Out of state flagships with scholarships vs. less known in state (VA)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

Oh boy …

+1

U of South Alabama would give a lot of merit but probably too “progressive” How about Ole Miss? Kansas might be a great fit.

OP here
I don't know anything about U of South Alabama (TBH this is the first I've heard of it) but the University of Alabama's flagship campus in Tuscaloosa would offer 24,000 in automatic scholarships based on my kid's current stats. If he retook the SAT and got 1420+ or took the ACT and got 32+, he would get 28,000 in automatic scholarships. Out of state tuition is 31,000--so my son's total tuition cost at the main campus would be less than in state tuition at Longwood, which is just under $14,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

Oh boy …

+1

U of South Alabama would give a lot of merit but probably too “progressive” How about Ole Miss? Kansas might be a great fit.

OP here
I don't know anything about U of South Alabama (TBH this is the first I've heard of it) but the University of Alabama's flagship campus in Tuscaloosa would offer 24,000 in automatic scholarships based on my kid's current stats. If he retook the SAT and got 1420+ or took the ACT and got 32+, he would get 28,000 in automatic scholarships. Out of state tuition is 31,000--so my son's total tuition cost at the main campus would be less than in state tuition at Longwood, which is just under $14,000.

OP, you haven't yet mentioned whether your student WANTS to go to Kansas, Arkansas, etc. versus stay in Virginia/mid-Atlantic. If they want to go to school in the Midwest, South, etc., and then live in those areas afterward, then go for it -- why even ask on DCUM? And if they don't, why push them to do something they don't want to do?

Also, as someone pointed out, the fact that a hiring person has heard of a school does NOT mean that she/he has a favorable impression of it. Could be that a progressive hiring person in Seattle has a negative impression, whether justified or not, of a school (e.g. University of Arkansas is a bunch of redneck partiers). Name recognition can be a two-edged sword.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think with their stats you’re looking at Longwood and ODU. Looks pretty solid for JMU and CNU and could increase to be even more competitive since he’s only a rising junior.

OP here. Thanks for the response. But are JMU and CNU that much better than Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, etc if the costs are about equal? I guess I'm thinking ahead to after college with alumni networking, and just name recognition. If he's working in say, Seattle or Miami and is asked where he went to school; If he says Kansas people will know what he's talking about. If he says JMU or Christopher Newport--will people ask "Where is that?"

Imagine how the conversation might continue:

Q: So are you from Kansas?

A: No.

Q: Do you have family or other ties in Kansas or the immediate area?

A: No.

Q: So why did you decide to go to KU?

A: Because they gave me a partial scholarship so it wasn't more expensive, or even cheaper, than the Virginia state schools I could get into.

And I don't think Google is going to prefer a job applicant - all other things being equal - who went to Kansas versus JMU just because they've "heard" of Kansas. Now, U of Michigan, UCLA, and similar state schools might be different, but not the OOS flagships you're looking at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

Oh boy …

Maybe try Liberty OP.

I'll have him look into that, thanks!

problem with Liberty is that people will see where your kid went to school and specifically NOT give them a job

+100.

I have a very good friend who is a professional recruiter and I can tell you this is true. Liberty is not an equivalent education to 4 year degree - no matter how much you want to believe it is. Their emphasis is on their belief system before higher learning. That's okay if that's what is important to you, but don't mistake that for something its not.

[Anonymous]

I'd be shocked if New Hampshire didn't have a vaccine mandate. We toured in the summer of 2021 and they had the strictest protocols of all the schools we toured (a plus for me and my kid). Had to show our vaccine card to get in the tour (they may have accepted a negative covid test instead, but I don't know), masks required, and almost the entire tour was outdoors to minimize covid risk. My kid didn't choose it for other reasons, but I was very impressed with their covid safety.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the anti vax requirement eliminates every, and most state schools. Try Ole Miss?

OP here

Ole Miss is a state school.

Other states where public colleges and universities do not have a covid vaccine requirement:
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
North Dakota
South Dakota
Oklahoma
Kanas
Arizona
Arkansas
New Hampshire (not sure if they previously required it)
South Carolina
West Virginia
Texas
Nebraska

Possibly others. Those are the ones I know of just from memory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

Oh, you're one of those! Well, higher ed isn't going to to help you much. Might as well throw your $$$ at Liberty.

[Anonymous]

1st - the correct spelling is Kansas
(twice you left off a "s")

Check out those schools if they are a good fit for what you child is interested in
I worked with some great people from U of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma etc.

Just a reminder - college costs are more than tuition. Getting to some of these locations are a PITA and tours to get a sense of fit are going to be a lot more limited / time consuming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1st - the correct spelling is Kansas
(twice you left off a "s")

Check out those schools if they are a good fit for what you child is interested in
I worked with some great people from U of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma etc.

Just a reminder - college costs are more than tuition. Getting to some of these locations are a PITA and tours to get a sense of fit are going to be a lot more limited / time consuming

Thanks! I have no idea how that happened, I definitely know how to spell Kansas. Yes, transportation of getting to schools is definitely a consideration, but not the only/most important consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the anti vax requirement eliminates every, and most state schools. Try Ole Miss?

OP here

Ole Miss is a state school.

Other states where public colleges and universities do not have a covid vaccine requirement:
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
North Dakota
South Dakota
Oklahoma
Kanas
Arizona
Arkansas
New Hampshire (not sure if they previously required it)
South Carolina
West Virginia
Texas
Nebraska

Possibly others. Those are the ones I know of just from memory.

Why are you asking about VA state schools? They don’t meet your anti-vax requirement.
Just search for the states with highest covid deaths and pick schools from those state. Oh, your list already does that.

Florida and SC were below lockdown states NY and PA

[Anonymous]

I think ED at VA Tech would be a possibility. Scholarships would be off table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

Oh boy …

+1

U of South Alabama would give a lot of merit but probably too “progressive” How about Ole Miss? Kansas might be a great fit.

KU and the surrounding town are generally pretty liberal though there is a range of viewpoints. I don’t think you know much about the school or Lawrence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think ED at VA Tech would be a possibility. Scholarships would be off table.

Depends on the college/major within VA Tech. Likely NOT possible for engineering or even business. Majors within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can be considerably less competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think ED at VA Tech would be a possibility. Scholarships would be off table.

Depends on the college/major within VA Tech. Likely NOT possible for engineering or even business. Majors within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can be considerably less competitive.

VA TECH has a vax requirement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is a rising junior--current stats 3.7 UW GPA 1380 SAT, but I guess that could change over the next year. We are in VA. Looking at costs, it appears that for some of the out of state flagships, he would qualify for some decent scholarships assuming he maintains (or raises) his current gpa. I'm specifically looking at schools like Kanas University, University of Oklahoma, University of Alabama, etc. Looking at our in state public universities--I know with those stats he won't get into UVA, William and Mary, or Virginia Tech. It also appears like the cost for some of the other in states (ODU, Longwood, Christopher Newport etc.) would be about the same as the out of state flag ships with scholarships.

From a reputation/future opportunity perspective, is he better off looking at these large out of state schools?

One thing to remember is at many of these schools his first job would probably be near it if/when he graduates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think KS, OK and AL are odd choices

OP here
If you have other suggestions I'd love to know! One criteria that is important (but I didn't put in my op) is he does not want to go to a school that mandated a Covid vaccine for students. Even if they have now rolled that back.

That might possibly be the dumbest reason ever to rule out applying for a school. Is your son an idiot or something?