<p>Thanks for all of the help. We have 3 teens and are a middle class african american family. They have been raised in the south by northern parents and have been in mostly white Catholic schools (we are Catholic). The oldest wants something VERY different than her non-diverse, preppy, snooty school. She is very strong academically (not so much our other two) and wants, she thinks, a large liberal, diverse school. </p>
<p>Money is a concern, but her happiness is of course our greater concern. The boat she is in now is excellent educationally and she certainly has friends and is involved in sports and band. BUT 99% of the girls look the same play lacrosse or nothing, are from old money republican families and have had no experience aside from the ‘good’ Catholic school system they grew up in (let’s put it this way, they had not idea there was an african american parish in our city and are shocked dd goes to ‘that’ side of town for church). Nothing wrong with that per se. But she is just TIRED of it.</p>
<p>Notre Dame recruits at our school and really wants more southern and black students. Academically she would make it there. BUT it seems far to similar to where she is now.</p>
<p>Hence, our search. We have awhile yet. But since money IS a factor, I am trying to plan some visits around family vacations as time permits. NC State was a thought, but her counselor is telling her that unless she goes into engineering, it would not be a challenging school for her. Their thought is Chapel Hill, Notre Dame or perhaps Rice or Columbia.</p>
<p>Please continue to HELP. You all have a wealth of information!
T</p>