Any recent experiences with Millersville or Kutztown for out of state students? Both schools are the size my daughter is looking for, affordable, close and have the appropriate major. Neither get much conversation on here and the NICHE reviews are so mixed. The freshman retention rates are high for both but 4 year graduation rates are not. Although she has high stats, she is looking for more of a family feel, low pressure environment in the 6,000 student range. She would apply to the Honors College at both.
Thank you!
We toured both with our S17, although he attended neither. I think academically, Millersville is the better best, unless maybe for education. I think Kutztown has a bigger party rep. Dorms at Millersville are really. We loved the campus.
Among kids at school (I’m in PA) Millersville is usually the better option for the type of student you are describing. Students who have gone there have enjoyed it and done well.
In PA, a lower graduation rate is often due to finances. We are not all that great as a state helping our students financially.
Kutztown is good for Art and education.
Other majors, I’d pick Millersville.
Outside looking at the differences in majors (I think Kutztown has a big Criminal Justice program as well) it really comes down to where she feels the best fit is. What is she planning on Majoring in? Did you look at West Chester and St Joes? St Joes can be pretty generous with Merit Aid for high stat kids.
She will be majoring in Communication Studies and Public Health. We did look at WestChester and it was too big, and we ruled out St. Joe’s for personal reasons. We also looked at the smaller PA liberal arts schools, but she really feels comfortable in that 6,000 - 8,000 student population and we are finding that really hard to locate. Thank you!
If her stats make it possible for her to get into a college such as Denison or Dickinson, run the NPC as they have much better resources, despite being smaller. It’d be too bad to remove strong colleges from consideration juste because of size when otherwise they might be a better academic and/or financial fit.
If, after review and running the NPC, they don’t work, cross them out.
For that size, also look at SUNY Geneseo.
Reaches: Case Western, URochester.
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We toured Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Gettysburg and unfortunately not feeling the liberal arts vibe. It’s too bad, since her stats would provide so much merit. But she just didn’t like the size and many of the smaller LAC do not even have a Communications major or a radio station/college Tv, which is important to her.
At LACS communication is often under a different name.
However if she’s mostly interested in the production side, look into Ithaca and Rowan, both of which are well known for this. One Suny also (forgot which one though 
…Oneonta? OSWEGO? New Paltz?)
Rather than cutting due to size, cut due to presence of a radiostation, TV station, or production unit?
The problem is that from stronger, better resourced schools she’ll have more opportunities. Or if not well resourced school at least colleges with a well known program in communication & production like Ithaca and Rowan).
If she wants to stay local, the reference that will overshadow all PASSHE schools is Bellisario at Penn State.
(PASSHE funding is a HUGE issue. They used to be excellent schools and a great deal. Then the state progressively cut funding from about 80% to currently about 25%… Seeing they’d be more and more reliant on tuition dollars some passhe leaders decided to build fancy dorms, forgetting those are primarily working class colleges so fancy dorms won’t solve the problem of attractivity and cost - big scholarships might have but that ship has sailed; since the state kept cutting and cutting the budget, Passhe schools are currently being restructured, aiming at remaining viable. They still offer good programs in some areas and continue to be a solid choice for "directional"level/non selective 4-year colleges but the lack of funding and its impact remain.)
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I also recommend Rowan. Their communications department is great. It’s larger than her desired range, but class sizes are small. My son just graduated and never had a class larger than 30. Much smaller feel than the undergrad number suggest. You don’t mention stats, but they do give some merit and have an honors college.
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You’ll have trouble beating Rowan for reputation in communications unless you look at options like Syracuse (which isn’t within your geographic range-- unless I’m off about where you live).
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