My D just completed sophomore year, and we could use some starting points from this community. 
She’s looking for a small school with city access, lots of fun weekend campus activities (she’s not a partier), anywhere in the country (but maybe not the west coast - difficult for flights) - she’d like to experience all 4 seasons (we’re in FL) & she would welcome snow & cold weather. Small, discussion-focused classes with a strong focus on hands-on, project-based, and experiential learning is very important. Faculty/student culture of support & collaboration and not a high-stress environment. Doesn’t know what she wants to study, but would like the option of pre-professional majors or a major she could design. D is looking for a liberal, diverse, down-to-earth student body. Prefers no Greek life. So far, a 3.7 unweighted GPA in honors classes. Hasn’t taken ACT or SAT yet, but only a 1050 on PSAT. Not a highly motivated student, but she does well when she’s in a supportive environment that includes hands-on learning. She would not be happy at a college that’s particularly reading or writing heavy. She’s not interested in “reach” schools. Extracurriculars are fairly strong - she’s a taekwondo instructor, training for her 3rd degree black belt, and she does a good bit of volunteer work. Thank you!
I would suggest you start off by getting your hand on one or two good college guide books (ex. Fiske, Princeton Review, Insiders Guide to name a few) and start reading. If you don’t want to purchase the books you can probably find them in the HS guidance office or local library. She has a lot of things on her wish list (which is perfectly fine) so the books may help her to hone in on what might be possible
If her standardized tests don’t improve she might want to look at some test optional colleges.https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional/state
Goucher (in Baltimore, MD) is one school that comes to mind.
I second Goucher.
Also look at
Muhlenberg (Kind, happy students, excellent preprofessional)
Ursinus
Drew (right outside NY, very heavy into community service)
Juniata
Take a look at the list of “colleges that change lives.” You can google it.
UNC Asheville would be right up her alley, I think.
What kind of hands-on stuff does she like? Technology? Nature/environment? Health care or other helping professions? Creative/artistic fields? Hospitality/tourism? It sounds as if she might want something more practical than a true “liberal arts” education, if she’s not big on reading/writing. But practical in what direction? When you picture her doing a self-designed major, what do you imagine that looking like?
D agrees that she would prefer something more practical than a true LAC education. She thinks she might be interested in a healthcare profession (physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.), but she also has some concern that the rigor that comes with a science-based education would be too much for her (although she does like science). These types of pre-prof majors seem to be much more prevalent at large universities, but she really wants/needs a small school with small classes. D is also very artistic. The field is really wide open for her though. The one thing she knows is that she wants to work with her hands & to keep moving - zero interest in sitting in a chair for long at school or work. I’ve asked her if she wants a 2-year career-oriented program, rather than a full 4 years (and potentially grad school for certain careers). She does not. She wants the full-on, life-enriching experience that her older sister is having, without the rigor and intensity. We do have a Fiske guide & a CTCL book. They were invaluable for my older D, who landed at Kalamazoo College and loves it there, but I’m not finding those guides quite as useful for my younger D’s needs/interests. The possible choices we pulled from those books are Cornell College, Drew, Earlham, Eckerd, Goucher, Guilford, Manhattanville, & UNC Asheville, but I don’t know… Insights into those schools? What about others that aren’t in those books that we are missing? Might there be other schools that aren’t so much on the radar that might be a good fit? I should add that D does need some merit aid, and we are unlikely to qualify for need-based assistance (older D will have graduated when D enters college). I appreciate your insights!
She sounds like a great young person. I’m going to suggest a couple of schools in some of my favorite cities, ones with lots of outdoors, things to do, and sometimes medical communities (I’m thinking of the good question in #4 about what type of hands-on things does she like.)
I’d second UNC Asheville. It’s a public LAC, with a couple of thousand students, like a typical LAC, and there will be a standard amount of reading and writing. But it is in a funky, fun, great large town with lots to do. Asheville is a regional hub and is a real center for folk art.
Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff is a larger public (think UCF, USF, but smaller). Flagstaff is also a fun, funky town. It is at altitude and beautiful in the summer and cold and sometimes snowy in winter. It’s what you would imagine in a Rocky Mountain city. It’s nothing like Phoenix, which is just a couple of miles down the road (and a few thousand feet down). There’s a ski place just outside Flagstaff. It’s a stunning drive from Flagstaff to Sedona and the Grand Canyon is less than 2 hours away.
UVM in Burlington, VT may or may not be too competitive, you could look at that. It’s a great school walking distance to downtown Burlington. But there’s also St. Michael’s College, a Catholic LAC, essentially just outside Burlington, which has a great downtown (google Burlington Church Street) right on Lake Champlain. Great sunsets over the lake. One of my favorite cities. Lots of skiing, hiking, mountain biking, mountain climbing, etc. nearby. UVM, which is just a 5-10 minute drive from SMC, has a med school/hospital, so medical field opportunities.
I don’t know, but would guess that all three cities are big enough where she could find a place to continue her martial arts studies. Good luck!
Just a thought…would a college that incorporates a co-op system interest her? Northeastern comes to mind, only because I know lots of people who have gone there, but there are others. Combining some hands-on work experience with classroom experience sounds like it might fit her temperament.
Or is she artistic enough that she would be interested in an art college?
I have to admit that CTCL was the first thought I had as well when reading your post.
Good luck!
I’d also second CTCL schools!
And you didn’t mention any STEM interest for your D. If that is an area of interest, some of the STEM schools might work great because students will be building things, etc. (and it can be an advantage being a female in terms of the admissions process).
Yes, great idea to look up schools with strong intern/coop programs. Northeastern is probably most well known for this, but it is extremely competitive these days. Maybe you could google schools with coop programs. I don’t know much about this, although Denison University, more of a traditional LAC outside Columbus OH (great school), might do some of this.
She sounds like she might make a good Therapeutic Recreation major. This would give her a lot of the same rewards as PT or OT, but with less intensity in the academic foundation and more focus on practical activities. A few ideas from looking at a list of schools offering rec therapy majors: https://www.recreationtherapy.com/trcollg.htm
Ithaca College sounds great experientially - wonderful fine arts there too - but I don’t know if she’d be a merit candidate there or not, and it would be pretty pricey without merit. But if it’s affordable it could be a great choice: https://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/depts/rls/programs/tr/
A more predictably affordable alternative would be Utica College: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/05/17/its-been-almost-a-year-since-utica-college-abandoned-deep-tuition-discounts-heres-what-happened-after/?utm_term=.4b3783db9b7f
Their motto is literally, “Never Stand Still.” They also have PT and OT grad programs, with an undergrad Health Sciences major that funnels into those programs. But from the way you describe your daughter, being employable with a therapeutic recreation BS sounds like a better fit http://www.utica.edu/academics/programs/therapeutic-recreation/
Not to make an executive decision about your daughter’s career path, lol - just one “proof of concept” idea. The issue with wanting a small college is that it’s hard to find one place that will have everything she might possibly consider. (Though both of these colleges… and others on the therapeutic rec list - do have various other majors that could be of interest).
Another approach could be to look at larger schools with a hands-on philosophy and have your daughter peruse their list of majors for ideas. RIT could be a great source for that. http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/academics/majors It’s a bigger school than you’re looking for (though maybe she would still like it)… but even if the school itself weren’t of interest, if she sees programs that spark her interest, she could look for smaller schools that offer those majors within their range of options.
The co-op system sounds like a wonderful idea for my D! RIT’s majors look so exciting! And I really like how many different career-oriented options there are at RIT so she could explore a bit b4 deciding. Looks like it’s probably out of her reach though. Maybe other similar schools would be a good fit. It never occurred to me that a technical college would have such a variety of options. Utica also sounds like a good fit - love that “never stand still” motto - fits D. We’re going to research all of the schools you all listed - they sound like they might be in line w/D’s interests. If you think of any more schools or ideas, please forward them.
Simmons in Boston.
Clark U in MA.
Third for Goucher.
Second for Simmons.
Okay, here are some disparate ideas, about as disparate as I can be, but lots of ideas sprinkled in, probably not all winners, but only takes one,
University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences has some cool programs. Larger school, probably a reach and expensive, but maybe, and this great list of programs in link below might give you some ideas. A friend’s kid recently completed a degree in emergency medicine, which is one of the majors on the list,
http://www.shrs.pitt.edu/programs
If she might want STEM, how about the University of Portland. Great city, probably accessible school. Here’s a link to a STEM camp they have planned next summer. Maybe an opportunity to explore the city.
https://engineering.up.edu/shiley-summer-stem-camp/index.html
Prescott College is in Prescott, AZ. Nice little retirement town, with old western-ish town square, at enough altitude that weather is pretty nice year round. EXTREMELY small, out-of-the-box, non-traditional college. We know a student there. Like most Prescott students, they are very outdoorsy spend entire semesters learning things like emergency wilderness medicine in the Rockies and Andes. It’s really an outdoors oriented school, with lots of students who really are not looking for a traditional experience.
http://www.prescott.edu/academics/undergraduate-degrees/index.php
How about the programs at San Francisco State U. College of Health and Social Sciences
http://www.sfsu.edu/atoz/acaddept.html
Or, would she be interested in kinesiology? Seems like a possible fit, and I think degree can form a foundation for lots of different healthcare careers. Lots of schools have it. Here’s the link for the University of San Francisco,
https://www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/undergraduate-programs/kinesiology
And here’s the link for VCU, which might be a great choice. Urban campus, which often does not appeal at first blush, but we’ve known more than a half dozen kids who’ve gone to VCU in recent years, and their experiences have ranged from great to transformative, including one who did not want to get out of the car on first visit, and now is there and loves it. Richmond (RVA) is a transformed city and popular with students and young professionals. Nightlife district, the Fan, is very cool. School does have a med school, so lots of hands-on opportunities. I actually really like this one, based on what you’ve said.
Now that’s a dizzying post!
The University of Redlands, Redlands, California. I realize that this has two strikes against it: west coast and doesn’t have four seasons, but I think it would meet some of your daughter’s preferences.
I just want to note that Manhattanville is a small suburban school with a good sized commuter population. I would look very closely at the level of activity on campus during nights/weekends.
I don’t think RIT will necessarily be out of reach - it’s too soon to tell. Her unweighted GPA is equal to their median weighted GPA, so she’s fine in that regard. And her SAT will likely be better than her sophomore PSAT. Have her put the Khan Academy SAT-prep app on her phone and make a routine of using it for short periods when she has downtime, like in the car. (Also… does she have any identified learning disabilities, ADHD, etc. that contribute to her learning style? If so, accommodations like extra time, more breaks, and/or a distraction-free testing environment could be a possibility, and could make a difference. Maybe ask her if she answered all the questions on the PSAT, or if she ran out of time?) Also keep in mind that the STEM kids at RIT drive the averages way up, and your daughter wouldn’t be applying to an engineering/CS type program. If you look at the score ranges for the arts programs, health sciences, business, hospitality, etc… it’s really not that bad. http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/pdf/SAT2017_2018guidelines.pdf
And there are other co-op schools with lower stat ranges. Check out Drexel and U of Cincinnati. Also SUNY Oswego.
And there are lots of options on that list of Rec Therapy schools, if that field sounds interesting. And if she finds a major she likes on the RIT list of majors, you may be able to find a similar list of other schools that offer it.
Hope you keep us updated on her process!
Although I cannot recommend any schools for your daughter because her interests are not well defined, I do encourage her to examine the offerings of Drexel University in Philadelphia to see if any of the many pre-professional programs strike a chord.
Additionally, though not urban, a trip to Skidmore College in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York might help her to better define her likes & dislikes.
College of Charleston has some interesting majors & a great location.
Maybe a year doing service work ?
Maybe check out Roanoke College in Salem, VA (near Roanoke). It has a Health and Exercise Science major and pre-occupational advising, and is set in a mountainous area. I really know nothing about this school, but a few months ago there was a long thread started by a mother searching for the right school for her daughter (this American family was living overseas and had to make two intense road trips to visit colleges in the US) and the search ended with this college. The mother and daughter were quite smitten with its friendliness. I don’t know if it’s liberal or diverse enough for your daughter though.
Duquesne University in Pittsburgh might be worth looking into.
Also near beautiful Asheville, NC are Warren Wilson College and tiny Brevard College. Asheville is a pretty progressive city, and I think Warren Wilson would have the liberal atmosphere she prefers (don’t know about Brevard.) Each school seems to have interdisciplinary opportunities and an experiential emphasis. Warren Wilson has majors in social work, art therapy and expressive arts therapy. Brevard College has exercise science, health science studies, and something called wilderness leadership and experiential education.
Just found this thread, and your D sounds like mine who is a rising senior. I am heartened to read these suggestions as we are looking at some of these same colleges; specifically Ithaca, Ursinus and Willamette (both CTCL). We recently found Springfield College in MA, and they offer a good variety of creative majors that are hard to find at typical LAC’s. They seem ‘pre-professional’ focused and apparently have a great alumni network for internships and careers. I feel good about D’s chances at admission there and think she might even qualify for merit aid.