<p>Please help find my son a school. He plays 3 Varsity sports and has traveled all summer for them so he has little time.</p>
<p>He attends a challenging private High School in Virginia. He has a 3.8 with about half honors (AP Chem last year) and half regular. His SAT is 1310 - 750 Math 560 Verbal.</p>
<p>He is outgoing, social, laid back, funny, very athletic and a very nice kid. He mainly loves sports, but is looking to do more in college. He does want to attend the most academically challenging place possible, but one where he will have a good, traditional college experience. </p>
<p>He's actually surprised me at how driven he is now - he really wants some good reach schools. He thinks he doesn't want a school under 5000, but I'd like for him to consider smaller LAC that fit his personality. (Has a daughter at a huge school and tired of the pitfalls). </p>
<p>Playing sports would be at D2 or D3 level probably. But he's very fast and is the football captain, and has broken 4 school records (baseball and football) and leads the basketball team in 3 pointers, assists and steals. But, I think he wants the big football and might be happy just playing club/intramural sports. He's considering both at the moment.</p>
<p>No preference on location. Would take all science and math if could. </p>
<p>Guidance Counselor has given him safeties he'd be happy at:
Va Tech, Univ of S.C., JMU, Clemson. But he doesn't know what a match or reach school (besides UVA) would be. Are there any smaller colleges that kids that like these schools would also like) Thanks.</p>
<p>claudette, Plenty of LACs would be interested in your son – possibly for varsity (depending on the school) but also because he’d fit into their a sports-friendly culture. </p>
<p>Some that come to mind are Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Kenyon, Hamilton, Colgate, Bucknell, Davidson. If he’s a senior, now is the time to be contacting coaches if he’s interested in playing at a varsity level. For the super reaches on this list – Williams and Amherst – he would be within range if he were recruited, even more so if he were interested in an ED application.</p>
<p>Your son might want to retake the SATs or try the ACT. His scores are certainly not terrible, but it would be good to get the verbal up a bit. It’s okay to be lopsided toward math and science, but the more academically solid schools require a high level of verbal competence – both written and oral. All LACs put a lot of weight on the subjective elements of the application – essays, recommendations, extracurriculars (in addition to sports). Visiting to demonstrate interest is also a plus.</p>
<p>I don’t know that you could talk your son into choosing a small LAC if he has his heart set on BIG. Visit a few – maybe go to a game – and see how he reacts.</p>
<p>In the medium size range, I would concur that Dartmouth is a good option as is Cornell.</p>
<p>Thanks. Great suggestions. Funny thing about William and Mary - kids here have convinced themselves that it’s the worst place in the world to be and I don’t know of anyone who would apply there. I think schools popularity goes in cycles around here. W&M kids are seen as absolutely miserable, and the school where they give you so much busy work just to see who can fail. The first words they say when you get there is look to the right, now look to the left…at the end only one of you will still be there. But, he would get in in-state.</p>
<p>UVA is a fun school. Tough, intellectual, but very active and busy. My son has a 50/50 shot (so says his counselor) in the engineering dept. 10% Arts and Sciences. Problem is that my son attends an IB school and UVA takes all the IB students and then all the minorities that apply. Then they take the legacies so that ends up being over a third of the class. Being a state school, they basically take from all the schools. We’re in a great public school district that separates their IB school. He’d have no problem getting into UVA from the regular HS. Or most other schools in our area. It’s a political thing…they can only take a certain number from each school. Or, as they say, they would fill their school with Northern Virginia students if they picked the most qualified and smartest. </p>
<p>People that don’t get into UVA usually want to go to James Madison, an hour away. But more and more people are choosing University of South Carolina. I guess personality wise, it’s more like UVA, but it’s not a school I want to pay out of state tuition for.</p>
<p>Colgate University, Davidson College, Bowdoin College, Middlebury College, Providence College, Union College, Ursinus College, Washington & Jefferson College are LAC’s with great Athletics</p>
<p>It is a jealous myth that W&M isnt a fun place. It isnt Animal House but there is a reason why kids love it so much. Keep your mind open and check it out for yourself. Good luck.</p>
<p>With her making statements which include “Problem is that my son attends an IB school and UVA takes all the IB students and then all the minorities that apply”, you can cancel that hope…</p>
<p>I love W&M. I was explaining that my child and his schoolmates hear rumors and make assumptions about a school. I never said it was right. I hope he would apply. I do have an open mind. That’s why I’m asking for help. I want to think outside of the norm. Sorry, if my comments regarding UVA admissions sounded close minded. It is a trend at my school and one that is nothing wrong with it. I was only being realistic. UVA does try and represent the whole state and I understand that. My son will apply, but it’s a big reach.</p>
<p>I just found it odd that in our meeting with our Guidance Counselor she came up with about 15 safety schools, but not any matches and few reaches. I thought we were missing something, so I’d love some suggestions.</p>
<p>Suggest looking at all the Patriot League schools. They are among the oldest and most prestigious colleges in the northeast outside the Ivy League. Division 1 athletics and around 3-4000 students each.</p>