W Carolina might work. OP I would ask your son to look into it. Would Coastal Carolina work?
He is going to have to look at schools that are a little off the beaten path. The more “popular” schools will be unaffordable.
He doesn’t like Alabama yet it checks all the boxes.
It can take decades for doctors to pay off their education loans.
It truly just is so frustrating!
I definitely plan to take a trip down South. I have heard so many people say that when they actually visited University of Alabama, they loved it. We could try to stop at Louisville on the way… and maybe W Carolina and Costal Carolina. And U. Del! I realize U.Del will not give enough merit aid to bring it in line with Rutgers, but there are certainly advantages to having less distance to travel, and it looks like a good fit.
UDel is a good school, and in a nice college town.
My guess is that your son will really like UDel. If you will not spend more than $30,000 then I would let him know…again…before visiting.
Hopefully he loves Alabama!
Most seem to love Bama. My son went and it was game over. Purdue was gone.
@Gatormama was the same.
It would depend if you flew or drove what you can hit.
If you did I-81, you could maybe do a Millersville b4 going but definitely a W Carolina, and then Ut Chattanooga, UAH, UAB, Bama. Maybe hit Louisville on the way home. If Delaware can’t get to $30k and it’s a hard stop for you, I wouldn’t go. A school like Millersville would be better. At least it. could hit. Or Salisbury etc
If you flew south, we can set an agenda for you for sure
He’d see so many types he’d find something he’d like - assuming he’s not burned out from hs.
JMU right of 81 as well…
Ya know, I’ve passed JMU for two decades traveling north and south on 81 and I’ve been adamant about never considering it for college for my kids solely based on the fact that it is bisected by an interstate highway – ugh ugh ugh. It could be Harvard and I’d feel the same way.
It’s really just a personal thing for me … wanted to mention it in case OP’s kid might be like that.
If it can get to $30K.
Something that can’t get to $30K should be skipped.
It’s $49K.
If anyone knows that it can get to $30K, then sure.
But if not - I’d keep driving.
Once you’re on the campus you really don’t feel like there’s a major highway there - it’s sort of remarkable, as it looks like it would be horrible from the highway, but it’s not and you really don’t notice the highway once you’re on campus.
I once lived in an apartment complex next to an interstate. I couldnt stand the noise. I’m one of those people bothered by noise pollution, but I do realize that’s not the same for everyone.
We looked. My daughter eliminated it because of that. It was high on her list.
I don’t know why she did.
It was the principle. It’s mostly on the West side and the campus is very very nice…
But she did.
In this case, it’s more a budget issue - can it get to $30K?
I don’t think so. But if can, let me know so OP can know.
Bucknell or UCdavis if he likes the west coast.
You should really plan a visit to the colleges that he appears to favor except for the lack of social prestige among his friends.
All of the schools mentioned…Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss State and LSU are beautiful schools that are very warm and friendly. Not to knock Rutgers ( I live in NJ), but it’s not what I would call a beautiful university. It is also very spread out and I have heard that you need a car because otherwise you need to bus everywhere.
Rutgers is also pretty expensive for a state school. Way more expensive than what I pay now, even when you add in airfare.
And keep in mind that kids don’t always pick schools the way adults would. My kids eliminated schools with mascots they didn’t like, school colors they didn’t like, lack of Chipotle next to campus, dorm that smelled like bacon…… and on and on. One child wanted to go to a school because they had a live tiger, and child was very certain that was worth the 80,000 price difference.
So I would take the whole “it’s not a good school because my friends think it’s not” out of the equation.
Rutgers has several campuses and students get a parking spot on one of them, so they need to take buses to other campuses, they can’t drive because they can’t park. It’s cheaper than tcnj I believe.
Since the UCs don’t give any need based aid, and precious little merit aid to out of state students, I can’t imagine this school (or any other CA public) will get to a $30,000 price point. Cost for Davis will be roughly $75,000 a year.
Bucknell would also be unaffordable with an EFC of $70,000 and a budget limit of $30,000.
Another school that I don’t think has been mentioned yet is East Carolina University (ECU) in North Carolina. It has a good reputation for health-related fields, good school spirit, about 22k undergrads, and is about $35k before any potential scholarships come his way.
OP-
Your son doesn’t want to attend the honors program at Alabama (with merit) because his peers look down at it. I get it- he’s young.
Does he think his peers will look favorably at one of the other schools that may offer him enough merit? They will not. It doesn’t mean there is a problem with these schools. It does mean that they will lack the prestige that they all want. Many of them will be attending “regular” schools because they won’t get accepted to the schools they want (or they cost too much).
He will get over it once he graduates. This part of the process is hard. In the meantime it might help to tell him not to discuss college with anybody. Stay away from the college talk.
Once he goes to college none of this will matter. Since Alabama checks all of his boxes I am sure he will like it… but he might not admit to it until he begins.
As for Rutgers… if he didn’t live in NJ it would be on his list (aside from the weather). It’s a great school.