<p>D1 is a happy sophomore at ND doing great and having the time of her life!</p>
<p>D2 is a junior in high school (3.6 GPA) and has the times and desire to swim at a smaller Division 1 college. Not being an elite student or athlete, can someone give some suggestions of colleges that have solid academics, an attractive campus with a friendly, safe and family-type environment? A Catholic school with fairly conservative values would be preferred, but not required.</p>
<p>We realize that ND is unique, but we are looking to visit some schools that might share some of the same great characteristics and have a nice campus. We live in Minnesota, but are willing to consider schools outside of the Midwest with swimming programs.</p>
<p>Has anyone been to St. Louis University, Xavier, Holy Cross, University of San Diego, Butler, Bucknell, U of Richmond???? Any other colleges we might consider?</p>
<p>I do not know about the swimming programs but Providence College, Loyola University Maryland and Fairfield University are all smaller Catholic schools that are easier to get into than ND but still offer solid academics, small classes, nice campuses and friendly students.</p>
<p>My ND daughter visited and liked these 2 schools on your list:
Holy Cross - much smaller than ND but strong academics, solid core courses, small classes, undergraduate focus with engaged professors, and nice and friendly students. The campus is beautiful but very hilly and much smaller than ND (no long treks across campus in windy, snowy and rainy conditions like at ND). Jesuit with strong tradition of service. Strong school spirit and loyal alumni. Similiar industrial city and similiar weather but Holy Cross is closer to Boston (about an hour bus ride) vs the longer distance to Chicago from ND. Similiar students who work really hard but are involved in tons of other activities as well. We know several kids who are gone to Holy Cross and several who are there now, and all of them have been very happy with their experience. I would think that if a family likes ND, they will like Holy Cross as well.</p>
<p>Richmond - gorgeous campus with great weather. Lots of money being poured into new buildings and top notch facilities. Solid academics with small classes and the undergraduate focus. Friendly students but not the same school spirit as you will find at ND. Single sex dorms across a lake from each other and more of a soriority and fraternity culture than my D was looking for. Catholic mass offered on campus on Sundays (of course no place can beat the ease of the ND dorm mass) and a fairly large Catholic Ministry group if that is an interest. Seemed to have the similar campus bubble as ND with not many students taking advantage of the city of Richmond or traveling to Washington DC.</p>
<p>Seattle University has a swimming program, although it is in Seattle, might not be too conservative. Pepperdine is not Catholic but a religious non denominational school ( Fantastic campus on the hillside of Malibu, CA!!) has swimming. Have heard good things about USD, which you mentioned. According to a friend, gorgeous campus! I believe all three have good academics.</p>
<p>Thanks, ceiliblue, Ruby789 and 29hapyymom26. These are good suggestions. I appreciate the detail regarding Holy Cross and Richmond. This confirms our impressions from the HC and Richmond websites of good academics and nice campus atmosphere. I will also take a closer look at Pepperdine. We looked into Dayton, but no swimming program. Too bad a lot of these these great options are so far from our home in the midwest.</p>
<p>Thanks for the links, Laketime. Looks like a lot of us with a #2 son or daughter are in the same boat. Our family is considering making a stop at Xavier after visiting our daugther at ND in April. Does your freshman like Xavier?</p>
<p>I just checked and Nova is DI for swimming. Beautiful campus, close to Philly. I visited there last spring with my daughter and a friend of hers and attended the 8 pm Sunday Mass on campus and I have to say it was one of the most wonderful services I have ever attended. My daughter will happily attend Nova if none of her RD schools send the big envelope.</p>
<p>I would recommend checking out Loyola Maryland and Villanova. My son has been accepted at ND and both these schools. During our visits these are the two schools that both reminded us the most of Notre Dame in terms of community spirit, Catholic identity. Loyola Maryland was his favorite for a long time until we discovered Notre Dame recently added his intended major. </p>
<p>You could visit both in one trip, taking Amtrak between Philly and Baltimore. You would need to take a taxi to Loyola from the train station (Admissions will help you get a cab back) and there is a Villanova station on the Main Line.</p>
<p>One other smaller school you might check out is The University of Denver. Has swimming as well. Beautiful campus, we really liked the school and it remains high on my son’s list, although ND is clearly at the top.</p>
<p>My D is soph at ND, but Bucknell was at the top of her list after ND. Beautiful campus, students there happy, smiling, great academics, the only downside is that it is in not much of a town, but had buses to Philly on weekends.</p>
<p>She probably doesn’t have the times yet to swim at Nova, but still have her senior year to improve some. Loyola Marymount is D3, so generally no athletic scholarships there. We did request info from Bucknell, which is expensive, but impressive. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Loyola Maryland is Division I for all sports, including swimming. I cannot speak to how many scholarships they offer. The Fitness and Aquatics Center is a top notch facility. They will be moving from the Metro Atlantic to the Patriot League in the Fall.</p>
<p>Required_details and IndyDave: Yes, these are the types of schools that we are interested in. Loyola Maryland does look like it has nice facilities.</p>
<p>S1 is a freshman at Holy Cross and loves it. He went to an all boys Catholic school in WNY and made a very easy transition. All the sports programs are D1 and there are a very high number of athletes on campus. It is on the small size, but this appealed to him. Prepare to work your butt off though… they work them hard! I think Holy Cross Alumni may tell you there is a saying out there… “Holy Cross, where your best isn’t good enough” . I think they wear it like a badge of courage, but the curriculum is challenging.</p>