Hi all-my senior daughter is physically disabled. She is a great student but needs a campus that is low on hills and staircases (unless there are ramps). She wants a school with school spirit (ie football team etc) and doesn’t mind a high number of students. However many schools we have visited are hilly and/or inaccessible for those in wheelchairs/walkers. We are on the east coast and not opposed to the Midwest/south. Any ideas appreciated.
What about those in flat states like Kansas and Iowa?
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From what I’ve read and visited - although you might research more.
Alabama, Auburn, Arizona, Arizona State, Dickinson, Eckerd, Florida State Franklin & Marshall, Gettsyburg, Hendrix, Kenyon, Macalester, Muhlenberg, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oberlin, Oklahoma, Otterbein, Ohio U,Rollins, South Carolina, SUNY Buff, William & Mary.
I would contact schools - many will have shuttles or other services for your daughter which might be more helpful.
These articles covers more than physically disabled but maybe there’s a school or two on the list that can help.
10 Best Colleges for Students with Physical Disabilities - College Magazine
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I would look at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. I used to live in the Lubbock area, and it’s hard to imagine a flatter landscape. The campus is fairly spread out, but absolutely pancake-flat. I don’t think wheelchairs/walkers would be a problem at all. It also meets many of your other criteria - tons of school spirit, Div 1 football and basketball (made the Final Four in 2019), large student body, tons and tons of organizations for every possible interest. Not sure about out-of-state tuition, but in-state is relatively low, and admissions are not nearly as competitive as the flagship schools in TX (UT and A&M).
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What does she want to study? I think that should be the first consideration and what kind of challenge does she want at school. If she’s a good student does she want to get in the best school she can or is she okay at a less selective school if it has her major and is flat?
Re tsbna44’s mention, North Carolina has very varied terrain. Some schools like East Carolina University and UNC-Wilmington are in a very, very flat part of the state, but other schools like Appalachian State have very hilly campuses. UNC-Chapel Hill is a hard admit for most students. Campus is not perfectly flat, but most of it is not too steep. It does have brick sidewalks which might not be as easy to traverse as concrete (just guessing). There will be some hills. Suggest you use Google Streetview to get a look around the campuses you are considering.
For the record I don’t think I have ever seen a part of the country as flat as the Coastal Plain of the Southeast. I was sorely disappointed when I first went to Kansas and the Great Plains states and saw these rolling hills. Eastern NC is flat like a table. So flat.
ECU’s campus mall area: Google Maps
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Kansas State has a flat campus with some surrounding hills for view. It is also compact but not crowded. My son has found it to be a great place to learn with a very involved faculty. Now University of Kansas on the other hand is not at all flat. Iowa State is also a very flat and nice campus. Texas Tech is flat but very spread out. Colorado State campus was actually quite flat as I remember.
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Not sure what stats or major but Northwestern is totally flat for a reach school…and the football team is doing better ; )
Purdue’s campus is fairly flat as well (although there is a big hill in their college town but it’s definitely avoidable).
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I second this about Univ of Kansas - I visited with D22 earlier this spring, and to my surprise, many of the academic and student life buildings are on top of a big hill. The walk from the scholarship halls at the base of the hill to the student center is insanely steep.
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There are three questions that come to mind.
One is whether she would prefer a small campus. As an example of something that might not be ideal: Boston University is very flat, being right along the bank of the Charles River in Boston. However, it is very spread out over a significant distance and it would seem likely that a smaller campus might be better.
Another question is how strong an applicant is she? For example Bowdoin College is flat with a relatively small campus. However it is quite competitive for admissions. It also will get a significant amount of snow in the winter.
Also, what does she want to study?
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I thought of the study part too - because Rose Hulman (we visited) was tiny - and if i remember flat. The tiny part was what might be real helpful. But it has no spirit and you have to want to be an engineer 
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