<p>She likes: closer to home (NC/SC/TN/GA/VA and southern KY)
liberal arts college
smart kids she would want to socialize with (she will be a N Merit Finalist[227])
not preppy/ likes extreme outdoor/adventure sports
but not a sch'l so academically challenging that work consumes one's existence
likes the idea of getting great FA so she would feel 'independent'
major in math or biology/ appalled at the idea of an inside or desk job/career
cannot imagine going to school in an urban environment
progressive Xian--peace/social justice issues, lots of charity work already
has great math/science based credentials, and a great writing score, gets love letters from Ivies and other selectives, but refuses to take subject SATs because of not wanting to go where the academics would grind you down
no concern for 'name' or 'prestige'</p>
<p>I won't complicate it by ruling out certain schools that we have already crossed off the list (Sewannee--too preppy; Davidson--no for several reasons including suburban sprawl--did I say rural?; Duke-meh, etc) Great kid with to die for credentials, but maddeningly picky (very uncharacteristic--will eat anything, wear anything, find something to like about anyone, no other finicky bone in her body)</p>
<p>She clearly walks to the beat of a different drummer. She may find ‘her people’ at Warren Wilson. Rural, progressive, outdoors, peace/justice. No preppies, no fraternities or sororities, no football, etc.</p>
<p>I think Furman University is a nice fit. Great academics. They do have their share of preppy students but it has almost everything else she is looking for.</p>
<p>I disagree with the above two suggestions. While both the College of Charleston and Rhodes are great schools, one is far too large to be called a LAC (10,000 undergrads!) and both are definitely far more urban than Davidson, which was deemed too urban by the OP’s daughter.</p>
<p>I meant to mention Randolph and Randolph-Macon earlier, although they’re not particularly selective.</p>
<p>I also think UNC-Asheville could be a great fit. I don’t go there, but I visited and really enjoyed my stay, including the quirky music/arts festival the city has every year (don’t remember what it’s called).</p>
<p>Washington and Lee may be (quite) a bit to preppy, but otherwise fits. You may want to take a look at Mary Washington, though it may not be selective enough to fit your academic needs, and may be too urban. Virginia seems to have a thing with Ws and Ms…</p>
<p>I second Centre…I have a friend who goes there and sounds just like your daughter and she really loves it. She also got a a nice FA package. Check it out!!!</p>
<p>Washington University in St. Louis
Not too far from the areas you listed
Relatively small university (6000 undergrads, small class sizes, etc.)
SAT range is relatively high
Students are known to be humble, laid-back, friendly
Very, very strong in biology
Financial aid is great, especially if she applies and is accepted to a merit based scholarship.</p>
<p>Old, if she would consider looking a little further north, there are several schools that meet her requirement for focus on “extreme outdoor/adventure sports.” She should take a look at Hamilton, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Williams, Amherst. Excellent academics, particularly in math/biology. Smart kids who balance academics with all kinds of personal interests and activities. </p>
<p>Some do require SATIIs, though I don’t see the connection between this requirement and an oppressive academic atmosphere.</p>
<p>Old78, my kid just graduated from HS and these were some of his college selection criteria:
small, selective Liberal Arts College
politically liberal
good access to outdoor recreation (preferably mountains or hills)
not too preppy (but also not a complete “reefer madness” school)
preferably in a rural area (but would consider an interesting town or city)
strong academics but not cut-throat competition </p>
<p>Sound similar?
He has pretty good credentials, too, and got love letters or catalogs from prestigious schools.</p>
<p>These are the schools where he applied:
Colorado College, Haverford, Macalester, Middlebury, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Wesleyan (CT)</p>
<p>Other schools he liked but never visited included Whitman and Bowdoin. Whitman was just too far away (but in other respects a wonderful match - check out their “Semester in the West” program). Marlboro, Hampshire, and Connecticut College were interesting enough to warrant visits, but after visiting he immediately ruled them out. Guilford had some appeal but he worried it was too crunchy and laid-back.</p>
<p>Among his 6 final picks, the ones that best matched all his criteria were Colorado College, Middlebury and St. Mary’s MD. The other 3 were more urban and lacked the outdoor recreation thing. Middlebury was his first love after a summer visit, but during an overnight in October he found it a bit too clique-ish and sports-focused. He liked St. Mary’s-MD a lot (gorgeous campus, and the only public) but he is more of a mountain person than a water person. He will attend Colorado College in the fall on a merit scholarship. </p>
<p>You may have to relax your “closer to home” criterion to find enough schools to fit your other criteria well. If you can do that, I think the best fits would include Whitman, Colorado College, St. Mary’s MD, and possibly Bowdoin (or Bates or Colby). If you must stay close to home, then consider William and Mary, Centre College, Guilford, or possibly New College (FL) if that’s not too far. Warren Wilson might be worth a look too.</p>
<p>St. Mary’s College of Maryland is that state’s public “honors college”, like Virginia’s William and Mary but with perhaps a more liberal student body and better outdoor recreation (especially if your daughter might like sailing). Life Sciences at SMCM are popular and strong. Like the Life Sciences at Colorado College, the biology and Environmental Science programs at SMCM make good use of the extraordinary local setting to do outdoor field work. The student body there is very diverse racially and economically, but about 80% from Maryland. Access is a little remote, too (1.5 - 2 hours by road from the Baltimore or DC airports), so it may not seem that much closer than a school like Colorado College that’s a short hop from an airport, even if it’s many more states away. </p>
<p>Colorado College is so unusual, with its “block plan” and Rocky Mountain setting, that it does not tend to be ranked among the very most prestigious colleges. In fact, it shares many cross-applicants with top schools like Middlebury and Dartmouth. More than 25% of students admitted this year ranked in the top 1% (one percent) of their HS classes. Yet it is known for a very laid-back atmosphere. Yup, it’s far away, but the airline access is good. Plus, the way their block plan works, you get many 4-day breaks. When you are on vacation (Thanksgiving, Winter break) you are really on vacation with no exams hanging over you upon return. The block plan makes outdoor field work much easier than a conventional schedule. The Rocky Mountain setting not only is spectacularly beautiful, it also offers ready access to many habitat zones for field work in the Life Sciences. The immediate vicinity certainly is not rural but it is minutes away from all the wilderness you could want. And they award merit scholarships, unlike most of the top New England LACs.</p>
<p>Whitman - heavily prep, fraternities, very wealthy student body
Colorado College - heavily prep, very wealthy, don’t know about fraternities; not rural
Bates and Bowdoin - very high on the entitlement index - neither is rural
Wesleyan - definitely not rural
Washington & Lee - heavily prep, highest entitlement index about liberal arts colleges, hugely fraternity oriented, very conservative student body
W&M - very small number of Pell Grant and low-income students, relatively conservative student body; outdoors?</p>