Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 20:03     Subject: Re:Where should this kid apply
Have her look into Rutgers. With those grades, she might be a candidate for the honors program which comes with a lot of scholarship $. Plus, its easy to get to from the DMV using amtrak.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 17:11     Subject: Where should this kid apply
I did a quick google. Here might be some info for 9/11 related scholarships. https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/september-11th-scholarships/
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 17:08     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Do look into freebies as a child of a first responder. My DD's best friend went to UVA free because her dad was in the military during 9/11. That's what she said. I don't know anything further.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 16:48     Subject: Where should this kid apply
If she’s in NY, pick a SUNY. Binghamton/Stony Brook, or one of the smaller ones that has the specialties she’s interested in. No need to go into debt for undergrad if she’s got the SUNY system there.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 16:43     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:She sounds amazing. You’re a wonderful friend to the family for caring and helping her out. A couple of thoughts:

It would help to know if she has any geographic or size preference. Absent that info, I would suggest:

Davidson
Wake Forest
UVA- reach but worth trying
Kenyon (might get money)
Claremont - see consortium
Elon (safety for her)
Georgetown (might get money) - reach
Clemson
AZ honors
Colgate
Hamilton
Williams (no, I’m not crazy)


The need piece is significant here. Many of the schools on this list are need-blind/meet-full-need, which means they offer financial aid based on need (rather than “merit”). BC is also in this category, so if the costs there were too high, many meet-full-need schools are likely going to be tough for her family.

This article does a good job of explaining this concept, and it lists the different type of need-blind schools: https://blog.prepscholar.com/need-blind-colleges-list
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:36     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:She sounds amazing. You’re a wonderful friend to the family for caring and helping her out. A couple of thoughts:

It would help to know if she has any geographic or size preference. Absent that info, I would suggest:

Davidson
Wake Forest
UVA- reach but worth trying
Kenyon (might get money)
Claremont - see consortium
Elon (safety for her)
Georgetown (might get money) - reach
Clemson
AZ honors
Colgate
Hamilton
Williams (no, I’m not crazy)


Thank you!

Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2021 22:50     Subject: Where should this kid apply
She sounds amazing. You’re a wonderful friend to the family for caring and helping her out. A couple of thoughts:

It would help to know if she has any geographic or size preference. Absent that info, I would suggest:

Davidson
Wake Forest
UVA- reach but worth trying
Kenyon (might get money)
Claremont - see consortium
Elon (safety for her)
Georgetown (might get money) - reach
Clemson
AZ honors
Colgate
Hamilton
Williams (no, I’m not crazy)
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 19:19     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Yeah, UGA might give her some money such as an OOS 1/2 or full difference tuition waiver. It is getting very difficult to get into. Check out the UGA Admissions blog.
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 18:43     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:The daughter of a friend asked me for college advice. She is a really wonderful young lady, just so kind and hardworking, and I'd love to be as helpful as possible. DCUM, will you help me help her?

Stats:
GPA: UW 95.5 / W 101.3 HS known to be pretty good locally
SATs: She and everyone in her family had covid at different points and the test didn't happen. Trying again soon.
Curriculum: Hardest at school, 11 APs total with Sr year (several 5's but not all. does this matter?) and the rest Honors
Extracurriculars: leadership position in organizations inside and outside school related to mental health, has done some cool things with this but no national awards or anything
Essay: she's thinking about discussing her passion for mental health, her father's PTSD from being a 9/11 first responder. He never went to college and it's important to him that she goes, and I suggested mentioning this.

She really liked Clemson and wants to try for their Honors program. Also likes Boston College but the net price calculator made it seem cost prohibitive. She loved UNC but knows how hard it is to get in out of state. She is particularly looking for more matches and reaches. (She seems to have enough in-state, public likelys on her list.) I suggested Davidson and she looked into it a little and said, wow it's hard to get into but looks amazing. She's just a really nice person whose parents don't have a ton of knowledge in this area. Great head on her shoulders. Realistic about money and her chances, but also is realizing she wants to try for some 'name' schools, too.

Please be kind! She's not a kid that can afford help on this and I'd really love to be able to be useful to her. Thank you!!

A likely psych major who loves Clemson should add UGA. If I were picking reach-y-hope-for-money schools for this kid, based on this info, they'd be USC and Tulane. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 16:21     Subject: Re:Where should this kid apply
I'd think the SUNY schools would be great. My husband went to Binghamton years ago and has wonderful lifelong friends + a good career that started there.
Fordham also offers merit aid. Midwestern schools especially in OH (Oberlin, Denison, Kenyon) and PA (Juniata, for instance) offer merit aid.
If she's OK with a small school, St. Mary's in Maryland would probably be very affordable and has a good reputation. Good luck to her!
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 14:32     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:University of South Carolina Honors w/merit
Pitt w/merit
Michigan State w/merit
Arizona St or Arizona w/merit

Reach: U of Southern Cal w/merit (very competitive but she has a geographic edge)

I think Colorado St offers more merit to OOS than Boulder.


Awesome, thank you!
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 13:59     Subject: Where should this kid apply
University of South Carolina Honors w/merit
Pitt w/merit
Michigan State w/merit
Arizona St or Arizona w/merit

Reach: U of Southern Cal w/merit (very competitive but she has a geographic edge)

I think Colorado St offers more merit to OOS than Boulder.
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 12:15     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:She is interested in places like Boulder and Clemson and people are suggesting 7 sisters????????


She is very open and I appreciate all suggestions. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 12:03     Subject: Where should this kid apply
She is interested in places like Boulder and Clemson and people are suggesting 7 sisters????????
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 11:51     Subject: Where should this kid apply
Anonymous wrote:If you have to come to DCUM (and think this place is a good source of information about colleges), you should probably explain that you are not an appropriate advisor for her.

This forum is more entertaining than informative. A lot of the advice here is terrible.


Thanks for your comment. I agree the results are mixed here but disagree that nothing useful can come out of it.

By the way, why the insult? My original post said please be kind. Do you feel cool making a snarky remark like that? Do you not get that actions like yours are actually making the internet, and the world, a worse place? Genuinely curious.