<p>I believe Mass is trying to develop a state LAC … which should be a small school at a state school price … not sure of the name or status but you may want to check into this.</p>
<p>I think this is the LAC you are referring to 3togo.<br>
[Main</a> | Welcome to MCLA](<a href=“http://www.mcla.edu/]Main”>http://www.mcla.edu/)
And actually, it looks very affordable, even for OOS.</p>
<p>Definitely not near Boston though.</p>
<p>The OP has to be concerned about sending her D to a low-cost OOS school if it is mostly commuter/suitcase and mostly instate students. Her D will quickly feel alone on many nights and weekends when the others frequenty go home.</p>
<p>The problem with many low cost OOS schools is that they ARE commuter/suitcase. Even if the school has a req’t that frosh live on campus, if most are from the region, they will frequently go home especially if the campus has few things to hold the kids on weekends…like sports to watch, etc.</p>
<p>^agree. I know kids who have transferred from MA state schools because of that issue, “everyone” went home on weekends. Although, I have to wonder how many kids could go home if school is located in North Adams, it is not heavily populated and I think this LAC draws from out of the local area.</p>
<p>I have a friend who had the same suitcase experience at Colby-Sawyer (one of the NE private schools that is receptive to weaker students). “Everybody” went home on the weekend. He was five hours from home. He transferred out for that reason. Suitcase life is an issue at directionals, and seems also to be an issue at the private schools that are at the lower end of the academic competitiveness scale.</p>
<p>It seems like the priority for this student is to decide whether a specialized BFA art program is better for her than a humanities-based BA. By the fall of 12th grade, she should have enough of her studio art portfolio together to reveal whether she really has options in that field. If she has artistic talent, and is not a strong academic, it’s a very important decision. Just jumping on the bandwagon with everybody who seems to be going away the fall after 12th grade, might not produce the best long-term outcome here.</p>
<p>Again, time at community college would permit her to advance her portfolio, make a more mature decision between the BFA and BA, render the SAT/ACT irrelevant, potentially make her a candidate for more prestigious schools as a transferee, and conserve funds for more expensive transfer destinations. Her diploma and the gpa on her resume would be from the place she transfers to.</p>
<p>I agree with all the posters who’ve recommended beginning at a local community college.</p>
<p>Some of the art schools mentioned on this thread may be proprietary (for-profit) institutions. Caveat emptor. The proprietary sector of higher ed has a notorious record of charging good money but offering little by way of instruction and placement. One might argue that they prey upon people who have limited admissions options at the traditional nonprofit schools.</p>
<p>mamom … that was the one … it sounds pretty interesting</p>
<p>State of residency? If Texas, a high enough class rank get gain admission to Texas public universities without needing good test scores.</p>
<p>Also, some students do better on the ACT than the SAT.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input. I did find a list of schools awarding merit scholarships (for us Art)</p>
<p>[Colleges</a> and Universities That Award Merit Aid - Graphic - NYTimes.com](<a href=“Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid - Graphic - NYTimes.com”>Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid - Graphic - NYTimes.com)</p>
<p>Has anyone heard of Landmark College in VT? [Landmark</a> College](<a href=“http://www.landmark.edu/]Landmark”>http://www.landmark.edu/)</p>
<p>Landmark was profiled in the NY Times educations section last year. It’s a college-type program dedicated to LD students. You should be able to find it via Google. Since she’s in an LD program already, I assume she’s getting time accommodations on her standardized testing. If not, that process should start ASAP-- you will need to supply lots of documentation to the college board. You’ll get a sense of how she will do on the SAT when she takes the PSAT that many schools give to sophomores. Check out the ACT as well, some kids do better on that, though the math section is very deep. My child has benefited from medication but that’s also a process that takes a lot of time. Just about any student will do better on these tests with a course and/or private tutor. Many states (like NY) have junior colleges and CCs within the public system that allow the opportunity to live in a dorm and experience college life. Another option to explore is post-high school education–many boarding schools offer the chance to do an extra year. Some Gap-year programs are more academic than others too.</p>