South-Eastern schools for a B student

Parents Forum
1

<p>Great suggestions on the NE schools thread, but D would like milder weather.</p>

<p>The facts:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>currently a jr; took the PSAT as a soph (1530/2400?) and will take the exam "for real" next month</p></li>
<li><p>gpa 2.9 (no honors or AP)</p></li>
<li><p>urm (black)</p></li>
<li><p>limited ECs (varsity and travel soccer; community service)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>She would like a LAC or small uni in the not-too-deep south (that's more DH's northern bias than D's preference - though I don't think she wants to be too far from home), not too remote, more than just a handful of black students and preferbly coed. D is not committed to playing sports in college and, b/c she has already completed her foreign lang requirement, she doesn't want a school w/ more than into foreign lang gened or distrib req.</p>

<p>I know it's early, but here is her prelim list:
Guilford
Elon
High Point
Hendrix
Ursinus
McDaniel
Roanoke
Earlham (yes, I know it's in Indiana)
N'eastern (yes, I know it's Boston, but she's a legacy)
Clark (close to sib)
Hampshire (ditto)
Manhattanville
SUNYs (in-state)</p>

<p>Any suggestions, comments, advice?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I am not understanding the PSAT score.</p>

<p>Elon will be a reach - they are getting more selective and have tons of applicants. High SAT's will definitely help. It is also very white.</p>

<p>Ursinus is a great school - not sure with the gpa though
McDaniel for sure. It's a nice little school out in Maryland. location is pretty remote, if that matters.</p>

<p>What does she want to major in?
Will she consider a Catholic college?
How about a HBCU?</p>

<p>How about Radford, Bridgewater, Randolph, U of Richmond?</p>

3

<p>Don't have a chance at University of Richmond. </p>

<p>As far as SUNY's,Binghamton, Geneseo, and New Paltz are too much of a reach for your daughter. Even some of the lesser known SUNY's have upped their admission's criteria because in recent years, more and more highly qualified in state students have discovered their value. </p>

<p>SUNY Farmingdale is probably a match. </p>

<p>Northeastern--too far of a reach even as a legacy.</p>

<p>Roanoke--I'd be a little concerned about the possibility of racial issues.</p>

4

<p>McDaniel is a match. A good way for you to get an idea of how your daughter's academic stats compare to those kids accepted is to go to the specific college website and in the "search" box, type in "freshman profile." The freshman profile breaks down specific admissions statistics like SAT/ACT scores and gpa of students accepted.</p>

5

<p>University of South Carolina, Columbia?</p>

<p>I was going to suggest University of North Carolina - Asheville and Eckerd College, St Petersburg, FL, but I think they are lacking diversity-wise (only 3% AA).</p>

6

<p>Queen's Univ. (Charlotte), UNC-Greensboro,</p>

7

<p>USC out of state would be difficult. Winthrop (another state school) would be a better choice. Lynchburg, Radolph-Macon, Randolph College, Lenoir-Rhyne, Presbyterian. My son really liked Bridgewater when he visited -- probably his second choice. Just a ton of good choices in the southeast.</p>

8

<p>Consider Lynchburg in VA, Lenoir - Rhyne and Catawba in NC. Wesley in DE. If she is willing to consider PA - Lycoming, Lebanon Valley</p>

9

<p>There are several all female schools in the southeast with a significant number of AA students. Some, such as Salem in Winston-Salem and Meredith in Raleigh, have easy access to co-ed schools. Other schools to consider are Agnes Scott and Wesleyan College. Berry College, in Mt. Berry, GA, is co-ed, but has only 3% AA students. Also look at Lipscomb in Nashville.</p>

10

<p>What racial issues at Roanoke?</p>

<p>I always though of Agnes Scott as a great school - - but I think it would be a reach with SAT in the 1050/1600 or 1530/2400 range?</p>

<p>I thought Meredith (NC) was now coed - - but about 90% female, but I could be wrong. If the school is trying to attract boys, it may be a bit of a reach for a girl with average scores and grades.</p>

11

<p>Wesleyan in Georgia is a wonderful looking school. Diverse beyond expectations. I never visited but it looks really nice. I think she's got a real chance.</p>

12

<p>What racial issues at Roanoke?</p>

<p>Actually, I was sort of generalizing here about private schools in the Virginia area based on S's experience at a top tier private Virginia college. He's white and didn't have to personally deal with racial issues but he was disgusted by the subtle and not so subtle bigotry. He's since transferred to a more diverse public university in the northeast.</p>

13

<p>Has she considered the historically black colleges and universities? (HBCU) IF she wants to venture into even the border southern states, you enter that realm. Some great schools, especially Spellman, Howard etc. but if that's not what she wants she will know pretty quickly.</p>

14

<p>College of Charleston? Flagler College in St. Augustine? Berry College in Rome Ga, Oglethorpe U in Atlanta? I don't know about the diversity issues with these schools, but they might be worth considering.</p>

15

<p>Would Millsaps be a possibility?</p>

16

<p>Ursinus isn't in the southeast and is very rigorous. I would not recommend it for your daughter. There are better choices.<br>
What about Belmont in Nashville? I have become quite impressed with it since moving here a couple of years ago.</p>

17

<p>Check out the female-only LACs - Hollins, Sweet Briar. It may be too deep south, but Agnes Scott in Atlanta.</p>

18

<p>Meredith College (Raleigh NC) is still all female. It is very close (literally a few blocks) from NC State where males abound. </p>

<p>Other small privates in NC... Greensboro College (not the same as UNC-G) NC Weslyan College, Barton College, Methodist College, Wingate University.
Bennett College is a very small (less than 1000) sch. that is all AA female school in Greensboro. </p>

<p>HBCU.. Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central Univ., NC A&T,</p>

19

<p>Sweet Briar College, VA
Hood College, MD
Belmont Abbey College, NC
Wesleyan College, GA
U of Alabama at Birmingham
North Carolina Central University (HBCU)
Georgia College & State University
Hampton University, (HBCU)
Stetson University, FL
U of Tulsa, OK</p>

20

<p>Thanks for all the suggestions - - especially those of you who offered descriptions of the schools on your lists. Other consideratins I neglected to mention: D wants a traditional residental college experience; yes, she will consider women's colleges, especially if they are in a city or near coed schools; the ideal school size would be 1800-4000 students and D is interesed in the humanities and social sciences.</p>

<p>Oglethorpe, Greensboro College and College of Wooster (yes, I know it's in Ohio) are other schools we are considering; we might also buzz UNC-Greensboro (too big, but we'll be in the area) and Bennet (small, but we have family on the faculty).</p>

<p>Of the HBCUs D is considering Spelman, Hampton (family on faculty) and Howard. We actually have family on faculty at a number of HBCUs (St. Aug, NC Central, NC A&T and NC State), but those schools were less of a good fit for D, mostly for size and not enough of a residential experience. Also, since larger state schools don't track interest or require interviews, it will be easy enough to throw in an additinal app, if that becomes necessary.</p>

<p>I see Agness Scott mentioned at least twice. Am I correct in thinking that would be a bit of a reach for D? There are already a number of reach schools on her list, but all schools where students from D's hs w/ D's profile have been admitted w/i the past 2 years (Elon, New Paltz, Ursinus); D's school has no recored w/ Agnes Scott.</p>

<p>Also, while D will definitely consider women's colleges, I worry that the southern schools will be a bit to "white glove" for her )that's certainly how a friend from VA described Hollis), too small or too remote. A Randy-Mac alumna (before it went co-ed and changed its name to Randloph College) used to refer to the school as Dusty-Mack (dusty from sitting on the shelf waiting for boys). Likewise a friend's D recently transferred from Sweet Briar - - said she just "out-grew" it.</p>

<p>And like most NE liberals, I fear the climate that nysmile described in post #12. (OTOH, I have family in NC who are perfectly happy there - - but I'm also reluctant to stray too much farther south.) Of course, campus climate varies from campus to campus and from community to community - - but are my instincts generally on point? Or is it just northern bias?</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>