Please help me find something similar to W&M as backup?

[Anonymous]

Muhlenberg as a safety — he should get good merit aid there.

[Anonymous]

Tufts. UVM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like VCU is quirky

UMW is more quirky like W&M. VCU is more hipster. Think Harry Potter club vs. going to punk rock concerts for fun.

You have gotten great suggestions in this thread and like others I think your son will have no trouble getting into W&M. But give UMW some serious consideration. As an out-of-state boy with those stats he will likely get a very generous merit package (which he won't get at W&M). If price is a factor at all, it would be a strong option. Also have heard great things about St. Olaf.

I second this. Your son will fit right in UMW. He would also be in the honors program and have a built-in community from the start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to W&M and met DH there. Our oldest DD does not want to go there because of the perceived "quirky" vibe which I feel is not really accurate. Are there quirky kids there? Sure. But there are lot of other types too. So instead she is targeting UVA, which is totally fine, but I wish W&M didn't have this (untrue) reputation. It's a great place with outstanding faculty that I don't think is fully appreciated.

+1. Same here. DD is targeting UVA even though I think W&M is a better fit. These threads make it seem like everyone at W&M is on the spectrum.

I agree and not sure why. All the kids I know that go to W&M (and I'm talking at least half a dozen) are happy, smart, nice regular kids who I'm sure are enjoying a social life as much as any other typical college kid.

+ 1
The guy who was elected prom king went to W&M, joined a frat, and loved it. I've also seen tik toks of many girls who are in sororities at William and Mary and they seem like smart, normal girls.

If we have to retire “quirky,” we have to retire “normal” as well.

Sorry, that was me and it was a bad choice of words. I just get so sick of the William and Mary bashing here. But you are right- normal is not a good word to use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For schools that are mid/large and could fit his needs:
U Rochester
Brandeis
UVM
Pitt

Agreed, our W&M kid did have U Rochester as a runner-up and had also submitted to Brandeis and CMU (fit the size even if the location could not be more different). Bio major.

Brrrrr.

They have tunnels!

[Anonymous]

My daughter with similar stats chose CNU over other more prestigious liberal arts schools but it’s been absolutely amazing for my very quirky kid. She’s also majoring in an area that requires graduate school so my bank account is also happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For schools that are mid/large and could fit his needs:
U Rochester
Brandeis
UVM
Pitt

Agreed, our W&M kid did have U Rochester as a runner-up and had also submitted to Brandeis and CMU (fit the size even if the location could not be more different). Bio major.

Brrrrr.

They have tunnels!

Rochester weather is surprisingly similar to the weather in Boston. Terrible if you don’t want/like cold winter weather, of course. But similar to Boston, minus the big storms that come up the east coast, plus regular overnight additions of an extra inch or two of lake effect snow that drive up the overall snow totals for the year.

Culture-wise, I think University of Rochester would be a great fit. Kids are very smart, academically-oriented, and diverse in terms of interests. Definitely not an all-sporty/fratty vibe, though that exists for kids who seek it out. Overall, it’s a lovely, wholesome place.