<p>Help! Our daughter and I just returned from a college visit trip to Boston and NYC. She LOOOOOOVED Boston and has her heart set on attending colleges back there (we live in CA). Her top choice was Boston University, but she also liked Boston College. She liked Clark University also, although she would prefer living as close to Boston or in Boston as possible. I think she would be ok with a school that had efficient public transportation to Boston also, but the closer the better is her feeling. </p>
<p>She is a low B student with some honors classes, plays waterpolo, and has not done much volunteer work or extracurricular activites. Really likes to write fiction, but doesn't like to share her work. Interviewed well at Clark University - she's a smart kid who will likely have high SATs but has ADHD which has negatively affected her grades. </p>
<p>She is highly motivated to improve her grades next year as well as her extracurriculars, and has hired a coach for her ADHD to help her improve her study strategies. (She has an IEP, which we will likely change to a 504 in late Jr. Year. I am in the education field, and I pressured them into doing one, but RSP teachers have varying skills with honors students, and this one isn't much assistance.) However, I think all of these schools are a rather far reach for her, even if she makes significant improvements this year. </p>
<p>Does anyone have some suggestions for target and maybe schools for her in the Boston area? Based on this trip, I believe that she would be open to a school with between 2 - 18 thousand kids (as long as they have a good system for not letting kids get lost in the shuffle) with a liberal arts backbone and a good business program. She thinks she wants to go into marketing or creative writing. She started out not wanting a girl's school, but now she is a bit open to that option. I know it wouldn't be her first choice.</p>
<p>BU
BC - though probably a reach given your description
Northeastern - Basically behind Fenway Park
Emerson College - Same general area as BU & Northeastern - Communications Oriented
Simmons College</p>
<p>Boston University has a “College of General Studies”, a program for the first two years at BU. Applicants who are not admitted as a regular applicant because of some deficiency (such as low grades) are sometimes admitted to this program and usually continue and graduate as regular BU students. I don’t know if there is a different financial aid policy for these applicants.
I know a student with a C+ average and good (median for BU) SATs who was admitted, attended and graduated.
Simmons is a womens’ college with a good Boston location.
Curry College in suburban Milton is for LD kids.</p>
<p>How about Suffolk University. It’s on Beacon Hill, in the shadow of the State House. Good business department, with graduate programs in business. B average is right in line.</p>
<p>Also check out Bentley and Stonehill, both emphasize business in Boston suburbs.</p>
<p>I second the poster who suggested Simmons.
While a womens college, it is right across the street from Northeastern
and Mass Art, so the students do not feel isolated. It has a wonderful support system
for all of it’s students, great professors and would not be as difficult to traverse for an LD student as some of the larger schools.</p>
<p>Thank you - how does Northeastern do about supporting their freshmen? The size scares me. I know nothing about Suffolk, so will investigate that one, and we met someone on the train who was really sharp and loved Simmons - couldn’t stop talking about what a wonderful experience she had there. </p>
<p>I don’t think Wellesley is in the discussion, or Boston College. But the other mentioned schools are. There should be plenty of opportunities in the end.</p>
<p>I’m currently at Penn State but LOVE boston. Sure PSU is #1 for parties, but for me it offers little in the large city feel. </p>
<p>My question is, should I transfer to BU? It’s ranked (both nationally and bizschool wise) lower than Penn State. But its pretty much obvious that kids at BU are way more competitive and have higher aspirations vs Penn State. </p>
<p>If you’re in-state, PSU is a much better bargain. If you’re not, it’s largely a matter of personal preference. I’ve known people at each school, and I’d disagree with you about kids at BU being more competitive/ambitious. At Penn State you’ll meet a lot of bright, motivated kids who couldn’t/didn’t want to pay for a top private school.</p>
<p>Have you even started at Penn State though? Transferring is a pain, and I’d advise against it unless you’re really unhappy at PSU and know you’d be happier at BU. Also, you could always try studying abroad in a big city for a year if you really want the urban experience.</p>
<p>Holy Cross is in the same city as Clark. Holy Cross and Boston College are both run by the New England Jesuits. HC is 3000 and strictly undergrad liberal arts. BC is 9000 students and has grad programs (Law, Business, Nursing).</p>