<p>Thanks for the suggestions - she doesn't want to consider any all women's schools. I am trying to think of some midsize colleges/universities - East/midEast. All of the ones we chose seem to be so selective - great LACs but small with high rejection rates. I want this to be a "good" experience for her - not a stressful one with many rejections to be received. Any suggestions for these? She has a 3.5 UW 3.9 W avg. Great all around ECs and 2010 on new SAT. Also, sports team captain next year. Ugh - this is so overwhelming! Of course I am not sharing any of these feelings with her - thus my entry on this blog.</p>
<p>Thanks Carolyn. There are three on the list he is looking at plus Santa Clara. I can't speak to the under grad program there, but my husband did about half the MBA program before stopping and he really liked the profs and the school. Nice campus, very clean and beautiful. Plans are in the works for a new and beautiful library to open in 2008. Its at their website.</p>
<p>Screen name: lanemom
Is your junior male or female: male
Home state: Massachusetts
Preferred geographical location for college: East coast between Boston and D.C. (but not Mass.)
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Seems to prefer schools in the 3,000 to 5,000 range, but would consider larger. Most important is that students live on campus, stay there on weekends, and have a variety of weekend activities.
Child's possible academic interests: undecided but leaning toward business
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Bucknell, Colgate, Lehigh, Penn, Villanova, Georgetown, GW, American, USMA (West Point)
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): USMA, Bucknell, Lehigh, Penn, Villanova, and Union (just walked around campus on a Sunday)</p>
<p>Sweet, Santa Clara has a very good undergraduate education program. In my mind, it is almost an LAC, but, of course, it is really a small university with masters programs. The kids that I've met who go to Santa Clara seem very happy and challenged. A very similar school you might want to also look at is the University of San Diego.</p>
<p>Hi Carolyn,
I know of a special ed teacher, her husband also teaches grade school too, they sent both there son and daughter to Santa Clara, she really likes the school. Its close to our home. The time I spent in the school bookstore, walking around campus with hubby the kids did indeed look happy. The class I saw as I was passing by was small, set up was nice with the students arranged in a u shape tiered set up around the profs desk. It was about 20 or so kids and all looked pretty attentive to the prof. That was a while back though. The students I saw outside were on a patio area talking, studying and eating lunch. Inside the doorway nearby I saw a fabulous sandwich/muffin counter. And if you search the San Jose Mercury news you might see the article about the food. Its supposed to be great, all fresh, cooked on site. It was in the paper in the last two weeks.</p>
<p>But I think Santa Clara carries an excellent reputation around the bay area and state. I certainly liked the responses I got from the head of housing and dining when i spoke to them this month about our s and some accomodations he will need.</p>
<p>Screen name: norcalcoastmom
Is your junior male or female: female
Home state: California
Preferred geographical location for college: Initially it was CA, however horizons are expanding. The idea of being away from the ocean, sun, and a liberal college town is hard for my D to imagine at this point...but she definitely wants to go away! She's been looking at places like FL, HA, OR and WA (with the last 2 getting minuses for weather)...but starting to realize that such narrow geo/weather criteria might rule out better choices...so, she's starting to expand her search....visits to off the grid places might help (?) </p>
<p>Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Initially was looking at larger schools, but is now seriously gravitating towards smaller LACs. Has decided that she likes the idea of smaller, prof taught classes; wants a decent social environment as well, i.e.: students that live on campus, stay there on weekends, and have a variety of weekend activities...In a college influenced town would be another plus. Not drawn towards big urban settings.
Child's possible academic interests: Leaning strongly towards psychology, with a fine arts minor; also interested in english, journalism and communications. Definitely wants a school with a strong study abroad program.
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Initially : UCSB, UC Davis, CSUSD, Cal Poly, U of Oregon, U of Hawaii. Lately: Scripps, Occidental, Loyola Marymont, Lewis and Clark, University of Puget Sound, Willamette, and Eckerd (first back east school she's looked at seriously). At this point, Eckerd, Lewis and Clark and Loyola Marymont are at the top of her ever changing list.
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there):
Santa Clara, UCSC, Cal Poly, UOP.</p>
<p>Can you give us an idea of her stats so we can make some more targeted suggestions?
If she likes Lewis & Clark and Eckerd, she might also like schools like Beloit, Earlham, Goucher, Wesleyan, Skidmore, Vassar, Clark. If she likes Loyola Marymount, she might also like Gonzaga, Fairfiled, Fordham, Loyola Maryland. In warmer climes, she might also take a look at U of Miami, Trinity U, and Southwestern College. For journalism, try Syracuse. Larger school but excellent for journalism.
I'm sure others will have some more ideas but these are just the schools that jump out in my mind as possibilities to look at.</p>
<p>stats are: (currently finishing jr. yr.)
GPA- 3.8 (UW): all honors english, only 1 AP though (european hist., got a B ), but so far has completed 4 community college courses (U.S.Hist., journalism, psychology, Spanish: all A's).
Class rank- top 15%<br>
Honors: CSF(CA scholarship fed, honor roll equiv) Fr., Soph, Jr. yrs.
All county h.s. poetry award winner: soph. yr.
SAT: no scores as yet-just took 1st SAT(new test), but didn't think she did well. Not a great tester, particularly in math. Will retake, plus: SAT 2s in Literature and Spanish this fall.</p>
<pre><code>Will be attending a 1 month intensive Spanish abroad program through the same local college this summer. Taking an AP art class sr. yr. -hopes to complete a portfolio.
EC's: volunteers at a local tutoring/homework center (last 3 yrs.), Head Start volunteer, 1 month in Mexico: volunteer work at a daycare center for underprivileged children (while attending an art /language program in San Miquel de Allende).
Will be volunteering in a children's center in Mexico for 1 mo. again this summer as well.
Has been involved in a few other EC's that haven't been as consistent, i.e. JV volleyball and club volleyball (2 yrs.), and a few school clubs (Interact- comm. service based).
</code></pre>
<p>If basing on current stats alone, most of the schools shes currently looking at are a definite reach.</p>
<p>Actually, her GPA is above the average for Lewis & Clark and Loyola Marymount. I think it is for Eckerd as well but can't recall off the top of my head. Of course, it's hard to say without her test scores, but I'd say L&C is a match, Eckerd a match leaning towards a safety, and Loyola Marymount a safety. I think she has a very realistic list developing. Can't really comment on her chances at the UC's without test scores and knowing her UC GPA but I would say UCSC is well within range. I don't really see any schools on the list you've mentioned that are unrealistic reaches. She's doing a good job of picking out a wide range of schools - once those test scores are in, she should be able to start narrowing things down.</p>
<p>motheroftwo girls,
other east coast artsy schools with good academics are Bard College and (less selective) Goucher. Clark University is also known for psychology.</p>
<p>Screen name: Iggal
Junior twin boys - but this info is just for one of them
Geographic location: California, near San Francisco
Preferred college location: Below the Mason-Dixon Line or California
Type: ideal rural/suburban but urban all right if campus has enough open space, flexible as to size, prefer small to mid-sized
Possible major: business or political science
Colleges desired: Claremont-McKenna, Davidson, the top 4 U.C.'s, Cal Poly
Colleges visited: U.C.'s, Cal Poly, Claremont-McKenna, Pepperdine, Vanderbilt, Duke, Emory, Washington and Lee, Davidson, Rice, Furman</p>
<p>S's problem is overextending himself with too many courses and activities so that GPA is not too good. Test scores and e.c.'s are fine. I'm predicting he'll end up at Davis, which I find perfectly acceptable, especially given the cost of the privates (financial aid not an option).</p>
<p>You might also want to check out Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Great size (2000 students), undergrad focus, beautiful campus in a great city, very strong for both business and political science. They are also quite generous with financial aid and merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Thanks, Carolyn - We must be on the same wavelength, because I have that school on our safety list for those very reasons (also student satisfaction seems high there). We couldn't fit a visit in this year, but S interviewed with a Rep last Fall. He plans to visit next spring if he doesn't get into one of his first two choices.</p>
<p>Iggal - he should also look at Rhodes in Memphis, they are known to generous with merit aid, would be excited to get someone from CA who really ants to go South, and Memphis is still something of an airhub here (although it may be more N to S, rather than east to west).</p>
<p>Iggal, Our so. Cal. high school has sent several kids to Trinity over the past few years, including the son of our head college counselor. Reports I've heard back are very, very positive. If you get interested in hearing a first hand report from someone who has visited and whose son almost choose Trinity, PM Arizonamom. She still speaks kind of wi****lly about Trinity, even though he ended up very happy at Pomona. Also, collegiatechoice.com has an excellent video walking tour of the Trinity campus that made my daughter want to go visit, even though she's looking for a "quirkier" school. I've kept it in the back of my mind for my soon-to-be-hs-sophmore son. </p>
<p>And I second Cangel's mention of Rhodes - excellent school. Another nice school in the south, with great merit money, is Hendrix. That one has, apparently, made my daughter's list and we'll probabably visit in the fall at some point.</p>
<p>hi. This is my first post but I have gained so much info reading CC posts this past month--thanks to all of you! Here goes:</p>
<p>screen name: Bookmom
my junior ('07) is female; GPA 4.8 wtd, top 10%
geographic location: central Illinois
preferred college location: Midwest, mid-Atlantic, South
college type: LAC or smallish university, suburban or rural near larger<br>
city; artsy feel with liberal leaning
possible major: Psychology or psych with soc, thinking law or psych grad studies; with art minor
colleges on list: Wash U St L, Grinnell, Beloit, Earlham, Lawrence, Macalaster, Oberlin, Ursinus, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Eckerd, Lake Forest; safety: U of ILL
colleges visited: planned for this summer--WUSL, Lake Forest, Knox; IL Wesleyan; this fall--Beloit, Lawrence, Earlham; next spring--Grinnell, Oberlin, Wooster, Centre</p>
<p>I went to Case Western but D isn't interested; will be 'dragging' her frosh sibling to some visits (hoping to reduce trips in 2 yrs!). D being a white female, middle class with good GPA and probable good test scores this coming year--all of which seem to make her the most common type of applicant--I worry what will set her apart as so many similar students on these boards seem to be wait-listed at the top LACs. Hard to know what is a safety vs a match!</p>
<p>bookmom, this has certainly been said before, but why not toss in a few schools where your D's "type" is in shorter supply? For example, a school like Johns Hopkins might want more liberal arts kids since it draws so many scientists.</p>
<p>SBmom, you're right--I think D will need to look more 'outside the box'--esp since the FA package may well be the deciding factor. We have her T&F prepaid for a state school (529) but of course she wants an LAC. My ex will only go $3-4K per yr toward her college and I have ygr adopted D to cover on my own down the road. Jr D seems to think her academics will get her by and has only limited ECs, but at least she is gung ho about them. We'll need to spread our net, college-wise.</p>