Hi there. Looking to continue building a list of schools for my highly motivated senior son. He’s about a 3.6, 25 ACT, undecided major, probably something math-related (finance, econ, accounting or pure math or statistics), but will maybe go the engineering route, or science or law. Loving the top-notch private schools, but budget and grades (rough sophomore year) say not right now. Budget about 25K including room and board. Need to find good state schools, or good schools that might offer aid to bring down cost. Interested in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, maybe Midwest if exceptional, and most of the West. We’re suburban Southern CA residents, and looking to really change it up in terms of experience. Prefer medium to small, but not super small, and would consider large if highly recommended.
Don’t want a party school, commuter school, or one where many are there just because someone is “making” them go to college. BUT while he fares well with “good” peers, he excels when he feels successful; enjoys being big fish.
Thank you in advance for any comments and/or suggestions you can offer.
For point of reference, the kind of thing I’m coming up with so far are like (and I don’t know if these are great choices): UW La-Crosse, UMass Lowell (they have some good merit discounts for out of state students), York in PA, Idaho, Washington State (in Pullman). Wish there were more small - medium privates we could afford.
Given your budget wouldn’t it make sense to go to school closer to CA? The travel costs will add up. With that being said the New York state SUNY schools are a good value even for out of state student. Albany has excellent programs for what you are describing.
Ucbalumnas, thank you. I worry about the state schools and their impacted majors issues, and getting out in four. I will clarify these things for Sonoma.
Seconding Truman State, Montana State, Geneseo.
Depending on merit aid, College of Charleston (they’re looking for more boys and have merit), USC Aiken, Longwood (site of vice presidential debate), Christopher Newport, UMW, Towson, West Chester (not very residential though), UNC Asheville (Mechatronics major!)
Lots of smaller colleges in PA, OH, IN, IA, MO will bring costs down to 25K or so.
My son is going to Northern Arizona and absolutely fell in love with the campus and programs there. I think WUE schools have a lot to offer, kids can get more of a real campus feel rather than the commuter feel of many of the CSU’s. University of Arizona, Colorado State University, Washington State University, Boise State University, and University of Idaho are all ones we gave a second look. If cost is a big concern Boise State and University of Idaho are both very inexpensive on WUE.
Biology
Business Administration
Note: Impacted also in Pre-Business
Communication Studies
Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
Early Childhood Studies
Environmental Studies and Planning
Note: Impacted in all Options
Human Development
Kinesiology
Note: Impacted in all Options
Liberal Studies
Nursing (Pre-Nursing and Pre-Licensure BSN)
Psychology
Sociology
This means that enrollment in these majors is selective, so frosh admission will be at a higher standard than the campus overall. Changing into the major later can also require a high GPA or competitive admission. Presumably, the enrollment limitation is so that the number of students in the major will not be greater than the departmental capacity to offer courses for them.
Check out Truman State, or (if you’d consider a technical institute) New Mexico Tech (f.k.a. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology). Both these schools get many recommendations on CC. Both have OOS costs under $30K.
New College of Florida is a small public college with a beautiful location on Florida’s gulf coast. Its alumni have a good track record for admission to top graduate schools and prestigious scholarships for graduate study (such as the Fulbright and Rhodes scholarships).They apparently are awarding scholarships of at least $15K to all OOS students, which would bring the net costs close to your $25K budget. https://www.ncf.edu/admissions/cost-and-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-freshmen/
good WUE schools: seconding many mentioned already - Northern Arizona, ASU and U of Arizona have some WUE money for specific majors/campuses, U of New Mexico, Colorado State, Washington State, Western Washington, U WY, Montana State and U of Montana. If the 3.6 is unweighted, he could get in state tuition at UNM (roughly 7K) under an Amigo scholarship (3.5 GPA) or under WUE plus (3.0 or higher UW). WUE tuition at the Washington schools is roughly 10K plus room and board which would fit your budget. Apply early for best consideration.
I understand the desire to go out of state, but it’s hard to see how you’ll better value for money than the CSUs, such as SDSU with instate tuition at under $8K.