Thoughts on this list? Other suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I need help starting a college list for my junior and would appreciate feedback. DD is a solid student - will likely end up with a 4.1+ GPA from FCPS. Interested in psych or environmental science (maybe), would like the option to minor in dance and have access to studio arts classes. No test scores yet but I expect she will end up around 1300 (may do test optional).

So far we have:
Pitt
Miami Ohio
UVM
VT
JMU
Elon

What else should she consider? Would prefer an environment that isn’t too Greek heavy and not a pressure cooker.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Some additional SLACS and go test optional if possible. Denison, long shots the Maine schools, Hamilton and Colgate as reaches, etc.

[Anonymous]

Miami Ohio is pretty Greek heavy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some additional SLACS and go test optional if possible. Denison, long shots the Maine schools, Hamilton and Colgate as reaches, etc.

+1 I would look at midwestern/mid-Atlantic SLACs too if she doesn't mind the smaller size. She could get merit aid at many. Midwestern SLACs tend not to be Greek focused. Arts classes are more accessible to non-majors there and psychology and environmental science tend to be popular, well-developed programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some additional SLACS and go test optional if possible. Denison, long shots the Maine schools, Hamilton and Colgate as reaches, etc.

+1 I would look at midwestern/mid-Atlantic SLACs too if she doesn't mind the smaller size. She could get merit aid at many. Midwestern SLACs tend not to be Greek focused. Arts classes are more accessible to non-majors there and psychology and environmental science tend to be popular, well-developed programs.

+1 again.

[Anonymous]

What about Colorado State? They have a School of Theater and Dance and a College of Natural Resources. Not a pressure cooker.

[Anonymous]

OP here- thanks for the advice. Which SLACs seem like a good fit? We are full pay but would like to keep COA around $50k/year.

[Anonymous]

Indiana University. Great art program.

[Anonymous]

+1 and dance, too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for the advice. Which SLACs seem like a good fit? We are full pay but would like to keep COA around $50k/year.

St. Olaf has a great environmental science program and a major in dance (also, music, drama and stuidio art). A 4.1 W GPA plus decent test scores should get your kid enough merit to go below 50k, easily. Full pay is $63k, which is realitively affordable for a SLAC and they are generous with merit.

St. Olaf was my kid’s second choice for a double major in geology and music. He ended up somewhere great, but I think he would have been happy at St. Olaf. He put a lot of thought into going, despite the ranking being lower. When we visited, the kids seemed very nice and it was a very special place.

Another option would be be Wooster. They have theater/dance as a major or minor and a concentration in environmental studies. They gave a 4.1 ish weighted kid I know almost 45k in merit aid.

And, finally, Oberlin is very strong in fine arts (obviously, with the conservatory there), including a dance major and STEM. Getting the cost down to about 50k so possible, but not a given.

[Anonymous]

What about the PA schools? Juniata, Lafayette, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for the advice. Which SLACs seem like a good fit? We are full pay but would like to keep COA around $50k/year.

Consider Denison (beautiful new arts center), Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan.

[Anonymous]

Explore Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall, unless she would find them to be too small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for the advice. Which SLACs seem like a good fit? We are full pay but would like to keep COA around $50k/year.

Consider Denison (beautiful new arts center), Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan.

Our kid has shockingly similar interests, and I agree with many of the SLACs mentioned already. I'd add Macalester too if you go out to St. Olaf, though it might be more of a reach so merit aid might be hard to come by. I'd also add Kalamazoo and Wooster too because they tend to give more merit aid to get it down to the 50k level or lower (total COA offered for our kid at both was around 40k after merit aid--Oberlin only offered 10k merit). Wooster has a dance program open to non-majors in its theater major. Kalamazoo has strong studio arts open to non-majors but doesn't have dance but students have easy access classes and performance opportunities at Western Michigan University which has a strong dance program and is located right next door. Also, Kalamazoo's psychology and environmental science programs are both very strong. Both schools participate in the New York Arts Program too if she wanted to delve in deeper to the arts for a term.

The Minnesota schools though are out of driving range. Kalamazoo is a 9-10 hour drive. It has an airport though. Wooster is about a 6 hour drive and is more rural. A lot of kids with similar interests also like Juniata which is closer and offers merit aid, it just didn't happen to click with our kid for whatever reason.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of Miami of Ohio due to their Greek system. DD had some of those schools on her list. She liked going to UConn