Talk me off a ledge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child chose a regional school over larger schools and its very difficult to find a summer internship. Consider how that name brand carries, or doesn't carry. I have never heard of ES.

Denison is sounding like a nice match if you got some merit.

It's hard everywhere to get summer internships. My DS found it difficult from Virginia Tech although he eventually did with a LOT of applications. Nobody is just handing them out.

Still, I would have concerns about a very low ranked regional school in terms of finding your peer group. My friend's son goes to East Stroudsburg (went there to play his sport, plans to be a teacher in PA) and he likes it fine but has said it's very quiet on the weekends, not a lively social place.

Also, ask to see their latest common data set. The most recent on their website is form 2017-2018, which seems concerning to me. In terms of a strong peer group, only 7% of students were in the top 10% of their HS class (back in 2017, has it gotten worse or better?). I'm not generally prestige focused -- one of my kids goes to a regional LAC that was a safety because it had the specific program she wanted. But her school still has 21% who were in the top 10% of their class, nearly half were in the top quarter. So there are plenty of focused, academically minded students. She got a big scholarship but also doesn't feel like she's the smartest person there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would suggest taking the scholarship with the intention of transferring out after two years.

To where? Seems better to just go to NOVA or Montgomery College with a guaranteed transfer to UVA or UMD. Or the equivalent of whatever state OP's kid resides.

[Anonymous]

I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Yes, OP, I feel like there's stuff you're not telling us. Also, not clear on this -- did you go visit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Yes, OP, I feel like there's stuff you're not telling us. Also, not clear on this -- did you go visit?

Pretty clear that OP's DD is a recruited athlete. Her DD really needs to give the middle schools a second look, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Yes, OP, I feel like there's stuff you're not telling us. Also, not clear on this -- did you go visit?

I think OP’s daughter is an athlete and this is the school she wants due to team fit. The other schools she got into aren’t the same team fit, and daughter is pointing out she can get where she wants to get (PT school, my guess) perfectly well from this school, so this is her choice. Parent is squeamish about a no-name regional school and passing up on prestige.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Yes, OP, I feel like there's stuff you're not telling us. Also, not clear on this -- did you go visit?

Pretty clear that OP's DD is a recruited athlete. Her DD really needs to give the middle schools a second look, though.

OP says their kid received a full tuition academic scholarship. It is a D2 school so they can provide athletic scholarships.

Not sure why you think OP is lying on this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Agree.
Not a long term solution to stay there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You you all feel the same about Kutztown? Similar profile?

All the PA state schools (note for those not in the know - I said PA state schools. Not PA state affiliated schools like Pitt, PSU, Temple) are in that same profile. I would not have my kid consider them - sorry, not sorry.

I remember one summer I roomed with two other kids. The one guy wanted to go to dental school. He transferred from IUP to Pitt because getting into dental school from a school IUP's caliber would be more difficult than getting in from Pitt.

OP - I get where you are coming from. Last weekend, we went to admitted student day for dd's safety school. There was a lot to like about the safety school - definitely her cheapest option with all the merit they threw at her, I do believe good academics, she could be a big fish in a little pond. The thing that gave us pause was the caliber of the fellow students. Yes, there were some high fliers there but others who weren't high fliers. Yes - I do worry about her future dating potential/friend potential. Social life is such a big, important part of the college process you would be silly not to take all aspects of it into consideration.

[Anonymous]

It’s basically supply/demand. Schools looking to boost their stats (avg SAT scores, GPA) offer academic scholarships. Schools that don’t need this don’t offer merit. It’s likely that academicallybthis school will be below DC’s abilities. If the kid is ok with not being as challenged, or with being the smartest in the class, then it’s a good fit. If not, transferring out after 2 years is always feasible.

[Anonymous]

What about an in-between, non-fratty LAC with a March deadline, and that’s known for giving copious merit aid. Pretty sure Agnes Scott is one, and they have a pre-health track (I think you can take classes through Emory, too).

Earlham has a March deadline and a pre-health pathways track.

Nothing wrong with your kid’s choice but maybe there’s a happy middle?

There are others — these are the first two that come to mind!

[Anonymous]

OP, if you DD went to another school would she have to take out loans?

This generation has heard about 'crushing student loan debt' their whole existence and really want to avoid it.

If you could afford it without you taking out loans nor compromising your savings, and DD only needs to take out a total of $20,000, you should tell her that that is not the same as the 'crushing student loans' that they hear about in the news.

However if you have to take loans/compromise savings AND she has to take loans, she's right - take the free ride!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a full tuition scholarship (academic) to East Stroudsburg (applied there for reasons not relevant but also cast a wide net and all that).

Got into FAR more rigorous colleges (think, Villanova, Colgate, Lehigh) but they gave ZERO aid. And we'd be looking at $200-300K for undergraduate studies. The "in between" ones are not appealing to DC for various reasons.

Would be a pre-health path of some type.

DC is thinking of taking the full tuition scholarship. And I'm absolutely freaking out about it. I cannot find anything about their pre-health outcomes on their website. (I left these decisions re: applications mostly to her and never thought this would be what it came down to). While I'm sure there are many successful outcomes for that school, I'm feeling very anxious over the entire thing. DC worked very hard in HS and I just feel like why?

I acknowledge the snobbery in my post (i went to a similar type of school and wanted better for DC). But, I'm also legit worried about grad school and job placement outside of the small area of PA (it's more a regional school). Please give me some perspective.

Seriously? The kid got a FULL RIDE scholarship and you're scratching your head trying to figure out what the point of all that effort was? What is wrong with you?

Read this thread and the college boards generally and ask me that question again?
You know EXACTLY my concern so stop being obtuse about it.

OP, unpopular opinion, but I can understand how you feel. That said, a full ride option is certainly worth a visit before you worry too much. It might end up being a great option or your DC could realize it would be a poor fit for 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about an in-between, non-fratty LAC with a March deadline, and that’s known for giving copious merit aid. Pretty sure Agnes Scott is one, and they have a pre-health track (I think you can take classes through Emory, too).

Earlham has a March deadline and a pre-health pathways track.

Nothing wrong with your kid’s choice but maybe there’s a happy middle?

There are others — these are the first two that come to mind!

In case this is an approach you want to take, there are LACs on this list known for strong merit aid and still accepting apps. Some definitely have health programs:

https://www.collegesimply.com/guides/application-deadlines/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would look elsewhere. There has to be a happy medium!

Yes, OP, I feel like there's stuff you're not telling us. Also, not clear on this -- did you go visit?

I think OP’s daughter is an athlete and this is the school she wants due to team fit. The other schools she got into aren’t the same team fit, and daughter is pointing out she can get where she wants to get (PT school, my guess) perfectly well from this school, so this is her choice. Parent is squeamish about a no-name regional school and passing up on prestige.

Parent is smart to be squeamish, it is unlikely this school passes the “broken leg” test, e.g. would her dd still want to attend this school if she couldn’t compete in her sport due to injury.