posted
I applied to Rutgers college on 11/30/2006, and received back from them that I was admitted only twenty days later! Besides for the obvious pleasure this makes me feel, what does it mean? Is this normal? Further, this is a good school, so it can't be that non-discriminating with whom it accepts. Can I expect a good scholarship from them? Thanks Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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My understanding of college admissions now is that they expect you to apply to other schools, and if you're good enough, they know they'd better offer you $.
I don't know if the speed means anything.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Rutgers being as large a school as it is, I'd guess they have reasonably formulaic entrance requirements, and can probably process applications pretty quickly. I mean there's obviously still going to be some subjective analysis of essays and whatnot, but they just can't afford to spend as much time per application as a smaller school. I wouldn't read too much into the speed with which you were accepted, and would say that if you really need a good scholarship to be able to afford college, it would probably be prudent to apply elsewhere (unless this was a binding early decision kind of thing of course).
Of course that's all speculation, and I could be way off.
Posts: 187 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I say play the scholarshps off one another.
Also, it probably depends on how you define a "good" scholarship. Some schools more readily offer large chunks of change than others. And some schools make it really hard to get anything more than half tuition.
posted
Thanks for the advice, all. xtownaga: I get what you're saying, and it does make sense.
Launchywiggin: Yes, but what if the college you want to go to costs, say, 24k$ a year, while a lesser college is only making you pay 5k$ a year? At the end of the story, that's a lot of money to owe.
Is it really worth a great college experience to start life with a 150k$ debt, for instance?
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
I know Georgia Tech immediately accepts anyone they really want. It doesn't mean that you won't get in if you aren't accepted right away, it's just that you still need to be compared with everyone else. I would say an acceptance now just means that they're sure you'll fit in and like the school. I didn't choose the school with the most financial aid because I knew it wasn't the best school I could go to and that I would regret the decision if I did it. I think whether or not to base your decision n financial aid has a little to do with how much you expect to make when you get out.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
My gut told me to go to Auburn, but Florida offered me a lot more money. Turns out, it would have been a huge mistake for me to go to Auburn over Florida, so gut reactions aren't always right.
Posts: 221 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
well... also in those kinds of terms, few schools truly offer large 'scholarships' anymore, at least for academic reasons. You'll have a few students who get merrit scholarships or whatever, but not many. Because Federal financial aid is so standard, that's pretty much what you'll get most of the time, with maybe a few smaller school scholarships thrown in for good measure.
Posts: 1321 | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
I applied to Rutgers in December (?) and heard back from them in early January. The package they offered me was ok, it wasn't the best one I was offered. It was five years ago so I don't really remember the numbers. I was also in state, so tuition was lower, etc. Rutgers does have a fast turn around with their admissions, because it's rolling.
As for choosing a school, if you have an idea of what you want to do/what major you're going to have, I'd consider which colleges have better programs in that.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I'm not sure, as I said, it was five years ago. But I think the financial aid info came later.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I'd choose the school you think you'll be most comfortable with over the school you think will have the most prestige. That is the biggest advice I have for choosing colleges. Being miserable for four years can have a horrible effect on your grades, confidence, and self-image.
Edit to add: When I was admitted to each college, I think they all invited me to apply for merit scholarships along with the admission package, but I'm not sure. Some of them might've just flat-out made offers.
posted
I've worked in the Admissions office of Beloit College for the past two years as my work-study, and although Beloit is smaller than Rutgers, working with the admissions councelors has shown me how important their impressions are in the decision. It may be that someone read your application, just thought you'd be great for the school, gave you the stamp and moved on. I think it's pretty standard for the admissions notice to come first, then the scholarship/loans etc. stuff afterwards, since colleges want people to know they're admitted before they agree to go somewhere that beat them to the punch.
Financial Aid was my biggest consideration, but fortunately my two top choices accepted me and offered similar aid packages that were both very generous, and I was able to the choose the one more tailored to my interests. I am still going to graduate with $40,000 in debt but what can you do. In this culture it's expensive to buy a few more seconds consideration when applying for a job instead of having the boss toss away your application because he/she can see you didn't go to college.
Posts: 86 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
Right, Satlin. Gee, this thread has got a lot of useful information. Care to share more on the inner workings of the admissions office and so forth? As a prospective student, I am agog to learn more!
What really makes an application work?
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
Brown Columbia Yeshiva University NYU Boston U McGill Maryland UMASS Amherst Brandeis
I am tempted to add MIT; I still have a few days. Money is the big issue with me. My GPA isn't all that good, but I have been taking ~ 9 honors level classes for the last 4 years, and my SATs + SAT IIs are almost perfect.
posted
Hmm? My top choice is Brown. Besides for that, NYU or Columbia. My main goal is to pay as little as possible and still get a great education. ^^
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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I love English and language, so am definitly angling to improve my writing and learn a foreign language. That's all I know. I know that I am talented in mathematics and sciences. I do not know where I want to study further at the moment.
I am somewhat interested in Neuroscience. I think it's kind of cool. I'm also interested in psychiatry (helping people = cool, and it is a very interesting + involved theory). Law also seems possible, and I'd love to start a company.
So I'm everywhere and nowehere ^^. Pardon my lack of grammar and poor word use. It is late here, and I think I'll go to bed presently ^^.
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
Phanto, the greatest insight for me was being on the other side of the table. It's really stressful and tough to be interviewed, whether that is in person or in the form of an admission application. But the admissions people are sometimes just as nervous. It's a big deal, deciding whether or not to admit someone, how much financial aid to give them. They're people who care about their college, who want great people to come.
What I notice where I work is that each application is bounced between various people who all review it and make their decision. At Beloit at least, it is really quite personal. I'm not allowed to talk about our interview strategy (for some reason it's important to keep that secret), but I can tell you that admissions councelors look to see what you're going to bring to the campus. You may have a 4.0 gpa, but what does that mean? Are you just going to take the normal course load and do really good, but not do anything else? Are you going to volunteer? Are you going to start a club or a campaign? Will you get involved in grass-roots efforts? Are you going to be a nameless student, or are you going to engage? (Just some considerations.)
What you have done already is important up to a point. Mostly, they're looking to see what you're going to transfer to the college. If you were a part of the Junior Red Cross, that is great, but if you just did it to pad your application that will show through. Mostly they like interesting and nice people, just like we all do.
Also, the people you talk to are almost never the people who make the final call. That happens in the basement or on the top floor, somewhere you never see. So there's really no point in trying too hard to impress them. Like I said, just being kind and interesting helps a lot.
Posts: 86 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
As was alluded to by several posters, there are two basic types of aid: need-based and merit-based. Need-based includes federal and state aid, and depends on you having filed a FAFSA. Given that you could not possibly have done so yet (not until next week), it would surprise me greatly if any school were sending you a need-based scholarship offer at this point. Also, such packages are pretty formulaic -- trying to play off one school against another is unlikely to do anything. Simply because the school has to follow guidelines, and will have little or no wiggle room.
Merit-based aid is different. While in theory most school have formulas (based on SAT scores, GPA, and possibly a few other things), schools often up an offered amount based on really wanting a particular student (for whatever combination of reasons). This is where playing one school against another can work.
For more information on need-based aid, contact the school's financial aid office. For more information on merit-based aid, contact the admissions office (and sometimes the specific department you are majoring in, although that's less true for undergraduates).
For more advice on either, or admissions in general, feel free to email me. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I believe that today I was accepted to UMass Amherst, but I'm not 100% sure.
UPDATE 2:
Never mind. These UMass Amherst people are idiots. "It is my great pleasure to welcome you..." "when you graduate" --> stupid misleading quotes!
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
First reaction: money is important up to a point, if you're financially stable, and the financial aid package difference is low, take the school you feel most comfortable with. A good learning environment is quite possibly the most important aspect of a college. Choose one that you not only feel comfortable with, but also you know will challenge you intellectually (in adverse to academically).
Second reaction: whoa, there's another beloiter around here? (Second reaction convinced me to post, now I run off.)
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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