My son really liked Furman when we visited, but I’m concerned that he may not be able to handle the challenging academics. He attends a very reputable private school, but he’s a B+ student with few honors and AP classes. Should he go elsewhere or embrace the challenge?
Is Furman that academically challenging?
I don’t know, but that’s what everyone on here keeps saying. It makes me nervous for someone who isn’t coming in from the top of his class.
They won’t let him in if they don’t think he can do the work. Some kids find a higher gear in college, too. Both of mine did - one graduated Phi Beta Kappa which was honestly a shock, and the other gamely fought through 4 years in a very tough STEM focused school that she wasn’t very well prepared for from HS — and is now a PhD student in a STEM subject.
My S went to college that I felt would challenge him academically and I was a bit concerned. I spoke to his HS guidance counselor who unequivocally said that admissions officers do an excellent job of accepting students who they firmly believe can meet the academic requirements of the college so if he got in he can do the work to succeed there. And FWIW my S went to that college and excelled. So I’d say if your S gets in, he should be able to do the work.
Furman is challenging but plenty of good B+ HS students are accepted and do just fine. There is a concerted effort by the school (administration and professors) to work well with the students who attend. A lot of the students who go may not have had to work this hard in HS but they adapt. I agree, the Admissions Office does a good job of selection. As I told my kids, just going to class is half the battle.
It will be more about your son’s work ethic. I graduated from Furman in the 90’s, one of my sons is currently attending now. There are no easy A’s at Furman, your son would be asked to do a significant amount of work for each course. If he does it, he’ll be fine. If he struggles to be motivated to do the readings, write the papers, complete the homework on his own, then things will not go well at Furman. The profs will intervene and try to get students to do the work if they see a problem, but ultimately, it’s up to the student to work and learn. But the profs do a great job of working with any student who is actually interested in learning.
@NavyNole so would you say that grades depend on a combination of assignments, papers and tests rather than tests alone? If you have a student who has always shown diligence in completing assignments and seeking help if they don’t understand material, would that be the type of student who does well at Furman?
@intparent: I agree that some students “find a higher gear in college” !
But @Megan12, it seems as though your son is well equipped to do well at Furman University based on his qualifications shared in your post.
@sahmkc Grades will be dependent on different things based on the nature of the class. Most humanities courses will have student papers as the basis of grading. In STEM courses, it will likely be a combination of homework, quizzes, and tests. This is true at nearly all universities - not unique to Furman. I know a bit more about the latter as I am currently a STEM professor at another university. Certainly if a student is learning from their assignments and seeking help when they don’t understand, they typically perform well on exams. What makes Furman somewhat unique is how much the professors are willing to work with the students. Both my son and I developed terrific working relationships with the professors at Furman which helped us both grow to become better learners. The professors at Furman are genuinely interested in their students and help develop the tools they need to succeed.
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My niece is applying to Furman. She’s an A- student and in the top 10% of her class, but I think grades are not that relevant, A B+ student should be able to survive Furman if they have a strong work ethic. That’s what you need to impart to your son and a trait he needs to build upon when he goes to college. A B+ student is above average for all intents and purposes. Furman is suitable for students who are generally in the top 10-15% of their class. I once had an average relative who didn’t do very well in high school but excelled in nursing school and eventually aced the Nursing board exams. The secret is to find a degree program for your son that keeps him interested and motivated. I heard Furman is challenging but should not deter a B+ average student from applying. Inspire confidence in your son and encourage him to pursue challenges in life!
I would say that my son has a really good work ethic. He’s very organized and studies days in advance of a test.
Thanks for all your responses! 
I’m very late to this post. @megan12 my daughter was concerned about the exact same thing. After reading different posts and reviews, the issue of hard academics kept coming up. We have been assured that the support from teachers is huge so I keep telling my daughter that it will be really important for her to ask for help. She also applied ED and was accepted. She’s thrilled.
@sunapee123 Looks like our kids are going to be classmates! ?