<p>MOM0809 - your question about the SAT vs ACT - for the schools you are going to be looking at - either will most likely do - the ACT is NOT encouraged in our area - but had Dd take it - and she did pretty well on it - it is more directed to being curriculum driven - not like the SAT - most of the NC state schools accept either or - would not be such a bad idea to try the ACT - may be a better test for your kiddo</p>
<p>As far as bad weather - hurricanes/bizzards - we get them in New England just as NC gets them also - I will say that I have found ECU to be very very safety conscious when it comes to bad weather and really keeps students very well informed of potential changes in school schedules and closings - and when they want you to leave campus - 2 years ago we dropped our kiddo at campus and journeyed home - when we got home we got a call that they were evac'ing the campus cuz of hurricane Isabel - the students stayed for 5 days and then regrouped - and no damage cept for a couple of trees.</p>
<p>During the Hurricanes of a few years ago - with all the damage - many lessons were learned - 1 student died during that situation - the school has a great disaster plan - that works quite well - and with DD being sooo far from home - we have to trust she will make a good decision and be safe.</p>
<p>App State does not get away easily at times due snow and ice storms - so it makes for an interesting balance LOL. They share the wealth but during different seasons.</p>
<p>The construction going on at NC state campuses seem to be following the same architure types - the rec center at ECU and APP are very very similar in design - the APP students are going to LOVE it!!!</p>
<p>I guess weather is not something one can get away from LOL! It's just that we're a bit hurricane weary.... went through Andrew in Miami many years ago, Ivan in Jamaica last year, Dennis in Jamaica again and Katrina this year (yes, we were in Miami also...so much water for a little hurricane at the time...and look at the monster she became).</p>
<p>ECU sounds wonderful. The ACT's seem less intimidating than the new SAT's. I've heard several parents mention that their kids are thinking of doing the ACT's instead, or at least as well. </p>
<p>DD has a a year left before she has to seriously start considering where she wants to go. But we've certainly got a great headstart thanks to all of you!</p>
<p>mom0809 -- I hope you pop over to the "Class of 2010 and 2011" thread and join in.</p>
<p>Thanks lderochi...I'll be lurking over there, and hopefully be able to help out with info and facts as well. DD is actually class of 2012, but have a S who is 2008 (have plenty of experience there!)</p>
<p>Hi! I am going to bump this post up again as someone bumped mine up Re: Knowledgable VA/NC parents. There will be a lot of info for all if these posts are listed near one another.</p>
<p>Nobody's mentioned Mars Hill yet! It's private, but it's still a pretty good school. It's right near Asheville and worth looking into. </p>
<p>App State is another good option. Its reputation is solid (it used to be a teachers' college), and truth be told, it's very similar to UNC-A in terms of artsy-fartsy-ness. UNCG and App are the two best schools in NC for music. Boone is a wonderful college town and one of my favorite places in NC. You can pretty much walk where you need to go in Boone (which is good because finding public parking is impossible). </p>
<p>Western Carolina is NOT a good place to go to college. Western's so isolated that going to the Wal-Mart (Western and Wal-Mart make up Cullowhee) is considered an awesome treat. Frankly, Sylva's not all that great either. The surrounding area is extremely beautiful, but the campus itself is certainly nothing to write home about. There is also quite a bit of drinking, especially in winter.</p>
<p>ECU is a good school, especially if you're pre-med, but it has a certain reputation for being a party school that is justly deserved.</p>
<p>WARBLERLRULE86 -
Every school has a party rep - no matter what school it is - and ECU is no different than any other NC school in that respect - there are alot of schools that now hold the title of PARTY SCHOOL - and ECU is no longer among them - sure there is partying going on - but tell me where there isn't partying going on?</p>
<p>between UNCW and ECU, which would be have more "school spirit" / going to sports events /less of a suitcase school on weekends?</p>
<p>school spirit - definitely ECU - PIRATES!!!!! - and since it is alot bigger would be alot less of a suitcase school as well. Both have pretty good social scenes and weekends don't seem to be a problem at either as well - from what I understand (having kiddo at ECU and friends son at UNC-W) - just have differences depending on ones taste.</p>
<p>My completely unscientific guess is that the schools would have more or less the same level of school spirit. ECU probably has more migration on the weekends but I wouldn't call it a suitcase school.</p>
<p>I spent a summer at ECU when I did Summer Ventures in Science and Math, and I really liked the university (although too big for me).</p>
<p>Like others have said, most colleges are party schools. </p>
<p>One school I forgot to mention earlier is UNCG. It's somewhat of a commuter school, but the facilities are very nice (although there's quite a bit of construction), and Greensboro's in a central location.</p>
<p>Just remembered another one! Warren Wilson is a great, small college in Asheville. Its best known for biology/environmental sci (and writing, I think), but some of its other programs are good as well.</p>
<p>ECU is a very good school, despite reputation of being a heavy party school (which, yes it is) -- but it also has tremendous school spirit. They have wonderful programs and are always adding new things, be it programs or student activities and things of the sort.</p>
<p>Appalachian State University is also a wonderful school, however I'm not sure how their music program is, although it is known as being a "teaching school," meaning those interesting in becoming teachers. They also have wonderful school spirit, a lovely campus, and an all out wonderful atmosphere.</p>
<p>UNC-Charlotte is known more for Business and Engineering than anything else, but it is a very, very large school in a major city. There are always things to do, the down-side I suppose is that they do not have a football team, however the university has implemented a student poll, which gives the impression they are teetering on the issue. Bonnie Cone wanted the University to be known for its academics and did not want a football team... yet basketball and other sports are allowed, which is beyond me. </p>
<p>Although UNC-Charlotte isn't cream of the crop, I absolutely love it. I've been accepted (as of early November) and this is where I most definitely plan on attending.</p>
<p>Other schools in NC....</p>
<p>Nobody mentioned NC State....admission would depend on the op's test scores and which college she was trying to get into. Girls with lower stats have a better shot than boys with same stats at State. S attends NCSU and loves it. Just lately I have heard of 3 students who were unhappy at UNC-CH and are transferring to State. </p>
<p>UNC-Pembroke..yes it is out in the middle of nowhere but I have a neice who attends on an athletic scholarship who says the campus and buildings are really nice. It is a state school but a small one so classes are small. They are starting a football team next fall. </p>
<p>I attended both ECU and UNCC. I would choose ECU in a heartbeat over UNCC....just my opnion though. GO PIRATES!</p>
<p>Western Carolina..another school in the middle of nowhere. Some love it. some find it too isolated with nothing to do. Neighbor's S attends and has loved it. Will grad. in May but is staying on for grad. sch. at WCU. I know others who attend who come home a lot because of "nothing to do". Lots of outdoor actvities available if your'e into that kind of thing. Another neighbor's 2 sons attended and did well. One of them spent a semester in Wales doing study abroad program.</p>
<p>Private schools not mentioned....
Campbell University
Wingate University
Barton College in Wilson NC
Queens College in Charlotte
Belmont Abbey
High Point University
Greensboro College (small-different sch. than UNCG)
Lees-McRae in Banner Elk (small sch. inmountains not too far from Boone/ASU)
Montreat (very small, in the mountains)
Brevard (also very small,mountains)</p>
<p>Does anyone have any info on Queens University of Charlotte? It is very small only about 1200 students.</p>
<p>Another private not mentioned is Gardner Webb--near Shelby. One girl from son's HS school did freshman year at UNCG and transferred to Gardner Webb because she said there was not much campus feel to UNCG. However, friends of my older son went to UNCG and loved it.</p>
<p>I'd add three private schools to the list-- Methodist College in Fayatteville, Meredith College in Raleigh and Salem College in Winston-Salem. The last two are women's colleges. All three are small (Meredith has 2300 students, Salem 1100)</p>
<p>Methodist's website says that a student with a 2.7 GPA and a 900 SAT or 18 ACT is likely to be admitted. Meredith's website says that the middle 50% SAT and ACT scores are 950-1150 and 18-24 respectively, and that applicants should have at least a C average in their core academic subjects.</p>
<p>Salem is more selective (middle SAT of 980-1250) but still may be a choice for an average student. I've visited the Salem campus, which is just south of Downtown W-S and, while small, it is quite picturesque.</p>
<p>Candace, Queens University in Charlotte was founded as a girls school in 1857. Current campus was built 1912, with pretty red brick Georgian style buildings. Males were first admitted as undergrad. resisdent students in the late 1980's. Queens in in the middle of a beautiful old residential neighborhood in Charlotte, not falling down old but old money expensive houses old! It's a nice part of Charlotte.</p>
<p>Website says...enrollment 2200 (guess that counts grad. students
Tution/Fees/R&B...26,420
Instate/OOS...40/60
SAT mid 50%...980-1150 ACT 22-26 Avg. h.s gpa 3.3
Div. II sports
All students do internships
Interesting note...website says Queens has has 4 NC Professor of the Year recipients since 1994, more than any other school in NC.</p>
<p>An aquaintance's D is currently a nursing major at Queens and loves it.</p>
<p>My best friend from h.s. went to Meredith and loved it. </p>
<p>Methodist has a pretty campus but Fayetteville NC is a military town (home of Fort Bragg) which is a turn off to some people.</p>