Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

There are plenty of full ride and full tuition scholarships, particularly for MNSQT performance.

Very rarely for schools that anyone wants to attend. Do not lead anyone to false hopes, that’s just cruel…

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

There are plenty of full ride and full tuition scholarships, particularly for MNSQT performance.

I will say that as a parent of two very bright, top performing students, that does not necessarily equal a national merit qualifying PSAT score. It could, but it doesn’t always.

OP are you high income? Many schools meet need below a certain parent income.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

There are plenty of full ride and full tuition scholarships, particularly for MNSQT performance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

There are plenty of full ride and full tuition scholarships, particularly for MNSQT performance.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't mean anything, but don't let anyone tells you that a child getting 96+ in every class in 7th grade is nothing out of the ordinary. It's rare. It's likely in the top 5% at every school.

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.