College loan ?

[tzolkin]

I always thought AP exams weren't fair to NY students. Because our school year started later, we had a month less of instruction than students in other states. Then tried to use the last month to prep for the NY regents exam which often contained totally different material.

As for funding, if you get into many private schools, aid is based on need as much as merit. Keep that in mind.

1. Yes, I realized the same thing about NY and AP. We moved from NY to another state last year. This year even though school here starts two weeks earlier, they had a few days of "summer camp" to get a jump start on the AP classes so they could finish in time for the exams.

2. That is absolutely true. Yes, you need the grades/scores/rank to get accepted to the top schools, but a good number of them do not offer ANY merit based scholarships-- need based grants are all they offer regardless of how great of a student you are.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think there are some here fueling the stress by saying your child "must" have 30+ ACT, 5s on AP, etc., but that's simply not true. Sure, that would be the ideal goal and there will be more opportunities for students with those accomplishments, but that doesn't mean that there's no hope if your child falls short. If you look for schools where your child will be among the top applicants, you will likely find a more affordable way to fund their education.

You are correct you do not "need" those scores, esp. if you are one of the lucky ones that have a college fund. We do not.

My dd who wanted those scores because she had mapped out what she wanted. She worked hard at it for many yrs., WITH anxiety and depression issues.

So far she as straight A's for the semester. I will say that having to maintain a GPA for a scholarship does help with motivation, lol.

 

[mnrose]

I've shared this story before, so I apologize in advance for repeating it. I am the product of 100% public education....elementary, high school, undergrad and law school. I worked hard and the schools I attended were good, but not "great" schools....mid ranked everywhere.

A few years back, while sitting at lunch with a group of lawyers who worked for me, there was a discussion about where one guy's kids were going to go to college. He was rambling on about how it had to be an "Ivy" to ensure that his kid succeeded in life...completely not worth thinking about ANYTHING else. I let them all ramble on about Harvard, Yale etc (where these people had gone to law school) and then said "funny how me with my completely public education is your boss."

Silence. Dead silence.

It's about what you do with the opportunities you have, not where you go to school. I tell my kids all the time. I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond (do well at a good, but not great, school), rather than just another fish in the pond (attend a "big name" university). Of course you can get a quality education at the Ivy's and similar (no question about it), but it's MUCH harder to rise to the top and be recognized as a leader.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

2. That is absolutely true. Yes, you need the grades/scores/rank to get accepted to the top schools, but a good number of them do not offer ANY merit based scholarships-- need based grants are all they offer regardless of how great of a student you are.

Agree, which is why my dd is going to a smaller college. However here is the rub with that......

Her friend the brainiac whom I mention in PP also is going to the school my dd is going to as well as other top students BECAUSE the smaller school is able to give full scholarships plus other perks to attract the top students.

Now the rub...Since top students are going there it raises the bar for acceptance, which now my dd needed a 32 on the ACT to get a merit scholarship.

Even though it is not a "top university" it has become popular for giving out money to top students, even though it is considered a "back up" school. It still makes it attractive to apply. It is a smallish campus and has no lecture classes.