Not an expert but maybe Butler University? Small midwestern school in Indianapolis, non-competitive and friendly, just started a Data Science major (minor?). The Netflix series Dogs just did an episode on the Butler Bulldog and I was reminded about how friendly and nice the people there were which comes through in the film.
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I suggest you move your question over to the Parents of the HS Class of 2022- 3.0-3.4 thread. His GPA may be higher than that, but it is a supportive group who understand what you are talking about and have kids similar to yours. Or just read through the posts. Thereās also a Parents of the HS Class of 2021 3.0-3.4 that might give you some ideas of where those kids have been accepted. There are also older threads for kids with GPAs in the 3.0 range. I find them to be the most welcoming place on CC.
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Interesting-- my son has written less than
one short 5 paragraph essay per year and thatās after some complaints by me because one of the teachers says she ādoesnāt believe teaching essay writing is importantā
Iāve taught in Bardās two week summer writing institute. That taught me everything I know about teaching writing, and almost everything I know about teaching. Although it was started to, and I quote Leon, āgive the freshman some social bonding before the girls become prey to the upperclassmen,ā I canāt imagine a better way to start college writing than that. It was a great way to start my career as a teacher. Iāve thought about calling them and seeing if theyād let him register for just the two weeks (Bard is way out of price range). I imagine itās a no, but I might just do it anyway.
Puget Sound is an absolutely perfect choice, but also even farther out price range. (after NPC) Lawrence and Knox do come into our budget range (again according to NPC)
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Quite a few schools have prefreshman programs where students work on writing and other college readiness skills. I know schools often also set aside different first year writing courses for different student levels (advanced, regular, regular with help, remedial). I donāt need to tell you how important it is for students to learn how to write a college paper.
Sorry if you already know this, but It looks like the CSUs have an Early Start program so, if Sonoma State (for example) was a good match, he would be able to spend time the summer before his first year taking some classes to make sure heās ready.
(fully online, at least for Sonoma State)
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So we just visited a bunch of colleges. You should check out Fairleigh Dickinson. So many things you have said, plus our tour, make me think it would be the perfect fit for him. If you PM me I can provide more information. But it looks like it hits your price range. Close to an airport. The kids we met sound a lot like your son but were now excited about learning. OUr tour guide had a science major and will graduate in 5 years with a masters. Writing center and teachers give extra credit if you use it and some require you to. THe Florham location is the old Vanderbilt compound. Pretty much the exact opposite of inner city CA in atmosphere.
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The Colleges That Change Lives book will give you good indepth, inside information that includes student anecdotes. Itās an easy read, broken down by geographical area. I would definitely recommend looking at the book!
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Yeah that bookās okay but doesnāt give me a tailored look inside. But I noticed that the people on this forum often have little inside scoops on things and you can ask specific questions about the wierd thing you are wondering about.
Iām basically trying to add one school per day to my list since itās already a bit full from all the schools I knew of that also give good merit and need aid in combination. Iām getting that here so far.
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Kenyon does this with their KEEP program. This is a summer enrichment program for incoming freshmen. Attendees also earn credits during the process. Further, Kenyon eliminates work-study requirements for some KEEP students, and provides a stipend for need-based attendees.
Also, Kenyonās Camp 4 allows some rising HS juniors and seniors to attend a paid 3-week program to address some of your concerns.
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No, Eckerd does not seem to be a good match for this student. While the acceptance rates are high, one of the first year courses alone will do him in. Human Experience is a fall and spring course that is Very heavy reading/writing and discussion based. I have some concerns for this student and recognize the parentās parameters. If he has not received a HS education that prepared him for college and student is not aware of current social/political/global conditions, I donāt see him succeeding at the college level unless he is better prepared. To send him to an institution where he can have an easy first year is not ideal for him in the longterm. I would suggest that you research colleges that will accept a student into remedial classes. This approach may require the student to attend for 5+ years, but will be better prepared for a career and social interactions.
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I donāt think asking for remedial classes and merit scholarships go together.
But yeah, starting heavy on the great western civilization in first year is the kind of thing Iām worried about.
An easy first year is EXACTLY what he needs to adjust to college, given that he is inherently bright but more given because the parameters here are LAC with merit aid = he can afford to attend.
In other words, heās riding the merit to get to go to college in the first place, which oftentimes leads one, as you know, straight into Great Books. Thatās kind of the premise here. How to best mitigate that, given where the merit aid tends to accumulate, though itās not exclusively that way.
This one round post high school is his one shot at merit aid. His grades will likely never be what they are now.
State schools and other options are another question not included in this thread
It is a curious and perhaps not fair artifact of this situation that he can qualify for merit, but he can.
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I kind of forgot that he is looking for a merit scholarship, too and I totally get where youāre coming from. Take advantage of the grades to get the money, but land in a place where he wonāt be overwhelmed and (at least for this thread) a place that has the advantages of an LAC. Itās a magic combination, but I think itās out there. Taking some kind of pre-college prep summer program through some other college seems like a good way to set him up to not be in way over his head that first year.
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Thanks for the lead on the Kenyon Camp 4!!!
I was searching for things like that but getting a lot of clutter from other things not really getting to what I wanted. That is exactly what Iām looking for and something I would borrow money one time for no question about it!
Any more leads on residential summer programs, Iām definitely up for them. A big part of that is the experience of moving in with a bunch of strangers which heās never had before, and needs.
Will get back to you about U Dayton and other things --canāt get their NPC page to load.
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Whatās your current list? It may help everyone better understand what appeals to you and think of similar nichey places.
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Stetson
Tampa
Stamford
Centre
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This list is based on NPC and includes those colleges where we think we can swing it, and the admissions is not impossible. Thatās basically the only criteria although Iāve probably omitted the most conservative or most Greeky colleges (some greek is ok) Iāve come across so far, and plenty of seriously Christian colleges have great aid, which makes sense of course but not desired in this case. So basically this is a very mechanical list and wont actually reveal preferences. Not all are technically LAC
Hendrix
Knox
Lawrence
U Richmond
Vassar (an URM from our high school got a full ride here. Weāre not URM)
Grinnell
Cornell College
Beloit (financial reach)
St Olaf
Gustavus Adolphus
Macalester
Boston College
Colgate University
Trinity, TX
Muhlenberg
York PA
Some that are 5K-10K over what we can do even with loans (keep in mind there is a twin sister involved too!):
Kenyon
Denison
Whitman
Oberlin
Susquehanna
Hartwick
Hiram
Denver U
Wheaton
Wooster
Examples of way out of bounds:
Juniata
New College of Florida
Ursinus
and of course lots moreā¦
There a A LOT of affordable LACs (given merit and need) that are very competitive and not on the list. He might even reach for one, but whatās he going to do when he gets there? So, not on the list.
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My niece is going to UR, my daughter toured but didnāt apply because we canāt afford (3.9 gpa, 33 act, 7/APās, 4 year 3 season varsity athlete). When we had our first in college, my husbandās income was similar to yours, we didnāt get any FA except unsubsidized federal loans. With all of our kids, in state public was almost always the cheapest option.
Surprisingly, the top tier of my list costs about the same or less than UC would for us according to NPC. But there are a lot of savings in not traveling obviously, and Iām not counting pockets of scholarship opportunity available for CA residents. So itās not a fair comparison right now.
On the other hand, when the new FAFSA law goes into effect our twins will have their aid halved at public school, while CSS schools will likely be more dependable. Thatās actually what launched this search.
This inquiry is only about private schools, but after all there is a chance it will wind up UCSC or University of Utah.
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Colgate is very greeky. I think half the student body is greek.
I was going to recommend Hartwick, but it is surprisingly expensive.
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Thanks on the greeky heads up. Thatās just my prejudice. Who knows maybe greek is what he needs. We are a dry family though and Iām pretty sure heās ill equipped to face a drinking culture also. If his only choice to be social is to drink, heāll drink though. I feel sorry for him there.
Hartwick yielded 25k np with merit and no need aid, which is too far out of bounds for us.
Awww, I used to teach a class like that. I was a PT adjunct and taught mostly evening classes; many of my students came from low SES high schools. They were wicked smart, just lagged in some areas like research and writing. Most had never written a paper more than 1 or 2 pages. By far my most favorite class to teach.
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