Looking for colleges with Equine/Equestrian Majors for my D24 [AK resident, 4.0, 33, 1380, <$40k]

Mt Holyoke often gets recommended because of their equestrian facilities and their team. But they don’t offer a major in equine science. :cry:

Unfortunately Cali schools are a no go because she hasn’t taken a year of visual or fine arts.

So, the major in equine science is a must-have then? If it is, many of the schools with active IHSA teams don’t have an official equine science major. I guess that brings me back to the questions I asked earlier:

As I was driving from dropping my daughter off at Miami University in Ohio I saw its large equestrian center and I thought of this thread. I searched the schools website its states that they have a very good equestrian with 50 horses. No Equine major but in its website says The zoology major can be tailored to meet the needs of students interested in the health sciences, animal physiology, cell and molecular biology, ecology or environmental studies, or evolution and systematics. It is possible to complete a Zoology Major while earning either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science.

Miami has about 18,000 undergrads and with her stats could probably get merit money to reduce the costs to 25K a year.

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It might be too small, but has she looked into Centenary University in New Jersey. They offer a team and a number of equine majors. Few people realize that there are many horse farms and facilities (some amazing training and rehab facilities) in New Jersey and the tri-state area.

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Is it within budget? If so, or if CPP (Cal Poly Pomona) is of interest, can she obtain the one year of visual or performing arts senior year?

Doesn’t have to be an equine science MAJOR but it does have to be equine related. So for example, some schools have an animal science major with an equine focus.

The coursework needs to be equine-related. Being on a team is not as important as studying something horse-related. However, having a team is usually indicative of a strong program.

Varsity or IHSA is ok, although she doesn’t have her own horse so I’m not sure if varsity programs are ok with that. I’m not at all familiar with how they work whereas I know IHSA does not require horse ownership.

Thanks!! Can’t wait to see what you come back with!

Nope. She’s in her senior year and dropped her art class so she could make time for an internship in a vet clinic. Our high schools only offer 6 periods so it is really hard to fit it all in.

It’s a little small, but she’s looking into it :grinning:

Thanks for the additional info. In the schools from Oberlin through IUP, these are the schools that I hadn’t already delved deeper into that seem to have some good possibilities for your D:

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If your daughter is still interested in the UK has she considered Aberystwyth University on the west Wales coast? It has degrees in equine science, some with additional related aspects. It has about 10,000 students with undergrads forming the majority ( over 8,000 ).
Happy hunting.

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Well, I have a bit of egg on my face (or maybe saying I stepped into some horse poo would be a better expression). I didn’t realize until reading a different thread here on CC that University of Kentucky also has a requirement for one year of high school art! Never thought Kentucky would care about art! The requirement is strangely worded: “History and appreciation of visual and performing arts or another arts course that incorporates such content“. Hummm. We’ll be contacting the admissions counselor about that one to find out exactly what counts and then see what it might take to fill the requirement.

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Often a state flagship’s admission requirements mimic its state standard for a hs diploma. As long your D is meeting her state’s standard to receive a hs diploma, I wouldn’t worry about a missing art credit since she’s an oos applicant.

https://education.ky.gov/curriculum/hsgradreq/Pages/default.aspx

Are there colleges that have moved on to the list, off the list? Are you still looking for additional possibilities? Colleges that were considered and then discarded? Any additional info would be great (including rationales if more help is still needed).

I think it’s worth a call to ask - and sometimes a class can be done in the summer b4 or a may mester at a college. Or in Spring.

I don’t think it will eliminate you - or at least you’ll have a way to catch up to it.

Let us know what you find out.

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Okay, I continued going down the list from post 16:

Kansas State : About 15k undergrads. There are a plethora of majors in its College of Agriculture, but perhaps Animal Sciences and Industry might be of the greatest interest, but no matter her major, she can get a Certificate in Equine Science. And an honors program is available. In surveys of which colleges are happiest, K-State usually makes the list.

Ohio U. : About 18k undergrads here. It offers an Associate’s degree in Equine Studies, so the coursework is there. She could consider a Specialized Studies Major to individualize her own major or might consider a Biology major through the Tutorial College with a more specialized focus on equines. The school’s Honors Tutorial College is also well-respected. And like at all Ohio publics, tuition is frozen for four years, so no 4-5% increases every year.

U. of Delaware : About 19k undergrads here. It has a major in Animal Biosciences where, “Students will develop expertise in the interest area of their choice.” It also has a major in Animal Science and a minor in Equine Science (indicative to me that an equine concentration within one of the majors is likely). About 11% of each incoming class is invited to the honors college, which includes benefits like its own living learn community, priority registration, etc.

ETA (skipped around the list):

If your daughter prefers a more intimate experience, U. of Minnesota – Crookston might be a possibility. There are 2300 undergrads here and it offers a major in Equine Science and an honors program. There are no grad students, so that means no grad students teaching classes or getting coveted research opportunities. There is no additional cost for out-of-state residents, so tuition, room & board would be about $23k before any scholarships. This would be an extremely likely admit and guaranteed to meet budget.

Slightly larger is U. of Wisconsin – River Falls with about 4800 undergrads. It offers an Animal Science-Equine major. It also has several honors programs which might interest your daughter. Sticker would probably be less than $25k, and I’d expect your D to get merit aid, too.

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My good friend’s daughter is a senior in the equine major at Colorado State. She has had a phenomenal experience. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have and think it would fit your daughter’s requirements well. Plus Fort Collins is a great small city.

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While they are great schools, I think a student coming from so far away really needs to think about the “suitcase school” phenomenon. Small school, many commuters, many of the non-commuters living close, and being in a small town can be isolating on weekends. Especially long weekends/short breaks when a student from further away is unable to go home.

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I definitely agree about figuring out the vibe and suitcase nature of a school. It’s one of the things that’s so useful about CC…people live all over, so there’s often someone with more area expertise.

UW-River Falls is reported as having 84% of first year students living on-campus and is described as a residential campus. Whether they go home on the weekends or not, no clue. @ScouterMomof3 or @prezbucky might have some insight.

With respect to UM-Crookston, it’s classified as a residential campus, but on the College Board’s website it lists 0% of first year students living on campus. But looking at a map of the campus, there are very clearly centrally-located dorms. So, that’s one that would need more investigation. Perhaps @fiftyfifty1 might know more?

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I would be concerned about UM-Crookston for this student. It does have dorms, so students do live on campus, but enrollment is down to ~1400 undergrads I believe. Very isolated location and draws mainly locally. Nearest airport would be Fargo, 1hr 15 minutes away. Nearest hub airport would be Mpls/St. Paul over 5 hours away.

UW-River Falls would be somewhat better. Mpls/St. Paul about 45 min away. But yes, has the potential to have a “suitcase” vibe.

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