When the dream school(s) isn't/aren't affordable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:University of South Carolina has an awesome honors program, is located in the state capital and gives great merit $$. You just need to keep looking.

Second this. My son got instate tuition with a 4.0 weighted (3.3 unweighted) 9 AP and 31 ACT
Number one ranked international business school in the country

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about UW-Madison? Obviously not Jesuit, but it's sorta urban, has name-brand recognition, and is a fun school overall. And if you're in WI, in-state tuition makes it a great deal...

As a Catholic, I like the Jesuits too but in all honesty, there's opportunities for service at every single college in the US. I wouldn't limit the search to just Jesuit/Catholic because she wants to give back to the community.

+1 if you live in Wisconsin, Madison is the obvious choice.

Mid-west states have in-state tuition exchange: http://msep.mhec.org/
Q: What is the Midwest Student Exchange Program?
A: The Midwest Student Exchange Program, or MSEP, is a multi-state tuition reciprocity program. Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates. All enrollment decisions are made at the discretion of the receiving campus and the campus may exercise its right to limit participation or set specific admission requirements for MSEP.

[Anonymous]

My DCs attended Catholic schools in DC. I know that Fordham, St. John's, and the various Loyola schools (Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, LA) give very large merit awards. For many kids at schools like Visi and Gonzaga, these are safety schools because merit aid is pretty much guaranteed.

[Anonymous]

I would be honest about your budget. My parents told me they would spend up to xxx amount per year, and I would need to make up the rest in merit aid. I applied to schools with this in mind.

[Anonymous]

Not driving dream car.
Not living in dream house.

Make wherever you go your dream school. It all works out. Life's too short to worry about what you can't afford.Pick a group you can and enjoy the ride.

[Anonymous]

I agree that she can find service opportunities at any school. University of Wisconsin is a great school. University of Illinois Champaign Urbana also has an excellent undergrad business school.

[Anonymous]

OP, if she wants a bigger school, I really think she needs to embrace the state universities. I ended up going to my safety school, Big State U, not because I wasn't accepted at the other schools I applied to but because it was the only one family could afford. It was absolutely the best thing, I'm so glad I went there and not to what I thought were my "dream schools" (I hate that term, btw.)
She will be able to find her niche. Lots of folks hated high school. College is a big new world where you have lots more options for friends and activities. She'll be fine!
Do NOT put her or your family into severe debt over some misplaced idea of the need for a dream school.

[Anonymous]

LOL, giving back? College is about learning marketable skills, the only thing she will be giving back is a messed up frapocino.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume she applied to Fordham?

Well, not yet. Rising senior. That's one of her top schools - but again, affordability is an issue.

From what I've seen among DD's friends, Fordham tends to offer extremely generous aid (including merit aid) packages to certain kids, and very little or no aid to everybody else. So if your DD has good stats, and with her "geographical distribution" hook, it might be worth taking a chance.

Because merit awards can be so unpredictable, a general piece of advice would be to encourage her to see positive things about every school she applies to, instead of letting her fall in love with a single, particular school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of South Carolina has an awesome honors program, is located in the state capital and gives great merit $$. You just need to keep looking.

Second this. My son got instate tuition with a 4.0 weighted (3.3 unweighted) 9 AP and 31 ACT
Number one ranked international business school in the country

LOL. very funny

[Anonymous]

Holy Cross College in Indiana (yes, small).

[Anonymous]

I went to a state school and so did my husband. I don't get where/when people came up with this idea that they are entitled to go to a private college when all they can afford is public. Tell her to go public and join the local Catholic Church wherever she goes and she if the university has a Newman Center. You'll save her from a life of debt.

[Anonymous]

What about Northeastern? City, diverse and has a coop program so she can bring in some $$. A

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DCs attended Catholic schools in DC. I know that Fordham, St. John's, and the various Loyola schools (Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, LA) give very large merit awards. For many kids at schools like Visi and Gonzaga, these are safety schools because merit aid is pretty much guaranteed.

I went to Loyola in Baltimore and got $0 in aid. They gave plenty of full rides to top athletes though. It was a great school but my single mother really worked her butt off (and me too b/c I needed to get a FT job) to afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not driving dream car.
Not living in dream house.

Make wherever you go your dream school. It all works out. Life's too short to worry about what you can't afford.Pick a group you can and enjoy the ride.

This.