Suggestions for student with undecided major

College Search & Selection
1

Have a senior in high school son.
Stats: GPA, 3.5 weighted
SAT: 1370 660 , 710 math
Extracurricular: Class president 3 years, theater (lead in non musical junior year), select choir, improv club, editor/contributor to the school paper, THON chairperson, TADA captain, lots of service, Eagle Scout, part time job waiting tables for year and a half.

College preferences:
undergraduate population of 1 to 5000, but seems to look at up to maybe 10,000.

prefers LAC philosophy and personal environment, small classes. Prefers and performs better in classes in which there is dialogue and debate etc, vs just lecture.

Wants to travel at some point

Wants a campus with an engaged student body.

Sees pluses and minuses to rural, small town, suburban and urban, but in always an attractive campus with “green trees and lawn” is important to him . Lives in a suburb of Philadelphia and would like to be less than a 5 hour drive, but considering some 7 to 11 in Ohio and Illinois. But primarily, PA, NY, Mass, CT, Rhode Island, NJ, MD and VA.

Extracurricular interests he’d like available at the college: Theater, improv, performance (is considering a theater arts BA as a major or minor) Intramural sports, outdoors club, student government or activity programmin, maybe paper or radio.

Despite his preferences for a small size, he does have close by Temple on his list due to a combination Theater Arts/ second major and a secondary teaching degree in 5 years that he is considering. Also he really likes the down to earth student body that is diverse not just in terms of race, nationality, but also of background and interest, ("Mom, there are blue haired artists with nose rings at the same place as preppy jocks’) His highschool is public and draws from an area relatively diverse in every socioeconomic category, and he loves it. During our limited visits , it seems that his preference for this type of diversity is rarely present at the same place in which his preference for the intimate feeling of small private college or LAC is also present.

Another difficulty we are running into is cost. We are comfortable enough that we qualify for no needs based merit. However, 70,000 per year for tuition room and board is too steep for us without incurring debt which we are not willing to do, nor have our child do for undergraduate studies especially when he is conidering being an acting/philosophy double major! ( He is interested in so many things, though from arts to biological sciences…thus the LAC interest) We have another student who is a junior at WPI studying computer science. Next year we are paying for two tuitions.

My high school senior son has always taken all Honors and AP courses at school, but did not develop habits of a true honors student until his junior year. So he is on an upward trajectory with very good grades last year, but he earned more average grades in 9th and 10th. His 3.5 is weighted and he is in to top 34 percent I believe in his class of 600 students. So he is much less likely to qualify for merit aid than his older brother ( straight As, 800 math SAT, etc.) It is a very different college process for us and we’d love some help.

Of schools he has physically visited, he has a positive impression of:
Ursinus
Muhlenberg
Franklin and Marshall (However, I think it will be too expensive for us, but I will check with financial aid to be sure our quick on line calculation was accurate)
Temple

After visiting, he is not choosing to apply to:
West Chester State
James Madison
Drew

If you have made it to the bottom of my very long post, and have suggestions, I am open to all. Thank you!

Please don’t bother to have us looking at schools that are extreme reaches… For instance, someone once suggested that he look at Vassar because he is male considering theater and perhaps they’d consider him, but when I looked it up, his stats are only better than 6 percent of admitted students…no need to visit! lol!

Thank you again.

2

Have you looked at Susquehanna? The college consultant we hired for our oldest son suggested it. Oldest didn’t attend, but youngest is now a senior there. It’s a wonderful school with good professors, and they are generous with aid. They require kids to study abroad - D had a wonderful experience in Italy. We’ve been very pleased with the school.

3

Thank you Maine Longhorn. Susquehanna is on his list to peruse in line to determine if we visit. A friend of his older brother is a junior and likes it a lot now, although he did NOT at first. My son was put off by some comments on NICHe regarding the town of Selonsgrive I think it is? Lack of diversity on campus. However because of family friend , and that it will likely end up in a comfortable price range for us , I think he may still check it out .

How is their career center and help with obtaining internships? How does your student find the classes? Do students particioate in class? Do they participate in on campus sponsored events? Any student activity weekend trips?

I know from family friend who attends that there is olenty of intramural involvement , how about performing arts community? Is the atmosphere such that kids with these interest mix?

Thanks.

Please excuse the abundance of typos. Typing on my tiny screened phone on line at the grocery.

4

What is the actual price limit?

Is SUNY Geneseo (a public LAC) within the price limit?

5

Yes and on his list! Any experience there to share?

6

Adding another vote for Susquehanna. Lovely green campus with lots of trees. Great merit. I think the main street/village is actually very quaint, but not too far away are strip malls with a wide variety of stores. Other suggestions for good merit and green campuses: Wheaton in MA, Allegheny, St. Lawrence, Hobart & Wm. Smith, and Siena (if Catholic is okay). Catholic University might work as well, though I’m not sure about merit. F&M will be a reach.

7

Wheaton is on the list and we will be visiting soon when we go to visit oldest son at WPI in Worcester, Mass. We have a 4 day weekend and are hoping to see Clark, because it is right there in Worcester too.

Looking at your list, I feel better to know that most of it , Taverngirl, is on ours already, so hopefully we are on the right track.

We will look up Siena. We are Catholic, and are typically fans of Jesuit schools over the other Catholic colleges. Catholic U’s programs, including theater look good, and reading on line, his stats look like he may qualify for merit there if they offer it. Not sure. And not sure about the vibe on campus with 80 percent being Catholic. Sometimes Catholic schools that have a high percentage of students from private Catholic high schools tend toward cliquey in my opinion, but you can’t really tell until you visit in person. Some, on the other hand, are really nice. DC sounds exciting to him. He is also interested in government and politics among many other things. Was thinking of looking at AU too. Thanks Taverngirl!

8

Just checked Siena. No theater arts program. He definitely wants to be a part of that as an EC and may want to major or minor, so this would not be for him.

9

What do you think think about Dickinson or Gettysburg? The College of New Jersey? Adelphi University?

10

I think highly of both Dickinson and Gettysburg, as does my son. Looking at the scattergrams, he has a shot of getting in, and my only concern is about money, as he is not likely to get merit scholarship at either. Have not visited either yet with this son. On the list to look more into though.

TCNJ we visited with my older son 3 years ago. We were looking at it for computer science then and I do not know about their arts and humanities programs. My impression was of a well kept campus and some solid programs. Also it appeared very sports oriented. Every group of students we passed had a bat, stick and or ball! I just looked it up on line quickly and did not see any theater/film major or minor. I may have missed it? I think they were building something including restaurants across the road from the school when we visited. I was glad to see it, as the school seemed isolated to me with no where to walk directly off campus. So most likely not for my son.

Looked a bit at Adelphi on line, but do not know much about it yet, and thought we may see it when we visit Hofstra, if time and interest allow, once we find out more.

11

@sn189144
Looks like TCNJ has integrated performing arts minor in School of Arts and Communication, or in Humanities with English degree.
https://artscomm.tcnj.edu/students/integratedperformingarts/
Sorry, that might not work but its theater seems to get good press.
Adelphi seems to have nice campus, performing arts, diversity… from what I’ve read while looking for my D20.
Good luck, I have also heard good things about Susquehana. Also heard good things about Temple.

12

Class President for 3 years; lead role in theatre production; Eagle Scout. Seeks diversity. Theatre & philosophy major.
Would be a very interesting addition to the Vassar College community. Agree that as a male applicant to Vassar, as well as to most LACs, that he has an advantage.

Maybe Skidmore, Denison, Connecticut College ?

Davidson College ? Wake Forest University ?

P.S. Does he want to be intellectually challenged ?

13

I also don’t think Vassar is a real stretch at all. If you are full pay, your son will probably get into any LAC that is not need blind and many that are need blind. Vassar is need blind but his stats align with those of admitted students.

14

@sn189144 I found this on the Siena website: https://www.siena.edu/departments/creative-arts/choosing-your-path/theatre-2/ You may have seen and decided it’s not what he’s looking for, but just in case… I would second Conn College, though I think that and Vassar, Skidmore, Dickinson might be more reach-y? I had a daughter applying, so maybe males do have a big advantage.

15

Looking at scattergrams , using my som’s GPA and SAT , skidmore, ( which he really wants to visit from what he has seen on line) Dickinson , ct college, and Union ( all have already hit his radar ) find his stats above just 32 to 36 percent of admitted students . At Vassar his stats only were above 6 percent. f and M was 37 percent. I think of 30 percent as the point that begins to be worth applying , but 30 to 50 percent is still an iffy prospect for admission. Is my thinking incorrect ? Would his being male be that much of a boost to his application ?

Hobart and William Smith is at 55 percent . St Lawrence , 47 to provide comparison.

He is a tough one in that he really just became more truly intellectually curious and developed a solid work ethic , organization and pride in his work during his junior year. His GPA does not provide a complete picture of who he is , or what he is capable of .

We are finding it difficult to find a school that will both accept him and then once accepted still be a challenge and encourage him to bring out his best.

He never was a poor student, and was in the “ gifted “ program that in our district , unfortunately effectively ends in 6th grade. He was just not motivated and simply slogging through academics in Jr and senior HS , earning an A one moment , if he was interested and a C the next , and then say, “ really no big deal mom, I still have a B “ and he’d be perfectly happy, but he was always enthusiastic about ECs and very social .

I think maturity, ( he just turned 17 this past June, so he is young for the class and a youngest child) a teacher, and a class he took junior junior year contributed greatly to his new interest in academics and intellectual pursuits across the board .

. In tenth grade , he thought that an AP semimar class that was being introduced at our school sounded interesting and he admired the teacher heading it, who was then his English teacher. Students had to be recommended for the class . He asked if his teacher would recommend him and was told honestly , “ N, you SHOULD be in there , but you have not exhibited the drive, or organization and work ethic to make it , so no I am not”. Son , who had a C in his class at the time , and truly should not have been recommended ,( we were surprised to hear that he had asked! ) was jolted into reality , but motivated rather than deterred , going on to pull an A for the second half of sophomore English and asking again at year end to be recommended . This time his teacher said, “ N , there will be 15 students that are all in the top of the class and …you . You are in . Do NOT embarrass me “. This teacher lit a fire! I will forever be thankful.

Son starts off Junior year with a D in seminar during the first quarter as he adjusted to the rigor and style of the class , but did not want to drop the course, and worked to pull it up to a B final grade at year end ! His teacher reported to us that he is so glad that he remained in the class because many times his contributions were the best of the day . The small class , in which a large portion was conducted in a discussion/ debate and project format rather than lecture , engaged him, as did the company of an entire class of high academic achievers that wete all motivated and engaged as well. He did more work than ever before with no parental nagging necessary and absolutely loved that class! We’d like a similar environment in his college.

I can not adequately describe how son has changed as a student. He also became interested in listening to NPR with me and my husband and now discusses the news of the day at dinner. A pleasure! He chose his classes for senior year based on his wide variety of interests and is very enthusiastic about his year to come. We finally feel that he is truly ready to succeed in college But which one?

He is not motivated much by competition His motivations to study , get a good role in a play, improve his singing, become a trainer at his part time job, earn his Eagle, etc has always come from an internal source . He really doesn’t care much about how he is doing compared to others, but simply that his work makes a difference. No external typical parent motivators seemed to affect him except perhaps temporarily . We are both gray due primarily to exhaustion from the raising of this son!

He is much more collaborative vs competitive. Seeing him in a group , I’d say he is an excellent facilitator by nature, that often ends up leading without intending to be the leader at the start. He enjoys group work over individual, is an excellent communicator, and an empathetic listener

He likes and needs to be challenged . He tends to check out if a class is too easy, and focuses instead on entertaining classmates . He would benefit from the company of others that truly enjoy seeking knowledge vs just learning to get a grade; smart and driven , but not cut throat and class rank obsessed A school that fosters such an environment would be preferred . He also needs the flexibility to wait until second year to declare his major , or perhaps create his own , as he continues to explore and mature. Access to good academic advisors and professors to mentor him is an important criteria as well.

So, that is what we are looking for; an environment that you really can not assess well simply by looking up school statistics and rankings . This is why I am asking for advice to help this young man find a place , like we all want for our kids , in which he is likely to find his passion and excel.

I have already found much in the CC threads to be helpful. Please feel free to keep it coming . I am sure that there are more on here with students similar to my son.

Is anyone familiar with Juniata? We thought that looked promising on their website.

16

Going up to Worcester Mass to visit an older brother studying at WPI soon. Son 2 likes the ads, tone of correspondence and web site (change the world, global, diverse) for Clark enough that he’d like to look when we go up. Any thoughts on Clark?