Where am I spending spring break DCUM?
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Anonymous
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Middle of the pack (about 50%) TJ junior. 1520 SATs beginning of junior year. Will likely take on more time to see if 730 V goes up. Solid ECs but not national champ anything.
Wants a SLAC or small university, but needs about 20k a year of merit aid to make private work. Small classes and research opportunities are important. Wants non-Greek/ low frat participation. Nerdy feel. Would prefer to be driving distance from home. Looking at the physical sciences, going on for a PhD. So far, has visited/ done info sessions for, and will likely apply to: Davidson (low reach and he is not crazy about the “feel”) Solid Matches (75% SATs/ GPA in range. Naviance is all green on instate schools) WM VA Tech Science ( yeah— large. But we can afford it without aid) Oberlin Kenyon Safety: Wooster GMU or VCU He liked all three of the Ohio SLACs on the list. Is passing on Denison based on “feel”. We are going to look at Macalaster and St. Olaf’s this spring. These should both be matches. Will visit Grinnell at some point. It’s a reach, but not impossible. Not driveable, but great programs in area of interest. So where do we head for spring break? We are looking at NY/PA. Skidmore? Union? U of Rochester? Dickinson? Others? You read about doing the Ohio tour, which we did. But not so much about the Pa/NY schools? Has anyone done a series of visits of similar NY/ PA schools? Recommended route? |
Anonymous
| Consider Franklin & Marshall, Dickinson, perhaps Juniata as another Safety. |
Anonymous
OP here. Good suggestions. What about Lafayette College? And if we can realistically look at 4-5 colleges, which ones? |
Anonymous
| Isn’t 1520 really good? |
Anonymous
Yes. 99%. But, offset by TJ grade deflation— As in humanities, CS and tech classes, Bs in math and science (one semester C+ in math, but had health issues and needed surgery that semester)— but may well may A- in BC Calc and Physics this year. Weighted GPA just over 4.0 ended of sophomore year. Literally dead middle of the class And needs some amount of merit money. Getting into Haverford or Swarthmore or Borodin doesn’t help if we can’t pay for it. So, aiming for schools like, Kenyon, Macalaster, Grinnell, Oberlin that offer merit aid and where SAT is at or above 75%. |
Anonymous
| Carleton? |
Anonymous
Carleton doesn't offer merit aid. |
Anonymous
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OP, it is really easy to get back and forth from Minneapolis. So don't rule out Macalaster.
I'd also look at CWRU. Fratty, but they are nerdy enough that they weren't very fratty frats. Has all the other things your kid wants. |
Anonymous
As to Macalaster, we are definitely not ruling it out. In fact, already have a visit scheduled. I think my kid will realize once he does it that a three hour plane ride is no worse than a 9 hour drive. We did look at CWRU. Big negative reaction from DC. Too urban, too large. He did not like that it bleeds over into the city. He likes the the smaller, more sheltered campuses better. |
Anonymous
| My senior DD with similar stats was accepted to Juniata with lots of merit aid. I loved the school's inclusive and personalized feel and opportunities to do research. |
Anonymous
| Any sense on his longer-term professional goals? IT? Medical school? Law school? |
Anonymous
PhD in geosciences |
Anonymous
He should like Macalaster then. I warn you, it is really cold, though. |
Anonymous
| Not an LAC, but what about Pitt? The 1520 SAT would get him/her merit. Also does Boston University have Geo Science? |
Anonymous
Yep. Applying to Pitt as a safety, which most years accept more than 90% of TJ applicants— and some years 100%. And they have a great program in area of interest. But is concerned about the size. |