<p>Millsaps, Rhodes, Spring Hill, Davidson, Rice, Christian Brothers University, Loyola University New Orleans, College of Charleston</p>
<p>Just giving names of southern schools, non state, where recent graduates or acquaintances have attended</p>
<p>PS. Don't have to be Catholic to go to a Jesuit or any other Catholic college, and you will not be oppressed if you are not Catholic</p>
<p>Montegut, are you from, well, Montegut?? I went to HS in Bourg (long ago, when it was the HS for east Houma).</p>
<p>Montegut, those are all good schools. but the OP asked about schools that didn't have a party atmosphere but were really, really selective.
Add to that a Southern school and we're really cutting it down.
Not sure such a school exists.</p>
<p>I would agree with Davidson also--from what I hear from kids who attend there, work load is tough, profs very available, not much partying, they do your laundry, bikes are on campus (at least a couple years ago were) for everyone's use.</p>
<p>Ideal is small, southern, semi-rural (i.e., close to city or large town but insulated campus), friendly but still competitive/selective = Furman University. It has 2,800 undergrads, is certainly southern (although with diversity as 70% are out-of-state) with great weather, is in the suburbs with a fairly secluded campus and only 5 minutes from downtown Greenville (which is a nice city), and student body is very friendly and high-caliber students (ranked 37th out of national liberal arts colleges, and in the top 5 out of the southeastern LACs). Drop-dead gorgeous campus and heavy focus on engaged learning. Greek life is active but not over the top. Based on your stated criteria, Furman should be on your short list.</p>
<p>Friend's quiet studious daughter is quite happy at Rhodes. And there was considerable merit money.</p>
<p>Wofford is a huge Greek school.</p>
<p>Agree with Furman. DS goes there and is very happy. Very Southern. Not a big party schoool. Frats/Sororities exist, but not dominent. Students are generally conservative.</p>
<p>To Dragonmom-Yea, you right! But seriously, just throwing out names of schools for OP to look into. Rice is only one I know is very selective. Only have heard of other schools, seen listed as graduates from our HS attending. </p>
<p>To Iderochi-I live in Metairie, but travel to the Houma area for work often. God's country. I am an avid birdwatcher, swamp tromper, and love that area. Lucky that you got to spend time there. Never been to Delaware. Would love to head up there one day and see their water country.</p>
<p>Based on that very constricting criteria, Furman.</p>
<p>I still can't get used to people from the Carolinas calling themselves Southern. I guess Louisiana would be considered the Deep South. </p>
<p>Quick comment on Rhodes. A good friend went for a visit there and really wanted to go. Said had a great premed program, with high acceptance rate. Unfortunately, was one of several children, and could not afford to go there, even with merit aid. My husband lived in Memphis Katrina year, and we drove past the college many times when visiting. Beautiful campus. </p>
<p>Christian Brothers University is a wonderful, small campus, also in Memphis.
As the parent of a son who attended Christian Brothers middle school here in New Orleans, I cannot say enough good things about Lasallian education. The teachers are all wonderful, nurturing people who truly care about your children. </p>
<p>Millsaps boasts a great premed program. It's in Jackson, Mississippi, which is an urban area, although the campus is separate from downtown. </p>
<p>Spring Hill is in Mobile, Alabama. Very small. I know many young ladies who have gone there and loved it.</p>
<p>I have heard wonderful things about Samford in Birmingham. It may be worth looking into for your sister. There's also Birmingham Southern. </p>
<p>Just throwing out names here. Check them out on the internet and get flyers.</p>
<p>Rice, William & Mary, Davidson, Emory are the best small, serious schools in the South. Fun can be had but not in the loud, Animal House tradition.</p>
<p>I wouldn't classify Emory as being a "small" school.</p>
<p>Its about the size of Duke/Stanford.</p>
<p>Furman grad here. Campus is still dry. School cut its formal ties to the Baptist denomination as did Wake, UR, etc..but students tend to be not very tolerant of drunks and rowdy behavior. Frat parties are off campus. Focus at Furman is more on health, the great sunny campus, being outside and enjoying the beauty of being in the foothills of what are spectacular NC mountains just up the road. Lots of Floridians own summer homes in Hendersonville and Flat Rock and Asheville 45 minutes or so north.
Easier to get into Furman than it is to make As there..faculty is very good and they expect a lot from students.<br>
Aside from the grounds, the Furman faculty is at the top of things to appreciate there.</p>
<p>In addition to the partying factor, you might also want to consider schools' political and religious atmosphere. Some southern schools have a reputation for being politically and/or religiously conservative. Furman, for example--I have heard stories about several Jewish students whose evangelical friends would gather to pray for them. I have no first-hand knowledge that confirms these stories, but I do think that anyone who has not grown up in the south should think hard about this aspect of southern college life. When my D made her list of schools to apply to, Hendrix was the only southern school that made the cut.</p>
<p>If your sis is open to going to a women's college, I'd second mini and curmudgeon re: Agnes Scott. It is located in Decatur GA, which is just north of Atlanta. So students can have a more active social scene if they wish. I have a friend who went there years ago. Based on her experience, it seems people really bond with Agnes Scott and stay connected throughout their lives.</p>
<p>Regarding Furman, I'll let Faline2 discuss -- she has stated before that she (and the administration) would like to see a more diverse student body, including Jewish. But even so, being Jewish at Furman does not mean you are an outcast. </p>
<p>Overall, I think southern schools get a bad rap on this point. While there may be a larger (and more vocal) evangelical community on some southern campuses, it's just not that big of a deal. They are just one of many active campus communities that you can choose to engage with or not, and nobody really cares.</p>
<p>Lately when I've posted I get this weird header, xxxx (mwl - 2.19.2009) --> that usually goes away after awhile, and my messages themselves seem to rearrange themselves. Anybody else having this problem?</p>
<p>My daughter has been accepted to Agnes Scott and is doing an over night revisit right now. She goes to a NE all girls boarding school and is somewhat cosmopolitan. I am wondering how she will fit into a small women’s college in Georgia. There are very few posters under the Agnes Scott board. Does anyone have recent direct experience?
The attraction for her is the 3/2 engineering program with Georgia Tech and the significant scholarship from ASC. She’ll get to do core math and sciences in a very nuturing environment and then move on. I’m just worried that Agnes Scott might be a little too small.</p>
<p>St. Mary’s College of Maryland might be a good low match or safety.
Nice water-front setting. Good academics (Maryland’s public “honors” college), but not super selective. Maryland (as in Baltimore/Washington) is not exactly “southern”, but SMCM is in a rural area of the state. </p>
<p>A neighbor told us it is a party school, though. That might just be a rumor but you’d want to check it out. </p>
<p>I guess Warren Wilson College is out?</p>