Recovering teen/

Parent Cafe
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<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=99974&highlight=Lenoir-Rhyne+College%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=99974&highlight=Lenoir-Rhyne+College&lt;/a> - by Orangeblossom</p>

<p>It sure sounds as tho you are looking in all the right places for your DD - lucky gal she is. It will be nice for you to have something so positive to share with her when you see her - hopefully all this won't be too overwhelming for her.</p>

<p>It is awesome that you got such a quick response from Prescott!!! Hopefully you will find other schools that respond in similar fashion. </p>

<p>Are ya having fun yet??!!?? LOL</p>

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<p>Fun? LOL, yeah, actually I am kind of having fun :) I have to say this is a lot more fun than looking at Emotional Growth Boarding Schools. This is also a good prep for when my Sophmore son starts looking.</p>

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<p>I guess one of the things to consider in all of this is - what might she be interested in studying - as this will make a big difference as to what and where you look - that may be a big part of alot of this for you and for her as well.</p>

<p>It would be ideal tho for her to be in a place where she can pursue the things she likes and to discover new and maybe different things that can enhance her life - yet have that nurturing piece that it sounds like she will need.</p>

<p>Have you looked into the ACT at all?? instead of the SAT......</p>

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<p>There are other nominees for you consideration.. St. Mary's..Maryland's honors college, should she be in a more academic frame of mind in a year..it is an isolated spit of land that is smack on the water but very hard to get to by car, unlike the rest of the state. Ave SATs are more like 1250-1300 because not many of the superstar stat kids want to be in the part of Maryland disconnected from the mainland. Everyone sails and plays frisbee and cares about classes. Teachers warm and accessible, small jewel. Beltway area kids come from good high schools and are pretty diverse bunch too for a California gal to fit in with, which could be a plus. Calm beauty atmosphere.<br>
Goucher in MD has a quiet dance program.<br>
Butler in Indiana has a probably too big of a deal dance program but on a lovely midwestern college campus.<br>
I am sure there are many other worthy schools. In Virginia, I will recommend Randolph Macon. Teachers actually called a girl I know who graduated from there and gave her daily assignments and cared so much when she was sick one year. Small jewel. Good graduation and freshman retention rates for a smaller LAC that is not hyperselective.<br>
So you know Blowing Rock...I went to college ten minutes south of there at Furman, which has very few students interested in alcohol or drugs and many students who weekend in the NC mountains.
Oh, and here is a school I can heartily recommend as a personal and character driven small college that truly alters graduates lives...Centre College in Kentucky. Amazing place. Strong values.</p>

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<p>Kyedor, I had another thought. Did you use an educational consultant for placement in wilderness and EG schools? It's possible that same consultant, or another one, can help you with the college search.</p>

<p>My ed consultant specialized in at-risk kids, but D and I saw someone else in her office who gave D a computerized skills and interest survey to determine her best college fit. D's transcript was such a mess, with grades from five different high schools. I felt we really needed some professional guidance.</p>

<p>By the way, Prescott College is less than an hour from the EG school from which D graduated, and although I haven't seen the college, I've been to the town (pronounced PRESS-KIT like biscuit) and it's very liveable. I think quite a few EG school graduates attend the school.</p>

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<p>Jeep, when the ACT was administered at her school my D had an attack of Acid Reflux and had to leave the room (uh huh, yeah right). I think that she sometimes self sabotages but that is her problem and she will have to live with the consequenses. I think she has another chance to take it though. Truly it's a shame because she has/had natural apptitude and chose another path. I just thought of something, she won a national merit award in Latin, started the Latin Club at her school and then soon after got a very disappointing grade in the class. Shooting yourself in the foot, is the example that comes to mind. Faline, I think what we're looking for is just how you put it, a "quiet" dance program, possibly taken as a minor. NC School of the Arts would send her over the edge. Dance is not a MUST at this point but she was soooo talented. Maybe I'm the one hanging on to that, I don't know. I will check out the schools you mentioned. I'm furiously writing down the schools you mentioned. Goucher is on our list. Kinshasa, I spoke to our EC who I love and he admitted he knows nothing about colleges. He gave me a recommendation of a woman in Houston but she has not answered my email from Friday and to me that's not a good sign. I think a good EC is worth every penny. Thanks for the heads up on how to pronounce Prescott, I had it all wrong LOL. The young man I spoke to was a former EGBS student and he sold me on the program, but it's D to has to be sold on it and we are often not on the same page (insert rolling eyes here).</p>

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<p>Kyedor ~</p>

<p>I scanned Prescott's website. It looks wonderful for lots of reasons. Here's a link to the Colleges of Distinction website. Prescott is represented there.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/collegetemplates/default.asp?cid=126%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/collegetemplates/default.asp?cid=126&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I'm the Lenoir-Rhyne College parent that JeepMom referred to. While my DS's situation is quite different, they are the same in that our kids need a warm, nurturing environment, where they can feel safe and secure and, thus, blossom.</p>

<p>May I suggest from my humble perspective that a school closer to home, like Prescott, might be preferable to one across country. Also, it strikes me that a suburban or urban school, rather than a rural one might also make sense, because of the proximity to a greater variety of support services that would be available to your DD. </p>

<p>Like your DD, I am confident that my DS is more capable than the numbers show. However, I'd rather see my DS at least initially settle into a more measured pace school where even his worst numbers place him squarely at the midpoint or higher in the freshman class. If he is working "to the numbers", then he won't sink; if he's fortunate and overcomes the numbers, he'll shine. In any case, his self-esteem won't take a hit. I call it aiming smart, for where they are now...in terms of emotional and independent functioning. For problems or challenges (due to being away from home in a strange environment, learning to live independently with a history of some struggling in the past, etc.) could make it more difficult for their intellectual abilities to shine through, until they've learned to stand strong under the new load of being a college freshman.</p>

<p>Another suggestion...wherever your DD decides to go, it might be a good idea to seek out a "life coach" that can serve as her sounding board and help her structure her life while away at school. This person, usually a highly trained counselor with a solid educational background and certification in coaching, can also help her identify telltale signs that she might need to speak to her college counselor or approach a professor. This "life coach" would be her objective rock against the wash of challenges all college kids face, but those especially who need just a little more when they first start out.</p>

<p>Finally, I would certainly delve into the support services the college itself offers, so that she will feel safe in her new college home.</p>

<p>You are very wise to explore all the options now, yet give her the respect and freedom she needs to regain her self-confidence and solid footing. Best wishes to you both. OB</p>

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<p>OB - I just KNEW you would shine thru here - I so enjoyed your perspective about your own student - and knew you would have some wonderful insight for this mom.</p>

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<p>Thank you OB for your thoughtful post. One of the considerations in choosing a school is the support that is available - very important. Also a close knit campus that has an opportunity to bond rather than just tossing her in a dormitory with an competitive atmosphere. I think my son would thrive in a such an environment, yet that would be the worst scenario for D. Thank you for your good wishes! I have a feeling I might need them this weekend when I tell D that FIDM is not an option...</p>

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<p>I loved the "Life Coach" I hired for myself, and I think it's a fabulous idea for D. I went a highly recommended one a few years ago and listed my business qualifications and then listed want I really loved doing (cooking, sewing, home remodeling/decoration, and raising children). She said " Um, looking over your list you are the first person I've said this to but your ideal job is a homemaker" LOL</p>

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<p>Kyedor ~</p>

<p>My DS and I had a rare connection talk today. That's not often possible because DS is very ADD...his mind not unlike the burst of brilliance from a 4th of July sparkler.</p>

<p>I know my son would love to leave home, yet love to stay...is drawn to the independence, but fears it greatly...feels to leave next fall is required to prove he is "normal", yet probably needs more time to feel he is "ready". I told him simply...don't worry, all things are possible...in time. A mother bird knows that there will be a precocious baby that leaves the nest first...and a cautious baby who leaves the nest last. But in their own time, all the little babies leave the nest. My story seemed to give my son much comfort. I told him that he didn't have to do everything all at once...he simply had to do them when it felt right. I told him to always keep his options open. Just because something couldn't happen right now, doesn't mean it'll never happen. I believe that there's a reason that life unfolds as it does...it grows them...it grows us. Sometimes it's not all pleasant (witness the gray hair), but it's all necessary.</p>

<p>So too your DD. Down the road, FIDM might be an option for her. Maybe phrasing it that way, might blunt any disappointment on her part, and spare you the sorrow of appearing to extinguish the dream. Kyedor, I really understand where you're coming from. It's tough to guide our kids to face life realistically without hurting them. I always tell my kiddo that there's always a way to the goal...and that sometimes it takes a very long time to determine what that goal is. As I told my DS today, I was the hardest-working, most self-directed, driven individual...who didn't have a clue about what she wanted for her life until she was at least 34. And, happily, though I had an absolutely wonderful, heady career, I found my true calling in raising this child, with all the challenges I never faced, to humble me and to exhalt him. So, I find your "life coach's" advice to you to be very heartwarming. How simple it all is...and how difficult we often try to make it. :O) Happiness to you. OB</p>

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<p>JeepMOM ~</p>

<p>Your kind words make me blush!</p>

<p>Over the years, I've often gone it alone trying to negotiate my son's difficulties. Then I found this wonderful place (CC) and through the kindness of strangers, my burden was lifted if only for a moment. If I can pass that kindness along, maybe I've earned my place on this planet for another day. :O) OB</p>

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<p>Wonderful thought provoking advise OB. Fortunately finances are not a problem. I plan on presenting what I think are schools (10) that we would approve her applying to/going to/paying for. I will couch that with the caviat that if she graduates on time and with good grades from one of these colleges then we will finance FIDM if she still wants to go there (doubtfull) Excellent advise and thank you!</p>

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<p>I live in greensboro near Guilford College, and my daughter is going to Elon next year. I like both schools, but they are quite different. Elon's nickname is "the bubble". The campus is kind of an oasis for the students. They live,work, play on a small, but beautiful campus. Some students complain about a country club like atmosphere. There is not a part of town that is filled with bars and restaurants catering to students (like franklin st. in Chapel Hill, or tate st. in greensboro). Elon is really too big to be called small (~4600). It has a nationally known musical theatre program, but the most popular majors are communication and business. It has a very friendly feel.
Guilford college is actually smaller than the numbers suggest. About half their students are continuing education students (part time returning adults, on campus only at night). So it is more like a college of 1250. It's campus is very nice also, but it is much more integrated into the community.Students go off campus all the time, and there are bigger schools in Greensboro (UNCG,A&T), plus a host of smaller ones,(Greensboro College,Bennett,High Point U). Generalizations are aren't always on target, but here it goes anyways. One of the nationally published college guides calls Guilford "the last of the dope smoking tree huggers". They weren't refering to drug use on campus as much as a very liberal atmosphere. Partly due to the quaker influence, the school has a very liberal student body. Probably more diverse than Elon. (not so much in race, but different types of students). You are more likely to see "radical" fashions at Guilford than elon. Guilford has no fraternities, Elon does...and just added a Golf driving range on campus. They say at Elon students dress up for football games and make it a big event...they don't even go at Guilford. Guilford does have a very athletic student body. I think I just read that something like half the students participate in college athletics, which seems high. But considering their small size, they have football,men and womens soccer,men and womens lacross, men and womens basketball, golf, baseball, softball (women),cross country...maybe that number is right. </p>

<p>When it comes down to it, the right school is the one your child would be most comfortable at. They are both are nice liberal arts schools, with great campuses. Guilford would be easier to get into, but I would say Elon is possible too. It would be worthwhile talking to admissions about your daughters situation. I think most smaller colleges are very understanding of students who have had some difficulty in life. Your description of your daughters problems fit my cousins daughter almost exactly. She overcame her problems, graduated college and is doing great today. It is true sometimes that things that don't break you make you stronger. Your daughter has gone through some very difficult things for someone her age. It is possible that she is a stronger more resilient person today. Good luck</p>

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<p>kyedor--wisconsin stevens point may sound good on paper, but from experience and readings it is a heavy drinking/smoking/hippies using drugs town. theres not much to do, its cold, its WISCONSIN (beer country) and a lot of the entertainment is centered around substance use. i recommend, a small, work/education school, warren wilson seems perfect, its a program which requires work! Its perfect, look for campuses without party scenes, a lot of the schools you're looking at like Elon and UNC-W have huge party scenes, even though they are small and nurturing.</p>

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<p>I appreciate all the inside info on the schools that people are posting! Anyone know anything about Goucher? TIA Also, any other recommendations for schools similar to Prescott and Warren Wilson?</p>

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<p>Prescott is one of the members of the Eco League which is a consortium of six colleges and universities that share missions based on environmental responsibility and social change .</p>

<p>They include
* Alaska Pacific University (Anchorage, AK)
* Antioch University (Yellow Springs, OH)
* College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, ME)
* Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT)
* Northland College (Ashland, WI)
* Prescott College (Prescott, AZ) </p>

<p>See the Eco League web site <a href="http://www.ecoleague.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ecoleague.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>As part of the Wisconsin Idea Seminar, UW send me and 30-40 other faculty and staff members on a tour of Wisconsin last May. One of the stops was at the very attractive campus of Northland College a few miles south of Lake Superior. We toured the campus (took about 10 minutes) ate supper, talked with faculty and students, and heard a speech by the school's president. I was impressed. If your daughter wants a school which stresses the outdoor life and doesn't mind the cold and being fairly isolated you might want to consider Northland. BTW, students bring their hunting rifles to campus (which are locked up when not in use), and there is a room for dressing what they have shot.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.northland.edu/Northland/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.northland.edu/Northland/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Kyedor, my daughter will be applying to Goucher, as will Carolyn's daughter. What would you like to know? Goucher is probably #3 on my daughter's list, but she had a wonderful campus visit and interview with her rep just last month. And Carolyn is a fount of information about college in general, as well as Goucher, so it might be worth dropping her a PM.</p>

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<p>wow, your case really interests me so heres some more recommendations:
sweet briar college in VA--veryyy small, tradition oriented, close knit group of girls, almost no partying on campus, in the mountains in a very small town, horse country, veryy sheltered, a lot of people who want that small town feel go there. its all girls, im thinking all girls might be a good way to go, girls dont often drink and use drugs for the heck of it by themselves.</p>

<p>randolph macon women's college/randolph macon academy in VA--the women's college is a different school, with only 500-600 student,s very academic, finishing school atmosphere, great in the liberal arts/sciences. </p>

<p>mary baldwin in VA (i think its your best bet)--has a program called the women's leadership academy which combines military discipline with outdoor adventure/outward bound type programs and inculcates honor and respect, great liberal arts/literature programs, beautiful historical campus in a VERRRRY small town. nurturing/sweet girls there, very reserved. lots of only children from what i could tell. quiet campus, strong women. also they offer excellent merit scholarships for students scoring over a 1200 on their SATs and with a 3.5. some cover most of tuition. </p>

<p>college of wooster in OH-- a little bigger than those i described before but really caters towards the individual, smart, not nerdy kids, independent study is a huge focus of their curriculum. beautiful area, too.</p>

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<p>Kyedor,
As Mezzomom noted, my daughter is also applying to Goucher (has already sent in her application in fact) and, at this point, it's actually tied for first place in her mind. From the beginning, she's had some very specific criteria that she's looking for in a school: No or very minimal sorority/frats, close knit supportive community (the largest school she'll be applying to has 1800 students and she considers that huge), and a campus culture where drinking/drugs aren't the main focus of social life. </p>

<p>She feels that Goucher offers a good mix of all of the above, and particularly likes where it is situated -- the campus is very green and beautiful and feels like you are out in the country, yet when you step off campus you're surrounded by stores and things to do. A plus about Goucher is that students can sign up to take one class a semester at any of the other colleges in Baltimore, including Johns Hopkins, which really increases your options beyond the small school bubble. There is a free shuttle bus that goes between several of the schools as well. They have always had a wonderful study abroad program, but they just sweetened it this year by making it mandatory for all students to do at least one study abroad program and giving each student a $1200 voucher to pay for travel expenses.</p>

<p>That said, here's my sense of Goucher regarding drinking and drugs. Goucher doesn't have a huge party scene (one of the main complaints students list about the school), but drinking and pot are definitely readily available on campus. My daughter doesn't do either and will grudgingly accept that others might, but she thinks there's enough to do on Goucher's campus and in Baltimore that it won't be a real issue for her. </p>

<p>I would recommend that whatever school your child is looking at that you see if there's a livejournal.com community and read what students talk about. Do an interest search for the school name and read both the main school community discussion and the individual student journals. I have found it helpful to get a more well-rounded view of different campuses, beyond just what the school officially says about various issues. I also like to see if I can find the online version of the school newspaper at the school website and search the archives using words like "party" "beer" "pot" "drinking" "drugs" That frequently turns up some very interesting background information as well.</p>