My 16 yr old son is a junior, B/B+ (Weighted 3.4) student- taking 2 honors and 2 AP classes. He is trying to bring up his grade point average. I would like for him to go out of state for college. We are from New Orleans. He plays football, soccer and baseball. He is super athletic and likes the outdoors and nature. When I ask him what he thinks he wants to major in, he says he’s not sure but he likes numbers. Maybe finance, accounting, engineering or business. My budget is approx. 25-30K a yr for tuition/fees, so we would hopefully get some merit and need based aid to help out.
Ideally looking for:
medium size
academically challenging college/university
somewhere that allows for outdoor activities ( hiking, biking, fishing, snowboarding)
isn’t too frigid
has a higher graduation rate
has a good percentage of other OOS students
Has some spirit and a football team
I understand that it’s probably impossible to get everything I want on my list of wants, but maybe I can get the majority. I feel the opportunity of outdoor activities/sports will give him the balance he needs to be happy and thrive. I also think it helps curb partying and emphasis on Greek life. I am looking for suggestions, thoughts or hidden gems.
I know UC Boulder checks several boxes but it’s so expensive and doesn’t offer much aid to OOS students.
So far I was starting to look at:
App State (but not a lot of OOS students and far from airports)
CSU Fort Collins
U of Utah ( not sure about the social aspect of this college as we are not Mormon. We are Jewish. Also it’s known as a commuter school)
Elon
UNC Asheville (don’t know much about this school)
Virginia Tech?
Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
Texas State in San Marcos, Texas or University of Texas at San Antonio.
You should run the NPC calculators for Elon & Virginia Tech, because they don’t give much merit aid.
I agree that your son will have to bring up the GPA for any significant merit aid consideration. Does he plan to take the SAT or ACT?
What about your in-state colleges?
App State is outdoorsy and has spirit & football team (not much merit but could be an option with need-based aid).
UNC Asheville is also located in an outdoorsy area, but I’m not sure it’s very sport-focused.
Western Carolina University - they have a tuition promise program, school spirit, a football team and are located in the NC Mountains.
University of Tennessee (Knoxville) - they do give merit, but GPA would have to be higher.
Eastern Carolina University - lots of sports & school spirit (not sure about merit - also kind of known as a party school)
University of Kentucky?
It’s your budget - and Jewish combined - I’m having a hard time with.
Jewish - too big - but Alabama is a school he can get into. Merit will be based on ACT. It has a large Jewish population. Engineering is brutal - will be anywhere.
College of Charleston - doesn’t have football nor engineering. The reality is a B student will struggle in engineering. Likely won’t make budget.
Miami Ohio - but again, the grades will hit the budget.
Bama is the best college I can think of but it’s big - it does have the Jewish population.
There’s lots of OOS schools he can get into but not necessarily hit budget. How important is Judaism? If you’re looking for a school with some Jewish life but not overwhelming, you can try U of Kentucky?
U of Kansas has a big Jewish population but again is a big school. Iowa another big school with some Jewish presence.
Florida schools have a large Jewish presence. FAU is large but will hit budget. FGCU is smaller - and has less majors and less Jews…but is mid size - there is football at the first but not the second. U of Tampa is a lower cost private - but no engineering (or football) - solid Jewish pop.
As for your list, App State has little Jewish life. CSU could work as could Utah. (small Jewish but not as mormon as you think). Elon - run the net price calculator - do you have need? If not, you will not come close to budget. Actually, run the net price calculator for a school like U of Miami - they meet 100% need and that would give us a better answer as to if you have need. Many think they have need but per colleges they don’t - just a desire not to spend (which is what matters…it’s what I had. No need but a budget as u do).
Va Tech - huge - size and population but gorgeous - but HUGE. No shot honestly and you won’t come close to budget. Same with CU Boulder.
UNCA is a 2+2 with N C State - so you’d have to move half way (in engineering). No football but it would meet your needs otherwise.
Unless your son is strong in sciences and math - engineering is unlikely. 50%+ end up dropping out.
Good luck.
This is a great thread but maybe you want to go to to later pages.
Colleges for the Jewish “B” student (Part 1) - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums
If a star athlete may he be recruitable in any sport? That would change everything
With respect to outdoor activities, this site may be helpful:
University of dayton, gives good merit has a business and engineering major. No football team but hear they do fairly well in basketball. Have a high graduation rate and are also rated to have some of the happiest students. It’s is a Catholic university though, so not sure how that would sit with a Jewish student?
If your son is recruitable for sports this changes everything, and puts it into a category that I know nothing about.
Otherwise I am thinking that you might want to include some in-state public schools in your list as backups in case the budget does not work out at out-of-state universities.
Merit will be hard OOS, my kids with one b got out of state merit at OOS publics but usually it brought it down to around $35,000ish at best, and they had high test scores as well. It’s so competitive these days due to crazy college costs. My < 3.9 kids went instate.
I’m in NC and I agree with several other posters. Western Carolina would be good to look at if he likes mountains. North Carolina limits out of state students to just 18% of the student body for the public schools, though, but WCU is good for a B student and the tuition should be affordable. Not sure how their Jewish life is, but it’s just a regular old college so there is probably some Jewish presence there. Maybe? It’s pretty rural.
AppState would probably be a hard admit from OOS and the money is not a great, but otherwise it would fit the bill. They looooove their football there.
I don’t think UNC-Asheville sounds like a fit. It’s more edgy/hippie for lack of a better word.
East Carolina could be good if he likes water. It’s not right on the coast, but the Tar River runs through town and out to the Pamlico Sound. Huge sports school.
If you can make the finances work Elon could be good. Not sure if they have a football team? If they do it’s small. I mean I live 30 minutes from Elon and I never hear about the Elon football team.
There is thread for B students for 2023 here: Parents of the HS Class of 2023 3.0-3.4 You might get some helpful tips there. Just be sure to state your budget.
You might look at Coastal Carolina in South Carolina near Myrtle Beach.
Utah should be a decent target school. You can get the instate tuition rate (~$10K instead of ~$30K) after the first year by staying over the summer.
It’s not that Mormon in SLC, D has no problem as a liberal atheist. It’s particularly good for outdoorsy students. There are a lot of OOS students (heading for 40% and targeting 50% in the next few years), so the commuter reputation is only a thing for local students (most of the state’s population lives within 90 minutes). Campus does empty out on weekends, but that’s because everyone heads to the mountains for skiing in the winter or hiking and climbing in the fall. The main exception is football games which are a big deal since there’s no NFL team to follow.
U of Arizona is a great school. Check out ASU too. I know you said you want out of state but LSU respected. 'Bama is great option too. Good luck!
I sent you a private message. Look for the green circle in the upper right hand of the screen.
While the U of Utah is a great school, in a great location, and is only about 1/3 Mormon now (SLC itself is less than half Mormon now; in fact, is becoming in some ways more like Seattle and Portland, OR), there are very, very few college-aged Jews there. Those who are raised there dash out of there the minute they finish high school, and virtually no Jewish kids move there for college. There is some Jewish life for all other stages of life, but not for college kids, and not really for young singles, either.
Thanks for the input. Baja is LSU’s rival so that’s a tough sell:)
We toured Tulane and LSU. Daughter hated Tulane. Kind of dumpy. Loved loved loved LSU. It’s very nice.
We called the Hillel director. He works for the state.
He said there are a few Jews. Contrast that with Hillel says they have 200. He said no clue where they get that #. It’s a small, inactive community. That bummed my daughter.
My son is at Bama. They have 1k jewish kids. Bloom Hillel is huge, active. They have a river walk, sailing club and other outdoor activities.
My son isn’t active but for the first time he’s comfortable as a Jewish student. U see Hillel shirts, bags etc all over. I’ve seen I’m restaurants etc.
Also with a 3.5 a great act Bama = low cost. Engineering and business are strong. Engineering has a new campus.
There are schools to meet your #. But not with Jewish presence. And/or engineering. LSU does not meet the Jewish part unfortunately.
I’d try to send him to an engineering session this summer. A week or two. Most engineers drop out.let him see if he can handle the math etc. a b student will likely struggle.
The big thing is to determine need. You mentioned Elon. They just started engineering 3 years ago. Gorgeous school. Wont hit the price but maybe u have need. Do the NPC to see.
But I’d rather you do a MIAMI or Cornell…not to apply but to see how much need u really have as they meet 100%.
Let me know if u need help. U can message me.
I understand the sports thing. But this is now real life and u have requirements and budgets.
Looking back at Florida a school like Stetson has every major you mentioned minus engineering. It’s one of the 3/2 types. It does have a Jewish population. They do give aid and has all different type of scholarships- some are for volunteer not academic. Certainly access to outdoor stuff and stunning campus.
I would say Rollins too but it would be harder to get into and the cost is more. They are generous with scholarship money. Similar majors to Stetson. Same 3/2 with engineering and even more beautiful campus. Yes re: Jewish experiences on campus.
I saw someone mention UM. I can tell you and my husband is on faculty at the med school that it is getting harder and harder to get in there and will be a teacher school for sure. The athletics are top notch so if not truly recruitable for sports that may be an issue.
Looking at some of the northern LACs like Muhlenberg might also be helpful.
I mentioned UM. Not for admission. It’s not possible. Solely for the net price calculator as a school that meets 100% of need so that the OP can understand the financial position in regard to aid. I would do a second as well such as Cornell.
I also mentioned doing Elon since OP mentioned it. They don’t meet need.
Here are some ideas for you to consider. I don’t know what kind of Jewish community exists at any of the schools, but suspect Kentucky is less religiously diverse than the West Coast schools below:
Murray State in Kentucky
Humboldt State (soon to be Cal Poly Humboldt) in California - not a great graduation rate, but the new reinvention as another Cal Poly may help with that
Oregon State - bigger than the others, but feels smaller — especially in the Business department, where they have a TON of structured advising and support for first-year students. It’s kind of a unique program worth a more in-depth look
All of the schools offer great sports opportunities and school spirit.
Oregon State would be above budget. Cal Poly Humboldt is cheaper but incredibly remote and not a football school.
Seems to me like you’ll need to compromise on something. Might help if you give some ranking of the different criteria. Is outdoor more important than football? What about Jewish life?