<p>Anyone care to toss out some names of schools that might work for decent students who might not be in the top range (especially here on CC), perhaps B+ range averages, honors classes rather than AP's, SAT's in the low 600 range, etc? </p>
<p>Key would be schools that, while perhaps not the most competitive (admissions-wise), still have an academic-oriented atmosphere. Involved professors, good student-teacher ratio, curious students who seem to love learning... Eastern US preferred, but not required. Decent liberal arts or business programs--
Thanks</p>
<p>I just visited Trinity University in San Antonio with son#2 and I was very impressed with the academic nature and the close interaction with the faculty. According to the stats of the incoming class, 76% were in the top 20%. It's a very nice campus with some of the nicest dorm rooms I've ever seen and nice facilities. (And I've seen a lot of campuses lately with son#1 - from Cornell to JHU to Stanford to Wash U, etc.) It's not very well known outside of Texas, but the word is getting out. I believe it's about 60% Texans.</p>
<p>Thanks, all-
I'm actually browsing for a few children of friends & relatives-- both boys and girls. Might include own S2 except that he is just a rising sophomore, and we have absolutely NO idea what kind of record he'll have by the time he starts looking... </p>
<p>Was also wondering about Hobart/William Smith (niece would be a legacy there).</p>
<p>Smith and Mount Holyoke would also be a bit of a reach for this type of student, unless there were some outstanding EC or special interest factors.</p>
<p>Look at Wheaton in Norton, MA, Skidmore, Goucher, and Clark University.</p>
<p>Providence College and Roger Williams in Rhode Island; Muhlenberg in Pennsylvania; American and Catholic in DC; Skidmore in NY; Pace in NYC. These are schools that the B-B+ students around here have gotten into.</p>
<p>That's my son #2.
He applied to and was accepted at University of Denver, University of Colorado/Boulder, University of Arizona, Arizona State , University of Pittsburgh, Syracuse, George Mason, and the Indiana University.</p>
<p>Small schools that he liked, and where he was competitive , but decided they were a little too small for him: Union, Muhlenberg and Lafayette.</p>
<p>He will be University of Denver this fall because he felt that the small size of the school (compared to the Big U's) and being in a great city balanced each other, and he really liked the academic offerings and both the professors and students that he met</p>
<p>And U. S. News has set of lists "A options for B students. Many, but not all of these are a notch less selective most of the good suggestions above.</p>