You’re from PA so you’ve already thought of this, but how about Swartmore/Haverford/Bryn Mawr? While none offers a zoology major, both Swarthmore and Haverford(not sure about Bryn Mawr) offer an option of “create” your own major, Very near Philly, also opportunity to take courses at UPenn(plus the other two colleges) as part of the Quaker Consortium.
Another vote here for a visit at least to Bryn Mawr. Women’s colleges have a different learning environment from co-ed institutions and are worth checking out. Bryn Mawr is test-optional so her ACT score wouldn’t matter.
Also think about visitng Delaware Valley U. It is a smaller place, and the program there would be animal science rather than zoology, I also expect it would be a safety with her GPA.
What bout University of Delaware?
What is it besides majors that your DS likes about the big schools? I am surprised that Wisconsin isn’t on her list.
Check out UGA. I know they have opportunities to work all sorts of animals. Friend of D went there UG and vet school and pretty sure she did some wild animal stuff in UG. Georgia has honors college which might be good option if has good scores. But not LAC
I guess I’ll be the third to suggest Miami of Ohio. It’s a medium sized school (15000 or so undergrads) that has always had a good zoology department. Beautiful campus and would be a very strong match with her current stats and a good chance of being accepted into their honors program. She could get some merit scholarships to sweeten the deal.
Not sure if they have Zoology but how about great state schools like UVA / UNC -CH. They’re big but not huge. I think UVA UG is 15k or so, UNC about 18k. Very high achieving student body, all the big time rah rah atmosphere. Reaches OOS. If she wants a quieter experience than W&M might do the trick. IVY type education in a smallish state school (very much an LAC feel with it’s UG focus, small classes all taught by profs, etc.)
I wouldn’t be so focused on Zoology, but more on what if she changes her mind after few months would she still like the school. I was going to be a physics major and found out I couldn’t cut it.
If she could bring up her test scores, she may want to consider Cornell. There are many great LACs: Colgate, Hamilton, Haverford…but not everyone wants LACs. My kids didn’t want anything to do with it. I went to an LAC - great education, but I grew out of it by the time I was junior.
Well with the logo on your avatar no wonder she wants Big Ten… Lol.
Has she seen smaller vs larger schools. I assume she might of seen UChicago when bringing in your son? Did she like that size ?
Since money is not an issue my suggestions will be different. Get her a ACT tutor. With that unweighted score and an improved Act, the school choices will open up. Also possible merit at places mentioned like Miami of Ohio.
But… Just as a note… You can make a large school feel small as you know by finding your peeps, joining clubs /activities and just opportunities that you can’t find at smaller colleges. My sons at Michigan and my daughters at a small lac, Beloit College, so I get to see the advantages /disadvantages up close.
But they both have very close interrelationships with certain professors /mentors, both were awarded grants for certain things. Both excelling in their own worlds. Both found their peeps.
My daughter doesn’t enjoy a “ton” of people everywhere. But it’s funny since on certain days on both campuses there are not a lot of people waking around and both can be peaceful at times.
I really do think getting the school size down can add /eliminate a lot of schools quickly.
My son started a student org(with another student) and his world seems to be with the same 5 board members but has other friends also. Plus his people he works with. The other 55,000 students are just people passing by. The 100,000 plus on Saturday football games are just people enjoying a game.
If she likes larger schools she will just have more choices when she changes her zoology interest. Or she can explore deeper if she stays with
Maybe a pro /con type list?
Just read again she is a junior so pre act is fine… BTW… 33/34 is a good goal for many colleges and merit (which is not a concern for you but heh, always good to have ?)
I would think that proximity to a Major Zoo would be a factor to consider. You might want to cross reference your list of colleges with a list of zoos. Then look at where inernships come from at those zoos.
Could also look at linkedin profile on zookeepers and find out where they went to college, internships, etc.
Best of luck, it sounds like a fun search!!
I think Wisconsin- Madison would be worth checking out.
@BrianBoiler If you want her to check out a smaller school, how about Ohio Wesleyan, which is very close to OSU. They offer multiple zoology and animal science tracks:
https://www.owu.edu/academics/departments-programs/department-of-zoology/
With her stats, substantial merit would be likely.
It’s a bit early yet for her to get too specific. It’s difficult when kids glomb onto some niche major without really knowing what it entails. My friend’s son did this with microbiology. And then changed his mind a month into his first term in school. Have seen that ever so much. It’s discouraging during college search because it becomes a limiting factor that is not so very important.
Iowa State, Michigan State has the major , I believe. Large schools both. She can also look at UMichigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, all of the biggies and then visit some smaller schools to compare. Sometimes the whole package of school hits the kid just right .
I like Miami of Ohio,; a lot of wonderful kids struck with the atmosphere there. James Madison too. Without the ACT score, difficult to categorize the schools Getting that app in really early at Penn State can take care of her safe harbor and then it come down to what schools she really likes.
This program at NCF might be worth a look: https://www.ncf.edu/academics/undergraduate-program/interdisciplinary-programs/biopsychology/
Smaller universities may be what you are looking for-- Brandeis, Tufts, Georgetown, Boston College, Emory, maybe Loyola Marymount or Loyola Chicago. Or a consortia school like others have mentioned: CA Claremont schools, Amherst area schools, etc. Schools with good Veterinary/Ag Programs too: UC Davis, TX A&M (neither small).
If you end up visiting OSU, you could take the opportunity to visit Otterbein which is about 20 mins away. Doesn’t get much love here on CC, but for the zoo sciences it is doing some really cool stuff in partnership with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Smaller school in a beautiful suburb of Columbus…so although the number of students is small it is part of a large metropolitan area and not at all remote, rural or removed. And the relationship with the Columbus Zoo allows the students to work at one of the best facilities of its kind…invaluable real world application.
https://www.otterbein.edu/programs/ba-bs-zoo-conservation-science/