<p>Junior S2 and I are making a quick trip to NY state to visit Alfred University. We have about 6 open hours in our schedule. I've been googling my heart out trying to figure out what is in the area college-wise and decided to ask here. It would be reasonable to visit something within an hour's drive which would give us 3-4 hours to visit the campus and time to return to the hotel by dinner time. Any suggestions. S2 is a solid B+ junior taking a competitive (US New World Report School) curriculum. He has not taken the SATs yet and did pretty well on sophomore ACT Plan (preliminary ACT like the PSAT) so he's your basic B student on this board. He's undecided but likes Physics and does well, teacher recommended for AP Physics senior year and he will have an art portfolio but does not want to major in art or go to art school. He llikes schools around 2500 that are rural and he's a skier in the winter/golfer in the summer. He likes Hobart William Smith on "paper" but I'm alittle nervous about the cost and being gapped too much but it is about an hour and a half away it looks like so it's a possibility for a look-see. His favorite dream school is Colby if that helps. He's not quirky, he's not a hipster, he's not a true jock-type. He's just a presentable moderately outgoing kid without facial hair, piercings or tatoos LOL.</p>
<p>We love Hobart. My son was accepted there and received his financial package. We were not gapped. It’s worth a look.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by “gapped” exactly. But Hobart sounds like a good choice! My mom went to William Smith, and a friend of mine is going there in the fall.</p>
<p>“gapped” means given a financial aid package that falls short of demonstrated need, forcing the family to come up with the difference by hook or by crook (not too much crook, one hopes).</p>
<p>SUNY Geneseo and Mansfield State University ¶ are probably both within about an hour away. (Not much else is – I think it could take more than an hour to get to Hobart.) Both have their fans. Bucknell is probably about two hours away, but seems like a possible fit.</p>
<p>Ithaca College—great college town and there is skiing at nearby Greek Peak all winter long!</p>
<p>Thanks I’ll have him look at Ithaca and Bucknell. If there is skiing near Ithaca that’s a high criteria for my number 2. We’re OSS for New York and Pennsylvania so probably won’t look at the state schools. They also tend to be bigger than what S2 wants/likes. His graduating class doesn’t even have 200 so 2500 feels “big” to my kids. S1 is at a rural, small college in the middle of nowhere and is happy as a clam so it doesn’t surprise me that S2 is willingly and happily pointed in that direction. My kids don’t really care for urban areas. This will be the “last” look see trip and his list will be finished, although I love the college tours (my husband dislikes them intensely so we have mom/son bonding). I have one more to go and a three year-gap between 2 and 3.</p>
<p>In light of what you just posted, I think that your son will find Ithaca a bit too big. Perhaps you should search for something smaller.</p>
<p>ithaca college is on a hill overlooking cayuga lake. woods surround the campus on one side and in minutes one can be hiking on trails, sitting by streams, or enjoying the great views. the school is in the 5,000 (not tiny but not overwhelming) range and the town is in the 25,000 area.</p>
<p>If you are going to look at Bucknell, you might consider having a look at Susquehanna. If Bucknell is a match, then Susquehanna might be a safety school.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. He’ll pick one to visit in addition to Alfred (ceramic and glass engineering intrigued him). I like Ithaca…5,000 might be be fine. I had never heard of Susquehanna which is neither here nor there, but proves that there are just so many choices in the US. He’s got two good safeties, one he would gladly go to and one he would go to if we strong armed him. I think Colby might be a reach these days with all the kids applying because of the no-loan thing but he will apply because he loves it so much, so really he just needs a match or two and he’s all set.</p>
<p>Colby won’t touch Alfred when it comes to ceramic and glass engineering (it’s one of the top schools in ceramics) but it certainly has other unique benefits. Alfred is a hidden gem.</p>
<p>good luck and safe travels.</p>
<p>Oh my! I just checked on Susquehanna and it is a Lutheran college. (We’re Lutheran) but in our neck of the woods everyone goes to St. Olaf, Valparaiso, Carthage… Susquehanna would be another safety. Interesting, the things you learn on this board.</p>
<p>Glad that I mentioned it. It is a very nice campus, with really caring professors. They seem to offer a lot of individualized attention. I must tell you that there is nothing within walking distance of this campus, but that might also be true of Bucknell (I don’t know). I know that Bucknell is fairly rural as well.</p>
<p>Just hop on Route 15 south and you will pass Mansfield first, then after you go past Williamsport you will soon get to Bucknell in Lewisburg and then Susquehanna in Selinsgrove, those two are so close to each other you would be able to look at both easily, another school in that area is Lock Haven but that is almost double the size your S is looking for, but under $20K for OOS is not bad…</p>
<p>Bucknell’s campus is right in the middle of Lewisburg. There’s plenty within walking distance, although it is true that it’s a rural area with nothing much around it.</p>
<p>It’s likely to take you at least an hour and a half, and probably longer, to reach Hobart. Most of the route is two lane country roads and if you get behind someone slowpoking along, it’s difficult to pass on many of those roads. On the other hand, it’s a beautiful area and you’ll definitely enjoy the scenery.</p>
<p>Alfred to Bucknell is even further, probably closer to three hours.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say there is nothing within walking distance of Susquehanna. Downtown Selinsgrove is about a 15-minute walk from campus. My son, who does not have a car at school, walks there often to go to the used book store. There are also several restaurants if one tires of cafeteria food plus a thrift store, where he once bought a 5-foot-tall stuffed rabbit for $1. (He must have had fun getting that back to his dorm room.) In a couple of years, he will be able to sample the offerings of the very good brew pub there. On Saturday mornings, an Amish farming family comes in to sell excellent produce, baked goods and various handmade articles. Its not all that much, but it does give him somewhere to go when he wants to get off campus and can’t get a ride somewhere else with a friend.</p>
<p>Bucknell and Susq are nowhere near an hour from Alfred. </p>
<p>We visited Alfred in the fall with D looking at engineering although not glass/ceramic.</p>
<p>Went from being near the top of the list to not getting an application. In fact if it hadn’t been for the coach who we were supposed to meet (who was outstanding) at the end of the day, we would have bailed at noon but we felt we owed to him to take a look. </p>
<p>Major impressions - gets cold, tons of kids zooming around on longboards, tons of hippies (art school) and what seemed like a ginormous number of smokers. The engineering was all about glass and ceramic and even though her intended major was electrical, she was forced to meet with their G/C guru, who while being world famous, completely tuned out D and lost her with his droning about ceramics in 5 minutes. The EE dept. was literally in shambles due to construction. It was not a good visit, and admissions completely changed or schedule to fit what they thought we should see, not what we arranged in advance with the coach. Brochures and application w/waiver went in the garbage when we got home.</p>
<p>Art or ceramics - definitely worth a look. Other majors seemed left out.</p>
<p>Actually, unless you want to visit St. Bonaventure, I don’t think you’ll find anything within an hour of Alfred. You probably can’t find a Wal-Mart within an hour of Alfred.</p>
<p>Pitt-Bradford maybe an hour.</p>
<p>Alfred and Hobart are the ones. From S2: Alfred because he’s intrigued by ceramic or glass engineering and Hobart because many people have told him that a) If he liked Colby he’ll like Hobart and b) he’s “perfect” for Hobart. We’ll see what transpires after the trip! I kinda liked Ithaca, but he said nope. Father05, the longboards don’t scare me…all three of my kids longboard especially with the gas prices, it’s cheap transportation and a quick way to get from A to B. I’ve ceased to stop having nightmares about them falling and breaking bones. S2 can run our 100# dog with his longboard and a water ski tow rope LOL much to my dismay.</p>