Where do kids like mine go? Smart but no hooks [ME resident, 4.0 GPA, 1570 SAT, <$50k]

[blueberriesforsal]

Oh yes, speaking from my student’s experience at Whitman, the orientation process is terrific and the fantastic outdoor program is unique to the school—via the Bob Carson Outdoor Fund they provide funds for every student, every year to go on a trip and/or to rent gear at the college’s inexpensive (and big!) outdoor rental shop which has everything from all types of clothing (gloves, rain jackets, pants, etc.), to a wide variety of gear from sleeping bags to kayaks to snow shoes. They want all the students to have the opportunity to do trips even if they’ve never done it before, and don’t have the clothing or gear to do it.

My student has also taken classes via the outdoor program: climbing, kayaking, winter mountaineering, outdoor leadership, and is now a certified Wilderness First Responder as Whitman hosts 10 day intensive classes through NOLS on campus during their school breaks. These were all new things to him and he’s made so many friends through the program.

And the Early Financial Aid Guarantee I’ve written about elsewhere—I’m excerpting just the bit about merit awards here:

@blueberriesforsal

They offer the early financial aid guarantee, in which the admissions and financial aid office will provide you with the minimum guaranteed amount of aid your student will receive if they are admitted. For looking at merit aid alone, the student only need provide:

• An unofficial copy of their high school transcript
• Their senior year academic schedule
• SAT/ACT scores (optional)

(For those requiring need based aid who would like an early reply, prior to the ED deadlines, families submit the CSS Profile on October 1.)

For merit awards alone, students can self report their SAT or ACT scores, and ask their high school registrar for a copy of their transcript (typically they will just email you a PDF, or your student has a copy of it from the end of the junior year). They also may self report (or have the registrar forward them a copy of) their expected senior classes. The senior classes don’t need to be a school day schedule, but simply a list of what they will be taking in 12th grade.

For merit aid alone, the admissions officer makes the decision and no other materials are needed.

Your student can submit these materials beginning June 30th if they are a rising senior, and they’ll receive a guaranteed minimum amount (which will be awarded all four years) within a few weeks.

My S23 submitted his materials the summer before his senior year, and when he received his reply, the number was such that I said the budget worked if he wanted to apply Early Decision—which is precisely why they offer this early financial aid guarantee—so that those that require a certain amount of merit or need based aid are on the same footing as those who do not when it comes to deciding to apply.