My experience with Rowan is that there is something for every kind of student. There are the honors and engineering kids winning awards and getting great jobs, but there are also kids that are happy just to have the chance to go to college and graduate. Classes are small and professors are accessible. Maybe Rutgers is like that? I don’t know. I double majored at Rutgers, with one major in a small department and one in a big one. Every professor in the small department knew my name. No one in the big department did.
When I visited TCNJ with D18, it seemed intense. And I remember meeting other parents on tours who also talked about how the kids there seemed stressed. But I really like that students take four classes a semester. I think that would better for D23.
They’re not local but perhaps a block college like Colorado (a reach) or Cornell in Iowa could work ? One class at a time. I know that’s not the right geography. Or an on line school ?? Or two years at a community college so she can be home and ease into the stress of college?
Different colleges have different vibes no doubt. I was simply trying to say that just because it’s smaller or not the flagship doesn’t necessarily make it easier or less stressful, that’s all.
I went there what feels like many moons ago. I believe you can enter as undeclared and choose a major later… Unless that has changed since I left. In terms of costs, I have no clue what it costs these days, but when I went there, York was cheaper than Penn State, but more expensive than the official state schools. I have no clue how it fairs today.
I don’t know the New Jersey publics well. But I do know that as of Ramapo’s last CDS, it had no classes with more than 50 students. @fiftyfifty1 mentioned that Ramapo is part of the National Student Exchange which,
Based on her interests I would also take a look at Stockton. For her interests you may want to look at U. of New Haven (CT) and Roger Williams (RI), but I don’t know if those will run over budget. Also, take a look at Susquehanna. And maybe LeMoyne in Syracuse.
Edited to add the name of the NJ public. I must have been super tired when I first posted!
Maybe look at Monmouth? They have a B.S. in Marine and Environmental Biology. I grew up in NJ and was thinking about NJ schools for my daughter, and I seem to recall reading good things about Monmouth on here, but can’t find it now. Great location in any event! Montclair might also be worth considering - they have a program in Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences. Also in a very nice area. It doesn’t fit with your desire to keep her closer, but Eckerd in Florida might also be a good fit - people whose kids have gone there say very good things about Eckerd here on CC and it seems to be a relatively relaxed place. If you just think of Florida as kind of a southern annex of NJ . . .
William Paterson is in Wayne, NJ. I’m not recommending it at all.
It just came out when I said just because it’s not the flagship, like a TCNJ, Rowan or William Paterson, it doesn’t mean it’ll be less intensive than Rutgers.
That is Colorado College, not “Colorado” (U of Colorado @ boulder). CC is a very hard admit and usually the price does not come down enough to be under $20k for OOS students (instate get an instate price even though it is a private college, plus get a few other grants under state programs.
Yes CC. What I was referencing. I was pointing out the system and perhaps there’s one close. I just know of CC and Iowa’s Cornell. It was just a system example that might work. Not one to be considered
Agree with you checking out Stockton and this year they had a summer work program in Atlantic City, with housing. It has to be easier to navigate than Rutgers!
