<p>I would second Pitzer as an option. Being from outside CA would get your D some points. A former colleague of mine attended Flagler in Florida (St. Augustine area) and loved it there. Although your daughter may have what seems as a non-competitive academic background, I would not necessarily discount her candidacy at some of the UCs as well (if she's interested in a university setting). Good luck!</p>
<p>I''ve just recently migrated from being a lurker to a poster, so take into account that I am a first-time parent in this process, but want to reinforce the value of the CTCL resources. I'd also encourage you to let a "fiercely independent" student follow her heart and trust that kind of energy to serve her well in the kind of place she is drawn to. I think many such kids excell in college--even if their conventional "stats" would be at the lower tail of the admissions "curve"--because they have a sense of themselves and genuine intellectual curiosity and this comes into its own in a liberal arts college community where teachers see it and develop it. Schools like this are often looking for kids who will bring this to the community and can give it weight that outbalances numbers. </p>
<p>I also wouldn't decide too quickly that religiously affiliated schools per se will be too conservative. I've known some very radical nuns! If the location and program look good it is definitely worth seeking out student and alum opinion on whether the affiliative values really are controlling and what the culture is like.</p>
<p>Little Mother, As I mentioned, the UC's have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.4 for out of state residents. If the original poster's daughter has above that, she should consider UC Santa Cruz. Below that, her application will just be tossed. </p>
<p>Ckerr, you are right about the :radical nuns: out there. I've know a few myself. ;)Actually, my kids attend a Catholic high school and I am constantly surprised at how liberal the faculty is in terms of various political and religious aspects. But the school's policy on birth control, like most Catholic schools and colleges is set by the Bishop/Vatican and precludes any discussion of it in classes (long story - school has been arguing for years with the Bishop on this issue). Someone who works for planned parenthood might have a problem with that.</p>
<p>We are from the midwest. In her junior year, my daughter (head strong is an understatement) was insistent that she would only go somewhere warm. Result is that we did college visits to Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Lousiana, Alabama, and North Carolina. In her case, California was mostly out because UC's and many others out there require SAT II's and she refused to take them (took only the ACT). We visited among others Emory, GTech, UGa, Auburn, Tulane, UF, Fl Tech, Duke, NC, Arizona (and Ariz ST), Wake Forest. Though we did not insist, and likely just because she wanted to appease somewhat my midwestern think, we also visited some in our home state of IL including UIUC. Of all those southern/warm colleges she liked GTech the most, followed by Auburn. The tech's were chosen because in May of her junior year she just announced to us she was going to apply for engineering (no hints given before then). She ended up applying to several and was accepted to all she applied to. We waited for her decision, expecting of course the warm climate school. She is currently a freshman at UIUC (engineering). Don't know what changed her plan as she will not say but I suspect it was some realization towards the end that she wasn't quite as independent and wordly as she thought and decided sticking a little closer to home and with a bunch of midwesterners was the better course at this time.</p>
<p>Not saying yours will end up going that route but it is a possibility particularly if you do some visits and she gets a sense of the real distance and cultural changes. As far as the schools we visited, I thought most of them were fine. I was actually most impressed with Auburn; moreover, it would not cost an arm and a leg and that was true of most of the state colleges and all of those were good. Neither of us cared for Emory-- it is a real nice campus, excellent acedemics, but it just looked and felt too rich and orderly -- everthing was in impeccable order, no blemishes on the buildings, grass and shrubs perfectly cut, everybody wearing the ideal and costly teens/young adults clothes; Tulane was just too much New Orleans. None could really be said to be way liberal and most probably lean to somewhere in the middle despite the belief of many from the north believe that southern colleges must be full of the very conservative.</p>
<p>Sorry about not being up to speed on Occidental, and thanks Carolyn for setting the record straight. Didn't realize the scores at gone up so much. </p>
<p>To the OP, you might take a look at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. Despite the name, it is not overtly religious or conservative. I have a good friend -- a liberal who is completely non-religious but with Jewish heritage -- whose daughter's stats are similar to your daughters. She had no APs or honors. She is in her sophomore year now and loving it. </p>
<p>Middle 50% SATs are 990-1190. 71% of classes are under 20 students. 64% of students in the top 25% of their class. 69% acceptance rate.</p>
<p>Thousand Oaks is a suburban, fairly wealthy community about an hour drive north of LA. It is incredibly safe (consistently rated #1 or #2 in nation for safety for its size over the years). 15 minutes away is the beach.</p>
<p>I probably would not describe the college as edgy and the community tends to be conservative, though I think being close to L.A. would provide opportunities. She probably would need a car to do much off-campus.</p>
<p>Another possibility is Cal State Channel Islands in Camarillo (about 10 minutes from Cal Lutheran). It's a brand new university with all of the opportunities and disadvantages that that fact implies.</p>
<p>Didn't read through any of these posts, but Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida is supposedly beautiful and an up-and-comer. Strangely, I think they are particularly strong in International Business, but I might be delusional.</p>
<p>San Diego State may be worth a look. Very strong in International Business. The price is better than most schools mentioned. I hear good things about Chico State; although, most students are in-state.
Darlene, you are right about the way schools look at kids. Late bloomers are at a huge disadvantage.
OXY is almost impossible with those stats. I know somebody with an in that didn't get in with better stats.</p>
<p>all are liberal arts schools I've had some contact with. How warm is a matter of opinion, west Kentucky is heading down to 3F tonight and down to -5F tomorrow night, they say. Further south, Centenary College (Methodist connected, noted as being the oldest chartered LAC west of the Mississippi River) in Louisiana (my home state - we had two seasons, summer and January).</p>
<p>carolyn--is that minimum GPA for UCs new? My son is a senior at UCLA and his GPA was 3.06 UW. Of course, he is in the design department that required a portfolio plus he had strong test scores and ECs.</p>
<p>Oh, and he took only two AP classes but all of his other major classes were honors. My personal philosophy is that, within reason, you should go ahead and apply. All they can say is no.</p>
<p>College of Charleston is in a warm climate and a very pleasing small city. I'm not really sure what their GPA or SAT requirements are but I would think a strong B student would be a decent candidate, especially with a fairly rigorous courseload. I do think C of C is a bit more competitive for out of staters (out of SC).</p>
<p>For a school in California for a B student, also look at University of the Pacific in Stockton. The D of a friend, also a B student, attends.</p>
<p>Little Mother - The GPA minimum for in-state residents is 2.8 (actually will be rising to 3.1 for next year) plus certain minimum test scores (SAT I plus SATII combined). For out of state residents, the minimum GPA has been 3.4 plus certain test scores for at least two years. Here's a link:
<a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html</a></p>
<p>DadofSam - Great suggestion. The U of Pacific has a beautiful campus too.</p>
<p>Warm climate liberal colleges --</p>
<p>I think that both Pattykk and Carolyn have hit the major schools -- Hendrix, Guilford, Warren Wilson, Whittier and New College (though I think the New College would be a major reach for your daughter).</p>
<p>The only other schools that come to mind are the University of Montevallo in Alabama (the public liberal arts college in Alabama -- largely unknown but probably worth checking out), Prescott College in Arizona, and St. John's College in Santa Fe, NM. Prescott is largely known for their environmental programs, while St. John's has a "great books" curriculum.</p>
<p>Hi-Looking for similar school for d but haven't focused much on schools further south than NC. But did check out website for University of Tampa- Private school but tuition seemed fairly reasonable. I think they also have a graduate Business school so it may be worth your while to check out. University of S. Florida is also in Tampa-so if you check out one, you may as well check out both of them. The smaller Florida Univ.(UNF-USF) don't seem to take a great amount of out of state kids , so I do not know what the comfort level is for the OOS students. ( We're from NY.) College of Charleston also seems interesting but may be geared toward B+ student and pretty good SAT's. Good luck</p>
<p>After I offered my advice I went to the U. of Tampa website (utampa.edu). You really should check it out. They have a major in International Business and also dance. I have to admit, I'm a little interested in the school so I wouldn't mind getting feed back from others who may be familiar with it-But it does seem to have possibilities.</p>
<p>Also in Santa Fe is Santa Fe College - a great little school, very liberal, but with limited majors mostly focusing on art, performing arts, film.</p>
<p>Hey get your D to check out Tulane. It's located in New Orleans.</p>
<p>Hnbui - It is surprising that you recommend this school when you have a long post on another thread about how unhappy you are there:</p>
<p>"Needless to say after my experience at tulane i am now applying as a transfer elsewhere."</p>
<p>Tulane is not a school for everyone. Some of my friends like it some don't. I don't. </p>
<p>I was merely responding to the op's question. And yes. Tulane is a school located in a warm location.</p>
<p>Did you somehow find something odd in my suggesting that? Because i do not.</p>