<p>Zweebop, how does your son’s friend like Susquehanna? My son and I enjoyed our visit, but, after seeing many positive posts, I just saw 3 posts suggesting there was a lot of drinking there (although that could be everywhere).
VAMom, I suggest you be careful re West Chester, on academic and suitcase issues, and Hofstra, on suitcase issues and perhaps both on size issues. I respectfully suggest that your range of 2000-8000 kids may be broad, given your perception of your son being best as a bigger fish in a smaller pond (which is how I feel about my son).
My suggestion would be a 2000 student school, where he will feel much more faculty attention and have more of a chance for a leadership role, especially one with a vibrant intramural sports program. I could not get my son to look at 4000 student schools, so I cannot comment on whether the feel is different.</p>
<p>Now, if only I knew how to check which 2000 student schools are truly nurturing…</p>
<p>Thanks again for the feedback. How does someone find out if a school is a suitcase college? I was concerned about that for West Chester. We have not visited yet. I think some of the schools we will wait until after he applies (and hopefully gets in) to visit. As far as Hofstra size I think he will apply to their LD program so it should make the school more manageable for him. We are focusing on the smaller size. He would like football and frats (like his older siblings get at UVA) since that is his idea of a true college experience. We also would like to find small/nurturing and not overly competitive or intense. But not “slackers” either. (His words). We saw York which is a bit bigger and he thought it felt like high school. But its on his list anyway.Want to make sure to not miss anything.
We have only heard good things about Susquehanna also. I do think drinking is everywhere. THanks for the suggestions. I will keep it all in mind. Appreciate any input.</p>
<p>Some ways to check on “suitcase” issues are what % of students:
commute; 2. graduate within 4 years (suitcase schools tend to have high transfer out rates); 3. are from nearby.
Visiting on a Saturday afternoon is helpful, as is posting a specific question on CC or checking the students review website.
Lots of small schools have frats and football, although the football crowds will not be very large.</p>
<p>I do not know why this will not link but here is list of colleges that have programs for LD students. I’m just going to do it as a list and hope this works,
http://</p>
<p>Vamomof3, if your son’s IEP includes some exemptions (math? foreign lang?) you should look VERY carefully into each school’s graduation requirements, geneds and distributions requirements (usually listed in the course catalogue). When D1 was applying, we limited the search to schools that did not require foreign lang for graduation (only one school with a foreign lang requirement agreed to do assessment for accommodation when D was admitted - - as opposed to after enrollment). I belive the geneds were on reason for us not considering Susquehana, which otherwise looked like a good choice for D. </p>
<p>I found that the “open curric” (no geneds or distribution requirements) to be far more common among LACs in New England and the tri-state area. Unfortuntely, I don’t know of any open curric schools below the Mason-Dixon line - - but the school that agreed to make the accommodation assessment before D enrolled was in NC.</p>
<p>anyone know anything about Elizabethtown? SOunds similar to Susquehanna.</p>
<p>Christopher Newport: his opinion (not sure how accurate) its got “slackers” who don’t want to work too hard. </p>
<p>George Mason: in our county, also suburban so although American (he will apply to their program although may not need/want a program, just as another option) is also close it has a very differend (more city like) feel. Also GMU may be more commuter </p>
<p>What about Indiana U of Penn? Bloomsburg U of P? How do they compare to West Chester?</p>
<p>We looked at Christopher Newport (we meaning H and I; S2 had no interest so we had to satisfy our shopping gene without his participation). Anyway, we loved the look and feel of the campus, which is full of brand new buildings. Your son’s description of slackers is probably a result of the food chain in terms of UVA, W&M, Tech, and JMU all being above Christopher Newport in terms of attracting the higher GPA students within Virginia. I thought of CM as a good safety for a kid who didn’t get accepted to JMU, but still wanted an instate school with football. However, I have been told the flaw in that argument is that unlike JMU, CM is a dry campus. I seem to remember the tour guide saying the college owns the refrigerators in the room so they have the right to look inside them to check for alcohol. The fact that it is not a party school (and does not have any easily accessible off-campus places to party) seem to be the major objections I have heard (from students). Stat-wise, I think CMU would hold up well against many of the other suggestions that have been made. There would be an opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond there. If your son gave it a closer look, he might find it works pretty well as one of his safeties.</p>
<p>did you see Mary Washington? I know it doesn’t have the football or frats but we liked it (all of us, even my son). Although he did say it may be a bit “boring”, I think he sees himself fitting in there. I am not totally sure! I don’t think CNU is a safety since he has to work on getting his ACT scores up first and not sure if thats possible. Same case for any school requiring tests. What about Longwood? Some kids in our HS seem to like that place. </p>
<p>A concern about state schools is the bureaucracy he may come up against when signing up for classes, etc, which is not because of size but because its a state school. Would lack some of the “nurturing” I think he might need.</p>
<p>If you look at commuters to see if a school is a “suitcase school” you could be misled…many students choose to live off-campus but are not going home for the weekends. At some schools many live on-campus but it clears out on weekends. </p>
<p>The nice thing about West Chester is that it is in a college town and Philadelphia is less than an hour away. The campus does not clear out on weekends from what I have seen. I would not write it off if that is your concern.</p>
<p>From what I gather, around here WCU>IUP…just from what I hear from kids. Good luck in your search!</p>
<p>Check the gen eds at Mary Washington. Four semesters (or credits from high school) of a foreign language are required. That is more than many schools, if your son’s LD gives him trouble with languages.</p>
<p>Mary Washington was too competitive for our son’s stats. On paper at least, it looked like just a notch below W&M. If your son likes it, he should apply by all means but I thought it would be a harder admit than JMU or Tech and much tougher than CMU. </p>
<p>I have heard nothing but good things about Longwood, but it is 65% female and won’t have the football.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I would agree that West Chester is a college town, more like a College friendly town. It’s the county seat of Chester County and known as being family friendly too. We lived in that area for ten years before moving about an hour north. I liked it because of the many shops and restaurants. IMHO, it has a lot more to offer town wise then any of the other state schools of that cohort.</p>
<p>IUP has an excellent honors College [The</a> Robert E. Cook Honors College [Prospective Students]](<a href=“http://old.www.iup.edu/honors/prostumain.shtml]The”>http://old.www.iup.edu/honors/prostumain.shtml), and if your son gets into that I think he would get plenty of nurturing, not so much in the main school. Comparing the two, I would choose IUP Honors College, West Chester otherwise.</p>
<p>True about the commuter school. My older ones at UVa lived off campus from second year but that is certainly not a commuter or suitcase school.</p>
<p>I thought WCUof P sounded good. I know its a bit bigger than the 2000 student schools so not sure it is workable but faculty:student ratio/class size looked good. We will look after (if) he gets in. Just want a balance of options when the time comes since he is not so sure WHAT he wants or needs right now.
I will check about UMW and foreign lang. He is in spanish 3 now, and likes it. He has to work hard but he is doing well. He is the type that does what he has to in order to succeed. He did 5 week Spanish immersion one summer to stay on top of the Spanish and then a high school program last summer to keep up with the skills. </p>
<p>LD does impact learning of the language (testing actually advises he not take language,) and would not want to set him up for something he could not succeed in. Want college to be less of a struggle academically. Time for more balance, and to focus on more than “just classes and academic learning”. Our goal is we want him to feel good about himself. One of my concerns about UMW is the level of academics and competition.</p>
<p>I have not seen Elizabethtown, but it has a good reputation in PA, although much less well known than Susquehanna and Juniata. Lycoming appears to be a similar school. Bloomburg is much larger. A Columbus Day or other long weekend tour of PA would probably yield a batch of good choices for you.</p>
<p>You’re right kathiep - I should have said college-friendly rather than college town…much more accurate. If you haven’t been back to West Chester in a few years you may be surprised at the growth. They have built a large new municipal building and there are a lot more shops and restaurants than there were even 5 years ago. The downtown is filled with college students on weekend nights. Bam Margera opened a club to bring bands into town as well so many students find that a draw. </p>
<p>Sorry to ramble on vamomof3…I am not trying to push WCU on you, believe it or not…I just like the area LOL</p>
<p>Weighing on on West Chester – If your son is disciplined it is a good school. If he will be easily distracted by the freedom of college it may not be a good choice.</p>
<p>It is a good party school. Def. not a suitcase school. I know plenty who succeeded there and a few who failed out early on. I have never heard it described as nuturing. </p>
<p>I second IUP w/ honors over West Chester. </p>
<p>May I also suggest Wesley College in DE. It may be too small for your son. Though I couldn’t find an LD program on their website, I know a LD student who was given great help there without “red tape.” They also have an honors option & some nice scholarships.</p>