Please help my daughter narrow down her list

College Search & Selection
1

My daughter has a huge college list that she is having trouble narrowing down. She likes all of the schools and has visited many of them. Unfortunately we live in New England and can’t get down to see all of the schools.

Her stats are good. She has a 4.7 weighted GPA, 3.9 unweighted. 31 ACT and will take it again in Oct. She is in the top one or two of her class and will probably be either valedictorian or salutatorian. She has taken several AP’s. She plays varsity soccer and basketball and works part time. She has good community service hours, but not a ton. She’s in NHS, but not too many other clubs due to her sports schedule.

She’s undecided on a major. Possibly biology, psychology, or education. She is leaning toward something in the health care field, but doesn’t really know for sure.

She would like to go south where it’s warmer, but we have some New England colleges on the list just in case she ends up wanting to be closer to home. A big goal of ours is merit aid. We have a son in college already and want to minimize college expenses.

We’ve run the net price calculators on all the schools and the results of all of them are in our reach. Many of them have additional competitive scholarships she would apply for. Emory and Wake Forest are a financial stretch, so those are her reach schools. I think they will come off her list.

She’s looking for a smallish school of under 7,000 students and a campus that is not urban. She would like a Christian school or one that has a little less of a party reputation. Her current favorites are Florida Southern and Stonehill College.

Any insight or advice on her list is much appreciated!

Eckerd College
Florida Southern College
Rollins College
Stetson University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Mercer University
Oglethorpe University
Stonehill College
High Point University
University of Alabama
Elon University
Springhill College
Carson Newman University
Roanoke College
Western New England University
Bridgewater College
Davidson College
Endicott College
Colby Sawyer College
*Emory
*Wake Forest

2

Not southern schools but Denison, Dickinson, St. Lawrence in NY and University of Vermont all give merit aid and would provide more academic rigor and a more intellectual vibe than some of the schools on your list.

Down south, consider Sewanee.

3

I know colleges pretty well and have heard of a great deal, even obscure ones,but I haven’t heard of Palm Beach Atlantic and Carson Newman. With your daughter’s stats she can do much better and still get merit aid. I heard Rhodes College in Memphis gives good merit aid. Rollins too. You should probably get rid of the colleges on your list that have zero name recognition outside their regional area.

4

According to the University of Alabama’s website (http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/out-of-state.php), your daughter would currently qualify for the second highest scholarship at the school, $17,976 a year, and if she can score a 32 or higher, she would qualify for a $26,590 a year scholarship. In terms of merit aid, this would be quite a lucrative option. In terms of Christian Colleges, Palm Beach Atlantic is quite good, and your daughter may qualify for an $18,000 a year scholarship. Best of luck on her search!

5

Agree with citymama9. Some of these schools have 4-yr graduation rates <40%. With your D’s stats, she can have safeties, with merit, that have much better completion rates. I’d probably start by removing those (PalmBeach, Carson).

6

Thank you for the input. She has Palm Beach Atlantic and Carson Newman on her list because they are Christian colleges. It sounds like those won’t be academically strong enough.

My husband and I both attended small liberal arts colleges that aren’t well known, but got a great education. Name recognition isn’t too high on the list for us, but academics are.

I’ll have her check out Rhodes and Sewanee.

7

Which schools does she like most?

8

when does the older child graduate? If aid is given for 2 in school, what happens when older child graduates? Have you run the NPCs to check? Can you afford the schools when only 1 is in college?

Also…you mention scholarships to apply for …If she gets awarded scholarships, the schools will likely reduce her need-based aid.

Which schools has she visited?

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According to the University of Alabama’s website (http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/out-of-state.php), your daughter would currently qualify for the second highest scholarship at the school, $17,976 a year, and if she can score a 32 or higher, she would qualify for a $26,590 a year scholarship. I


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This sounds like a financial safety that she could have immediately. Apply now and get the merit in your pocket.

9

Don’t get too concerned about graduation rates. All that indicates is that the school takes chances on students with some additional challenges academically. Some kids want to be in a sea of intellectual peers. Others would rather be among the top at a school. Whether a student graduates on time or not is more about the student than the school. A bit of a red herring metric.

Of those listed, only Alabama was on any of our kids’ lists (so far). It is a solid school with good financial options. Emory is a good school, but it is both pricey and not in the best part of Atlanta.

10

Your D is a strong student. I don’t think any of the schools on the list except Davidson, Wake Forest and Emory will situate her with her academic peer group. Alabama will have many students in her peer group because of the scholarships, but there will be lots of greek life and parties. Still, that may be a really good option.

Not sure if you know about Truman State which is a public liberal arts honors college in rural Missouri that attracts many strong students. It’s list price is very inexpensive and is a really good deal even out of state, especially if she likes rural. Maybe Baylor will have what you want.

While you say you want merit aid, what you really care about is the bottom line.

As far as close to home (assuming Massachusetts), the only affordable school that will be able to challenge your D is UMASS-Amherst unless you can afford Unversity of Vermont or UConn. Massachusetts really doesn’t have high quality liberal arts colleges and New York’s honors liberal arts college is Geneseo, which is affordable OOS, is near Rochester, not really close to home.

11

Disagree about graduation rates. What is the mission of a college if not to graduate students?

12

If any of these schools have strong honors programs, she may find her peers there. I believe Roanoke does. This is not about prestige, but about having inspiring peers. Graduation rates are not the only thing, but they can provide a window.

13

A large school with a good pool of high stat students - I would not be worried about graduation rates. Small schools, that could be an issue.

Do checkout Rhodes to see if they offer what your DD is looking for - we know kids that have been happy and successful there. Maybe Davidson.

Good for DD and family to compare/contrast the ‘feel’ of different campuses/different sized schools/type of city surrounding. What that school would mean for DD as far as fit for her, for four years. Sometimes can translate information from schools already visited in your area.

I would be afraid a small school would be great for a semester or two, and then realize it no longer is a match to what DD wants/needs.

Sewanee is pretty isolated, and know a very bright student that did well academically (was National Merit) but also had an ER visit for alcohol toxicity. Mom (a MD) said there was a lot of drinking there. One DD did a summer activity (Sewanee Summer Music Festival) there. Neither DD could imagine going to school there due to isolation.

I would suggest a school big enough to provide for her diversity of interests as well as a pool of students that are more like her. She can get the best of both worlds at a large school if it is the ‘right’ one.

There are a number of very active Christian student groups through churches on and off of UA campus. The south has a more general expression of faith (we as parents have lived in the north, in TX, and now the south). My DD is a junior at UA (has the Presidential and Engineering automatic scholarships with her stats, and also additional scholarship for her music audition/being in the marching band) and also is taking advantage of an Honors Program (there are a few very large honors programs in addition to the general honors program, and some small very selective ones).

Here is some information on University of Alabama:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrV8g7kxJps

UA has updated its Quick Facts http://viewbook.ua.edu/quick-facts/

(2014 enrollment breakdown by state - new undergraduates - which would be freshmen for the most part): http://oira.ua.edu/d/webreports/enrollment2/Fall_2014/f18.html

http://oira.ua.edu/d/webreports/enrollment2/Fall_2015/e10.html
This URL gives FALL 2015 data for all of the university (not just freshmen).

http://oira.ua.edu/d/webreports/enrollment2/Fall_2016/front

http://eng.ua.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/

http://president.ua.edu/

Also course selection and good planning can have one ‘finish in four’ even if taking more general courses first - especially with AP and CLEP testing. Also some OOS students do take something in home state during the summer to either accelerate graduation or make up for changing majors. Many students do take advantage of study abroad (especially if never having been abroad).

DD has two OOS friends that are completing their math/education graduate degree in the 8 semesters of their scholarship - finishing UG in first three years and finishing grad during their 4th year of their scholarship $$ - one knew this was her path, while the other started in engineering and was doing well but wasn’t passionate about it and had kept an eye on this alternate path (engineering scholarship dropped off in her 4th semester, after she notified the registrar about her change in major). We know a lad that finished his math UG degree in two years, and was considering other Universities for his graduate degree, but is getting it at UA, using his scholarship $$ from UG - and he is also getting paid as a tutor in the athletics dept - he plans to have his graduate degree completed with this 3rd year - will see what he has in store next…

One UA student I know from OOS (WI) visited Vanderbilt and UA - according to the mom, Vanderbilt was really wanting this student to come there (also top of her HS class), but mom said it was ‘all over’ when she got on UA’s campus - and is loving it at UA.

UA (and active UA parents) are also pretty helpful along the way for unexpected things that can come up. Dean of Students is helpful/supportive.

14

Thank you for those insights. I will try to answer the questions, but don’t know how to quote.

Her number 1 choice is Florida Southern. She loved everything about the school. She really wants to go to a warmer climate, but is also worried about being so far away.

Her number 2 choice is Stonehill in MA. She also loved that school and likes that it’s closer to home. She’s not excited about staying here for the winters, but it’s a good back up school in case she decides to stay close.

We have visited about half of the schools; all of the Florida ones, plus several up in New England.

We are in NH. The only state schools we have are Keene State, Plymouth State, and UNH. Her brother goes to UNH and she does not like it there. It’s too big for her.

I have a younger daughter who is in 10th grade, so will have 2 in college at the same time for several years. One of those years we’ll have 3 in at once. We have planned for that and are prepared.

I am confused about the University of Alabama. It appears there are a few campuses. She liked the looks of the Huntsville one. I think the scholarship is good for that campus, but maybe not. The main campus looks too big for her.

She looked at Davidson and really liked that, so it will go on her list. Sawanee looks too isolated. Roanoke looked good, too.

Wherever she ends up, we would like it to be somewhat close to a major airport to make getting there easier.

How about High Point? Is that a good school? Should she apply to Elon over High Point?

Thanks for the advice! This college stuff is so confusing! My son knew what he wanted and where he wanted to go and never changed his mind. She is much more indecisive.

15

My impression is Elon is more academic than High Point.

How about St. Anselm?

16

Elon has a much better rep than High Point from what I’ve heard

17

Isn’t Florida Southern in Lakeland, FL? Would she be counting on the Orlando aiport?

We never toured Palm Beach Atlantic, mainly because I thought it was way too expensive for what was being offered.

18

We have done some weeding on the list. For various reasons the following schools are off:
Carson Newman
Mercer (too big)
Palm Beach Atlantic
Bridgewater
High Point

Yes, she would use the Orlando airport if she ends up at Florida Southern. We travel to FL a couple of times a year for business already and it’s easy to get to. I’m originally from Florida so it feels sort of like home to her.

19

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am confused about the University of Alabama. It appears there are a few campuses. She liked the looks of the Huntsville one. I think the scholarship is good for that campus, but maybe not. The main campus looks too big for her.


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Each campus is a separate university. Just like UCLA isn’t part of UCSD and isn’t a part of Berkeley. They’re all separate universities that are part of the UC system.

The University of Alabama is separate from UAHuntsville. Totally separate. Each has their own teams, etc. This isn’t like the Penn State system at all. It’s like the UC system.

A scholarship at one university is not usable at another.

20

If she is interested in Christian schools, among the best is Wheaton College (IL). It isn’t in the South, but it has a pretty strong academic rep (perhaps with the exception of the hard sciences). It is a Christian school with a capital C.

I also like Davidson, Sewanee (absolutely beautiful), Rhodes and Elon. To them I’ll add Hendrix and Earlham. Earlham was founded, i believe, by Quakers. It might be a bit left for her liking (?), but it’s a good school worth a glimpse at least.

There’s also Trinity in Texas. Furman might also be an option.

Emory is quite excellent, probably a bit stronger academically than Wake Forest. Those are two worthy schools if they’re affordable – i’d keep those two, or at least one of them, on the list. Tulane might offer merit if the ACT comes up (check with @fallenchemist).