<p>FWIW Morgantown (WVU) gets a fair amount of snow…</p>
<p>Northeastern offers NMF free tuition as does Fordham. And Pitt has some juicy merit money too. These are some big city alternatives, though the weather is not going ot be like that in Alabama or Tulane.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: I certainly hope that Alabama is aware of/appreciates what a champion they have in you! 44,000+ posts?! I wonder how many scales you’ve tipped to Alabama’s side through the years…</p>
<p>^^ Yes, they’re very aware. :)</p>
<p>Not in the south, but you may want to consider both the honors colleges at CU Boulder and CO State in Fort Collins. He would qualify for WUE at Co State, and a high stats friend of our son got enough merit money from Boulder to make it cheaper than our in-state (WA) colleges.</p>
<p>Both colleges have a reputation for happy and satisfied students. The natural setting and sunny days make winter much more bearable, even enjoyable for someone not used to the cold. Cold weather, by the way, is only uncomfortable if it is either below 0 or windy. </p>
<p>And stop plugging U Idaho! It’s my daughter’s first choice for next year and she doesn’t need to be competing against a kid this smart - we like to consider it a little bit of a NW secret how good it is.</p>
<p>I suggest you look at U of Miami. My S is in premed program there. He likes the science classes and there are plenty of undergrad research opportunities ( even as freshman/sophomore). In a NY Times article about 6 months ago U of Miami was listed #1 in country for merit aid. Check out their website- your son would be in running for the Singer (full tuition) and Stamps ( full ride) scholarships. Good luck.</p>
<p>No where near the beauty of Bama, but certainly filled with great opportunities, is University of Central Florida. It lacks in the community atmosphere, so my son disregarded. It is high in the merit area and many internship opportunities. </p>
<p>William & Mary - Even if they did not seem against early HS grad, the OOS tuition is high.</p>
<p>VTech is a very good suggestion.</p>
<p>U of Pitt offers good merit, esp early in the cycle. Though the weather may not be ideal to someone from CA, it is worth the application (which is relatively easy) and, along with Bama, is a rolling admissions school that takes pressure off the student early in the cycle.</p>
<p>I couldn’t get my son to consider, but I suggest looking at University of Alabama-Birmingham. There is a great Dad on here who champions it (parent56) - His son had a wide range of options, and found UAB to exceed all expectations. It is only a hop from Tuscaloosa. At the least, the contrast of size would be worthwhile.</p>
<p>Magnetron, I agree, Colorado is a beautiful state and both of your recommended schools have their advantages. I was worried they might be too liberal, though?? Now that pot is legal in Colorado and Washington, I am wondering if the schools there will attract more kids attracted to that vibe (not that there isn’t pot on every college campus in the nation). My son is pretty open-minded and non-judgmental, and is up for the occasional round of hacky sack, but he probably wouldn’t go for a school where pot was a huge part of the culture ( just as he wouldn’t be in to a big Greek school, or an ultra-conservative school). I don’t mean to offend or stereotype, so if anyone can allay my concerns, I welcome the feedback.</p>
<p>Cptofthehouse, Northeastern has definitely been added to the interest list. The co-op program sounds really cool, and Boston is a great city.</p>
<p>DS hasn’t said much about any of the other suggestions, but we appreciate them all and I will research every last one looking for that perfect fit. Thanks to everyone for their time!</p>
<p>For our April trip, we have decided to fly in to Memphis (Rhodes College) and out of New Orleans (Tulane), with stops at UGA, UA, and UAB in between. It kills me that we won’t have time to visit other close schools worthy of a visit, but at least DS should get a good feel for the South :).</p>
<p>My daughter is at Pitt on one of those dandy full tuition scholarships. She will graduate in April and had lots of choices four years ago.</p>
<p>The opportunities to do undergraduate research are abundant. My daughter worked in the physics department for a short time and now does research in the math department. Pitt is a top 15 ( I think) med school and there are lots of hospitals within walking distance of campus. DD does think the pre-med students are intense. She has never really been interested in competing with others. She is not pre-med.</p>
<p>She has grown a bit weary of the weather. She had no interest in Southern schools at all. Overall, Pitt has been a pretty good experience.</p>
<p>As a lifelong Steelers fan, my hubby would be thrilled to have a kid at Pitt :). However, we have been “suffering” through brutally cold 31 degree nights and 55 degree days in California for the entire past week, so Pittsburgh sounds awful to me right about now. It is my son’s call to make, though, so I will definitely share your post with him.</p>
<p>Well, there are lots of Steelers fans there! The Pitt football team plays at Heinz Field, which to me is really cool. And the very best part? The score board has these HUGE ketchup bottles that flip their lids, tilt, and fill the Jumbotron with electronic ketchup. America.</p>
<p>I just looked the scoreboard up on YouTube; the ketchup bottles fill the board when the Steelers are in the Red Zone! I never noticed that before - love it!!</p>
<p>Forgot the red zone detail.</p>
<p>Your son sounds like he’d be a good fit for one of the small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast like Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin or Middlebury. The access to nature and outdoorsy activities might compensate for a more rural location. Plus, the nurturing and friendly atmosphere of the small LAC would be a good fit for a younger student, whose family is on the other side of the country. All of these schools tend to be middle road politically.</p>
<p>Williams, especially, comes to mind because it offers comprehensive music performance opportunities even for non-majors, good sciences and a physically active, multi-talented student body.</p>
<p>Because these schools don’t offer merit aid, finances may be problematic; however, need based aid can be variable and subjective. Cost of living is low. As long as you’re covered with one or two true financial safeties I’d suggest reaching out to a few selective need only schools and see where the chips fall. it seems that you’re close. </p>
<p>For merit and excellent academics I would also look at the midwestern LACs: Carlton, Grinnell and Macalester.</p>
<p>Thanks, momrath! Son’s public HS has over 3,000 kids, so he has been leaning towards medium to large schools, but I did get him to agree to check out Rhodes in Memphis. It is also a small liberal arts school, but has a great relationship with nearby St. Jude’s hospital for research opportunities. If he likes what he sees there, it may open him up to other LACs. He actually just received emails fom Macalester, Carleton, and Williams based on his PSATs, and they all look like wonderful schools.</p>
<p>Many LACs have good track records for medicine related internships and medical school placements. Williams is especially strong in that area. Plus as I mentioned a student body that is, I believe, more aware of wellness and physical activity than most. </p>
<p>For four diverse seasons and great natural beauty you can’t beat New England. People react differently to snow but for my son, coming from the tropics, winter in Williamstown was a plus.</p>
<p>No question that small LACs aren’t for everyone, especially those in remote locations, but there were so many aspects of your son’s profile that read Williams (academics, science, medicine, research, sports, music, outdoors, no Greek, politically moderate, self reliant) that I thought I’d mention it. I haven’t been to Rhodes so I can’t compare, but I would say that Davidson is the southern school that is most like the New England schools that I listed.</p>
<p>Another thought that I had is Emory: excellent academics, excellent merit aid, urban location, medium size.</p>
<p>
Rhodes is one of my favorite LACs. Great academics (esp. sciences), fun location, and drop dead gorgeous campus. A moderately sized city like Memphis is probably a good choice for someone who doesn’t want something too isolated. </p>
<p>Visiting tip: If you’re eating on campus, I thought the Lynx Lair was the best option, but I have no idea how good the Rat is now that it’s been renovated. If you’re eating off campus, I highly recommend Central BBQ. Cafe Eclectic and Young Avenue Deli are also pretty good.</p>
<p>Yikes! There are just so many terrific schools out there, including many that I had never even heard of before coming to CC. DS takes his first SAT on January 26th, so I think at this point I am going to make sure he scores in the range that I expect before getting too ahead of myself. First things first, right? Many thanks to all who have weighed in. I will keep you posted :).</p>
<p>Have you looked at Emory?</p>
<p>Your son has strong stats which gives him lots of possibilities. How about these? (I’ve never posted here before so I hope the links work!)</p>
<p>University of South Carolina
[Non-Resident</a> | University of South Carolina](<a href=“Apply Now - Office of Undergraduate Admissions | University of South Carolina”>Apply Now - Office of Undergraduate Admissions | University of South Carolina)</p>
<p>University of Richmond (has high fees but good aid, both merit aid and financial aid for higher income families).
[Richmond</a> Scholars - University of Richmond](<a href=“http://scholars.richmond.edu/]Richmond”>http://scholars.richmond.edu/)</p>
<p>University of Texas Dallas “Students receiving any level of AES award may qualify for in-state tuition and fee charges, regardless of their resident status.”
[Academic</a> Excellence Scholarship - Office of Undergraduate Education - The University of Texas at Dallas](<a href=“http://oue.utdallas.edu/aes/]Academic”>http://oue.utdallas.edu/aes/)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>