<p>Where would you hope they would choose to apply/attend and why? I'm just curious. My DDs have their lists started and I am curious if they are overlooking somewhere really cool. Both have taken most rigorous courseload one has a 3.9 the other a 3.7 no SATs yet.</p>
<p>My son currently attends Reed College in Portland. It's a great school and he loves it so far (he is only a freshman). It is similar to the University of Chicago and Dartmouth.</p>
<p>What do they want to study? It makes a huge difference as to which school I might recommend.</p>
<p>Also, do they want:
Merit money?
Athletics?
Greek scene?
Large school or small?
Skiing or beach or neither?</p>
<p>My son is at the University of Denver. He wanted a school with a real campus, in/near a large city, of medium size, and with strong programs in some areas of interest (he is interested both inpublic policy and business). He also needed a school with something of a Jewish population. The snowsports nearby are an added bonus.</p>
<p>DU gives good merit money for students like your daughters.</p>
<p>west of the mississippi is a mighty big area</p>
<p>^^ cgm yes it is. </p>
<p>coureur They are both interested in science and I am interested in merit money ;-) greek scene is a whatever for them, they want to play IM or club soccer but would like to cheer for a women's team that was competitive, smallish school or one with a small feel, beach or snow as either have their advantages...they are outdoorsy, don't own curling irons or blow dryers</p>
<p>boysx3 thanks. Denver is a city at least one of my girls has considered and merit money sounds good to me so I'll ask her/them to check UD out.</p>
<p>Dadof12...second time I've shared w/ you today...the other was on the twin thread....anyway thanks for the input about Reed, I have heard it is an excellent school.</p>
<p>Any regions they would definitely rule in or out? Upper midwest, delta south, great state of TX, Rocky Mountain, desert SW, West Coast, Pac NW? Otherwise this is like asking, where would be a cool place to visit in Europe?</p>
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<blockquote> <p>coureur They are both interested in science and I am interested in merit money ;-) greek scene is a whatever for them, they want to play IM or club soccer but would like to cheer for a women's team that was competitive, smallish school or one with a small feel, beach or snow as either have their advantages...they are outdoorsy, don't own curling irons or blow dryers<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>Hmm...then be sure to look at Claremont schools - Pomona College, Harvey Mudd, and Claremont McKenna. Cal Poly SLO. Maybe Whitman or Willamette might be good too. Consider CalTech too but treat it as a reach.</p>
<p>What I don't understand is why anyone would want to go to college east of the Mississippi.</p>
<p>Hey^^^ they have almost all of those on their list. Cal Tech is a little too Tech for their tastes They are into Bio and Chem, not so much Engineering and Physics so it and Mudd are not as high as the others.</p>
<p>dt123 So far they both have one Texas school on their list but nothing further east in the south. Other than that they have not ruled out any regions.</p>
<p>Wash Dad...I know you are tongue in cheek but...I hear ya!! For my girls it's the idea of being too far from home.</p>
<p>UWashington, Oregon, Denver, Colorado College, Whitman, Whitworth.</p>
<p>Well, I think they have to decide first if they like really cold, dark, depressing, snowy/rainy winters. There are great schools of every kind in all the regions I mentioned, but north of a NorCal-Denver-St. Louis line the weather is really bad for 7 out of the 9 school year months.</p>
<p>Whitworth is a new one (to me anyway)...any reason you'd pick it over Gonzaga?</p>
<p>actually, I was going to suggest a spring break up in the pac northwest. Oregon and Wash have a bunch of great small (and mid and large too) along the I-5 corridor. You could take a trip and visit a ton of good schools in both states that your kids would love. The I-5 schools (schools within 25 miles of I-5) offer a great variety of campus life and easy access to the pacific coast, the Cascade mountains, the Columbia river... </p>
<p>My two attend(ed) Willamette and Linfield, both are having such a good time I am jealous and must live vicariously through them. When I call and ask what's new? something always is.... </p>
<p>Having drove to St louis this summer to drop one off at med school I also have to say the pacific nw is one of the most beautiful places in america and you can easily find just about every environment you want within a few hours drive. The west is lush and green and the east offers some of the best sunshine and outdoor recreation you could imagine. </p>
<p>I would venture to say your family would find enough variety at the school choices to find a good fit in the area.</p>
<p>No merit $$ at Pomona or Reed. Oberlin (tho east of the Mississippi) and Grinnell are strong in sciences and give merit $$. The westernmost school where son got merit $$ was Lewis & Clark in Portland OR, but I don't know about their sciences.</p>
<p>DD goes to college at Santa Clara University. She loves it there. Their soccer teams really could USE a good cheerleader!! They are good but underrated. She looked very carefully at the quality of science programs. You might also want to look at U of San Diego...beautiful new science building. Both are costly, however.</p>
<p>USC. Plenty of merit money. Great campus and academics. Strong school spirit.</p>
<p>They sound like Colorado College , except Colorado College isn't that great on merit aid. I'll try to come up with some not mentioned much . Westminster in Missouri is one of my favorite small schools. I'm not that familiar with Westminster in Utah but it looked nice on paper , I'd give it a look. Alberston in Idaho always looked interesting to me. Austin College in Texas - fantastic pre-med if they are interested in that. Hendrix in Arkansas, of course. St. Benedict's and St. Olaf in Minnesota are both great schools for science.</p>
<p>I have no idea from what you've posted if they would be competitive for merit , and if so at what level, but there is a range of selectivity at schools already suggested from "merit to kids who get into HYP" to "merit for good students and up". I'd have to have test results and know lots more about them (3.9 and 3.7 weighted or unweighted?, EC's?, Rank? ) before I'd assess their merit chances.</p>
<p>My daughter attended a school right on the Mississippi! From the college location on the bluffs one could watch barges going past. </p>
<p>I understand though that your question is not about the Mississippi location so much as why not stay in the Eastern half of the country since we have so many good schools here. Personally, I think there is alot to be said for new experiences that can only happen with a geographically diverse student body. My son is in college at Roanoke, Va where 40% of the students are from out of state. He stopped in here for his fall break on his way to a friends house in upstate NY. The four friends he brought with him were each from a different state. My daughter (graduated in June) got to know and befriend people from all over their world. Over her winter break last year she visited Kenya with a friend to see that friends home. Right now my daughter is in China. The world view, the feeling that travel anywhere is doable, is something that happens (imho) when you physically step out of familiar surroundings.</p>
<p>PS - regarding weather in the Northern tier. There are generally just 3-4 months where it's consistently under 60 degrees. We still haven't had frost this season and I only turned the heat on Sunday night.</p>