U Rochester offers generous merit. However, if he does apply there be very careful to check the deadlines. I think It was December 1 for the best chance at merit. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
In your initial post you seem to be describing your son as smart but underachieving. Later you imply that he will thrive in an environment where he is coordinating his course work. These two statements seem somewhat at odds with one another. Forgive me if I have read it incorrectly.
Someone mentioned Union. Can I add Bucknell then? Generous merit awards.
Totally understand the contradictory statements–it’s hard to give an accurate picture without adding more to my already incredibly wordy post.
He’s very bright, underachieves in classes that do not challenge him. He can do a whole lot of nothing in a “boring” class and come out with an A or B. He absolutely absorbs information like a sponge when it is self-directed or when he has input into what he is learning. He does very, very well in his AP classes and in classes like Latin, which is a college-style seminar with lots of philosophy and deep thinking.
We’ve had lots of discussions about how getting into medical school will involve top performance at things that may not seem necessary or desirable, and how one sometimes has to jump through hoops to get where one wants to go. He’s got a long history of being unstoppable at things he is driven to do, so I do not have doubts about his capability in that regard.
Let’s just say it’s a lot like parenting a male version of myself.
It is very, very nice but not college-y looking, I agree. Thanks.
The Old Market area is so cool! I didn’t realize Creighton is right there, and we do have family in Omaha. I’ll look into it more, thank you.
Lawrence is a really great school. Appleton is surprisingly cool. I’m kind of assuming he’ll be considering Lawrence and Beloit, should probably confirm. He liked Beloit campus but the city of Beloit is not awesome.
I was hoping Knox wouldn’t feel terribly rural/small townish; we’ll have to go there this summer.
Thank you!
Thanks for the input. I’m surprised at how often KU comes up with people, tends to get raves.
St. Lawrence, though rural/distant, just checks so many boxes of what I know of him. He has gotten a lot of interest from their coach and I think it would be a contender for him regardless of his vague non-rural parameter.
Luther is seriously an underrated school, I think. From this area we’ve had a few go there and love it.
He loved Rhodes. Loved Memphis. Hoping for the best w ACT.
Thanks!
Yes, St. Olaf is one of my favorites (I’m from MN). It’s such a great school. It’s list-adjacent right now, I think it’s a bit of a reach both financially and academically, but we’ll see what happens with ACT.
It will be very good for him to sit in on classes when he visits - have him pick a couple. Then have him talk with students from the class or in the library if he can find some who seem to be at a break point from their own studies.
I’ve worked for 19 years in a public high school. I’ve seen students like him go off on visits and be able to make their decision about contenders there doing just what I’ve described. Some schools are almost all lecture with students who haven’t even read the material yet. Getting a discussion is difficult. This is NOT a good fit for these types. Other schools have students who are interested and profs who expect the reading to have been done already with new info and/or discussion in their classes. Kids like your lad thrive in these environments.
He needs to gauge the overall environment and be sure he didn’t just get the “right/wrong” professor - hence - talking with students in addition to sitting in on classes himself.
If he gets a better ACT score, definitely consider U Rochester. My “loves learning” lad absolutely loved it there - and still made it into med school. He thrives on learning and rigor. 
My “loves learning” lad wasn’t impressed with his brother’s classes at Eckerd, but they were in two different fields. Eckerd is very good at science and my Eckerd lad hardly took any science classes (the two joined in together for non-science classes). My lad who went there was very GREEN and enjoyed learning in that atmosphere. He was one professors loved because he’d delve into discussion (or so they told us when we visited). Apparently many others don’t. They want to just sit and learn, but I’d sit in on science classes before making that judgment across the board.
We don’t get enough kids from my area going to St Lawrence to be able to offer any current thoughts on that one. I know when I grew up in the area it wasn’t exactly considered top for academics (we all considered it a wealthy party school), but that was decades ago and schools definitely change. (Many of my top peers went on to top schools.) If your guy likes it, it’s definitely worth a visit IMO. He ought to be able to catch the current vibe to see if it appeals. The area is pretty. Students there tend to love the outdoors as much as Eckerd, just more mountain and skiing outdoors vs water outdoors like sailing and paddle boarding.
Allegheny is well regarded locally, but again, definitely rural. Juniata is similar. Franklin & Marshall is well regarded too, but they don’t offer merit aid. Washington and Jefferson tends to attract some of our “loves learning” kids. They’re small, so I don’t know that they have all the other things you’re looking for.
Just some musing this morning! Best wishes on your search!
Speaking from experience, professional and personal, I’d suggest, given what you say about your son doing very well, and being very capable, but underachieving when bored,
–Once he’s all set on a school, have him contact academic counseling before he arrives. Establish a relationship with an academic counselor and find out about any academic preparation classes. Schools often have these; they might be an hour a week for 6-8 weeks or something like that. This is a sign of academic/intellectual strength, not weakness. One of mine is a hard-working, successful student and did this freshman year. They found it helpful. And sometimes schools give a 1/2 or 1/3 credit for doing it.
–Also get a tutor the first or second week, especially for science classes. This is also a sign of academic/intellectual strength, not weakness. At a top university, the pre-med advisor said that 6 students had made an A in their Intro Organic Chem class. Five of the six had gotten a tutor at the beginning of the semester and had not waited until they had disappointing results on the first test, when most of the class rushed over to get tutors. Only a few other students had gotten tutors at the beginning of the semester. This is especially important for pre-med students. Those intro science classes can be very challenging for freshmen.
–Here is a simple list of things students to do to make them successful. They are very important. Students have much more control over their time. Much more work is done outside the classroom, relative to high school. Students who have trouble getting homework and papers done in high school tend to struggle in college.
–Go to class every day. This is essential and many students don’t do it.
–Do all assignments and reading. It contributes to learning, which is the most important thing. But also letting little things slide can easily turn that A into a B or that B into a C, and so on. You don’t want to do all the work for a semester but not turn in 3 small assignments, worth a point each, and have that 81 turn into a 78, that B to a C, for a few minutes of work.
–Get to know the professors. Students often don’t like to talk to professors because they don’t want the prof to know what they don’t know or haven’t read–trust me, the profs usually have a good idea where students are with the material and what they’ve done in terms of reading, etc. Most profs will want to know before tests if a student is behind or struggling and will help the student, or offer guidance. Also, you are paying a lot for school. Office hours offer a grand opportunity for a 1-on-1 discussion with a professor on the subject that the student is learning. Besides, profs tend to root for students who they know well.
–Set aside time every day and find a comfortable, quiet place to study. If a student has that scheduled every day, well, then it is okay to miss one if something is going on. Often the library is a good place to study, or smaller departmental libraries or lounges. The latter also allow a student to get to know profs and other students in the department, which can be helpful.
Good luck!
@brickkicker My DS16 attends the Honors College at College of Charleston. He is a CS major, but very much a liberal arts kid. CofC has an amazing Classics program . They are also very strong in the sciences with opportunities for undergrad research. They have a strong study abroad and international studies program.I can’t say enough good things about the faculty there. Approachable , supportive and invested. I think that it warrants a look. He should definitely look at the Honors College. There is some merit money available ,it’s just not a set automatic award . Feel free to PM if you have any further questions.
If your S gets his ACT up just a few points, he’s a solid match for Clark and it sounds like it might be a good fit for hm. I also think University of Rochester is worth a look.
If you love Allegheny, keep UPS on the list. They have a lot in common in many ways, both lovely LAC’s, very strong in science. Allegheny will have more of an athletic feel and a bit more conservative than UPS but the well rounded comment is spot on. UPS has a very strong arts component as well if there is any interest in theater or music. It is a beautiful campus and definitely not rural, with easy access to Tacoma and Seattle. Very well regarded locally and a strong alumni network. Allegheny’s pre-med/sciences are outstanding, they are quite generous with merit but the school, in parts, is a tad tired looking and it’s definitely rural though Pitt isn’t really all that far away. Truly wonderful food, we were quite impressed.
Ursinus may be another one to toss in the mix that has a lot in common with the other two.
At his stats alone, L&C will be a low reach/high match and can be stingy with merit but his sport may override that.
Not sure if this affects S’s thinking but research is not a must EC for med schools.
Sounds like UPS needs more looking into. Great info.
I’ve heard U Rochester come up more than once, I’ll look into that. I was thinking that it was quite a rising school and that his stats were not quite up to par, but there’s a lot about it that looks great.
To Jug20, just meaning non-LAC larger research universities and state schools.
Thanks all again, I’ll refine a bit and work with him. A final list must be developed! Such great info here.
@brickkicker URochester is test flexible and while GPA is important, they do take a holistic approach to applications. Based on his “intangibles” he does sound like the kind of kid who would be apt to capture their interest. I think demonstrating interest would be a factor for him there, too, though.
If you are unable to visit a Skype interview seemed to tick the demonstrated interest box.
Also, I think U Rochester has been well respected for quite some time.
Rochester is an elite national university and especially good for the sciences and premed/bio/science programs.
One of the many things we liked about Trinity University we liked during our search is they show the Merit scholarship criteria on the web site. That can really help motivate a kid to study for the ACT knowing what they need.
I am bias my daughter fell in love with Trinity. Something about it just made here feel home.
Check out the OOS merit scholarships at New College of Florida.
https://www.ncf.edu/admissions/cost-and-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-freshmen/
It looks like most OOS students get at least a $15K discount, which brings the net cost down to Wisconsin in-state levels. If so, then I would think Wisconsin Madison (large school) and NCoF (small school) are among your best options for quality/price balance. Many other schools mentioned above are also quite good but I wouldn’t count on net prices that low from any of them (assuming you don’t qualify for n-b aid).