Oh, I’m glad it came to mind! I didn’t know it before last month, when I found out a friend went there many moons ago and had a fantastic college experience. And I know they just took over Becker School of Design/Tech.
Will check it out! I have to admit, I’m from the Midwest and live on West Coast…I need to familiarize myself with NY and East Coast schools!
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I’d suggest he look at Wesleyan (in Connecticut). It’s academically rigorous and selective but also leans toward intellectual and quirky.
I would feel more optimistic. A lot of kids stumbled during Covid isolation I think your son’s academic recovery, great grades & scores, interesting ECs, strong essays and (hopefully) supportive recommendations could open up the possibility of several east coast and midwestern LACs and midsized privates.
I think that his campus visits will help him determine not only the college size that he’s most comfortable with but also whether he prefers a tech focus or a broader liberal arts environment. In the latter, he’d have more opportunities to explore non-STEM disciplines and have friends/classmates with a wide academic range.
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Thanks for the optimism! I will check out Wesleyan. When I started seeing the dismal acceptance record for most kids in CS on these boards, I certainly got discouraged. But an LAC that isn’t well-known for a selective CS program could be a great way to be a big fish in a small pond.
Bear in mind that most liberal arts colleges, both small LACs and mid sized universities, don’t require students to declare their majors until some time in their sophomore years.
I’m not an expert in CS by any means, and can’t comment on the strength or availability of specific CS departments within the liberal arts context. (I do understand that the depth and breadth of the CS offerings is an important consideration when looking at small colleges.)
It really depends on the type of educational environment your son is looking for: 24/7 STEM or a range of disciplines that includes majors in humanities, social sciences, the arts.
Neither is better. Just different.
I agree with @momrath that you have cause to be more optimistic than you may have been feeling. But I will let you know that at very selective private schools like Wesleyan, the pond may be smaller, but they’re all pretty big fish!
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