I’m sorry, I’m confused. 4.0uw, 1480 sat, and lots of APs. Why is everyone acting like kid shouldn’t apply to T20?

No tours. Basic list. We’ll figure it out in August when apps open.

Thanks to those offering schools to consider and strategies to help the process along. To clarify, it’s accurate that he doesn’t know where else he wants to apply/what types of schools. It’s not that he considers his list done and I don’t; he just considers those VA schools a starting point. We’ll work on the list after AP exams, etc. are over.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anybody’s kid reach end of junior year without knowing where they want to apply? I’ve had trouble getting my kid to engage beyond his plan to apply to the popular schools in VA. But he needs to apply to more than 4-5 schools. Isn’t sure of major (but not engineering). Isn’t sure if he wants small or big.
We’ve visited a few campuses.

Kid has decent stats in a way that’s typical for this area (4.0uw with many APs, 1480 SAT, sport, band, leadership positions, summer job, some volunteer work). So fine but no hooks or anything. If your kid took a while to engage, how did things turn out/how did they create their list?

A Virginia resident who wants to go to college but doesn’t care about where should simply apply to Virginia Tech, UVa or William & Mary; a couple of schools like JMU; and a nearby community college.

Why should a good Virginia student who likes Virginia and would be happy at JMU stress about college admissions?

If the student really doesn’t care about the type of college but wants to try a similar location, and the parents can afford it, the student could try a similar strategy in a pleasant state with fun state schools. Maybe Iowa, Georgia or South Carolina.

You don't apply to community college.

in a similar boat to OP with DD not having any clear schools she wants to apply to despite visiting 8-10 schools this year. IN our case the issue is that DD probably had unrealistic expectations. She didn't do as well as she had hoped on standardized tests despite multiple tries so many schools we visited turn out to not be realistic options for her. We have been trying to broaden the list and visit some other places but every time there is something making her reject things out of hand--too small, too rural, too boring. Her friends who are graduating are going to more competitive schools than she can get into but it's hard to get her to shift mindset. My goal is just to try to get 2-3 targets/safeties into the mix. Honestly, i wish she would just take a gap year and work so she can get out of the anxiety/rat-race spin and really focus on what she wants but she won't consider it.

Anonymous wrote:Anybody’s kid reach end of junior year without knowing where they want to apply? I’ve had trouble getting my kid to engage beyond his plan to apply to the popular schools in VA. But he needs to apply to more than 4-5 schools. Isn’t sure of major (but not engineering). Isn’t sure if he wants small or big.
We’ve visited a few campuses.

Kid has decent stats in a way that’s typical for this area (4.0uw with many APs, 1480 SAT, sport, band, leadership positions, summer job, some volunteer work). So fine but no hooks or anything. If your kid took a while to engage, how did things turn out/how did they create their list?

A Virginia resident who wants to go to college but doesn’t care about where should simply apply to Virginia Tech, UVa or William & Mary; a couple of schools like JMU; and a nearby community college.

Why should a good Virginia student who likes Virginia and would be happy at JMU stress about college admissions?

If the student really doesn’t care about the type of college but wants to try a similar location, and the parents can afford it, the student could try a similar strategy in a pleasant state with fun state schools. Maybe Iowa, Georgia or South Carolina.

Let's go over this again.

OP says the kid plans to apply to 5 schools in VA and that's it. She then says "he needs to apply to more."

From that, you all assume he doesn't know what he wants and without blinking an eye all agree that OP is right and that he needs to apply to more than five schools.

Why?

Why assume that he doesn't know what he wants? What he wants is to apply to five schools in VA. And he doesn't "need" to apply to any others with his stats. He's fine. One of those schools will take him.

You are all obsessed and make this process far more complicated and stressful than it needs to be. You act like you're arranging a marriage. You're not. It's just college.

OP, give him a list of rolling admission schools and have him pick 2 -3 to apply to in August. It can be sight unseen. Get all the materials in in Aug-early Sept. He'll have a decision soon after.

Something to jump start this. What do you think? Do you know your budget? Are you honest with him about your budget? You could offer-up a list and tell him to research schools on the list a pick a few. He adds the in-state schools he likes to it.

This is so common, OP. But keep exposing him to schools so he can figure out what he likes. You could try some of the liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the spread of those 4-5 colleges on the list as far as likely, target, and reach? Depending on what that looks like, I’d probably add 1 or 2 more for each bucket. So, try building that way from the existing list with schools that may be similar or otherwise appealing. If you share the actual list, you can probably get more helpful suggestions.

UVA— reach
W&M— reach or target?
VT—?
GMU— safety
JMU— target or safety?

He has said he doesn’t want an urban campus. I think he might like smaller schools, but he hasn’t said that himself. So I was thinking he could look at some SLACs.

You're making this harder than it needs to be. Who cares if YOU think he "might like" smaller schools? HE hasn't said that. It's his life.

Because the kid doesn’t know so OP is trying to help her DS clarify what he might want. OP, if you’re in northern Virginia a trip to UMW in Fredericksburg is easy. It’s close enough you could even hit it on an early release day in the fall. And if you want him to see really small, Marymount in Arlington is only 1,900 undergrads. Summer classes start next week so there will be at least some kids on campus.

I’m not saying either of these particular schools is right for him, but they are very close to at least get eyes on without travel. A quick trip to Philly could accomplish the same thing.

Nothing in OP's first post suggests he "doesn't know." She just doesn't like his thinking. Big difference.

Make sure you are clear about how much you are willing to pay. Virginia public universities are good quality and a fair price. You will see that merit aid form equal quality non Virginia schools is not as much as you want. Places in the south or north with crummy weather or ugly campus may come close to Virginia prices.