<p>My son is looking for a college with small classes and a liberal arts approach in a nice college town. He really liked Augustana but will probably not get in because his grade point is only 2.7. He does have a pretty high ACT - 27. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any suggestions? He liked Illinois State U. even though it's not really liberal arts so I think a smaller state school would be fine. Like most parents these days, we cannot afford the private school price tag without significant assistance and I'm afraid his grades are going to result in no merit money. He hated both Western Illinois and Northern Illinois - too big and too "industrial." Are any of the Wisconsin state school on the smaller side and in nice towns? Are there any other schools in neighboring states that we should be looking at that have reasonable tuition for out-of-state kids?</p>
<p>We'd like him to stay within a few hours of home because he has some health issues that are going to require support/visits home at times. However, we also want him to have the college experience specifically because of the health issues. </p>
<p>There is a small Christian university in central Indiana that I liked (many, many years ago). It was called Anderson College but I think it is now Anderson University. I really don’t know anything about it, but I liked the campus and the students. Butler University is in a Indianapolis, so that may be too urban for your son. Illinois Wesleyan and Bradley University (Peoria) are nice. Of the Illinois state universities, have you looked at Eastern Illinois University? I like that campus much better than any other Illinois state universities. Very pretty campus and friendly students. Drake University in DeMoines is gorgeous. Sorry - no ideas for Wisconsin. Augustana is Catholic, right? If he is interested in a Catholic college, is Marquette to far away or too much of a reach? Another possibility would be University of Iowa. The campus is beautiful and friendly, and not too big, even though it’s a state university. Just some random, ideas to get the ball rolling for you, but I’m sure other CC parents will have lots of good ideas.</p>
<p>Augustana is Lutheran. But you are correct, there are any number of small Catholic/Lutheran/Methodist/UCC colleges in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin that could work for this student. Back in the last century, my best friend went to Iowa Wesleyan with a whole bunch of Chicago-area students who traveled home at vacation time on Amtrak. That friend’s daughter is now at UNI - not much more expensive than the IL publics for an IL resident.</p>