Safety schools for an A student near NYC

Hi everyone! I’d love some recommendations for safety schools for a girl with 3.8 unweighted and 33 ACT. Lots of APs and honors and good ECs. It must be within 3 hour drive from NYC for personal reasons. That is non-negotiable. It should have some Jewish life on campus (hillel, some activities) and she is very committed to pre-med. None of us could care at all about prestige or ranking, but it should be respected enough to be acceptable to med schools. She would not be comfortable at a big party/frat school. We have a number of matches so I’m really only looking for true safeties. Our list so far includes Muhlenberg (probably a top choice actually), Drew, Hofstra, Suny New Paltz. Thanks all!

Let’s start by saying…if she completes the medical school course application requirements with high grades, and gets a high enough score on the MCAT, ANY college will be respectable for medical school application except perhaps the for profit schools. @WayOutWestMom

How about SUNY Geneseo?

Muhlenberg was the first one I thought of. Another right by Muhlenberg is Moravian. Not sure of the Jewish life on campus, but I know they just started a partnership for med school with Boston U. SUNY Stony Brook I think would be a safety. Farleigh Dickinson in NJ (minutes from Drew) has a number of science majors and she would probably qualify for full tuition scholarship as well.

Thanks! Geneseo is too far. The three hour driving limit is really important to us. Farleigh Dickinson is a great suggestion. I will look into it and Morovian as well. I hadn’t thought of Stony Brook as a safety but I will look into it too.

SUNYs are affordable even for out of staters…but how about Marist?

Marist is a lovely school from everything I have heard but no Jewish population and no Hillel.

Fordham is Catholic (Jesuit), but it does have a Hillel. Might be more matchy - than safety.

Is Baltimore too far? Goucher College in Towson, MD (Baltimore suburb) might be worth a look. It is also easily accessible by train from NYC.

Mount Holyoke?

Union?

Gaucher is a bit too far. Mount Holyloke might be an excellent choice if she is willing to look at an all female school. Union is on our list, but I’m a little worried about it being very Greek heavy. That is something she has said she really doesn’t want. We haven’t visited yet though and we plan too. Do you have any info about the party scene there?

Ursinus is a good school but has an 80% admissions rate. Conn College? Quinnipiac? Clark?

@megan12 I just looked at Ursinus and it does look like a good school. Are you saying that the 80% acceptance rate is a negative? Is that because a high achieving student won’t be challenged or that medial schools would look askance at it? I know nothing about it so I would love to hear your thoughts. I would not consider Conn College a safety, but rather a very good match. Also, it doesn’t seem to have any Jewish presence and that is something my daughter would like. It doesn’t have to be huge, but at least somewhat active. Quinnipiac looks like another good option that I hadn’t thought of. Thanks!

Lafayette? Although may be more of a match.

@traderjane I just meant that it would be easier to get into than some of the others that have the same stats, counting it as a real safety school.

@leftrightleft We actually visited Lafayette. Its beautiful! I would definitely consider it a match more than a safety. My daughter found it a little too Greek and sports focused for her. I think she needs more of a “nerd” focus, for lack of a better term.

Brandeis? Not a safety, but a pretty safe match.

Clark
Quinnipiac

Muhlenberg is one of the colleges with the highest percentages of Jewish students. Goucher, Drew, and Dickinson are jewish-friendly and would be within your radius. Of these four, Muhlenberg and Dickinson would have the best academics while still being safeties, as long as she starts expressing interest around now.
Perhaps Drexel, Temple?

Molloy, Adelphi, NYIT, LIU Post.