<p>It definitely helps to get a better handle on the different college options, especially with respect to the campuses and towns, as well as their proximity to larger cities.</p>
<p>I have 5 HS kids asking me about these schools, off and on...have tried to get them onto CC and ask the questions themselves, but they feel a bit intimidated by the stats and college lists of other applicants. It's funny, but some of them feel like this is a very public space and worry about looking less than intelligent. Where the would usually be well-reasoned, focused, and self-confident, some of them are now a little shy. And, even though I'm twenty-something, it's getting harder to remember how it was when I applied to colleges--so I don't always know what they're hinting at.</p>
<p>In any event, this board rocks when it comes to the real 411. Thank you for your continued input. Hopefully, the kids I'm trying to assist will get the info they need and ask questions with your help.</p>
<p>I can pretty much second everything Teriitt said about Goshen. I know several people who attended Goshen. I can't talk to the aid issue but the young people liked the school. All the students I knew were born Mennonite so it may not be a very diverse crowd but Mennonites are a very non-racist group.</p>
<p>Millikin - In Decatur IL, which is about 45 minutes from Springfield, the capital, and approx. an hour from Champaign-Urbana (UIUC), Normal (Illinois State), Charleston (Eastern Illinois University) and 2 1/2 hours from St. Louis.</p>
<p>I live 12 miles from McDaniel and can vouch for what everybody else has said. One addition: It's where the Baltimore Ravens conduct their training camp in August.</p>
<p>Washington College has a reputation for being a safety school for kids who had top LACs as their reaches...if that makes any sense. That "10th oldest school in the country" ranking give it a little cache.</p>
<p>OP - you may want to check the "Brag about your lesser known school" thread.</p>
<p>DougBetsy - an earlier post described McDaniel as being very regional, with about 70% of the students being from MD. Is that also true of Washington (which was described as being rather preppy)? Or does Washington draw from a larger geog area?</p>
<p>We have visited Berry College. Loved it. Beautiful campus. Nice people. Huge dorm rooms. Went there with S1 (HS class of 01) so it's been awhile. They used to offer free tuition for SATs over 1450 - don't know if they still do that. Also free tuition for children of ministers.</p>
<p>Every student who wants a job can get one. One of S's friends worked as a trainer for the baseball team. You can get a job in the on-campus daycare (professor's kids), or milking cows (huge animal program), or a wide-variety of other opportunities. </p>
<p>Same friend participated in the Model UN there. Went on to UGA law school and is now a practicing attorney. </p>
<p>S1 didn't end up applying because their econ dept was only a couple professors and he wanted a broader experience than that. We tried hard to get D to consider it, but she wanted to go out of state.</p>
<p>Wittenberg, Mercer, Washington College, and Hiram are all discussed in "The Best 366 Colleges" by The Princeton Review. This book bases its info on surveys of students at the colleges and has some really good insights. You can get the book at any major bookstore.</p>
<p>NYC--
Washington draws from perhaps a slightly larger area, since it is closer to Delaware and Philly. I would describe it as drawing a different TYPE of kid, rather than a different geographical location, as McDaniel. DougBetsy is right. Washington is seen as a socially acceptable school for kids who didn't get into W&L, Gettysburg, etc. If you read between the lines on some of the financial aid stats, there are a lot more that don't qualify for aid at Washington (which is more expensive) than your usual small LAC of its level.</p>
<p>My daughter and I visited Washington College and we left with a very good impression. It is a safety school for a lot of the kids at her HS, but I think many would be very happy going there. It is in a beautiful area, near water, and an adorable town, Chestertown. Annapolis is the closest city; they did have a bus that went there on weekends, as I recall. We really liked our tour guide. It is very small, the tour guide knew everyone we passed. It actually did not seem very preppy to us, but more quirky, which appealed to my d. We toured on the worst day, weather-wise. Suitable for ducks, not people, but we still liked it. Look up the prestigious Sophie Kerr prize given there yearly to a talentend seriior writer. Dining hall was in need of overhaul, but this appeared to be in their short term plans. I know a recent graduate who had a great experience there. I know other current students there who are enjoying it very much. </p>
<p>Goucher is only a few miles from where we live. It is formerly (in the 80's perhaps) an all women's college - it is probably 65/35 female/male. It has a great reputation among small LACs. I think very few kids from our area go there because it is so close to home and familiar, so I don't know any current students. When we drive by, my daughter admires the new condos across the street from campus, we understand some are going to be student housing. Towson is a wonderful college town, with a lot to do. We have not toured Goucher yet, but plan to. Towson is being changed to be a more walkable town, though it isn't bad at all now.</p>
<p>I went to graduate school at McDaniel College -- when it was still Western Maryland College. I truly enjoyed my time there. My son took a tour there two summers ago, and he has it on his list.</p>
<p>McDaniel is nice enough to give a student an application waiver if he or she tours the school. (That is a $50 savings) Its education program is outstanding -- my son had some teachers who were graduates of the program. The MCAT scores are outstanding -- they rival Johns Hopkins. There is a 24-hour quiet dorm -- great if you are a triple major. The school always seems to be improving something -- last time we were there, the new science/psychology building had just opened and the new athletic facility was being built (it was been completed).</p>
<p>One thing I know is that the college president is a great lady. I've e-mailed her, and yes, gotten a response. She is known to host monthly luncheons with cross sections of students to get to know them and what they think of the school. Students say that you can see her cycling to work most days.</p>
<p>I have a former student currently at Washington College. She likes it. Plans to major in international relations. She turned down a really nice package at a PA private school to attend Washington College.</p>
<p>Many schools waive the paper-application fee for students who either tour the campus or complete student-athlete inquiry forms. Also, many schools waive the fee for on-line applications.</p>
<p>Just throwing in my $.02--we visited McDaniel and Goucher. Both get very good write-ups and I believe do offer great educations. The biggest difference we noticed was that the students at Goucher seem <em>extremely</em> politically active--many students were involved in local campaigns and I'm sure it'll be an exciting place to be next fall. They also have a mandatory semester abroad (every single student goes abroad for a semester)--pretty neat concept.</p>
<p>My son spent 3 semesters there from Fall 06 to Fall 07. He liked the school a lot, but other reasons caused him to transfer out. Mount does have a reputation for being somewhat of a suitcase school, as many kids are somewhat local. Academics seemed all right. Housing was OK and improving. Athletic facilities are well above average for a D3 (thank you football). Overall, Mount is certainly not a Kenyon or a Denison, but it's OK. Cost is certainly lower than those caliber schools, T+R+B is around $30. Not much to do in Alliance, but the kids seem to go up to Kent or Akron a lot. Lots of drinking for sure, but not much of a drug scene. Certainly worth checking out if it meets your needs.</p>
<p>Hiram is great. A pretty campus in a small town with easy access to a city. Cool academic plan. A number of my younger co-workers went there and loved it.</p>
<p>Hiram is great. A pretty campus in a small town with easy access to a city. Cool academic plan. A number of my younger co-workers went there and loved it.</p>
<p>I'm typing on my "smart" phone with a stylus...not fun.</p>
<p>I just want to say that this thread continues to be of great help. I'm sure that your insights & suggestions have helped so many students, peers, and parents.</p>
<p>I'm blown away by the savy you've shown, so much so that I'm seeing my parents in a different light--not just mom & dad.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I hope I get my computer back soon, so I can participate on CC again.</p>