What about URI? SUNY Geneseo? SUNY Oswego? Drew? A “very large” school isn’t necessary unless she’s contemplating engineering, agricultural sciences, etc. Based on her various majors’ fields, any university with 40-60 majors would do, so the size restriction may not be necessary.
Can she retake the ACT to see if she can get it to 27?
“Yes, my son was a NMF who got full tuition to NEU. My niece is not in that position.”
- Keep in mind that few colleges will offer great Merit awards based on NMF, while many others will consider other stats. My D. was not any close to NMF and she attended in-state public on full tuition and then earned more based on her college GPA. One private also gave her a lot, most of the tuition, only $5k / year was left for us to pay if she attended there. NMF is only one criteria. And that is despite the fact that D. refused to apply further than 3.5 hours driving distance, so her list was very limited by this criteria.
SUNY Oneonta has a center for public service that might be a great fit for your niece. It’s in an awfully nice area. Good luck!
UVM is not cheap for OOS. I was thinking of USM, too. It’s going to be hard to only pay $25k unless she looks at in-state.
UMass Lowell. My D loves it…she’s very glad she chose it over UMass Amherst and UNH. (She wanted an urban, diverse campus.) She’s in the College of Nursing and her clinical placements are in top Boston hospitals. Public Health is also a popular major. Many brand new buildings and dorms. (She now lives in a brand new air conditioned suite with a gym in the building.) UML now ranked higher than URI and many other publics in New England.
Depending where in MA your niece is, Montreal might be within 6 hours. Not sure if her scores would get her into McGill, but Concordia is less selective and has the big city/cultural advantages. COA would be around 30K: https://www.concordia.ca/students/financial-support/costs.html
Of the SUNYs, Purchase would be the best match for her interest and scores. SUNY Old Westbury may look good on paper but I emphatically do NOT recommend it. I live 15 minutes away and it has a very poor academic reputation–virtually none of the students at the local community college transfer there for their 4 year degree. While the campus is beautiful, it’s in a suburban area where access without a car is difficult. It would take 2 hours for her to go to NYC by bus and train. On a site with student reviews, only 32% of students would choose to return to SUNY-Old Westbury, whereas 68% would not: With a 1700s SAT score she would be a top student there.
If she really likes the big city experience, the CUNY system is a possibility, tuition is affordable, around $17000 for OOS. Hunter College and Brooklyn College would have programs that fit her interests.
Also some intensive SAT prep this month might help expand her options.
Thank you all so much!
University of Pittsburgh’s COA is 30k instate, even more OOS.
Several people suggested the University of Southern Maine. I was planning to add it to a list for your niece. USM is the largest school in the UMaine system with the main campus and law school for the New England states in Portland and the other colleges and dorms in Gorham. There is a bus service that runs between the two campuses. Tony Shaloub of Monk graduated from USM. There are other Umaine campuses in Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta. If she wants privates… Bates is in Lewiston.
Don’t forget New Hampshire. There is more to this state than early primaries and Dixfield Notch. Look at the University of New Hampshire. It has a hotel kind of major and its own facility for conferences.
If you want close to Boston both southern Maine and New Hampshire offer a good assortment of choices as well as good highways, public transportation and recreational opportunities on the ocean and in the mountains.