<p>Quick background:
D2 is an excellent sophomore student...top 5 of 450+ class...GPA(w) of 101+...taking AP in everything offered...will have good recs...and recently took April ACT and did even better than we expected...35 composite (36 in math and science). Her main EC and love is equestrian...specifically 3 day eventing and national level pony club eventer...spends 3-4 hours daily riding and barn duties. Has some other ECs, including swimming, lacrosse, field hockey, Key Club...but nothing to the extent of equestrian. Her dream would be to ride someday in Rolex or Olympics.</p>
<p>Her older sister was accepted ED as a legacy to Penn and will enroll in fall. D2 is looking for the best fit of high level academics (possible pre-vet, bio, etc.) with being able to be close to area where she can continue to ride on a daily basis and get good eventing coaching. Unfortunately, I do not think she would do the typical equestrian teams that ride in IHSA...hers is a pretty specific sport.</p>
<p>She is considering applying to Penn ED/legacy, and then dealing with commuting back and forth to a barn every day (45+ minutes each day). There are other schools close to us that we have considered similarly (Delaware honors is one).</p>
<p>So....questions:</p>
<p>1) Is anyone aware of eventing teams at competitive and challenging academic schools? I have done a lot of research, and I cannot answer this myself. It seems that there are a handful of colleges with eventing teams...but I do not think D2 would consider them challenging and positioning her for admission to veterinary school.</p>
<p>2) Outside of school based eventing teams, does anyone know of top 25-50 schools that are close to high level eventing instruction, or in an equestrian area that might have this?</p>
<p>When I think of equestrian eventing and pre-vet, I think of UC Davis. Davis is not of the same caliber as UPenn, but it’s known for it’s vet program. The D of one of my friends rides for them on the regular (not eventing) team and likes the team and the school. I can’t remember if she took her horse or if she is riding one of the team’s horses, but I do believe you can bring your horse.</p>
<p>I’m a showjumper headed to Penn next year and I’ll probably also try to take lessons outside of the school’s equestrian team. </p>
<p>I don’t think many schools offer eventing outright, though. Most I’ve heard is IHSA and such. You might be better off finding some horsey area and finding lessons there. </p>
<p>I just looked this up: Arizona State, Georgia State, Otterbein College, and Oregon State all appear to have eventing teams.</p>
<p>Edited to add- Of course UC Davis has an eventing team! Haha I can’t believe I forgot, I actually applied to that school and oogled over their boarding costs for students (somewhere ~$250 if I remember correctly). I was already budgeting for a horse up there, haha.</p>
<p>UC Davis is just too far…we are 70 miles from Philly.<br>
U Va looks like it is mainly IHSA, and lots of club members. No reference to eventing…are you aware of eventers at U Va??</p>
<p>I think Bryn Mawr and Haverford could both be accessible to eventing barns. Not sure they would be any closer than Penn.</p>
<p>Interesting thought about Princeton. No mention about eventing at Princeton on the web site…just IHSA…but there very well may be something close. Admissions there is sure to be a crap shoot.</p>
<p>Brown University
Connecticut College
Cornell University
Middlebury College
Mount Holyoke College
Smith College
University of Virginia
Washington and Lee College</p>
<p>Some good ideas…thanks to all. Alexandre…great list!</p>
<p>D2 is already looking into some of these, particularly Washington and Lee (we visited while she was eventing at the Virginia Horse Center last summer). I will have her investigate the rest of the schools and their eventing possibilities…she has a little time. I think she may send a couple of emails to equestrian coaches at some of the schools explaining her situation…they may be aware of local eventing coaches and facilities.</p>
<p>Thanks again…and if anyone has any schools to add, keep them coming!</p>
<p>I previously did some research on this for my daughter and there isn’t much on the east coast in terms of eventing at colleges. If your daughter wants to go to UPenn, why not just have her work with an eventer in the area. Bruce Davidson is near there in Unionville, Phillip Dutton is in Coatesville (I think) as is Boyd Martin. There are so many options of great eventers in the area.</p>
<p>My sister went to Clemson, and was captain of the Equestrian team there. It doesn’t look like eventing is on the roster, but I can vouch for the area being very, very horse friendly. My parents told my sister that if she got a full scholarship they’d pay for her horses to go to school with her, so she took all three horses out to Clemson, and had a great community there. So if her specific passion isn’t available through the college team, I bet she’d still have access to it there as well.</p>
<p>Take a look at Clemson! Let me know if you have any questions! (know some people on the team I could put you in contact with if you have any questions)</p>