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[quote=Anonymous]I have a class of 2020 kid and a class of 2022. We are donut hole and my kids have similar starts to your. So, we have BTDT. I think you are real, and that your college list is a mess. So, here are my suggests.  Don’t roast me if it’s TL;DR:

Pitt as soon after 8/1 as possible. Get an acceptance around the time school opens.  It’s actually a nice campus in a great location to enjoy, intern, volunteer, etc in Pittsburgh.  Good to visit this summer.

Be aware Pitt shifting money from merit to need based. It’s much harder to get merit than it was a few years ago. For reference, my 4.2A, 1530 (780M/750 V) kid got $5k a year in 2020 (but Honors College, probably because he had an eclectic set of rigorous classes and interests).

Safeties with good merit: Wooster, St Olaf, Clark (MA), Lawrence.  St. Olaf is a really special school. It was my kids second choice, and I would have felt great about him attending.  Have not done the app process with Clark and Lawrence, which are my Kid2’s safeties.

Solid matches (SLAC) with good merit: Oberlin and Kenyon.  On the W Cost, maybe Occidental?

High matches (SLACj with good merit: Grinnell

Things to be aware of:

Macalaster may not be great because they are stingy with merit. My older kid had great stats, admitted 9/10 schools. And this was the only one with $0 merit.

I grew up in the South, and was accepted at Davidson myself. It was a a great school back then. Academics are still top notch. But they have moved almost all sports teams to D1 and allowed frats on campus. Your kid would need to be comfortable with an Active free system and an emphasis on sports (See also: LAX Bros).  And, it’s SOUTHERN.

Earlham concerns me.  In was on my 2020 list, but was having huge financial issues before COVId.

Things to do:

(1) Form a Riase.me account and enter everything your kid has done. Some colleges give micro-scholarships through this program, which is legit.  For DC1: at Oberlin, we got $2500/ year on top of merit package due to raise.me and were guaranteed $35k/ year at Wooster

(2) Google “common Data Set” college name. You get things like the 25-75 SAT /ACT scores (you want to aim for 75%+ for a white or Asian unhooked girl). Davison is 75% SAT 1460 but this is 2020-2021, so that’s unusual circumstances) and a 3.81 GPA.

But the  financial aid piece (Section H) is your friend.  For Davidson you can find out that in 2029-2021:

520 Freshmen
276 got need based aid
Of the 244 kids left, only 15 got merit (at an average value $40k) and there were 35 Di athletic scholarships (average $22kj)

So, realistically, merit is not likely from Davidson.

(3) read “Who Gets In and Why”   By Jeffery Selingo.  Pay special attention to his definition of  “Buyers” and Sellers”  and that dynamic.

(4). Since you have a girl, consider a women’s college.  Many are in costumes with larger and not gender related schools. They are places women won’t have a harder time than men, have lower admission standards, but still rank well, and several are generous with merit.

Good luck!

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