Looking for insight or personal opinions in ranking these. My daughter has narrowed down her acceptances to these five.
Alabama
Auburn
Wofford
UNCW
App State
She was deferred at NC State. We will hear from them at the end of March. If she is accepted, she will most likely go there. It’s the perfect combination of what she’s looking for. But we are trying to go ahead and decide on her Plan B, so we are not floundering too long if she doesn’t get in.
We live in NC, so NC State, UNCW and App St are all In state for us.
Her major will mist likely be political science with a communications minor.
She has always wanted big sports school with lots of school spirit and student activity, lots of opportunities to get involved, etc. She’s a super extroverted girl that loves volunteering, leadership opportunities, etc. I feel like college is what you make it, and she could find that at any of these places.
Wofford is obviously smaller, but it has caught her attention as somewhere where she could have a more personalized experience with access to some incredible hands-on opportunities. And the beautiful campus.
But Auburn and Alabama are probably the two she’s the most excited about. We, of course, are very familiar with App State and UNCW, and think that are great universities. But we wonder about how well known they are outside of NC, or what their reputations are beyond their own marketing departments.
So, how would you rank these, in your opinion? Thank you!
Well - based on this, Wofford is out. But on the other hand, if this personalized attention is what she wants, she shouldn’t consider the others!!! Even NC State.
What’s her GPA/ACT - or rather, what’s her merit at Bama? For the highest achievers, one can’t beat the price.
Auburn is a bit smaller than Alabama although both are large. Both have nice campuses. My kid goes to Bama…I think Auburn is a nicer town. Her majors - it won’t matter where she goes.
Auburn will be closer to home…nothing wrong with the two in-state too - and given her majors, the school “name” won’t matter - those will both be tough for solid career outcomes - but going to Bama vs. a UNCW won’t matter. Her drive, dedication and ability to market herself will.
Good luck to her.
PS - I could rank, but why? My rank doesn’t matter - but if she wants rah rah and big sorority houses and top sports - then Bama.
If cost an issue and in-state is less, App State over UNCW - simply for the sports.
If she wants personalized attention and strong relations with profs - frankly - it could happen anywhere - up to the kid themselves - but far more likely at a school that sells this - which would be Wofford.
The whole town of Boone is rockin’ for App State football. I think it is probably the best football atmosphere in NC, so if in-state ends up the best choice for whatever reason and State doesn’t come through I think App will have more of the sporty atmosphere you said she likes. Of course, you’ve got the beach at UNC-W, so if she is more of a beach person over mountains that might sway her.
I don’t know that much about 'Bama or Auburn to rank them with the others. I think I would rank the in-state options as NC State, App State, UNC-W, but App and UNC-W are close.
With those majors the first question is $$. Are there any from which she can graduate from debt-free? That’s the short list. If there an the ones where she will be able to afford no/low paid internships during college (ie, she won’t need to get summer jobs that generate enough money to pay for part of college), short-short list them. And if there are any where you would be able to help her get set up in her first job (security deposit on a first place, starting a work-ready wardrobe, take a poorly paid but promising intro level job, etc), then that’s the short-short-short list. Of those, the one she likes best is
the winner!
What is her current goal with a Poli Sci degree? Does she want to actually work in that space? If she does, then you do need to think about how she is going to support herself the first few years since many of the cool jobs are not high paying but are great experiences.
This is true - but this isn’t really the question - but I don’t think for the majors, the schools on the list don’t matter.
All get you to the same place - but obviously Wofford is far different than the others.
And I’d say Bama, Auburn, and App State meet the sports parts, etc. best (yes, App above NC State).
PS - OP might want to see - do the schools have, for example, a Washington DC semester study program, etc. Raleigh’s advantage would be - being in the state capital - which may…or may not…provide extra opportunity.
I mean when I wrote it I knew people would think I’m nuts - a ACC school beneath the Sunbelt. So yes ridiculous on the surface but NC State isn’t one of the fan powerhouses etc. but I concede NC State plays the big dogs. App doesn’t.
NC State has pretty rabid fans. I know a lot of them. Their basketball team is doing well this year too and they often have solid football teams for the ACC. I think if she wants to go to lots of games she has the opportunity to at State. Downside is the games are not on campus, but just 3 miles away and there is a shuttle bus (Red Terror Bus Service – Transportation).
It is a little hard to rank these since they are all so very different. My perspective is that NC State, Wofford and Auburn are top, with App State, UNC W and Alabama being in a different tier.
My son is a current political science major at Wofford. It came down to NC State and Wofford, but he liked the flexibility of majors since NC State normally requires you to select at least a college. I can tell you that he has enjoyed the major immensely and now has picked up business finance and accounting with it.
There are tons of opportunities to get involved at Wofford beyond the football and basketball which will not be the level of many of the schools mentioned except UNC-W.
Still these are all very strong schools with good “pros”.
Happy to answer any Wofford questions directly by mail.