A "is this a good college" thread for all college searchers...

[suzannen]

Hello all. I'm a high school sophomore, and I'm really starting to seriously look at colleges and what I intend to go to school for. I'm interested in being an archivist or a curator for museums. Have anyone of you had someone yu know who has gone for something like that?

Hi, Ppufi, last week I had a private tour at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC with one of their conservators who works with ancient objects (sculpture, bronzes, pottery, glass, metals...) in their Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Islamic and Ottoman galleries. I asked her how she got into the field & her education. She told us she was a sophmore in college (small liberal arts, Williams, I think) who loved art but also did pretty well in the sciences. One of her college professors saw both of those interests and gave her information about the conservation field that could combine both. She ended up majoring in art history with a minor in physics and then went to NYU's Insitute of Fine Arts (www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/). The Institute is one of the leading institutions for graduate work in the fields of art history, archaeology, and conservation, a real training ground for future curators. So, the advice to visit some museums and speak to actual curators about their backgrounds would indeed give you some good leads.

Meanwhile, I think it's great you have an idea what you want to do. I'm following this thread because I have a junior DD who still isn't sure what she wants to do, which makes it much harder looking for a school.

 

[agnes!]

The state of Virginia caps the percent of out of state at 35%. There is a movement this year to drop that to 25%. I think nearly 70% of William and Mary's revenue comes from out of state, but not nearly that many of their students.

Selfishly?...I would love for the IS student percentage to be higher.

I don't think it's mentioned on this thread, but one of the surest ways to qualify for some full ride scholarships is to be a National Merit finalist. These kids get offers from schools they have not expressed any interest in. Of course, you do have to want to go to one of the schools to actually use one of the scholarships, and this is a very small number of kids. These students' qualifications are a lot higher than the 3.5/good test scores, and the fact that some schools will give them a free ride doesn't mean other schools will give them a cent.

The problem with the National Merit program is that the actual cut-off scores differ from state to state. If you live in a competitive state with lots of high-scorers, students living there have a lesser chance of getting in the Merit Semi-Finalist/Finalist/Scholar pool. In our case DD's PSAT score would have qualified her for at least Semi-finalist status in other states but she was out of luck here.

My D was accepted to Bucknell. She really liked the school and it was her solid #2 choice. They do not have many merit scholarships but I am sure they said they met 100% need. Unfortunately their idea of our need and ours were different. Other schools gave us a better financial aid package and she decided on another school which we've been very happy with. My D applied to Washington and Lee, she was waitlisted but we didn't visit and didn't have much interest there so I understood the waitlist. I think it would be a great choice for a kid who likes Bucknell and Lafayette.

It's hard for kids on the east coast. Salaries are higher there and so is cost of living. It's hard for many of the good schools there which do not offer a lot in merit scholarships.

j'm, my D looked at Bucknell and Lafayette, really nice schools. Laf has some merit scholarships so maybe he could qualify for something there. I don't know what he is thinking as far as a major or location but there are many schools in Ohio which would have some of the same attributes but do offer merit scholarships. Kenyon or Denison are two that I am thinking of. Oberlin is nice but if he likes Laf and Bucknell, not really the same type of student. A little lower ranked but Wittenberg, Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan. DePauw in IN also.

My kids had good grades and good ACT scores. We found that they got offers from private schools which made them par on a public school price. We did not have a lot of luck with private scholarships.

I found that what I heard from other people as to scholarships was different that my acutal experience with my kids. They all seemed to have great offers which did not happen for my kids. Just my personal experience.

Back to the "Is this a good college' of the OP...

My niece is a senior at Dennison and LOVES it. Also, Kenyon might have some extra aid money these days since Paul Newman went there and gave them a $10 million endowment in 2007.

Back in the fall of 2009, we toured a number of schools in Chicago as part of a school field trip. DD loved DePaul (great facilities, friendly students, the tour-guide told us 'my substitute teacher one day was Tina Fey').
We also went to some others...Roosevelt University - kind of an 'meh' for us, Northwestern - Lake Michigan is right on the edge of campus and there was an interdepartmental rivalry & kind-of-snotty-students that we found off-putting, Columbia College - not a typical college experience, no real campus.

agnes!

 

[Robinrs]

I'm learning a LOT from this thread and HOPE that it doesn't turn into a tit for tat, knowitall, braggadocio fest.... but alas... this IS the DIS!

I'm the type of person who pays full price for NOTHING, so I'm working like a dog to get everything possible for my poor kid. He's so NOT into the college thing and it's a job just getting his interest. He's a junior and wants to go but is not focussed on where or what. The only school that he showed one OUNCE of interest in is the Savannah College of Art and Design because they offer Television writing and programming which is his ultimate passion.

I hope to get his interest up over the summer by visiting college campuses. We've been to two so far but he needs to get the full tour to see how he fits. Hopefully he'll be somewhere near MY interest level by the time he's a senior.

 

[golfgal]

I'm learning a LOT from this thread and HOPE that it doesn't turn into a tit for tat, knowitall, braggadocio fest.... but alas... this IS the DIS!

I'm the type of person who pays full price for NOTHING, so I'm working like a dog to get everything possible for my poor kid. He's so NOT into the college thing and it's a job just getting his interest. He's a junior and wants to go but is not focussed on where or what. The only school that he showed one OUNCE of interest in is the Savannah College of Art and Design because they offer Television writing and programming which is his ultimate passion.

I hope to get his interest up over the summer by visiting college campuses. We've been to two so far but he needs to get the full tour to see how he fits. Hopefully he'll be somewhere near MY interest level by the time he's a senior.

That seems to be the key around here with the kids we know. Junior year is such a busy year in school that it is hard for them to add "one more thing". Also, while we know it is not that far off, it still seems like a long way away when you are 17.

 

[Robinrs]

That seems to be the key around here with the kids we know. Junior year is such a busy year in school that it is hard for them to add "one more thing". Also, while we know it is not that far off, it still seems like a long way away when you are 17.

Yes, busy is an understatement. He's being pulled into so many directions he barely has time to sleep! He complained that no one paid that much attention to the sophomores when he was in the 10th grade so he got what he wished for this year. Luckily we live across the street from his school so he can run back and forth as needed.

I wanted him to attend the SCAD summer program but he's jammed for the summer so far. Hopefully he can still go, it's only for one week. The deadline to register is tomorrow so I'm working on it right now.

 

[bluesaturn]

My DS is a junior, number 2 in his large class, 4.0 unweighted, sophmore SAT 2070. We are going crazy looking for merit aid that would help our ridiculous EFC. The problem is that most schools within a reasonable distance do not offer enough merit aid, just need based. The majority of better schools also require CSS Profile, not just FAFSA so that totally kills us.

Anyone have any suggestions for the NJ, NY, PA, DE, MD, VA? Ideally would be 3 hours, for really good 6 hours, and if it's Harvard, he's going! And he doesn't want to go to Minnesota even though the merit aid is good.

New Jersey kids are all over the mid-atlantic! One school that doesn't get talked about a lot in Maryland is UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County). It's a smaller school, not our flagship, but it's really make a name for itself nationally. Wonderful for the sciences!

That could be part of it I guess, but cost of living in the Carolina's is much less then it is in the Twin Cities-just based on housing prices. I don't know that salaries there are any higher on average. I can see in places like New York or NY being that way though but not all of the east coast.

I'm pretty sure Maryland has a higher cost of living (and probably higher salaries) than Minnesota so it kind of explains it in the state I grew up in. And when you look at Virginia you have to realize that northern Virginia is almost it's own state, because it is so different economically from the rest of the state. Ten of the top twenty richest counties in the country are in Maryland and northern Virginia (two in New Jersey, two in New York I think). People have larger salaries but that equals a middle class lifestyle here.
Then, most of the people popping in on this thread seem to be coming from the research triangle area of North Carolina. I'm sure the economy is very different there from the rural parts of the state, and the higher income is not going as far.

 

[NotUrsula]

For pure merit aid, look to off-campus sources. Merit aid for well-off families given directly by universities is a dying thing, and these days it is used mostly to bring a school desired ethnic diversity.

Getting private-sector scholarships takes effort, but they are out there if you look for them. Usually they are small, however, so you need to get quite a few of them in order to really make them count. If your guidance counselor can't help you look for them, try asking a reference Librarian; they can lead you to directories that will help you find them.

As for an EFC being ridiculous, if you have extraordinary circumstances that are not reflected in the FAFSA or CSS, then you can schedule an interview with the aid office to explain (with documentation) what your other inescapable financial obligations are. If you really have a hardship, they will listen and suggest options, and sometimes will re-work your classification. (I was able to get that done because my mother was disabled and could not work; the savings that she had were going to have to last her for the remainder of her life, and could not be used to pay for my education.)

PS: I also recommend reading the Chronicle of Higher Education. Most large public libraries have an online subscription, you just have to use their gateway to access it using your library card number. (As for Bucknell, yes, it is a nationally known liberal-arts school, with a lot of very prominant alumni, especially entrepreneurs. It also has a historic tradition of being something of an athletic powerhouse for a school that size. It's not a colonial college, but it does predate the Civil War.)

 

[golfgal]

New Jersey kids are all over the mid-atlantic! One school that doesn't get talked about a lot in Maryland is UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County). It's a smaller school, not our flagship, but it's really make a name for itself nationally. Wonderful for the sciences!


I'm pretty sure Maryland has a higher cost of living (and probably higher salaries) than Minnesota so it kind of explains it in the state I grew up in. And when you look at Virginia you have to realize that northern Virginia is almost it's own state, because it is so different economically from the rest of the state. Ten of the top twenty richest counties in the country are in Maryland and northern Virginia (two in New Jersey, two in New York I think). People have larger salaries but that equals a middle class lifestyle here.
Then, most of the people popping in on this thread seem to be coming from the research triangle area of North Carolina. I'm sure the economy is very different there from the rural parts of the state, and the higher income is not going as far.

Find my other post where I compared salaries in those states. I think that it can be said for any state that salaries in the metro areas are going to be higher then they are in other areas. The MN cities also included Duluth, which is a very low cost area to live for a city it's size. On paper, people in VA have about $16,000 "extra" just based on average salary differences and considering state schools there cost this or less, that is a significant difference for financial aid. The problem is that the FAFSA doesn't ask what you paid in property tax or what your mortgage payment is or how much you pay for car insurance-which would equalize things across the country somewhat. I would think in these cases the extra information colleges ask for would help, but I haven't had to fill one out so I don't know exactly what is asked for on those.

 

[Denise W]

I am from RI, our state University is about $22,000 - $25,000. My daughter applied to about 8 schools, accepted at all. One school she applied to was Adelphi, in NY on Long Island, a private school suggested by her guidance counselor. It is listed in Money Magazine as being a good "value" school. At the time we applied, the total cost with room and board was about $30,000.

We completed the FAFSA and our EFC was about $60,000. Based on her SAT scores, which weren't great, she was offerered a merit scholarship of $8500, which brought the cost down to about the cost of our state university. She decided to attend Adelphi for Education/Math and is in her senior year. They have a 5 year program so she will do a summer session and all of next year and then have her masters as well. I am hoping the scholarship extends to her graduate year as well.

For us the private school worked, but I would have had no problem sending her to our state school. I think she will have a better chance getting a teaching job somewhere in NY state, rather than in RI, so I am glad she is getting certified in NY.

Denise .

 

[golfgal]

I am from RI, our state University is about $22,000 - $25,000. My daughter applied to about 8 schools, accepted at all. One school she applied to was Adelphi, in NY on Long Island, a private school suggested by her guidance counselor. It is listed in Money Magazine as being a good "value" school. At the time we applied, the total cost with room and board was about $30,000.

We completed the FAFSA and our EFC was about $60,000. Based on her SAT scores, which weren't great, she was offerered a merit scholarship of $8500, which brought the cost down to about the cost of our state university. She decided to attend Adelphi for Education/Math and is in her senior year. They have a 5 year program so she will do a summer session and all of next year and then have her masters as well. I am hoping the scholarship extends to her graduate year as well.

For us the private school worked, but I would have had no problem sending her to our state school. I think she will have a better chance getting a teaching job somewhere in NY state, rather than in RI, so I am glad she is getting certified in NY.

Denise .

Especially since that included a Master's Degree. Does NY require a master's degree to get hired? If not, you MIGHT want to think this over. With budget issues across the country, a new teacher with no experience and a master's degree is not going to be a very good prospect for a school district because they cost so much more to hire. Just something to look into. If she can sub without a teaching license in NY, I would STRONGLY recommend she do that in her senior years if her schedule allows (4th year and 5th year).

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Find my other post where I compared salaries in those states. I think that it can be said for any state that salaries in the metro areas are going to be higher then they are in other areas. The MN cities also included Duluth, which is a very low cost area to live for a city it's size. On paper, people in VA have about $16,000 "extra" just based on average salary differences and considering state schools there cost this or less, that is a significant difference for financial aid. The problem is that the FAFSA doesn't ask what you paid in property tax or what your mortgage payment is or how much you pay for car insurance-which would equalize things across the country somewhat. I would think in these cases the extra information colleges ask for would help
, but I haven't had to fill one out so I don't know exactly what is asked for on those.

That is my biggest complaint about the FAFSA. According to them we should be able to pay for Harvard or any $50,000 a year school.
It's a joke with property taxes of $10,000 for lot size of 60 X 100. car insurance, commuter expense to Manhatten, NYS taxes, etc.

I hope my 2 DD move from this area, it's too darn expensive to live here!

 

[NotUrsula]

The problem is that the FAFSA doesn't ask what you paid in property tax or what your mortgage payment is or how much you pay for car insurance-which would equalize things across the country somewhat.

They don't ask, but they still know, and the institution will usually take it somewhat into account in the calculation. Your 9-digit zip code will give them average figures for those things.

 

[golfgal]

They don't ask, but they still know, and the institution will usually take it somewhat into account in the calculation. Your 9-digit zip code will give them average figures for those things.

True, which is why you shouldn't go strictly on what the EFC says on the FAFSA site. That is just an "estimate". Colleges do their own figuring.

 

[Christine]

That is my biggest complaint about the FAFSA. According to them we should be able to pay for Harvard or any $50,000 a year school.
It's a joke with property taxes of $10,000 for lot size of 60 X 100. car insurance, comuter expense to Manhatten, NYS taxes, etc.

I hope my 2 DD move from this area, it's too darn expensive to live here!

Not just the FAFSA, it's EVERYTHING. I wish tax credits and such took into account COLA. I have lost the credit for college expenses every year because, on paper, I guess I appear wealthy. Little do they know, it takes all that money just to be middle class. For those of us in high COL areas, we get penalized in so many ways. The benefit, of course, is usually secure employment and a choice of employment but they take every bit of money from you!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Unfortunetly it didn't help my DD friends when they graduated in 2009. One girl was 15th in the class with a average of about 95 and got about $10,000 from the private colleges, which still made the cost per year over $30,000.

 

[NotUrsula]

Unfortunetly it didn't help my DD friends when they graduated in 2009. One girl was 15th in the class with a average of about 95 and got about $10,000 from the private colleges, which still made the cost per year over $30,000.

Yes, for the MAJORITY of students, what the additional available aid from private schools will do is equalize the cost with that of a public institution. Very seldom does it actually work out to be significantly less expensive to go private.

BTW, for those of you who live in states with very high in-state tuition at your public schools, you might consider some of the public schools in Missouri. Freshman year will still cost you, but Missouri has some of the loosest residency requirements for in-state status in the nation. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/article_211dbaa2-6c9c-5961-a99d-94f9128dcc9b.html

 

[bluesaturn]

Unfortunately it didn't help my DD friends when they graduated in 2009. One girl was 15th in the class with a average of about 95 and got about $10,000 from the private colleges, which still made the cost per year over $30,000.

None of the extra info the colleges asked for helped me, they still didn't offer more aide because of my parents' EFC (I did get merit aide). Then again I didn't choose any of those schools, maybe they would have offered a little more when I went there? The colleges might help some people out after gathering more info but it didn't help for anyone I know. Then again, that's likely because around here everyone's EFC shows they can afford to pay for the school, when in reality they can't unless they stop feeding some of their younger kids.

To be fair, most of the people I went to high school with did go to college and were able to graduate with little debt (and sometimes none) thanks to the help of their parents and because they chose the best financial option. It's not all gloom and doom in the east. But I know very few that had most of their expenses paid for with scholarships/aide.

 

[cruisnfamily]

We've covered a lot of the great, top ranked schools for the best students. Not all the kids are that top 5%. I would love to hear some suggestions of schools that take an average kid, or even a fairly subpar student, and do great things with them. Any suggestions?

This!

Also, I'd love info, if anybody has it on colleges in the south with Computer Science Majors and also minors or certification in GIS.

DD18 starts at FGCU(Florida Gulf Coast University) in the fall so I'll be able to report back next year but right now, I don't know much about any of the colleges! I'd actually love to hear anything anybody has to say about FGCU as well.

 

[tar heel]

Not really for average students, but it will get us started on computer science . . .

My son is a computer science graduate of NC State University. At State, computer science is in the School of Engineering, which is a separate admission sophomore (generally) year. He was mostly happy with the school and program and has a good job at another university.

State has a graduate GIS program.

State is listed on the top public universities lists we've been discussing. According to College Board 42% of its students are in the top 10% and 93% have a 3.75 or higher. Engineering is more difficult to get in than the university at large.

DS had a merit scholarship, but it wasn't big.

 

[Robinrs]

That is my biggest complaint about the FAFSA. According to them we should be able to pay for Harvard or any $50,000 a year school.
It's a joke with property taxes of $10,000 for lot size of 60 X 100. car insurance, commuter expense to Manhatten, NYS taxes, etc.

I hope my 2 DD move from this area, it's too darn expensive to live here!

It's exactly WHY I moved from NY to Ga. In my industry even the top pay is not enough to thrive in NY. In Ga you can live LARGE I miss my hometown but I can still visit.