Hello! My child wants to major in biochemistry/pre-med. He wants to do research as an undergraduate. We are NJ residents, and our EFC is high (~70k), but the reality is that we cannot contribute more than $30k/yr. My son does not want to go to school in NJ. His ACT was 34, SAT 1450, lots of AP classes but GPA not perfect. Great ECs: lots of volunteering, EMT. Can anyone recommend a school that might fit into our budget? Or that might give merit aid? Top priorities are major and undergrad research opportunities, but my son also prefers a busy social scene, a larger school with school spirit, and warm weather. Thank you!
Where to apply- please advise! [NJ resident, 3.5 UWGPA, 34 ACT, 1450 SAT, biochemistry/premed, $30K]
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Bio Chem. Many places
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Pre med - almost anywhere
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Research - almost everywhere
U of Alabama is right up your alley. And with auto merit you’d be at $20k per year. Check the MCCullough medical scholars too. The huge merit is why they have over 1500 kids from Illinois, 1k from Ca and TX and almost 2k from the Tri state states (Ny/Nj/CT)
There’s other large publics as well that will fit - from an Ole Miss, Ms State, maybe some Florida schools, outside chance U of SC, maybe a UNM and Arizona although you need to watch them as they’re looking at cutting merit ( but I don’t think for the incoming students).
Ps tons of schools give merit - but merit and $30k are two different things. And research - you just need to ask !!
Good luck
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What’s his unweighted GPA, core courses only?
Is he a senior? Where has he applied so far?
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Ahhh. Good question. I missed that. Yeah need a 3.5 for Bama and higher for others.
Not sure why I thought I saw 4.0.
Thx for asking.
If he has a 3.5 or higher, he’d get automatic in-state tuition at the U of Louisville because you’re NJ residents. It will meet your budget. He may get additional aid as well. It’s an admissions safety. I’ve heard good things about the honors program. It has a med school and plenty of research opportunities. It has rolling admissions so you can apply in the summer and last year they returned admissions decisions super fast. I believe this school meets the criteria you listed as preferences.
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Louisville won’t be warm in Winter…but…it is a FANTASTIC city!!! So that could work…
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I know many Jersey kids want to go out of state, but are there specific reasons? Because of course, Rutgers is a well reputed school that will cost less than $30k. Depending on his GPA, he may even get some merit $$.
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Thank you!
I completely agree re: Rutgers. Great school, most affordable option… but my kid really wants to leave NJ, logical or not.
Thank you! This is exactly what I am looking for- this school was not on my radar at all!
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Rutgers New Brunswick gives merit to students with close to Ivy stats, and they like a higher gpa and test scores (anything less than a 3.5 is dicey but a 3+ might be ok with high test scores).
Yes, that’s why I said depends on the GPA.
Let’s see what OP posts.
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Yes, I was assuming it wasn’t a 3.9 based on the OP’s wording. I have a family member who had a 35/1540 but closer to a 3.0 who only got into one school because he had too many reached. My kids who wanted OOS chased merit, so I’m pretty familiar with what east coast publics offer.
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As others have said, you can do premed at any one of a very, very, very wide range of universities. A student does not need to attend a “top 100” university to get accepted to a very good medical school. The student does however need to do very well in very challenging premed classes, and also needs good experience in a medical environment along with good references and MCAT score.
Keeping the cost of attendance down to $30k per year however will be more limiting. Also, if a student wants to keep open a realistic option of attending medical school, they should try very hard to avoid debt. No debt at all for undergrad would be very highly preferable.
A lot of students want to go out of state. However, in-state public universities are worth considering closely if you need to keep the cost down to $30k per year.
I think that it is relatively common for a family to find that they cannot afford whatever the university thinks your EFC should be. We took a pretty hard line with our kids. We set a budget up front, and insisted that they stick with it. We would not let them take any loans at all for a bachelor’s degree. One daughter did not like this, but did manage to stay in budget. Years later after graduation she thanked me. He first job after getting her bachelor’s was a dream job in a beautiful location where she wanted to be, but it paid badly and she could only take it because she had no debt. I would similarly suggest that you be very clear what the budget is, and stick to it.
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Unweighted GPA is only 3.5. Terrible freshman year with COVID, etc. Grades have been much better since, with many APs and mostly As, but hard to overcome the terrible grades freshman year.
I completely agree. With grad school in the future, I don’t want to get into debt for undergrad. We have good schools in NJ; Rutgers, clearly, but others as well… and I have encouraged these strongly. In addition, my son did get into the Honors Program at U. Alabama with merit. I think this is a fantastic option, but unfortunately, my son has a pretty bad attitude. He is in AP classes full of people who look down on Alabama, and this has affected his view of things. I do not agree at all with his attitude, but at the same time, I am trying to find as many options as I can.
Unweighted GPA 3.5. He is a senior. He has applied to U. Alabama and was admitted to honors program with merit, but has bad attitude about the school (which I do not share). He was waitlisted at U. South Carolina. Got into College of Charleston, but waitlisted for honors program and almost no aid.
If it’s 3.5 (not 3.49), Bama is good. If weighted is higher, you are good.
Scratch Arizona.
Yes that was important to know. I assumed higher.
W Carolina is $20k full, no merit.
Bama is precisely what you described. But he’s gonna have to step up his game in college.
So Bama is what you described.
Bama has a table - you achieve, you get.
Ms State same.
Charleston doesn’t have and is expensive - no merit. Even with merit never would have met your budget.
U of SC is same and not an easy admit and no assurance on cost.
You have a tight budget. It’s Rutgers, TCNJ, Ramapo etc or OOS.
Maybe a small school in Tx but you described large, sporty.
Maybe check Coastal Carolina or UNCW but with a budget they are unknown.
If Bama is too big, check UAH, Troy or others. They will hit but less sporty.
You want warm, social etc - not sure what he could want. Maybe New Mexico.
It’s your budget he has to realize it has to hit. And don’t fall off that. Be clear to him up front. And hold to it.
Good luck.
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