<p>Hey guys, I'm looking for a college with lots of outdoor opportunities in a relatively cold climate (I'm from Florida, I need a change). I had an unfortunate freshman year that has brought my GPA down, but every semester I have had an upward trend and I currently have 4 A's and 2 B's in all AP/IB classes. Every class Ive taken in HS has been honors, pre-IB, AP or IB. My current GPA is 2.85 unweighted. I am in spanish club and film club and I play a few instruments (although I have no formal recognition since 7th and 8th grade all county band), I also used to box, and I have 1 year of varsity X-Country. My SAT score is a 1400 even, and I can get some pretty stellar reccomendations from two teachers. Now I know because of freshman year I have closed off my chances for any exceptional schools, so I feel that I would have the best opportunities at a state school. I love the rocky mountains and the northern Appalachians, and would love to go to school in one of these regions. I'm looking at U-Montana, U-Oregon, U-Colorado Boulder, UMass-Amherst, UConn, U-New Hampshire, and West Virginia University. Which one of these do you think is best for me and do you have any other suggestions? Any help would be unbelievably awesome. Thanks.</p>
<p>Oh and I've had alot of wonderful life experiences: Costa Rica, France, England, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Morocco. And also 75-100 volunteer hours at a local elementary school.</p>
<p>CU-Boulder is great for outdoor activities and they have a good honors college. You might want to look at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. They are good about looking at the total picture. They have an interesting block schedule where you take one class at a time. You could probaby run cc there, too.</p>
<p>go for oregon. also look at schools in/near seattle, which is an amazing city. the pacific NW is not as hot as florida, and the winters are really mild. california schools have even better weather. most west coast schools have amazing outdoor activities, and in some places you have access to both ocean activities and mountain activities.</p>
<p>Im not from south florida, theres a huuge difference in the landscape and the weather (we actually have bluffs and caves, and it's currently 34 outside), winters here are mild, but by mild i mean 58/38, not Miami's 80/60. Im like 400 miles north of Miami. But anyways, I've completely ruled out CA, it's become too crowded and nothing there interests me. My ideal university would be a State/Land Grand University with 6,000-18,000 students in either New England, or even better, the Northern Rockies. It would be a school with a liberal-leaning sense of politics and in or having close access to a town of no less than 20,000 people. And of course, lots of outdoor opportunities.</p>
<p>any suggestions?</p>
<p>Cold weather sucks. It's freezing in NYC right now.</p>
<p>in that you're from the Gainesville area, I have to ask what your opinion is of UF........we're in Northern Florida and people consider it to be the equivalent of Yale around here....IB grads go from our high school every year.</p>
<p>...Gainesville is northern Florida... UF is a good school, especially hume Honors. Gainesville is an unbelievably awesome city. But kids at your school need to understand, it's absurdly difficult to get in if you're an out of state student. In-staters can get in with a 3.0 and a 1200. So, yes UF is the best university in the state, but no its not yale, its the #3 state school in the south behind UVA and UNC-CH.</p>
<p>People compare UF to Yale? HAHAHA! The top of my school dreams of Yale or similar schools instead of getting stuck at a place like UF (not that its a bad school...)</p>
<p>Are you sure that UF is #3 in the South?....What about Univ. of Texas?</p>
<p>blindcirca and towerpumpkin....I guess there was a disconnect here in that I'm a parent, not a student. Interesting for me to get your point of view on UF, and I give you alot of credit for breaking the mold and trying to get out of state for awhile. (I'm originally from NY and there's no way my kids are staying here for college)..but back to your original post, blindcirca....you mentionned some great possibilities for schools already for yourself....especially Boulder....I wouldn't touch U. Mass, U.Conn or UNH with your stats....you'd be bored....good luck!</p>
<p>just visited Boulder...seems to be a solid school, especially in the sciences....Oregon is rainy.....consider U Washington in Seattle....not as wet...great outdoor possibilities.</p>
<p>thanks so much dke. I do think that I would be bored at those schools' reg courses, but I figure that wherever I go, I'll start as a sophomore and have alot of entry-courses under my belt (as I will have my IB diploma, and have taken 6 AP courses as well) and I'll transfer into an honors college after my first semester (or in the case of U-Montana, apply to honors from high school -- their honors college has no set requirements and I believe my SAT and trend would get me in).
Also - UT is definitely not as good as UF, half my friends' parents are prof's at UF (as alot of gainesville's non-student pop. works for the university), and they are brilliant. Plus, I mean just look at student stats at UF -- 80% in the top 10% of their class, Avg SAT 1340, --Thats excellent. And then Texas -- 69% in top 10% of class, and 1230 Avg SAT.
--Boulder is an awesome city, although expensive, as is CU-boulder's tuition for non-residents (like $19,000 a year). I'm applying to CU-Boulder and CSU among others... hope I get in...</p>
<p>oldman -- since when is Seattle not as rainy as... well, anywhere?</p>
<p>Spent a month in Seattle and a few weekends in Portland/Eugene....Eugene seemed damper...</p>
<p>What's your gpa with your freshman year excluded?
Are you male or female?
What majors are you considering?</p>
<p>Being from Fla. will be a big plus when applying to very cold regions where few Fla. folks wish to live. Your scores are impressive and might open the door to merit aid, too. </p>
<p>Other than wanting cold climate, mountains, outdoor activities, what else do you want from college? Frats? Small classes? Study abroad?</p>
<p>Private colleges still are possible for you. There are private colleges available for all kinds of students. Don't confine yourself to state universities.</p>
<p>However, 2 state universities to consider that are known for concentrating on teaching (thus, being more like private colleges) are U NC-ashville and U Minn. Morris. Check out both. I think they may meet your needs (though, of course Morris lacks mountains), and you could gain acceptance, and possibly even some merit aid.</p>
<p>Ask your parents what they are willing to pay for college. I would bet that your scores will qualify you for Fla.'s Bright Futures scholarship, which could mean free tuition at Fla. public universities. Before setting your heart on going to college elsewhere, make sure your parents are willing to pay. If they won't pay, look for colleges elsewhere that may give you merit or need-based aid and where you might be able to make up the difference by working and taking out loans.</p>
<p>I will get the 100% bright futures. There's a clause that says that if you graduate with an IB diploma, you automatically get bright futures. I also have Florida Prepaid, so it's already payed for regardless. Plus I live in gainesville and my parents own another vacant house on UF campus. Plus 8 direct family members are alum or enrolled in UF. LOL it sounds perfect for me but its not! My GPA is written up top, its about a 3.9 weighted, 2.9 unweighted (bad I know, but if my GPA were just for junior year id have a 4.75 weighted, 3.75 unweighted and every one of my classes is IB or AP) so I do have a great upward trend (in fact, every semester my GPA has gone up since 9th grade). My SAT's are at 1400, but I expect to get no less than a 1440 in the one i'm taking in january. Cost isn't too much of a concern as long as its below like 10-15k that we would have to pay. Oh, and the way UF weights GPA's my GPA is a 3.54 (they give 1/2 pt for honors/pre-IB, 1 pt for AP/IB).</p>
<p>Im not exactly confining myself to state universities as Im choosing state u's. The only private I was looking at was Knox College, but it's a little too small for me (something like 1100 students). Id rather go to a larger school with more opportunities, thats why im leaning toward state schools.
Oh and I'm a male considering Majoring in History and psychology (I want to double major)</p>
<p>You need to have a serious talk with your parents and pin them down on how much they are willing to pay for your college, and whether they're willing to allow you to go out of state.</p>
<p>Frankly, I would bet money that your parents are planning on sending you to UF for virtually free. It may be hard for you to change their minds. Have the talk now, and do what you can to earn money and take out loans to pay for your education. If your parents see you doing things like working during spring break, summer vacation, after school, and being willing to take out loans and apply for scholarships that you can get, your parents may be willing to contribute toward your education.</p>
<p>Even if your parents only have to pay $10,000-$15,000 for your education (and that would be if you're lucky!), that may be more than your parents are willing to pay if they'd only planned to, for instance, be paying you $100 a month or so for an allowance.</p>