Anyone have a high stats kid who ended up at their true safety school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS had 4.0 GPA with 1590 SAT, and was accepted to an Ivy. He turned it down to attend George Mason on a full tuition+room/board scholarship because we would have to pay almost 85K per year, and we didn't receive any financial aid at the Ivy where he was accepted. Fast-forward to today, he is currently at UVA medical school.

Smart Choice!!!! Now he can graduate medical school without added debt from Undergrad (and possibly without much debt at all if you are able to help him).
Also, it is much easier to get high GPA, research, excellent recommendations at a "slightly lower ranked school" where your kid is Top Dog. THat's what med schools want to see. And in reality, where you go for undergrad does not affect medical school. It may just "seem that way" because people who can be full pay at Ivy are also the ones who can be full pay at medical school and don't have to search for the "most affordable medical school"

Sorry if this is a gumb question, but how did he go from george Mason to UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Friend was NMSF, 1590, top 5%, tons of rigor including AP Stat and BC Calc. Applied nursing to UVA and UNC from oos. Thought scores were good enough so didn't try elsewhere. Ended up at state university but not even in nursing program.
Now....mistake was only having two reaches. And nursing makes everything unsafe.

OOS is always a crapshoot, sure, but instate, Nursing

If she's not getting into nursing instate, who is?!

Is she permanently blocked from nursing, or just has to apply after first year?

Direct entry nursing is VERY competitive. I am in another state with our flagship acceptance rate of 65% but the BSN has 6% acceptance rate. I am sure UVA nursing is even more difficult to get into. I don't know who actually get in. People on DCUM don't really talk about nursing programs.

This is really interesting to me. I thought nursing was like teaching. Isn't there a shortage of well-trained nurses? Why aren't the programs expanding?

I likewise thought the same and had my eyes opened when DC went thru the application process this past cycle. Direct admit is indeed difficult and some schools don’t even offer it.

It’s just one of the reasons DC took a direct slot at a lower-ranked school (that still has a Level 1 trauma teaching hospital on campus). While it’s “direct,” it is still dependent on a 3.0 in certain prescribed classes like chemistry and biology. Didn’t want to have to “apply” yet again next Spring.

After much conversation with family and friends who are RNs, we’re still unsure it’s worthy of a $100K+ (total) degree when, as has also been pointed out here on DCUM, that the undergrad diploma location is largely a shoulder-shrug. DC has aspirations of NP or PA so it’s as much of a “see how it goes” as the actual degree. Plus, DC worked their a$$ off to have good enough grades, scores and ECs to get enough merit to keep the cost <= any other STEM (where the “M” could mean Medical) degree that has a lot of post-grad and occupational options.

So we are their biggest cheering section, atm.

DP. We know someone in the same situation and were wondering (to ourselves) why the student didn't simply go to a less expensive in-state university for nursing. It really doesn't matter where you go for undergrad nursing.

Why are people so mystified that someone might pay more than the bare minimum for a degree? Do people always go with the cheapest option when they pay for a house, car, wedding ring, watch, suit, vacation, bottle of wine, computer, TV, or dinner?

Unless you have a lot of money, yes, people on budgets go for the cheaper house, ring, tv, dinner, etc...

Also, that dinner is like $50, compared to $85K+ per year. Splurging on a nice tv, or vacation is not the same as spending that much money for a college education that you pay for four years.

How privileged you are to not realize this. Perhaps you should get out of your bubble, just a bit.

Yes, but the point is, some people have the money to spend. Maybe it's grandparents' money (often it is), maybe they've just saved forever, whatever. Maybe they just have one kid and this is what they want to spend it on. That people have different spending priorities should not be so shocking.

Personally, we are spending money on a more expensive, selective college for our oldest and I have a close friend with similar earnings who spends more money on houses, cars, vacations, spas, etc., who I know finds it silly. I didn't say anything when they made their kid choose a far less selective state school over the private he really wanted. It's all about choices.

The vast majority of colleges aren't worth $60K+/year from an ROI standpoint.

Your priority is spending money on your kid's college experience; others prioritize their vacations, or in our case, retirement.

Personally, I think it's silly to spend that much money on college just for the 4 years of that particular college experience. If they want to experience being out of state, they can get a job out of state and experience that. Heck, DH got a job across the pond to experience being out of the country.

Generally, people spend 10+ years in their house, so I can understand wanting a nice house. It also appreciates better.

I don't drive nice cars or buy name brand clothes, but we do prioritize experiences like traveling, and retirement.

The outcome for a kid who went to a $40K school vs most $60K+ school for the same major isn't all that different.

Again, that's your opinion. It's not all about the "outcome" -- which I assume you mean is the job? People have different amounts of money and value it different ways. I genuinely believe you make different kinds of connections and relationships in different schools settings that follow you all your life, for example. That's worth the money to me. You can do what you want with your money.

[Anonymous]

You want the school your kid chooses to have a real stake in your kid’s success. That’s easier to accomplish if you are high up in their stat profile or have a talent that makes your kid attractive to the school. The so-called “merit aid” tells you how the school sees your kid.

That stake in your kid helps if there’s anything complicated with your kid, where your kid might need a little more nurturing or room to mature. In Virginia for example, a kid with ADHD who has a strong profile on paper might consider how UVa or W&M will deal with managing the ADHD. If your kid is a dime a dozen at those schools, they can roll the dice and let the kid wash out while replacing that kid with another high-stats kid. But some of the more regional schools might have a little more incentive to work with the kid and help the kid grow, knowing the kid’s capacity if the ADHD is better mitigated not just with meds and techniques but simply age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS had 4.0 GPA with 1590 SAT, and was accepted to an Ivy. He turned it down to attend George Mason on a full tuition+room/board scholarship because we would have to pay almost 85K per year, and we didn't receive any financial aid at the Ivy where he was accepted. Fast-forward to today, he is currently at UVA medical school.

Smart Choice!!!! Now he can graduate medical school without added debt from Undergrad (and possibly without much debt at all if you are able to help him).
Also, it is much easier to get high GPA, research, excellent recommendations at a "slightly lower ranked school" where your kid is Top Dog. THat's what med schools want to see. And in reality, where you go for undergrad does not affect medical school. It may just "seem that way" because people who can be full pay at Ivy are also the ones who can be full pay at medical school and don't have to search for the "most affordable medical school"

Sorry if this is a gumb question, but how did he go from george Mason to UVA

?? That is an odd question. I would assume he did well at GMU, applied for med schools with that good record + good MCAT scores and got into UVA. You don't have to go to a highly ranked undergrad to get into medical school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Friend was NMSF, 1590, top 5%, tons of rigor including AP Stat and BC Calc. Applied nursing to UVA and UNC from oos. Thought scores were good enough so didn't try elsewhere. Ended up at state university but not even in nursing program.
Now....mistake was only having two reaches. And nursing makes everything unsafe.

OOS is always a crapshoot, sure, but instate, Nursing

If she's not getting into nursing instate, who is?!

Is she permanently blocked from nursing, or just has to apply after first year?

Direct entry nursing is VERY competitive. I am in another state with our flagship acceptance rate of 65% but the BSN has 6% acceptance rate. I am sure UVA nursing is even more difficult to get into. I don't know who actually get in. People on DCUM don't really talk about nursing programs.

This is really interesting to me. I thought nursing was like teaching. Isn't there a shortage of well-trained nurses? Why aren't the programs expanding?

I likewise thought the same and had my eyes opened when DC went thru the application process this past cycle. Direct admit is indeed difficult and some schools don’t even offer it.

It’s just one of the reasons DC took a direct slot at a lower-ranked school (that still has a Level 1 trauma teaching hospital on campus). While it’s “direct,” it is still dependent on a 3.0 in certain prescribed classes like chemistry and biology. Didn’t want to have to “apply” yet again next Spring.

After much conversation with family and friends who are RNs, we’re still unsure it’s worthy of a $100K+ (total) degree when, as has also been pointed out here on DCUM, that the undergrad diploma location is largely a shoulder-shrug. DC has aspirations of NP or PA so it’s as much of a “see how it goes” as the actual degree. Plus, DC worked their a$$ off to have good enough grades, scores and ECs to get enough merit to keep the cost <= any other STEM (where the “M” could mean Medical) degree that has a lot of post-grad and occupational options.

So we are their biggest cheering section, atm.

DP. We know someone in the same situation and were wondering (to ourselves) why the student didn't simply go to a less expensive in-state university for nursing. It really doesn't matter where you go for undergrad nursing.

Why are people so mystified that someone might pay more than the bare minimum for a degree? Do people always go with the cheapest option when they pay for a house, car, wedding ring, watch, suit, vacation, bottle of wine, computer, TV, or dinner?

Unless you have a lot of money, yes, people on budgets go for the cheaper house, ring, tv, dinner, etc...

Also, that dinner is like $50, compared to $85K+ per year. Splurging on a nice tv, or vacation is not the same as spending that much money for a college education that you pay for four years.

How privileged you are to not realize this. Perhaps you should get out of your bubble, just a bit.

Yes, but the point is, some people have the money to spend. Maybe it's grandparents' money (often it is), maybe they've just saved forever, whatever. Maybe they just have one kid and this is what they want to spend it on. That people have different spending priorities should not be so shocking.

Personally, we are spending money on a more expensive, selective college for our oldest and I have a close friend with similar earnings who spends more money on houses, cars, vacations, spas, etc., who I know finds it silly. I didn't say anything when they made their kid choose a far less selective state school over the private he really wanted. It's all about choices.

The vast majority of colleges aren't worth $60K+/year from an ROI standpoint.

Your priority is spending money on your kid's college experience; others prioritize their vacations, or in our case, retirement.

Personally, I think it's silly to spend that much money on college just for the 4 years of that particular college experience. If they want to experience being out of state, they can get a job out of state and experience that. Heck, DH got a job across the pond to experience being out of the country.

Generally, people spend 10+ years in their house, so I can understand wanting a nice house. It also appreciates better.

I don't drive nice cars or buy name brand clothes, but we do prioritize experiences like traveling, and retirement.

The outcome for a kid who went to a $40K school vs most $60K+ school for the same major isn't all that different.

Again, that's your opinion. It's not all about the "outcome" -- which I assume you mean is the job? People have different amounts of money and value it different ways. I genuinely believe you make different kinds of connections and relationships in different schools settings that follow you all your life, for example. That's worth the money to me. You can do what you want with your money.

Well duh, but the vast majority of people do need to think about ROI. If you only care about the MRS degree, then sure. But outside T20, the vast majority of colleges aren't worth that much money in terms of career and income outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well duh, but the vast majority of people do need to think about ROI.

No, they don’t, especially because different people have vastly different values and priorities when it comes to the “R” in ROI. Or even how to define it.

[Anonymous]

Mrs, lol. My best friends and lifelong career contacts all went to my college. (Met husband at Ivy law school.) You don’t get it, which is fine, you clearly don’t have the money to spend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Friend was NMSF, 1590, top 5%, tons of rigor including AP Stat and BC Calc. Applied nursing to UVA and UNC from oos. Thought scores were good enough so didn't try elsewhere. Ended up at state university but not even in nursing program.
Now....mistake was only having two reaches. And nursing makes everything unsafe.

This 1000%

Nursing is hard anywhere. But if you want to have better odds, you need 3-4 Targets and Safety schools that have direct admit nursing as well. If you are 75%+ at a Safety, and nursing admit rate is at least 20%+ you have a much better chance (don't know anywhere you'd get nursing admit over 50%)

In reality, if you only apply to T30 schools and a safety, odds are good you are attending your safety. But if you find 3-4 good target schools as well, you will most likely will get into one of them (ideally you should get into 50%)

The same year as this girl, another girl from hs with a great test score (though not 1590 great) and slightly lower rank applied to NYU, U of Miami, Clemson and Case Western nursing. Got in all of them for nursing.

Just curious the thinking on applying to pricey private schools like NYU, Miami and Case (I know Case is generous with merit) for nursing.

Is nursing like other professions where these grads get maybe niche jobs that pay a ton more vs. say a Towson nursing grad?

Absolutely, positively not.

— an NP six years out who got an ADN at a community college to start things off.

[Anonymous]

Just curious the thinking on applying to pricey private schools like NYU, Miami and Case (I know Case is generous with merit) for nursing.

Is nursing like other professions where these grads get maybe niche jobs that pay a ton more vs. say a Towson nursing grad?


In this case, it was to get in a nursing school. As stated, its highly competitive, so you throw out as many applications as you can to schools you'd consider attending and see how the merit comes in. And see if the you get multiple acceptance, or just one. Nursing requires you to do that. This particular family had the money to support their daughter's education at any of the above, though cost was definitely one important factor that got weighed in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Friend was NMSF, 1590, top 5%, tons of rigor including AP Stat and BC Calc. Applied nursing to UVA and UNC from oos. Thought scores were good enough so didn't try elsewhere. Ended up at state university but not even in nursing program.
Now....mistake was only having two reaches. And nursing makes everything unsafe.

OOS is always a crapshoot, sure, but instate, Nursing

If she's not getting into nursing instate, who is?!

Is she permanently blocked from nursing, or just has to apply after first year?

Direct entry nursing is VERY competitive. I am in another state with our flagship acceptance rate of 65% but the BSN has 6% acceptance rate. I am sure UVA nursing is even more difficult to get into. I don't know who actually get in. People on DCUM don't really talk about nursing programs.

This is really interesting to me. I thought nursing was like teaching. Isn't there a shortage of well-trained nurses? Why aren't the programs expanding?

I likewise thought the same and had my eyes opened when DC went thru the application process this past cycle. Direct admit is indeed difficult and some schools don’t even offer it.

It’s just one of the reasons DC took a direct slot at a lower-ranked school (that still has a Level 1 trauma teaching hospital on campus). While it’s “direct,” it is still dependent on a 3.0 in certain prescribed classes like chemistry and biology. Didn’t want to have to “apply” yet again next Spring.

After much conversation with family and friends who are RNs, we’re still unsure it’s worthy of a $100K+ (total) degree when, as has also been pointed out here on DCUM, that the undergrad diploma location is largely a shoulder-shrug. DC has aspirations of NP or PA so it’s as much of a “see how it goes” as the actual degree. Plus, DC worked their a$$ off to have good enough grades, scores and ECs to get enough merit to keep the cost <= any other STEM (where the “M” could mean Medical) degree that has a lot of post-grad and occupational options.

So we are their biggest cheering section, atm.

DP. We know someone in the same situation and were wondering (to ourselves) why the student didn't simply go to a less expensive in-state university for nursing. It really doesn't matter where you go for undergrad nursing.

Why are people so mystified that someone might pay more than the bare minimum for a degree? Do people always go with the cheapest option when they pay for a house, car, wedding ring, watch, suit, vacation, bottle of wine, computer, TV, or dinner?

Unless you have a lot of money, yes, people on budgets go for the cheaper house, ring, tv, dinner, etc...

Also, that dinner is like $50, compared to $85K+ per year. Splurging on a nice tv, or vacation is not the same as spending that much money for a college education that you pay for four years.

How privileged you are to not realize this. Perhaps you should get out of your bubble, just a bit.

Yes, but the point is, some people have the money to spend. Maybe it's grandparents' money (often it is), maybe they've just saved forever, whatever. Maybe they just have one kid and this is what they want to spend it on. That people have different spending priorities should not be so shocking.

Personally, we are spending money on a more expensive, selective college for our oldest and I have a close friend with similar earnings who spends more money on houses, cars, vacations, spas, etc., who I know finds it silly. I didn't say anything when they made their kid choose a far less selective state school over the private he really wanted. It's all about choices.

The vast majority of colleges aren't worth $60K+/year from an ROI standpoint.

Your priority is spending money on your kid's college experience; others prioritize their vacations, or in our case, retirement.

Personally, I think it's silly to spend that much money on college just for the 4 years of that particular college experience. If they want to experience being out of state, they can get a job out of state and experience that. Heck, DH got a job across the pond to experience being out of the country.

Generally, people spend 10+ years in their house, so I can understand wanting a nice house. It also appreciates better.

I don't drive nice cars or buy name brand clothes, but we do prioritize experiences like traveling, and retirement.

The outcome for a kid who went to a $40K school vs most $60K+ school for the same major isn't all that different.

Again, that's your opinion. It's not all about the "outcome" -- which I assume you mean is the job? People have different amounts of money and value it different ways. I genuinely believe you make different kinds of connections and relationships in different schools settings that follow you all your life, for example. That's worth the money to me. You can do what you want with your money.

Well duh, but the vast majority of people do need to think about ROI. If you only care about the MRS degree, then sure. But outside T20, the vast majority of colleges aren't worth that much money in terms of career and income outcomes.

You’re hyper focussed on quantifiable numeric returns. The easiest to pinpoint probably (eg, salary at year 1 and salary at year 4). We get that.

A lot of us, especially in DC and NYC (note: DC does not include NoVa. It’s DC) are less observant with plotting ROI data on a graph as the only metric. We can afford to prioritize softer criteria.

[Anonymous]

Less OBSESSED

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS had 4.0 GPA with 1590 SAT, and was accepted to an Ivy. He turned it down to attend George Mason on a full tuition+room/board scholarship because we would have to pay almost 85K per year, and we didn't receive any financial aid at the Ivy where he was accepted. Fast-forward to today, he is currently at UVA medical school.

Must be heart breaking to not be able to afford this.

My DC (super high stats) was rejected to all the T10, and it was sad, BUT, a part of me was so relieved. We cannot easily afford $85K/year, but we would've figured out a way to do it if they got in and really wanted to go. It would've hurt either way.

Our family is in the same boat. I'm honestly not sure what we'd do if the choice were Princeton or UMD. DD getting into the former would feel like the dog catching the car. Financially, I hope (and expect) we won't need to make that choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well duh, but the vast majority of people do need to think about ROI.

No, they don’t, especially because different people have vastly different values and priorities when it comes to the “R” in ROI. Or even how to define it.

Do you understand what "vast majority" means?

Most people are on a budget. They don't have the finances to naval gaze after paying that much money for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mrs, lol. My best friends and lifelong career contacts all went to my college. (Met husband at Ivy law school.) You don’t get it, which is fine, you clearly don’t have the money to spend.

What don't you understand about "most colleges" and "outside of T10"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well duh, but the vast majority of people do need to think about ROI.

No, they don’t, especially because different people have vastly different values and priorities when it comes to the “R” in ROI. Or even how to define it.

Do you understand what "vast majority" means?

Most people are on a budget. They don't have the finances to naval gaze after paying that much money for college.

DP - Do you realize that by using the term "navel gaze" you did the same thing (in reverse) you accuse PP of?