Soo I am currently a high school Junior from the New England area. I’ve started thinking about school and decided I don’t want to just stay around my area. I’ve been looking into a ton of different areas but here are some of my top states: Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin. I’m really open to anywhere. I really enjoy urban areas but I also love the outdoors. I want to go somewhere with a lot to do and a lot of opportunities, not just in the university but in the outside world around it as well. I do okay in school… my average grade is about an 86%, and I take AP classes as well. Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for different schools or places that I would like that would be awesome!
There’s definitely a lot of colleges out there that could be perfect for you - try using the SuperMatch tool here on CC! Personally, I think you should check out Ramapo College of New Jersey. It’s a beautiful campus with modern buildings basically in the Ramapo Mountains. The views of the forests and mountains are breath taking, plus you’re right by New York City where you can do internships and have multiple opportunities! However, it is on the smaller side of institutions, with about 6,000-7,000 students. Also, what are your SAT/ACT scores and what is your intended major?
If you could make it all the way to the west coast, the Pacific Northwest has colleges with a lot of outdoor clubs and activities - U of Puget Sound, Willamette, Reed, U of Washington, to name a few. Seattle and Portland have quite a lot of opportunities and potential employers for internships.
You probably should have one school close to home just so you have that option next spring if you need it. Stuff can happen with your family or with you (like health issues) that can make being closer to home a good idea.
Without knowing much about your stats or financial situation (the latter will be very important!), I think you should check out CU Boulder. Boulder is a fantastic college town with lots to do, and is not at all far from the great outdoors. With your grades, I think you’d have a good shot at admission.
UNC-Asheville is worth looking into. It’s located in an artsy city, in the middle of some spectacular countryside. Temple is a solid option for you, if you want a large, urban university. It’s pretty easy to get out of Philly for day-trips to beautiful areas like the Poconos or the Pine Barrens. If you want warmer, sunnier climes, consider Eckerd or New College in Florida. Both have beautiful waterfront settings. They are small liberal arts colleges (both belong to the “Colleges That Change Lives” consortium). You can find all sorts of outdoor adventures, along with active arts scenes, around either St. Pete or Sarasota.
I think that, for an adventurous student who wants to come to Colorado, Fort Lewis College in Durango would be a perfect spot. It’s much more in the mountains than Boulder, with a very outdoorsy student body, and Durango is a super cute town. It’s very affordable- less than $30k out of state- and my friends who go there really enjoy it. If you can get an ACT of 30+, you’d be guaranteed 8,000 a year, bringing costs down to $22k.
University of North Florida!!! It’s located on a beautiful nature preserve, and each dorm has its own lazy river. There are lots of other fun aspects of North Florida, but it is very small, so if you are looking for a big school it’s not the best option.
So you have about a 3.0. What are your test scores, and budget?
My daughter really liked Willamette in Salem, Oregon and UNC Asheville in North Carolina. Both schools are in small cities but close to outdoors activities. She also looked at University of Puget Sound but we never visited.
My D applied to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale IL. It’s smack in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest, in what is easily the most attractive part of the state - rolling hills, rock formations and cliffs, lots of lakes and streams… There is a lot of outdoorsy stuff to choose from - boating, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, camping, horseback riding…
One of the dorm complexes overlooks a lake. The campus itself is wooded and natural.
Admission is auto-admit for a minimum test score paired with a particular GPA. For instance, with a 3.0, your test score could be lower than those applying with a 2.5…
It’s about 12k undergrads, a few k grads, and a plethora of majors including Engineering.
Also, I think you can pay in-state tuition with a 3.0.
SIU has been under-enrolled in the past few years, although it’s still respected in IL and the surrounding area - just overshadowed by some of the Big Ten and private research unis in the area - and it’s rolling admissions, so there are surely spots left. It’s also a very easy, quick app.
We also visited University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, one of the UW campuses. Again,a beautiful part of Wisconsin and not too far from Minneapolis (about 2 hours) Eau Claire isa great town focused on the outdoors.
UWEC is more selective though, and with a 3.0, you may need a higher test score. OOS tuition is less than 15k.
You might want to consider schools outside of your current target states; there are many schools out there that might be great fits for you that you might not consider just because of where they are on a map. And plus, you might be pleasantly surprised by how cool the places you never seriously thought of studying are.
Although I am very happy with the university I am attending, I do wish I looked at more schools in other geographic regions. And I’m saying that as a person who cares a lot about nature/outdoor environments too.
Macalester is a great college. It has a great landscape (in the state of Minnesota) and also is close enough to the city to anything you would want to do there (in the Twin Cities area.)
If your SAT/ACT scores are high enough you should consider McGill University on Montreal. Different culture, different country yet only 40 miles from the US border.
Check out Quest in British Columbia: http://www.questu.ca/about.html
Some kids from my D’s high school (we live in MT) go there and love it. I believe total $30,500/year (tuition and room/board) in US dollars.