<p>As for research possibilities and summer jobs, those have not been in short supply as a “regular” MIT student. The buzz of intellectual excitement in Cambridge is hard to beat.</p>
<p>A val at my high school went to state flagship with a scholarship through the 8-year med program over a couple Ivies, although he’d been rejected from Yale and Harvard, which I think were his true top choices.</p>
).</p>