<p>I'd like to start researching college "fits" for my son who is 15. I can't tell you much about him yet except that I expect he will be looking at more competitive colleges. (He is bright and in all honors courses as well as double accelerated math. He also took the SATs as a 13 year old for a program he was in, and scored 570 and 560...so I guess we could extrapolate that a bit.) His grades are good but could be better, and I'm sort of hoping that if he finds a college that interests him, he can read about admissions standards and it will encourage him to work a little harder. (He likes to do the minimum possible and often ends up with a B+ when he could be getting an A. He likes to say that his B+ is just like an A in a non-honors course, but I really don't think that's the right attitude. But I digress....)</p>
<p>I know a fair amount about large universities, but my son is already saying that he doesn't want to go to a school where he would have to take those large, anonymous lecture classes. (He is the type of kid that needs to be able to make a connection with the teacher, and I guess he already realizes that which is nice!) Since his father and I both attended large universities (Northwestern and Michigan) we have seen our share of 200-member accounting classes and know that this is not for our son. </p>
<p>At the same time, he stayed on the campuses of some smaller colleges during the summer (for a summer program) and we were all surprised at how run down the dorms were...really very icky when compared to the dorms I had! (Old, chipped (and limited storage) furniture, stained mattresses, small closet space, poor lighting.) He was at Mount Holyoke (which of course is a girls' school normally, so he won't be going there of course) and also at Dickinson College. Just sharing this for perspective and I hope no one who attended these colleges is offended.</p>
<p>So, can someone start a list of somewhat competitive colleges where even the core classes would be small and where the facilites would be modern? As a final clarification, we are Jewish so son would not be comfortable at a Christian-oriented college. We are not especially religious but he would not want to feel like he is in the minority either.)</p>
<p>I would start with reading/ giving your son to read Loren Pope 'Colleges that change lives ' book. I believe it is must read for everyone who is going trough the admission process.
Suggestions will depend on whether you looking for merit/need aid and what geographic area you want to limit your search.</p>
<p>You can tell him some schools unweight those grades! Our school reports the actual grades the weighting only goes to your GPA and affects the class rank. But the schools see those B+s for what they are on the transcript. </p>
<p>My older son did CTY at Franklin and Marshall, Siena and St. Marys College of Maryland - I thought the dorms in all those places were fine. For what it's worth our son's SAT scores went up 120 points on verbal and 90 on math from 7th to 11th grade, but there's quite a bit of variability there.</p>
<p>Yup, I was going to mention the University of Chicago. Fabulous dorms, small classes, interesting student body, great city... It's definitely a place he should look into. </p>
<p>From age 11 to 16, my scores went up about 200 points a section. I know a lot of kids who got scores similar to mine in 7th grade (and similar to your son's) and most ended up around 2200, some by 2300 and others significantly lower.</p>
<p>my daughter didn't like the dorms at Uchicago- but then she was there in the summer and they didn't have air conditioning- she has several friends who attended though and they liked it very much</p>
<p>Do you know which dorm she was in? Air conditioning isn't all that crucial to have during the school year, but I know my dorm has in room air conditioning. There is a new dorm which will be completed in two years, as well. The nice thing about the dorms is that you can definitely get a single if you want one, you can defintely get a private bathroom if you want one, and there are lots of apartment style rooms (which will make up half of the new dorm to take the place of The Shoreland which has been sold).</p>
<p>We live in the Northeast (New York City area) and will probably be applying for financial aid; however I doubt we will qualify. (I'm not yet well-versed enough in that area to know if it's even worth applying for it.)</p>
<p>I would love to see him at a college not too far (driveable vs. flyable) from home. He loves the Philadelphia area and was interested in Penn for awhile, but I don't know that his interest was based on anything other than that it is in Philly and it is a decent school.</p>
<p>I don't know what dorm she was in- it was a CityYear event where she met Clinton and McCain- not a CTY program- it was several years ago as well- about 5?
They did have fans Im sure
and frankly- her dorm in Portland didn't have air either and in May it was in the upper 90s</p>
<p>If he's interested in the Philadelphia area, Haverford and Swarthmore are both top notch LACs. Having visited both recently, I think it is fair to say that most of the dorm rooms are in good shape. They are both, however, extremely competitive to gain admission. (Not competitive among the student body in terms of competition for grades, though).</p>
<p>One somewhat less selective LAC we visited that my S was favorably impressed with is Ursinus. Still in the Philadelphia area. Is one of the "Colleges that Change Lives." I think it is definitely worth a look.</p>
<p>"He likes to do the minimum possible and often ends up with a B+ when he could be getting an A. He likes to say that his B+ is just like an A in a non-honors course, but I really don't think that's the right attitude. But I digress..."</p>
<p>I have one of those boys. Turns 14 next month. Happy wherever the bar is set. He's in the gifted program, pull out once a week, but not really interested in pushing himself in his regualr classes. </p>
<p>Just started writing short stories for a creative writing class. Seems to be interested in it. Fingers crossed....</p>
<p>Is there an area on CC that discusses what parents of pre 9th grade students should be doing now to maximize college options later in the process?</p>
<p>Sorry to rain on your parade, but a student who likes to do the minimum is not going to cut it at Chicago. It does not matter what a B+ is in a non-honors course Colleges want to see the most rigorous courses taken, and the best grades. AND they want students who are not lazy coming in.</p>
<p>I agree Marite
My D and her friends at UChicago often were reading the same books for their hum classes- but her friends at Chicago pointed out that they actually read every page of the almost 20 books they were reading for one( semester) class
They also call it "the school where fun goes to die" .
Agree with the suggestion of Popes book</p>
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He's in the gifted program, pull out once a week, but not really interested in pushing himself in his regualr classes.
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<p>I had one of those boys, too (happily in college, now). His class schedule dictated that he take one course that was far too easy for him. The teacher was exasperated with the sloppy work he did, and explained that she could only grade what she received, not what she knew he could do. After some negotiations, she allowed him (and a similarly unchallenged kid) to do a project that was well beyond the requirement of the class (in fact, college level stuff). Complaints stopped all around.<br>
The trick is to challenge gifted kids so that they do their best, not the minimum, and so that they do not develop habits of laziness. This does not mean giving them more of the same, but giving them more challenging stuff, allowing them to accelerate as necessary.</p>
<p>I have inserted myself into the process. Told him we are setting the bar to what I know he can do, not where the teacher sets it. </p>
<p>We reviewed his essay together. I told him where he needed more facts to support his position, how to write an effective introduction and conclusion, where he writing needed to have a more formal tone. He made the revisions.</p>
<p>When he turned the paper in, the teacher asked if someone wrote it for him. Once he convinced the teacher it was his work, he was thrilled with the feedback.</p>
<p>We'll be doing this all year. At least. With our friends Strunk and White...</p>
<p>I think it's really too soon to be researching colleges for your son who is only a freshman. How do you know what he'll be like by his senior year?</p>
<p>You could casually drive through a couple of college campuses if you're on vacation or something, but beyond that I'd cool my heels for now. </p>
<p>Believe me - if you start too soon, you can drive him crazy and make him hate the whole thing by the time he needs to get fully engaged in the process.</p>
<p>A freshman is too involved in getting used to high school to be able to think four years in advance. Better to help him find his interests through the various clubs, competitions and opportunities that his school and community offer. You don't want to sound like a broken record already - save it 'til junior year.</p>