OP, I find it utterly bizarre that you allowed your daughter to apply to any school that would actually be a stretch financially. It sounds like all of the other schools she applied to are expensive privates - why? You say she wasn't interested in a large state school, but surely there were small or mid-sized Pennsylvania state schools she could have included in her list? Your situation is so bizarre because while you don't want her to attend the no-name school for free, you also seem hesitant to pay $200,000 on an expensive private.

Where are your state school options?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pre-health as in nursing, PA, medical school, dental school, etc?

OP:

Not nursing but yes.
Budget in 529 is around $180K but we could bankroll a bit more than that w/o loans. The other schools would require at least some loans (and those are $80K or so per year schools).

The mids are ones that, after we visited, were too fratty/greek/preppy or just "wasn't feeling it" types of responses. These were the schools like Dickinson, W&J, Denison.

Zero interest, also, in the big state schools like Tech, MD, UVA, etc. Maybe for grad school but not interested for undergrad.

You're being really vague. What track is it? What schools offer that graduate track? What do they look for?

I mean, if she wants to do her residency at the Mayo clinic, I'm not sure ESU is the right path. If she's looking to be a phlebotomist I don't think ESU versus Lehigh is going to affect that...

Anonymous wrote:You you all feel the same about Kutztown? Similar profile?

I know a kid who is a freshman at Kutztown and hates it, and I know a professor there who says the kids know nothing and it’s hopeless trying to teach them (post-Covid). So no, I would not send a kid there. A very exceptional go-getter with no other affordable options might indeed do fine, but I don’t think it’s a great path.

Anonymous wrote:This was probably something that should have been discussed before a coach encouraged her to apply.

+1. You should never apply anywhere you don't actually want to attend. It's quite simply. If you think a school is beneath you, then search and find safeties you don't feel that way about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pre-health as in nursing, PA, medical school, dental school, etc?

OP:

Not nursing but yes.
Budget in 529 is around $180K but we could bankroll a bit more than that w/o loans. The other schools would require at least some loans (and those are $80K or so per year schools).

The mids are ones that, after we visited, were too fratty/greek/preppy or just "wasn't feeling it" types of responses. These were the schools like Dickinson, W&J, Denison.

Zero interest, also, in the big state schools like Tech, MD, UVA, etc. Maybe for grad school but not interested for undergrad.

For a kid planning to go to any sort of medical school I would not turn down a full ride to take out loans to put them through Colgate, Villanova, Lehigh or the like. How do you all plan to pay for medical school? Worst case scenario she starts at ES and then determines she won't get the placement outcomes there she's hoping for and transfers.

Also Lehigh still has some grade deflation - it’s not an easy path for pre-med.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of you urging OP’s DD to go to ESU would send your own kid there, turning down Lehigh?
My concern would be that your DD may not be able transfer, coming from ESU, regardless of her grades.

I had my kid turn down Lehigh for a lesser school. Not East Stroudsberg but not too far off. Kid graduated with a $110k finance job. It’s not the school, it’s the kid. A smart, humble, hardworking kid will go far. That combination is in short supply today.

100% correct. Your DC has the work ethic, drive and ambition and unless there is something dramatic to change that, do you have reason to believe that your DC will not be as equally successful at ESU?

Now, think about taking that 180k you have and investing it for your DC. Your DC has a full 4-year ride, is successful in the health-related field, lands a job (or gets into a good graduate program) AND has a nice investment portfolio that is growing. That is the smart way of thinking about this.

+1. Your kid can basically have medical school fully funded. So graduating undergrad and medical school with OUT debt. That's damn impressive and trust me in 10 years they will appreciate that much more than being $300K in debt

Anonymous wrote:Villanova has EA, but the Colgate and Lehigh do not, so it's a fair question, OP, if your kid has some sort of hook (athlete?) that led to a likely letter.

So 180k, you are looking at 45k/year?

What type of school is preferred? How about someplace like Loyola Chicago? Lots of premeds at LUC, lots of merit. Or some mid-size schools that are lower in rank that might be willing to take a late application of a high stats kid, maybe a Gonzaga or Loyola Maryland, etc?

Gonzaga is not taking a late application. They have no need to do that. Their "late application deadline" was Feb 1. Nothing taken after that

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You you all feel the same about Kutztown? Similar profile?

All the PA state schools (note for those not in the know - I said PA state schools. Not PA state affiliated schools like Pitt, PSU, Temple) are in that same profile. I would not have my kid consider them - sorry, not sorry.

I remember one summer I roomed with two other kids. The one guy wanted to go to dental school. He transferred from IUP to Pitt because getting into dental school from a school IUP's caliber would be more difficult than getting in from Pitt.

OP - I get where you are coming from. Last weekend, we went to admitted student day for dd's safety school. There was a lot to like about the safety school - definitely her cheapest option with all the merit they threw at her, I do believe good academics, she could be a big fish in a little pond. The thing that gave us pause was the caliber of the fellow students. Yes, there were some high fliers there but others who weren't high fliers. Yes - I do worry about her future dating potential/friend potential. Social life is such a big, important part of the college process you would be silly not to take all aspects of it into consideration.

NP. Very curious how you would possibly know who is a "high flyer" and who is not simply based on an admitted students' day.

Anonymous wrote:How many of you urging OP’s DD to go to ESU would send your own kid there, turning down Lehigh?
My concern would be that your DD may not be able transfer, coming from ESU, regardless of her grades.

Well I wouldn't send my kid, but that's because they have a fully funded 529 with $400K in it and we could also easily cash flow college if needed. But if money was a concern, if we couldn't help them pay for most of medical school, then yes I'd be sending my kid to ESU and saving to help them come out of medical school with little to no debt (the $50K I'm saving on undergrad/year will almost pay for medical school alone)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a full tuition scholarship (academic) to East Stroudsburg (applied there for reasons not relevant but also cast a wide net and all that).

Got into FAR more rigorous colleges (think, Villanova, Colgate, Lehigh) but they gave ZERO aid. And we'd be looking at $200-300K for undergraduate studies. The "in between" ones are not appealing to DC for various reasons.

Would be a pre-health path of some type.

DC is thinking of taking the full tuition scholarship. And I'm absolutely freaking out about it. I cannot find anything about their pre-health outcomes on their website. (I left these decisions re: applications mostly to her and never thought this would be what it came down to). While I'm sure there are many successful outcomes for that school, I'm feeling very anxious over the entire thing. DC worked very hard in HS and I just feel like why?

I acknowledge the snobbery in my post (i went to a similar type of school and wanted better for DC). But, I'm also legit worried about grad school and job placement outside of the small area of PA (it's more a regional school). Please give me some perspective.

Seriously? The kid got a FULL RIDE scholarship and you're scratching your head trying to figure out what the point of all that effort was? What is wrong with you?

Read this thread and the college boards generally and ask me that question again?
You know EXACTLY my concern so stop being obtuse about it.

You appear to be the problem. Yes you are being snobby.
What was the point of working hard in HS? Your kid got a FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP to college. They can graduate debt free (even if you have to pay R&B, a kid can earn most of that and or parents pay it all). Your kid is well prepared to do well in college. That is what you want.

No need to be hung up on where they go to college

Anonymous wrote:If she is really pre-health, this is idea. No undergrad tuition!!! Get a super high GPA, lean into whatever health opportunities exist in the area, and set yourself apart. Do well on MCAT and boom. I understand how you feel, but this may be a tremendous opportunity. For a business degree, I would have a different opinion.

+1
If she could get into Villanova, then she will be top 1-5% at ESU (ave gpa 3.2 and SAT of 1056). It should be easy to work hard and get an excellent gpa. Chem 101/102 are the same everywhere. The basic material is taught. the entry level courses are what you need as prereqs to do well on the MCATs

Anonymous wrote:If she’s a hard worker she’ll be fine no matter where she goes.

+1

Take the full scholarship, be shine as the big fish in the little pond and graduate undergrad with no debt. It's a no-brainer at this point. Unless you can easily cash flow the other choices it would be ridiculous to take massive loans when you don't need to.

Also, this is a prime example of why you run NPC for each college, and you make certain 85-90% of schools are ones you can afford---they aren't good schools to apply to if you can't afford them and also if you DO NOT want to attend.

First, OP, I just want to say congrats to your child on getting a full ride scholarship to college! Even if it’s not the dream school you envisioned for her, it’s still an accomplishment and achievement worth celebrating.

That said, my natural reaction would also be to question whether it was the right decision to attend a lower-tiered school with less name recognition. Since you do have a decent amount of money saved for college, I would be inclined to try to explore any realistic middle of the road options that are still feasible at this point.

I’m not sure if there is sports or something else factored in but it might be helpful if you could share (even just generally without disclosing details) because I think that does change the analysis somewhat. For some kids their sport or activity is really important and will outweigh a better school that wouldn’t offer that opportunity. And I presume it’s way too late in the game for a recruited athlete to pivot, but don’t know enough about that process.

Without knowing this detail to make suggestions, SUNY schools came to mind. I know some have strong pre-health programs and you really can’t beat the cost, even OOS.

In the end, since your child seems satisfied with the opportunity at ESU, I’d let them pursue it. As others have said, transferring is always an option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, I’d ask directly for specifics for medical school placement. Also most kids who enter premed change their mind. How would job placement be if she entered a different field? The school is ranked 145th among regional colleges, as I already posted, that’s would be a no go for our family.There are plenty of premed kids from better colleges who will also have impressive gpas, and the quality of their school will be the difference maker.

How do you know this?

Look at placement stats and get back to me.

Anonymous wrote:Op, I’d ask directly for specifics for medical school placement. Also most kids who enter premed change their mind. How would job placement be if she entered a different field? The school is ranked 145th among regional colleges, as I already posted, that’s would be a no go for our family.There are plenty of premed kids from better colleges who will also have impressive gpas, and the quality of their school will be the difference maker.

How do you know this?