This was my thought |
You can actually exit ED contracts (if admitted) if you explain that you are unable to afford it. That is an acceptable—the only one, probably—to get out of ED when admitted. McGill is probably an easy admit if you have the scores. In Canada, they expand their great unis to take on more students. It's none of the holistic admissions games that the US schools play around with. If you're looking at the money, some of the lesser or more rogue LACs will offer money, Kenyon, Grinnell might, maybe Rice too to the top student. But some of these schools are out to financially murder the UMC families
So look at McGill, U of Toronto, UBC, then across the pond at St Andrews, Oxbridge, Edinburgh, Durham, London schools, where sticker price is much lower |
But no one is telling her to change it- just add targets and safeties. |
| Kenyon is a much easier admit than Grinnell and doesn’t have nearly the money or prestige. Grinnell has even surpassed Carleton in selectivity. It’s the most selective liberal arts college in the greater Midwest and is nearly as selective as the top liberal arts colleges in the northeast. I wouldn’t label it a target for anyone not applying ED. |
It’s probably more selective but I don’t know, would the student’s experience be better? Is the faculty better? Is the student body materially more impressive? Are career outcomes really better? I hear a lot of meh things vis a vis Grinnell and so much gushing praise from families associated with Kenyon. If I were 17, I’d choose Kenyon. |
Well, considering that Grinnell gets more application than Kenyon, accepts fewer, and has a higher yield, most 17 year olds are not hearing the same “meh” things that you have been. |
| Kenyon is rarely a student’s first choice. Its yield is 19 percent, which is terrible. Grinnell’s yield is over 40 percent. There’s little doubt which school is considered more desirable. |
Anyone can apply to Yale. |
I conceded it was more selective. Acceptance rate and yield are both mathematical indicators of that. My point was, it doesn’t actually seem better in that the schools are quite comparable in terms of objective attributes. Begs the question, how much of a school’s selectivity is simply a result of its selectivity? In other words, kids want to go simply because it’s hard to get in. |
Grinnell’s wealth also helps. I’m sure some of the interest is tied to the possibility of getting an appealing aid package. |
Yep. Grinnell is loaded and need blind. If I were a kid with need, it would be a safer play ED. And for RD, the aid/merit package for top students will probably always be better at Grinnell. Hence, more apps and higher yield. |
Starting this application cycle, Grinnell guarantees a minimum merit scholarship (NOT depending on financial need) of $20,000 a year for all four years to any student admitted ED. That’s huge. I’m surprised no one has mentioned this yet. https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/financial-aid/types-aid/scholarships |
Wow. That is actually huge. Smart move. Takes the problem of comparing merit awards off the table, which prevents some applicants from going ED. In essence they just cut their cost of attendance by 25 percent or so. It’s like a free year. I think a lot of families will be interested in this considering there is not a whole heck of a lot of difference when you compare one SLAC versus another. Applications will soar. Smart way for Grinnell to use its endowment. Honestly, why choose Swat if Grinnell is 25 percent cheaper? Unless you have money to burn. |
It’s been an automatic $10k for the last few years but they just doubled it. And, again, it’s just the minimum. They give some kids more. |
As we approach 100k a year, east coast need blind schools are going to lose ground. The best and the brightest upper middle class kids will follow the money. |