Small schools a backups to W&M?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny how you've decided that your kid who is barely halfway through high school is already "in range" for W&M.

Not sure what this means? We know her current GPA and the fact that she tests well on standardized tests. I also said “you never know” but based on published stats she will be well within range. If I thought she was a shoo in (I certainly don’t) I wouldn’t be here looking for other options now would I?

Yeesh!

My point, Tiger Mom, is that you need to relax.

Huh? Junior year is the typical year to tour colleges, so I’m just looking for ideas. Sorry that offends you.

[Anonymous]

Dickinson is very similar to W&M and would make a good back up. They are also very generous with merit aid, so it could end up being a good financial comparison to being in state for W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dickinson is very similar to W&M and would make a good back up. They are also very generous with merit aid, so it could end up being a good financial comparison to being in state for W&M.

You are the first person I have ever heard say Dickinson gives good merit aid. I’ve heard they are actually fairly tight fisted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny how you've decided that your kid who is barely halfway through high school is already "in range" for W&M.

Not sure what this means? We know her current GPA and the fact that she tests well on standardized tests. I also said “you never know” but based on published stats she will be well within range. If I thought she was a shoo in (I certainly don’t) I wouldn’t be here looking for other options now would I?

Yeesh!

My point, Tiger Mom, is that you need to relax.

Huh? Junior year is the typical year to tour colleges, so I’m just looking for ideas. Sorry that offends you.

You are totally right to be getting started with this now. I don't know what PP's problem is.

My junior DD also likes W&M and if she ends junior year like 9th-10th it also looks to be a target, more so if she decides to apply ED. Other schools she's looking at are Mary Washington to have an in-state financial and admissions safety, and then LACs that seem to have good programs for her specific area of interest in science. These will mostly be safeties since we'd need merit aid -- Juniata, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Allegheny, SUNY ESF, Washington College, Mt Holyoke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dickinson is very similar to W&M and would make a good back up. They are also very generous with merit aid, so it could end up being a good financial comparison to being in state for W&M.

My DS loved W&M and don’t like Dickinson. Dickinson has none of the charm or beauty of William and Mary and is much smaller and more isolated. We got the impression that the academics were better at William and Mary too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dickinson is very similar to W&M and would make a good back up. They are also very generous with merit aid, so it could end up being a good financial comparison to being in state for W&M.

I agree. Dickinson, U Mary Washington, Muhlenberg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny how you've decided that your kid who is barely halfway through high school is already "in range" for W&M.

Not sure what this means? We know her current GPA and the fact that she tests well on standardized tests. I also said “you never know” but based on published stats she will be well within range. If I thought she was a shoo in (I certainly don’t) I wouldn’t be here looking for other options now would I?

Yeesh!

My point, Tiger Mom, is that you need to relax.

Huh? Junior year is the typical year to tour colleges, so I’m just looking for ideas. Sorry that offends you.

I'm totally with you, OP! Now is the time to be doing this. Thank you for starting this thread since I have the exact same question. Also have a junior who is in range with GPA and SAT. We are looking at the same schools you are. We liked Dickinson a lot. Since your DD is in range for W&M, she can probably get about 10k merit aid at UMW, which just about covers tuition.

[Anonymous]

Richmond, Davidson, Wake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Richmond, Davidson, Wake

You're a good example of a poster on the college forum who either can't read or doesn't know anything about college admissions. These schools are W&M peers, not backups, and are no easier to get into than W&M is for in state applicants.

[Anonymous]

I found Dickinson depressing. What about Gettysburg?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD (Junior) is not interested in a large school, and while in range for W&M you just never know. Where else should we be looking for her? Looking for small school with friendly atmosphere and good academics. W&M is instate for us but we would pay private tuition for the right fit. She also wants to be within a reasonable drive from home - like 4 hours or less. She is sweet and naive and a little anxious.

Thanks.

Not 4 hours but Still look at Saint Olaf’s, Kalamazoo, Wooster, Kenyon and Oberlin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (Junior) is not interested in a large school, and while in range for W&M you just never know. Where else should we be looking for her? Looking for small school with friendly atmosphere and good academics. W&M is instate for us but we would pay private tuition for the right fit. She also wants to be within a reasonable drive from home - like 4 hours or less. She is sweet and naive and a little anxious.

Thanks.

Not 4 hours but Still look at Saint Olaf’s, Kalamazoo, Wooster, Kenyon and Oberlin.

My senior who likes W&M is also applying to St. Olaf, Oberlin and Kenyon from this list (as well as other schools not mentioned).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (Junior) is not interested in a large school, and while in range for W&M you just never know. Where else should we be looking for her? Looking for small school with friendly atmosphere and good academics. W&M is instate for us but we would pay private tuition for the right fit. She also wants to be within a reasonable drive from home - like 4 hours or less. She is sweet and naive and a little anxious.

Thanks.

Not 4 hours but Still look at Saint Olaf’s, Kalamazoo, Wooster, Kenyon and Oberlin.

+1 Good list
She sounds like a good fit for Midwestern SLACs. If she's competitive for W&M, Kalamazoo, St. Olaf's and Wooster might likely give her merit aid to make costs fairly comparable to W&M in-state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (Junior) is not interested in a large school, and while in range for W&M you just never know. Where else should we be looking for her? Looking for small school with friendly atmosphere and good academics. W&M is instate for us but we would pay private tuition for the right fit. She also wants to be within a reasonable drive from home - like 4 hours or less. She is sweet and naive and a little anxious.

Thanks.

Not 4 hours but Still look at Saint Olaf’s, Kalamazoo, Wooster, Kenyon and Oberlin.

My senior who likes W&M is also applying to St. Olaf, Oberlin and Kenyon from this list (as well as other schools not mentioned).

I don't think these are "backups" to William & Mary in terms of safeties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (Junior) is not interested in a large school, and while in range for W&M you just never know. Where else should we be looking for her? Looking for small school with friendly atmosphere and good academics. W&M is instate for us but we would pay private tuition for the right fit. She also wants to be within a reasonable drive from home - like 4 hours or less. She is sweet and naive and a little anxious.

Thanks.

Not 4 hours but Still look at Saint Olaf’s, Kalamazoo, Wooster, Kenyon and Oberlin.

My senior who likes W&M is also applying to St. Olaf, Oberlin and Kenyon from this list (as well as other schools not mentioned).

I don't think these are "backups" to William & Mary in terms of safeties.

St. Olaf is easier to get into than W&M.