Thank you
Sewanee is on her list!
How strict are they about the dress code? D isn’t liking that.
Look at Trinity (TX). Hits #1, 3, 5, 6. They offer 20 full tuition,
2-3 STEM full, and automatic merit up to $30K. If your D gets
the $30K, it will be under $40K. Good chance your D can get
the full or stem full with her stats.
It is 32% school, huge endowment, undergrad focused, and newer science building. Great athletic facility and D3. Supposed to be 4 season weather with mild winters, but not this
year. Really cold atm in San Antonio. My D will not go “South”,
so this school was crossed out. Good luck.
I have Trinity on her list, and Austin as well. She’s not fond of Texas because her dad lived there and bad mouths it all the time (flat and bad weather he says). I’m working on changing that because it has many good options for her. I think Texas would be great.
Dress code isn’t strict at all anymore, and even when it was it was very professor dependent.
Trinity is in the city - she wants rural. If we add city schools there are many that could be added.
Another to look at - has an airport so the extra 30 in plane time will be more than saved in a drive - and it’s not big city and it’s not even in the city - UNC Asheville
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Ok…cause my kid is the jock type…she’s only worn a dress to a couple school dances…she said no way she will go if she has to wear a dress to class lol.
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San Antonio is on the edge of the Hill Country, as is Georgetown where Southwestern University. That should give you an idea of the topography… We have had an extremely mild winter so far.
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You may want to check out Centre College in KY. My child from the NE chose Centre and loves it! It ticks off many of your boxes- rural, strong pre med, many opportunities for athletes, it snows, and there are countless merit scholarships including the Brown Fellows scholarship which is a “ full ride plus” scholarship - there are 10 awarded each year. There are inexpensive shuttles to both Lexington and Louisville airports.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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Regarding opportunities for premed students, Centre appears among the top schools in the ranking posted up-topic.
https://www.centre.edu/centre-college-ranked-among-top-25-best-colleges-in-nation-for-pre-meds/
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Yes Centre is on her list, someone suggested it earlier. It sounds like a good fit!
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I will be one of the many to mention Grinnell. Unlike Carleton, they do have merit aid. Love Carleton…it ticks all the boxes except cost, it seems. Added bonus is that the Mayo clinic is only about 45 minutes away, and might have internship opportunities. St. Olaf is also a good option, though one that is far more local in outlook
My wife went to Beloit for undergrad. They were very kind to her, and she excelled. She ended up getting into a prestigious medical school with no undergrad debt, and still recalls her time there fondly. Chicago is 1 1/2 hrs. one way, Madison about the same the other.
I would not be overly positive about Gustavus. It tends to be very local, and not especially rigorous . While I am sure that there are success stories coming out of there, the kids I know that go have academic achievements way below those of your D.
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As mentioned earlier, my child goes to W&L. He is an athlete and a Johnson scholar. Feel free to PM me is you have any questions about the school.
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It is true that Gustavus has a more local draw than either St. Olaf or Carleton. But it still sent a number of graduates to my medical school class, including a roommate of mine who was very well prepared and graduated from med school with honors. And actually the school that sent the most students to my med school class was Bethel University, a very nonselective (87% admit rate) local school. All were well prepared, including one who ended up graduating from med school with the highest honors.
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ETA: not that OP’s daughter would be interested in Bethel which is suburban and very religious. I just mention it to illustrate that college selectivity really doesn’t count for much. Another example is my sister who attended St. Catherines (~75% admit rate) on scholarship and got into every med school she applied to. Again not a school that will interest OP’s daughter (women only, Catholic, urban) but illustrates the point. Anyway, I guess you could say I am very biased toward the advice of being a big fish in a small pond and saving your money! I realize that is not what everyone wants, though.
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The OP indicated that the back up plan if she decides not to apply to medical school is something in genetics (genetic counseling?) or research. There is also the possibility that as she goes through the four years, new interests and professions will be brought to her attention. Of course, she may decide to apply to medical school either while in college or after.
I would research schools on your list that not only have good premed opportunities (volunteering and shadowing can also be completed at home during breaks), but that also have opportunities in genetics and research. Can undergraduates be involved in research? How easily? Are there volunteer opportunities in genetics and/or genetic counseling? Opportunities on campus or nearby in human genetics, public health research, cancer biology research etc?
My daughter was also a biology major with the same interests as your daughter (pre med, interests in biology research, genetics). She had a lot of questions as she visited various schools. We found that some schools had more access and availability than others.
Right now this student intends to apply to medical school, but she has a back up plan in case she changes her mind. I would look at all the schools that have been suggested, look at what is affordable, and choose schools that will readily provide the additional opportunities of interest. Maybe they all do?
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Colgate does not give merit. All awards are need based.
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In general, I agree that saving money by going to a "lesser’ college is a good strategy. I know of some mature GA grads/friends who are quite accomplished, but the friends of S1 who go there are not academically inclined. Maybe it’s just a small sample size.
The challenge is getting the sweet spot for a school that is both rigorous, yet willing to give out merit. There is something to be said for having bright classmates. IMO they have as much of an effect on learning as teachers do.
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I think if this student applies to honors colleges, bigger schools, maybe further east etc…she will receive merit and attend college with very smart students (not saying impressive students are not at the schools on the current list). That’s why I asked if her list of “must haves” is flexible.
I would add 1-2. It doesn’t mean she has to attend, but it provides another option just in case.
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This.
I’ve posted this before in a different thread, but will post again. Everyone prospective pre-med (and any other prospective STEM major) should watch Malcolm Gladwell’s Ted talk, Why You Shouldn’t Go To Harvard": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J-wCHDJYmo
Here’s a similar, print version:
The TL; DR: For STEM majors (and I would include pre-meds), it’s much better to be a big fish in a small pond than the reverse.
And again, lest someone think that I have a particular ax to grind against elite schools, I went to an Ivy undergrad (and loved it!) But I was darn lucky to get into med school despite it.
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