<p>I mentioned College of Charleston. The school has a relatively new Judaic Studies building, and a good newish presence. The school has a very nice honors college,that includes some terrific incentives for those who are selected. The town of Charleston is very nice. </p>
<p>I know money isn’t an issue, but they also give decent merit awards based on the strength of the application. </p>
<p>It’s a jewel of a school.</p>
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<p>What would she consider a “prestigious college”? What areas of history is she interested in studying? </p>
<p>At the schools on her list (and many others) she’s going to find herself sitting next to someone, at some point, who didn’t work hard in high school at all. Many kids have very good grades and test scores and rarely studied. Others are at Michigan to play hockey or at Vandy because 7 generations of his family have gone there. There will even be kids who are good students but just hate history or English or French, but have to take the 100 level of that class. She needs to get over only wanting to be with the top tier kids or thinking she’s better than the average kids. Someone just won a Rhodes scholarship while at UW-Eau Claire.</p>
<p>Many schools are what YOU make of them, not just hanging out with others with your gpa.</p>
<p>Well she’s 17 so… I don’t think she “thinks she is better than average kids” - do kids who aspire to the Ivies think they are better than average kids? I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to be at a school where you feel that the majority of the population might be generally brighter and more interested in their studies - obviously there are exceptions at every school but let’s face it, you’re not likely to find as many students who don’t care about learning at Northwestern as you might be at so-and-so State.</p>
<p>What about Boston University?</p>
<p>It seems that the engineering and pre-med schools attract a lot of high stats kids so she would more likely with a higher performing peer group if she focused on those schools so places like Rochester, Case Western for examples would provide that type of environment and she would likely get in with her stats. My son is planning to study economics and computer science and that is our strategy - he has similar stats (gpa is a bit lower but weighted gpa a lot higher). </p>
<p>Just wondering…apart from that relatively low GPA and decent ACT, why is Northwestern that much of a reach for her?</p>
<p>Uh, because it is a reach for everybody? Like all the top schools?</p>
<p>@Pizzagirl - I think @alafae was asking why I thought it was “too much of a reach” as I stated. To answer the question, it seemed like her Naviance was saying that kids needed at least a 4.2 GPA to get in there, no matter what the ACT…so her 3.8 GPA seemed like it made the school more of an impossibility than a reach. A “not too much of a reach” reach to me would be a school that has admitted at least one kid with similar stats from your high school. But - just my opinion, of course.</p>
<p>University of Richmond.</p>
<p>“Might want to be a high school history teacher
Money not an issue (lucky her)”
-So, the Grad. School will also be covered? HS teacher needs a grad. degree. If so, she is really really lucky. Most people who consider Grad. School are looking for a cheaper UG options.</p>
<p>" I think there is a lot of pressure in her school to go to a “prestigious” college given where she is located." </p>
<p>Well, there may also be pressure for her to drive a BMW to school. That does not mean it is the right answer. The family would need to be comfortable with high spending (a BMW per year) for a degree that will likely yield low-ish salary. </p>