<p>reviews</p>
<p>D has a friend who absolutely loves Sweet Briar. We are from Massachusetts so it really is quite a distance. Although it is an all girls school I know they have events and gatherings with a neighboring school. Can’t elaborate mush more than I know she is very happy. </p>
<p>I’m in a similar position. My niece (from NH) is very happy at Sweet Briar. She’s horse-mad and I think she’s getting an equine certificate in addition to her major. </p>
<p>Also have a friend who’s daughter is a sophomore at Sweet Briar. She has had a wonderful experience there. She has a dual major, does swim team, and rides. She has been really supported academically. We are from Vermont, but she doesn’t mind the distance.</p>
<p>Even further-- I have a friend from here in Eugene, OR whose daughter graduated from Sweet Briar last year and got a good job in Charlottesville. She enjoyed herself very much, also had a horse there. </p>
<p>They sell bumper stickers that say “My money goes to Sweet Briar, my daughter goes to Hampton-Sydney.” My HS son tells me that is true.</p>
<p>I did a lot of research on Sweet Briar once. It is one of those schools I might have applied to if I had known better. It seems like they have a pretty unique and distinct culture that one would want to be comfortable with in order to go there. I thought it looked like a wonderful place for the right girl.</p>
<p>Can’t speak to Sweet Briar, although its reputation in VA is that it attracts wealthy horse-loving daughters of what would be “old Virginia” families. It is not a particularly well- known school here I don’t think. Longwood is a little hidden jewel I think. Very nice campus, compact enough to feel comfortable quickly. Nice facilities, and a very happy, cheery student body. S14 has it as his #2 right now I think. It can qualify as a good, solid safety for mid-3’s (GPA) kids, which is nice. Its not huge (+/- 5000 kids) and has no football, which is a negative to my sports-fanatic son, but he wants to be a teacher and for that and nursing as well, its quite well respected in VA. Very pretty. Farmville is not a very big town, but with two colleges (Hampden-Sydney also) in the town, apparently there is no lack of things to do. Richmond and Charlotttesville are not far, either- perhaps an hour in either direction. Longwood seems to have a number of “traditional” weekend things including bands coming to town as well.</p>
<p>My niece is not wealthy, but parents have the money saved to be full pay, definitely horse-loving. She’s smart, but not a particularly academic young woman. My impression is that it’s a much better school than it was in my day. A good place for a B student. :)</p>
<p>Longwood has a long reputation as a school for teachers. Sweet Briar’s rep in my youth was as a sort of finishing-school type of college, but that’s probably long out of date.</p>
<p>Yes, things change. OP should be looking at the academics, what sorts of majors and classes are available, what they brag about, what the strengths are. I’m sure there are still plenty of old-money sorts, but times have changed and folks should look at the financial aid details, how many get some support. And yes, it is beautiful. And small. Most of the women’s colleges can be very empowering.</p>
<p>Lynchburg College is quite a bit larger than SB and has a very nice campus in an OK area in the city of Lynchburg. It is a good school fro the classic “B students” and attracts most students from the area between NY and Va. Not as connected to the horsey Old Money set as SB. I’d say the academics are similar. For pure academics nearby Randolph College also in Lynchburg is the best in the area. It recently went coed and offers good fin aid for better A- type students. Also very nice campus in best part of Lynchburg. SB is more rural with a sprawling campus although the campus buildings are close together. I think they have over 2000 acres of very pretty rolling hills with riding trails through most of it. It is only about 15-20 minutes from downtown Lynchburg. I’d guess they go to many of the same places int own as the local colleges. Lynchburg actually has far more to offer students than the Wal-mart mentioned in some of the college guides. </p>
<p>I did an internship at Lynchburg College last summer and absolutely loved it. Great students, great school. And great surrounding area, as barrons mentioned–they have good shopping, things to do, etc. I would go back to work there in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add that Lynchburg is a CTCL school, and I’d advise anyone to think carefully about the whole single-sex thing. It’s great if that’s what you want, but it’s not for everyone. (And for anyone looking at Sweet Briar, I’d also recommend Hollins.)</p>
<p>My daughter is looking at Meredith (Raleigh); Sweet Briar, Hollins and Mary Baldwin. She wants to do something business-related and is interested in community service and opportunities for leadership. They all seem roughly similar, except that Meredith is in a bigger city. My understanding is that Hollins is probably the most academically challenging on this list – beyond that, how do we compare them? They all seem kind of similar.</p>
<p>Each may have their own patterns of academic strengths. Look at courses, what professors are actively engaged in on their own. And internship or similar opps. </p>
<p>Momzie – Meredith has some very strong majors. I doubt that it would be considered less academically challenging than Hollins, especially in business. From Meredith’s Facebook page: “The School of Business at Meredith College is one of only two women’s colleges in the world to hold AACSB accreditation for its undergraduate and MBA programs. We are one of only five private institutions in North Carolina to be AACSB accredited.”</p>
<p>That’s really good to know. Yes, we were very impressed by everyone we met from the Business school there.</p>
<p>Might want to look at Roanoke College too.</p>
<p>We have some weird limitations in terms of schools (faculty exchange from my job), so Roanoke is not on the list, though a neighbor’s child loves it there. By the way, our daughter DID NOT LIKE Sweet Briar. She’s someone who is very practical and who can’t imagine not doing an internship and working while in college. Sweet Briar was just too rural for her! (Which is a shame because I LOVED the school).</p>