The college search

[MountainHunter]

I haven't been around here much of late. I have been really involved in researching and visiting colleges with our daughter.

The time together for our family has been great.

[Deerthug]

I'll be in your shoes this time next year. Hoping it doesn't happen during hunting seasons. Lol.

[Early]

So....What schools have caught her/your interest?

[MountainHunter]

The reality for our family is that we will not qualify for any needs based aid and we aren't in a position to write a $55,000 check each year for the highly ranked private colleges. Our daughter is a very good student so it is likely that some schools will award merit aid (academic scholarships).

We will see. We have looked at 11 or 12 schools. I am sitting in a University of Virginia meeting room as I type this.

She will end up at a private college with reasonably generous merit aid or a Flagship SUNY. ( Binghamton or Geneseo).

I have studied the heck out of this stuff for about a year. Please don't hesitate to inquire with me about any part of this process. If I could help a family through any of this stuff it would make me feel good.

[ridenismo]

out of curiosity, what major is she interested in?  

[fasteddie]

My oldest son went to Monroe Community College and took numerous courses . He talked to the Faculty at RIT to see what courses he could transfer for credit and took as many courses as he could at MCC at a much lower cost then attended the Rochester Institute of Technology , finished what courses and got his degree in Civil Engineering .

He saved a lot of expenses that way and was working 2 part time jobs to boot .

[Early]

The Community College often is the best choice:  Great education...at a bargain price!  Back when I was coaching at a Community College, I recruited many athletes by convincing them that the "Price Was Right!"

[BizCT]

Depending on what she is going to school for, will determine if a "big name" school is necessary or not. In some professions, after 2 years work experience the school you attended means nothing.

[MountainHunter]

She is intending to study International Relations and go on to Law School afterwards.

I agree with the community college route. Many years ago I went to UCCC and then transferred the maximum amount of credits to SUNY Albany.

I know our daughter won't go that route. She is clear as it relates to what we are able to afford though. She has busted her butt in High School and is highly ranked in her class.

We have visited a bunch of schools in PA and New England and are now doing a Virginia and Washington DC tour.

We visited Washington and Lee yesterday, a very small, difficult to get in to Liberal Arts college in Charlottesville Virginia. Lots of history and charm and a pretty good athletic vibe for a division III school. 85 percent participation in fraternities and sororities. I didn't care for that.

Today we had an official visit at the University of Virginia. A Big state school, beautiful buildings, lots of history, (Thomas Jefferson) the tour guide today was off the charts impressive, what an incredibly fine young man. The over all feel was BIG!

We have an official tour at the University of Richmond tomorrow. We spent about three hours walking that campus this afternoon. An amazingly beautiful campus, spotlessly clean. We went in and out of a lot of buildings there and they were all top notch. At every school we visit we try to have a meal in one of their dining halls so we have a sense of quality of food that will be available. Richmond's dining hall is excellent.

We will see how the official tour goes tomorrow. Our daughter will be sitting in on a class as well.

[BizCT]

I work for a top 5 "biglaw" firm. PM me if you want any advice.<br /><br />Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2<br /><br />

[MountainHunter]

I am always appreciative of the knowledge and experience of others. I will shoot you a PM.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I am in the same process with my daughter right now. the scholls are narrowed down and all the visits are done. We are just getting the $$ ironed out. She has maintained a very high GPA with many AP courses. She has some great merit scholarships but we are in the same boat for the Aid.....make too much to get any but not enought to just blindly write the check....lol. She is going for the Dr. of Physical Therapy and all but one of her school choices are here in NY and that makes her Mom very happy.

[Five Seasons]

The reality for our family is that we will not qualify for any needs based aid and we aren't in a position to write a $55,000 check each year for the highly ranked private colleges. Our daughter is a very good student so it is likely that some schools will award merit aid (academic scholarships).

We will see. We have looked at 11 or 12 schools. I am sitting in a University of Virginia meeting room as I type this.

She will end up at a private college with reasonably generous merit aid or a Flagship SUNY. ( Binghamton or Geneseo).

I have studied the heck out of this stuff for about a year. Please don't hesitate to inquire with me about any part of this process. If I could help a family through any of this stuff it would make me feel good.

 

you'll find most suny schools have solid programs at decent rates. But the school is not what employers look at. It's the experience and work ethic. If she's the brightest bulb in the store, but she can't communicate then it doesn't matter. Work as hard as you can to getting her a good internship junior/senior year and even with a below 3.0gpa she will be fine.

 

Look less at the reputation of the school and more at the reputation of the program at the school. For example, I went to UB. Their business, engineering and pre-med programs are highly ranked up with the private schools. But other programs are not. Would I have receieved a better education at RIT or Clarkson? Probably. BUt so much better that I'm 10's of thousands of dollars in the hole? Probably not.

 

Good luck to your family and daughter.

 

Edited March 25, 2013 by Belo

[MountainHunter]

Thanks for the comments made and information shared!

Where ever she ends up we will trust that is where she is supposed to be. It does irk me that she has the credentials to get in to practically any school and the financial part could be the reason that she may not be able to attend. Your work ethic/drive will determine where you end up in life so where you get your Bachelors degree is not a do or die situation. You just hate to see your kid or any kid who has worked so hard be dissapointed. Hopefully that will not be the case!

We just finished the University of Richmond tour. Our daughter is sitting in on a class right now. If she doesn't go here I think I will enroll! Actually I don't think I could get in. Make that I know I couldn't get in!

[phade]

I don't even think International Relations is offered at Geneseo. I majored in that for some time in Undegrad before realizing that the job market at the time wasn't promising. Just curious if you visited Seton Hall/Georgetown? Some prime schools for that major. International Relations is one of the few majors where going to a defined "top dog" school is important. But, is IR really necessary if she wants to go to law school? That's a very narrow field - she may want to look into an undergrad with wider reaching possibilities should she never make it to law school or decide law school is not for her. IR is a fun field, though. I enjoyed it.

 

UVA is a great school - very underrated by the public, but a top 20 school in nearly every academic and professional category it would apply to.

 

One thing there isn't on this site, is a shortage of lawyers. Wayyyyyyyyy too many here for their own good.

[fasteddie]

I'd be looking for a Major that supported jobs in the future . I know some folks that got a degree in Political Science . That degree and $1.50 will get them a cup of coffee .

[Pygmy]

My daughter graduated about 15 years ago..

My wallet STILL hurts...LOL...

[phade]

Oy...nothing like making wet blanket statements. Sure, an electrical engineering undergrad degree earns good money...but that's a different field. And, a grad level degree in that field rarely has an ROI....most go for MBAs or the like after that.

 

A PS degree can be worthwhile based on how it is used and what gets them in the door. I work at a $2.5B a year company ranked by Fortune that eats up PS degree holders in our Compliance department...and they sit fat and happy for a good day's work. Chances are, it's not the degree's fault...it's the people you know that is the fault.

Edited March 25, 2013 by phade

[MountainHunter]

We just arrived in Washington DC. We will be looking at George Washington, American and Georgetown in the next three days.

Geneseo either calls it International Relations or International Studies. Our daughter may double major. She is a very strong language student.

Not that I don't have fears about her having an Undergraduate degree that she can go specifically to work with. I trust her and she is a very internally driven kid and resourceful and she is not afraid to work. She will be fine.

Part of our Undergraduate deal though is no debt for securing a Bachelors degree.

[MountainHunter]

This has no baring on any thing other than it is college related and very cool. The University of Virginia has a number of secret societies within it. They all have mystery associated with them and they all do very good things for the University. One of these secret societies are the "Sevens" they do a lot of gracious and generous things. When ever a donation is given it will be in a dollar and cent figure that are sevens, like $777.77.

When someone is a member of this secret society the University and general public doesn't find out until they die. There is another secret society whose members become known upon their graduation. They are called the Z's. I just thought this was interesting and kind of neat.

Edited March 25, 2013 by MountainHunter

[fasteddie]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/04/23/the-13-most-useless-majors-from-philosophy-to-journalism.html

[ridenismo]

Good luck with your search, I know from experience $$ is a difficult aspect of education to deal with, thats why i ended up in NC.  It was cheaper for me to pay out of state tuition in NC than in state tuition at SUNY binghamton (my hometown).  I went to Penn State my first year dual majoring in mechanical and nuclear engineering and BLEW most of my college saving fund.  Since then ive been struggling to work, save, and attend school as money allowed since.  Im 24 now and the end is finally getting close, plan to have a dual degree in biology and environmental health science.  In a few years if i get my dream job you might see me in the field working with NYSDEC as a field biologist.  

[MountainHunter]

Best wishes to you! You are to be admired for sticking to it and persevering! It may have seemed unfair at the time but in reality it has shaped who you have become. I am sure it has not been easy but you know you have the grit to handle what ever comes your way.

[MountainHunter]

Just arrived home late last night. It is certainly good to be home! Seven college visits in seven days. I'm a bit colleged out at the moment.

Not a bad school in the bunch. We had visits at.

Washington & Lee University

University of Virginia

University of Richmond

George Washington University

American University

Georgetown

Johns Hopkins.

We have made a lot of visits and will make several more. Did I say it was good to be home?

If anyone has an interest in information about any one of these schools please let me know.

[GreeneHunter]

MountainHunter .... Does your daughter have any interest in the Guard / Reserve ? There is some great GI Bill potential to assist in tuition !