Need suggestions on safety schools

[Anonymous]

Very high GPA and standard test scores, competitive public high school, low income family, national level awards, interesting ECs, well-rounded. Interested in environmental science and English. Could you suggest some schools with financial aid/merit scholarship, on the east coast, and preferably not in the middle of nowhere? We are pretty much settled on the reach and target schools but need ideas on safety -ish schools. I know there are probably no more safeties any more but we still need to try. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Sounds like mine, though she was more humanities focused. Her safeties were Muhlenberg and umd. Muhlenberg has a new science building under construction (may be finished). We liked the people and campus. I've also heard a lot about Juniata with environmental science fields. Those two may offer good merit aid options. We are middle class and did not qualify for need aid at Muhlenberg but still got 30k/yr in merit aid. She got excellent need aid (38k+/yr) at top LACs and universities, though.

[Anonymous]

If they are low income, I would not major in English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are low income, I would not major in English.

Good point. The kid understands the job market doesn’t favor English majors so will probably double major in sth else as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like mine, though she was more humanities focused. Her safeties were Muhlenberg and umd. Muhlenberg has a new science building under construction (may be finished). We liked the people and campus. I've also heard a lot about Juniata with environmental science fields. Those two may offer good merit aid options. We are middle class and did not qualify for need aid at Muhlenberg but still got 30k/yr in merit aid. She got excellent need aid (38k+/yr) at top LACs and universities, though.

Thank you and congrats to your kid!

[Anonymous]

Juniata
Washington College of Maryland
Ursinus
Sewanee

(These tend to be in more isolated places.)

[Anonymous]

Davidson and they tend to give merit. Have your school suggest her for the merit scholarship competition they do.

[Anonymous]

Eckerd

[Anonymous]

How about Loyola in Baltimore? Nice, safe part of city, good school spirit, excellent aid.

[Anonymous]

Goucher is another one in Baltimore, and I think it’s also in a safe part of town and gives merit.

Look at CTCL schools, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Davidson and they tend to give merit. Have your school suggest her for the merit scholarship competition they do.

Not a safety school. Sheesh.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is planning on majoring in environmental science. Her safeties are Juniata (net price calc says it's likely in the low $30k, merit only), Washington College (similar price), Mary Washington (in state, calc puts price at about $20k).

Washington College feels remote but is only about an hour and a half drive from our home. However, public transportation options seem very limited if that's an issue. UMW is the least remote/most accessible. Both of these seem to have a strong emphasis on writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like mine, though she was more humanities focused. Her safeties were Muhlenberg and umd. Muhlenberg has a new science building under construction (may be finished). We liked the people and campus. I've also heard a lot about Juniata with environmental science fields. Those two may offer good merit aid options. We are middle class and did not qualify for need aid at Muhlenberg but still got 30k/yr in merit aid. She got excellent need aid (38k+/yr) at top LACs and universities, though.

UMD as a safety? I'm a VA resident so I don't know much about UMD, but from the postings here last spring it didn't seem like a "safety" at all. Many students with excellent stats were rejected.

[Anonymous]

I've heard that no college wants to be your safety so if your kid's stats are too high above their average, they will get rejected, especially if they have not shown demonstrated interest. Any validity to this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard that no college wants to be your safety so if your kid's stats are too high above their average, they will get rejected, especially if they have not shown demonstrated interest. Any validity to this?

In that situation, a school might WL the student and then do a "soft offer" to protect yield.