So I’m a junior that’s going to visit a bunch of colleges in the northeast in the spring for about a week(I’m from the northwest). I’m mostly going to D.C/Virginia and Boston (that area for a little longer). I was going to see W&M, Georgetown, Boston Coll, Northeastern, Tufts and I want some more suggestions.
I’m looking for something with access to a city or if it’s not in a city at least with activities such as hiking or other outdoor activities to do around the area. I would also like good programs in math and science, because I am considering majoring in biology, math, statistics, possibly engineering or environmental science. I don’t want a giant school but maybe something more in the middle and I’m not sure how I feel about really small schools yet but I want to visit one to get the feel of it.
I’ve only taken the SAT/ACT once so hopefully they will improve but currently they are 1440 and 33.
Unweighted GPA: 4.0 Weighted: 4.25 ( will haven taken nine APs by graduation and have a higher weighted)
ECs: Rowing for all four years (but not in college), lots of service hours, peer tutor, student recruiter/“big sister”(program at our school to help freshmen), camp counselor in the summer, idk what else I think that’s it
So if you could give me school recommendations for my trip or just in general that’d be great!
Consider Richmond (about 45 minutes from W&M). Easy access to the vibrant city of Richmond. Great outdoor activities including white water rafting on the James River (goes through downtown - pretty cool), mountains are not too far away. Excellent LAC with some good sports teams and a lot of pride. Of course, you might as well go see UVA. An amazing place (very hard to obtain admission as an OOS - so is W&M) full of quality, prestige, beauty and spirit. In Boston, look at BU (urban but in a great area with a distinct campus). In DC, George Washington and AMerican University are good options and easier to gain admission than Georgetown.
We did that same trip two yrs ago. Have a blast. Really cool stuff.
Congrats on your hard work and success! You have a good list. Georgetown has gotten insanely competitive, tough for everyone, though you can reasonably apply. The others are all very competitive, but you’d be competitive at them.
Georgetown is nice because the C&O runs right past it, which provides a great place to bike, hike, or run. There’s a boathouse nearby. I think of William and Mary and Tufts as VA and MA versions of the same school–high-quality mid-size national universities
In Williamsburg, you might want to walk over to the historic area, which is adjacent to campus. It’s called Duke of Gloucester (called Dog) Street. The end near the college is called “Merchants Square.” There are several restaurants, including the Cheese Shop, which is a college (and tourist) favorite (ask for extra house dressing if you get a sandwich there).
Richmond is a good recommendation–just about an hour or so from William and Mary. It does have a southern preppy vibe, for what that’s worth. The campus is beautiful. One other you might want to explore given your interests is Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). It’s ranked more highly than you might know (I was surprised, check it out on USNWR). It is mid-size (about 4500 undergrads) has a beautiful campus in a nice part of Worcester. There’s outdoorsy stuff nearby (Wachusett Mountain), and Boston is about an hour or so away by commuter train. It has a very hands-on, project-oriented curriculum, which you may or may not like. We loved the student vibe. Here’s a summary of the “WPI Plan”:
That said, being an experienced veteran of these type trips, I’d suggest you don’t overwhelm yourself. Quality visits to six schools would be a big accomplishment. Even at that number, everything starts running together. I suggest you plan a day off in the middle just to do some sightseeing. You’ll be happy you took the time to recharge your batteries. Also, it’s a good idea to take notes, including funny or offbeat things that will jog your memory later. Have fun and good luck!
I’m also a junior, and from when I visited I think Lehigh really fits a lot of the things you’re looking for. Its not in DC/VA or Boston, but if you’re driving its on the way (Bethlehem PA). Its a mid-sized school with about 5000 undergrads and a great engineering school if your interested in that. Its a little under an hour and a half from NYC, and about an hour from Philadelphia. It isn’t a tiny town though, I believe almost 80,000 people live there. The campus is beautiful and they have a lot of outdoor activities there too You also might want to look at Lafayette since thats in the same area but is considerably smaller.
If you visit Lehigh, then Lafayette is very close by and would be worth a visit since you mentioned that you would like to see a small school (and it is one of the few LACs that offers an accredited engineering program if you decide to go that route)
In VA agree with Richmond and UVA, also consider looking at James Madison… less selective than W & M, UVA, but in a beautiful area with lots of outdoor activities. If you look at Richmond, maybe also check out VCU. Bigger, city school, but vibrant city campus, and you may qualify for merit.
In Boston area maybe also check BU.
Do you have a route planned? Are you driving from DC area to Boston area or flying/ taking the train?
I’d suggest you try to get to Williams, about 2.5 hours drive from Boston. Excellent math/sciences (but no engineering), environmental advocacy, access to outdoor. Your EC’s fit the profile.
You also might want to look at Lafayette since thats in the same area but is considerably smaller.