If you were going to pick a few high reaches for this kid:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the T10s give merit aid. Not sure how your plan is going to work — the schools your kid seems to be aiming for and the price you’re (willing? able?) to pay don’t seem to align.

If you will legitimately qualify for need-based aid, carry on. But otherwise I think your student should focus on finding affordable targets and safeties before casting about for reaches.

Targets and Safeties are already identified.

So what targets and safeties does the kid like? Might help people give advice on the type of school.

He likes UMD, Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Oregon State, Minnesota, Colorado School of Mines, WPI maybe Pitt or UNH.

Add Penn State to that list. It is very good for geosciences (top 10 in several areas) and civil engineering (ranked 14).

https://www.geosc.psu.edu/about/our-excellence/rankings#:~:text=12th%20%2D%20Geological%20and%20Earth%20Sciences,14th%20%2D%20Physical%20Sciences%20Overall


https://www.engr.psu.edu/facts/index.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where would you look:

Strong enough GPA, test scores and rigor that taking a shot at a T10 makes sense.

Good EC’s that support what he wants to do in and after college.

Wants to study civil engineering and geoscience or hydrology, with a goal on working on water related issues in international development.

Would like a school that takes a lot of AP credit, and that offers non-Western languages.

Needs to stay under 40K so the school needs to either meet need, or give good merit.

ChatGPT suggested Princeton.

Georgia Tech is the best fit.
1. It takes a lot of AP credits so DC can graduate in 2.5 years.
2. Georgia Tech is a T10 engineering. And broadly speaking, Georgia Tech is not worse than any of T10s, perhaps better than a couple of T10.
3. OOS tuition is low, you don't need merit if going to Georgia Tech. Under 40K.
The only thing is OOS acceptance rate is low, so DC may not be accepted. Good luck.

GA tech cost of attendance out of state is $53K and OOS aid is very limited. It seems better to use the reach spot for a school where, if accepted, he could afford to go, which means a meets need school.

— OP

DC can graduate in 2.5 years @ Georgia Tech. Did you count that in? That effectively lowers OOS tuition to under 40K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where would you look:

Strong enough GPA, test scores and rigor that taking a shot at a T10 makes sense.

Good EC’s that support what he wants to do in and after college.

Wants to study civil engineering and geoscience or hydrology, with a goal on working on water related issues in international development.

Would like a school that takes a lot of AP credit, and that offers non-Western languages.

Needs to stay under 40K so the school needs to either meet need, or give good merit.

ChatGPT suggested Princeton.

Georgia Tech is the best fit.
1. It takes a lot of AP credits so DC can graduate in 2.5 years.
2. Georgia Tech is a T10 engineering. And broadly speaking, Georgia Tech is not worse than any of T10s, perhaps better than a couple of T10.
3. OOS tuition is low, you don't need merit if going to Georgia Tech. Under 40K.
The only thing is OOS acceptance rate is low, so DC may not be accepted. Good luck.

GA tech cost of attendance out of state is $53K and OOS aid is very limited. It seems better to use the reach spot for a school where, if accepted, he could afford to go, which means a meets need school.

— OP

DC can graduate in 2.5 years @ Georgia Tech. Did you count that in? That effectively lowers OOS tuition to under 40K.

No because the kid wants to pursue a double degree and learn a non-Western language, and that doesn’t seem possible in 2.5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the T10s give merit aid. Not sure how your plan is going to work — the schools your kid seems to be aiming for and the price you’re (willing? able?) to pay don’t seem to align.

If you will legitimately qualify for need-based aid, carry on. But otherwise I think your student should focus on finding affordable targets and safeties before casting about for reaches.

Targets and Safeties are already identified.

So what targets and safeties does the kid like? Might help people give advice on the type of school.

He likes UMD, Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Oregon State, Minnesota, Colorado School of Mines, WPI maybe Pitt or UNH.

I don't think Wisconsin gives any merit aid except for rare full scholarships. My high stats kid got 50% aid at UGA, VT, Pitt, and a bunch at UNC and Clemson but nothing from Wisconsin.. it was going to be about $55K.

[Anonymous]

Case Western gives a lot of aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where would you look:

Strong enough GPA, test scores and rigor that taking a shot at a T10 makes sense.

Good EC’s that support what he wants to do in and after college.

Wants to study civil engineering and geoscience or hydrology, with a goal on working on water related issues in international development.

Would like a school that takes a lot of AP credit, and that offers non-Western languages.

Needs to stay under 40K so the school needs to either meet need, or give good merit.

ChatGPT suggested Princeton.

Several top universities offer strong civil engineering programs with a focus on hydrology. Some of the most well-regarded programs include those at MIT, UC (Davis), University of Minnesota, Stanford, Rice, and Texas A&M.

[Anonymous]

Nothing in this profile suggests a kid that would be admitted to a T10. Good ecs and high stats aren’t enough for an unhooked kid. However since you like Princeton and can afford it with aid, apply there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where would you look:

Strong enough GPA, test scores and rigor that taking a shot at a T10 makes sense.

Good EC’s that support what he wants to do in and after college.

Wants to study civil engineering and geoscience or hydrology, with a goal on working on water related issues in international development.

Would like a school that takes a lot of AP credit, and that offers non-Western languages.

Needs to stay under 40K so the school needs to either meet need, or give good merit.

ChatGPT suggested Princeton.

Several top universities offer strong civil engineering programs with a focus on hydrology. Some of the most well-regarded programs include those at MIT, UC (Davis), University of Minnesota, Stanford, Rice, and Texas A&M.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the T10s give merit aid. Not sure how your plan is going to work — the schools your kid seems to be aiming for and the price you’re (willing? able?) to pay don’t seem to align.

If you will legitimately qualify for need-based aid, carry on. But otherwise I think your student should focus on finding affordable targets and safeties before casting about for reaches.

Targets and Safeties are already identified.

So what targets and safeties does the kid like? Might help people give advice on the type of school.

He likes UMD, Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Oregon State, Minnesota, Colorado School of Mines, WPI maybe Pitt or UNH.

Don't see Oregon State on many people's list if kid has Purdue on list, how about U of IL if university has a good enough Hydro program.

[Anonymous]

IHE Delft Netherlands if considering Europe

[Anonymous]

University of Arizona

[Anonymous]

The schools with the best meets need aid that also have top engineering are
MIT
Stanford
Princeton
UPenn
Harvard
Northwestern
Columbia

Apply to the ones that are best fit, they r just apply to all and see what happens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where would you look:

Strong enough GPA, test scores and rigor that taking a shot at a T10 makes sense.

Good EC’s that support what he wants to do in and after college.

Wants to study civil engineering and geoscience or hydrology, with a goal on working on water related issues in international development.

Would like a school that takes a lot of AP credit, and that offers non-Western languages.

Needs to stay under 40K so the school needs to either meet need, or give good merit.

ChatGPT suggested Princeton.

Georgia Tech is the best fit.
1. It takes a lot of AP credits so DC can graduate in 2.5 years.
2. Georgia Tech is a T10 engineering. And broadly speaking, Georgia Tech is not worse than any of T10s, perhaps better than a couple of T10.
3. OOS tuition is low, you don't need merit if going to Georgia Tech. Under 40K.
The only thing is OOS acceptance rate is low, so DC may not be accepted. Good luck.

just because AP credits are accepted does not mean you can graduate early. You could have a prerequisite chain 8 semesters long starting from freshman engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in this profile suggests a kid that would be admitted to a T10. Good ecs and high stats aren’t enough for an unhooked kid. However since you like Princeton and can afford it with aid, apply there.

His counselor says he is in the range where he has seen kids get in, and of course also seen kids rejected. He says that it’s worth applying to a couple of those high reaches since if he gets in it will likely be cheaper than UMD.

So, he’s going to pick a couple schools where admissions is a reach but the money is guaranteed, and a couple schools where admissions is likely but the scholarship he’d need is a reach like Wisconsin, and some where the chances are more realistic for both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in this profile suggests a kid that would be admitted to a T10. Good ecs and high stats aren’t enough for an unhooked kid. However since you like Princeton and can afford it with aid, apply there.

His counselor says he is in the range where he has seen kids get in, and of course also seen kids rejected. He says that it’s worth applying to a couple of those high reaches since if he gets in it will likely be cheaper than UMD.

So, he’s going to pick a couple schools where admissions is a reach but the money is guaranteed, and a couple schools where admissions is likely but the scholarship he’d need is a reach like Wisconsin, and some where the chances are more realistic for both.

I wouldn’t be so sure that Princeton would be cheaper than UMD. I am not sure how they do it, but UMD has a knack for identifying Ivy admits and offers them the full ride BK. I know several now. If your unhooked kid is good enough for an Ivy, they’ll probably get a full ride at UMD.