My son is a junior in high school with about a 3.3 GPA (maybe slightly higher). Because of his inability to get a good score on the SAT or ACT, even with accommodations, we’re sticking with test optional schools. We’d like him to stay under 10,000 students for the individualized attention, small class sizes, and personal connections to the professors that will be important for him. He has a lot of conservative views so going to a really liberal school would probably not be the best idea. This is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Can anyone offer suggestions for colleges/small universities that he might like along the east coast - either northeast or southeast and maybe slightly Midwest (such as OH). We plan on meeting with a college counselor as well, but I wanted to get other people’s opinions since you all seem to know so much! 
Are finances a consideration??
No. Good question.
Loyola, MD
Fairfield University
Does he have an idea of the major or field he is interested in? Is he artistic or dramatic or musical?
If you want conservative schools, look at religious institutions. Schools focused on math/engineering also tend to be apolitical. Arts and music schools are often liberal, but not all of them are.
Does he want to go to a school where most people agree with him, like a smaller Liberty University, or does he just want to go somewhere he’s not outnumbered?
Well…I’m sure you have looked at this list…
https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional
I looked at the list…and these have often been mentioned as great choices…some are a little smaller…but…
American University
Allegheny College
Catholic University of America
Clark
Holy Cross
Connecticut College
Denison
Drew
Emerson
Ithaca
NYU
skidmore
Stonehill
Temple
U of Delaware
He was thinking poli sci, but he isn’t loving his AP Government class so he may change his mind. I think he’d be great at marketing - he’s a master at BS - could sell snow to an Eskimo. (LOL!) He’s also very good at photography.
I should have mentioned that we do not want him to attend any religious based schools, which makes finding a more conservative or at least a moderate school a little more challenging. He wants to feel accepted no matter what his views are. It’s not so much the politics, as it is feeling comfortable in his surroundings. I would prefer he goes to a moderate school since I would rather he had a more well-rounded view of the world with many opinions. He just doesn’t want a lot of liberal views forced on him. I suspect that as he matures, his views will change a bit so I’d like him to feel comfortable now while being exposed to others’ opinions as well.
Please do not set a rigid size limit. There may be many schools that are above that 10,000 size that still could be a good fit. Getting attention is in the hands of the student. Making the choice to reach out to TA’s and professors by utilizing office hours can be the ticket. btw- larger schools have room for all kinds of students, conservative groups at liberal institutions being one example. Your public U’s (other than flagship) may have the right price and cohort- plus affordability. His test scores might be acceptable at some. Remember half the students need to be average/below average at any school.
He has a learning disability - small size is a MUST.
Maybe McDaniel College in Maryland or Washington and Jefferson, Susquehanna or Juniata in PA? ? Don’t know that they’re test optional but he may be in the range for them. Also, don’t know that they’re particularly conservative but they probably are middle-of-the-road and not particularly political.
Juniata and McDanial are test optional…I believe.
@megan12 more than a small size…your kiddo needs a GOOD disabilities office. There are some small schools with less than terrific disability services…and some larger schools with more than terrific disability services. So…consider that too.
His biggest issue is distraction and anxiety so big classes would be a disaster. I know because I attended a large university. It’s not a good place for him. Right now he is doing well in school with minimal accommodations. He is no longer receiving academic support.
I know that an active poster here on CC speaks very highly of Susquehanna and I believe her daughter has had anxiety issues in the past and found Susquehanna to be nurturing. Seems like a nice, friendly school with good academics and an attractive campus but not impossible to get into for the “B” student. I’m also pretty sure Susquehanna has either a business major or something business-related (don’t know about marketing.)
Then you need to check the class sizes for required general education courses. I went to a college with 900 students total my freshman year. EVERYONE was required to take psych 101 and 102. Both classes had in excess of 100 students in them.
After that year, i transferred to a public university that had about 25,000 students. I never had a class larger than 50…and the classes in my major (which was MOST of my courseload there) were seldom larger than 20.
In addition…while your son has NO academic support now…it sounds like he does have accommodations. Colleges will want documentation that the accommodations are essential for them to continue in college…and he may need them. Hopefully your school has been doing transition planning for your son for after HS.
Remember…in college…he won’t have a case manager to remind him…or you. He will be on his own. Having essential supports if needed might make or break his college years.
Anyway…back to the size thing…small school does not equate to all small classes. Large school does not equate to all large classes.
If he’s interested in STEM Worcester Polytechnic Institute is test optional.
My son will be in the same boat in a few years as your son, when visiting colleges for my daughter one school I could see him at is Saint Michael’s in Vermont. Although it is a Catholic school, it’s not really religious, I think you only have to take one class as a requirement. Because of it location, they have a reasonable acceptance rate for how good of a school it is. One of the friendliest schools we visited, our tour guide said hi to about 15 kids and one professor on our tour. There is also Landmark college which specializes for kids with learning disabilities, also in Vermont.
Dickinson is test optional.
IN FL, Lynn U and Rollins have good accommodations.
Responding to a few posts above… (No info on accomodations though.)
Agree that more techy schools trend more apolitical but I think with a 3.3 WPI (and RPI) would be reaches. Test optional tends to mean they’re looking harder at grades, among other things.
Don’t automatically rule out schools that are religiously affiliated so long as they’re clearly inclusive. Jesuit schools, among others, may offer some good options that might trend a little more conservative.
The Colleges that Change Lives group offers some nice options for kids who want small classes and great teaching: ctcl.org.
Of the test-optional colleges listed by @thumper1, I’m thinking that Clark, Ithaca and Skidmore might not hit the right conservative notes. But have a look at Muhlenberg and Ursinus, from the same fairtest list. My impression was that they were fairly middle-of-the-road politically.