Wait, is Kalamazoo's package primarily loans?

No guaranteed scholarship cash to UM? Is there any chance that Hypo would immediately head to grad school after undergrad? If the scholarship at Kalamazoo is guaranteed with a 2.5 that's incredible. Eldest and Middle needed to keep somewhere in a 3.2-3.4 range to keep their scholarships.

Eldest's dream school was Michigan, and was admitted with a $5K scholarship and some grants, etc five years ago. He wrote the financial aid department and told him that and that other schools offered a full ride scholarship and asked if they could do anything else for him? Of course the economy in Michigan five years ago was lousy and he was OOS but perhaps since Halo is in state they could do more for him? Would think it was worth him asking if he wants to go to Michigan?

Oberlin has waitlisted him and he is crushed. The assumption is that if he didn't get into Northwestern or Oberlin, there's no way Brown will happen. My heart is hurting for him. His sister got her dream school. He is going to accept his spot on the wait list, but I told him we have to proceed with decisions as if it was a rejection and then deal with the change if it changes.

U of M's only scholarship money was the Michigan Competitive Scholarship which he'll get at any Michigan college. The rest was U of M grants. Kzoo gave him a decent scholarship- $84K over 4 years if he keeps a 2.5. There was a Perkins loan, a Federal direct subsidized loan, and work study in that package with $11K for me to cover.

U of M gave money in grants, plus the typical Federal direct subsidized loan and also work study. It leaves $7K for me to pay, but like I said, if our financial situation changes, those grants change too.

I really wanted him to escape this awful state of no opportunity. I'm regretting not making him apply more places. Big time regrets about that.

Aw, poor Halo. That sucks.

Hopefully, he'll have so much next fall, he won't even remember this.


I'll keep my fingers crossed that a spot opens up for him at Oberlin.

FWIW, in my years as a senior (h.s.) homeroom teacher and English AP teacher I found that there is no real rhyme or reason to admissions. Students wouldn't get a safety school, but then got into their dream schools. Students that would seem to be a lock to get into their dream schools - didn't. I swear, sometimes they just roll dice to decide! Brown may yet come through - here's hoping!

Oberlin is NOT need blind so that may have something to do with it too. I can't imagine a wait list kid gets a very good financial aid package.

This whole process has become very discouraging.

This is true. In almost 20 years in secondary education, there is no pattern. I have seen kids get in places I didn't think they stood a chance and have seen kids be rejected from in-state schools once considered fall backs.

At least he has options. He can always transfer, if he gets somewhere and doesn't feel like it's a good fit.

Is he bringing in enough AP or dual credits to make his college stay shorter? Would summer school help alleviate some of the financial burdens?

Laugh or cry, laugh or cry.
 

Today, we laugh!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/how...s-works,35625/

Hang in there, it's not over yet.

I wouldn't make that assumption at all...IME, Brown, of all schools, tends to do its own thing when it comes to admissions.

Of all colleges to be in the main photograph--Brown!

I didn't realize that Oberlin was need-aware but it's not totally surprising.

It's time to face this like recruitment. Michigan and Kalamazoo have both been showing him lots of love- sending us stuff almost every day. These two schools want him to attend. Now we just have to get him to understand that, feel the love, and figure out which one he will make work (even if he isn't enthusiastic about either). This is why we have safeties, right? Both schools still have accepted student days he can attend over Easter break. He has refused to do any formal tours or anything at both schools until now because he really didn't expect to go to either.

Hypo is more emotional about all of this than anybody else.

I cannot find his Kzoo financial aid letter anywhere. What the heck did I do with that??? Ugh.

I'm sorry he did not get into his dream school. I also did not, and ended up at a (not very competitive state) school that turned out to be just right for me. I think your attitude about viewing this through a recruitment lens is spot on.

Michigan is nothing to sneeze at and I'm sure he'd have a great 4 years there. It's hard to get excited about in-state schools. I remember not being excited about University of Illinois. It seemed like a boring choice. Now I look at it and see that I would have had a great 4 years there.

And if you want him to find his way out of Michigan make sure he does internships with companies outside of Michigan. My much younger engineer brother interned 3 summers for Chevron and was hired by Chevron in New Orleans. The company has since taken him to Houston and now Jakarta. He got out of his backwater town!