Recommendations? 3.5 GPA, needs both rigor and support.

[Anonymous]

What are some less selective schools that offer great merit aid and/or affordable out-of-state tuition and excellent student support (advising, executive function help), but still have solid/rigorous programs? Schools that might give money to a really bright but somewhat scattered student taking demanding courses and pulling about a 3.5 unweighted (higher weighted because of the rigor)? Student has an ADHD diagnosis but no IEP and does not receive any accommodations in high school, so probably won't in college either, but will still need a supportive environment with good default support. He is also a strong reader and thinker and would get bored in a sea of unserious or unintelligent peers. The lower GPA is from being scattered, occasional late work, etc., but not from lack of conceptual understanding. Any affordable-ish schools you'd recommend for this kind of student (ideally no more than 45K all-in, per year)? Prefer Mid-Atlantic or New England but would consider going further south. Does this exist?

[Anonymous]

SAT or ACT score?

[Anonymous]

That’s vague - what kind of school do they want?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I can be more specific. He is not entirely sure what he wants, but he is thinking smaller will be better (more supportive). Sports unimportant. Good STEM facilities/faculty important as his major will probably be in that area. The main thing is he wants somewhere with good built-in advising and student support, even for students without accommodations. Any schools that are known for this? And we need to keep it to 45K/year, so he needs a lot of merit or low out of state cost.

[Anonymous]

I’d look at St. Joe’s in Philly and Loyola MD in Baltimore. Both are medium-sized Jesuit universities known for being supportive. They’re also quite generous with merit (very likely for your student with a 3.5 GPA) which would bring the cost down.

Other possibilities that come to mind are St. Mary’s College of Maryland and University of Maryland Washington in VA. Those are smaller public colleges with higher acceptable rates -and more personalized attention, but still very solid schools that offer an excellent education at a reasonable cost.

Do you mind sharing what state you’re in?

[Anonymous]

What is his weighted GPA and SAT/ACT? This is going to narrow your choices a lot.

[Anonymous]

Why not have him assessed so that he can receive accommodations if he needs them?

We're updating our senior DS's assessment this winter (last done in elementary school) so that he can get accommodations in college.

[Anonymous]

Wheaton College or Stonehill College in MA
Salve Regina or Roger Williams U in RI
Maybe Marist in NY?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d look at St. Joe’s in Philly and Loyola MD in Baltimore. Both are medium-sized Jesuit universities known for being supportive. They’re also quite generous with merit (very likely for your student with a 3.5 GPA) which would bring the cost down.

Other possibilities that come to mind are St. Mary’s College of Maryland and University of Maryland Washington in VA. Those are smaller public colleges with higher acceptable rates -and more personalized attention, but still very solid schools that offer an excellent education at a reasonable cost.

Do you mind sharing what state you’re in?

I agree with these schools. My son is at Loyola and has gotten free tutoring in classes difficult for him plus easy access to professors during office hours. They also have a writing center.

[Anonymous]

I’d take a look at Miami Ohio

[Anonymous]

No one has recommended Bucknell?

[Anonymous]

I know a student like this thriving at RIT.

[Anonymous]

Knox College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d look at St. Joe’s in Philly and Loyola MD in Baltimore. Both are medium-sized Jesuit universities known for being supportive. They’re also quite generous with merit (very likely for your student with a 3.5 GPA) which would bring the cost down.

Other possibilities that come to mind are St. Mary’s College of Maryland and University of Maryland Washington in VA. Those are smaller public colleges with higher acceptable rates -and more personalized attention, but still very solid schools that offer an excellent education at a reasonable cost.

Do you mind sharing what state you’re in?

I agree with these schools. My son is at Loyola and has gotten free tutoring in classes difficult for him plus easy access to professors during office hours. They also have a writing center.

+1 DD has a similar profile and we looked at all of these + Washington College and Juniata, which is where she ended up. Good advising + an assigned executive function coach.

[Anonymous]

I think you should plumb what you mean by “good default support.” College is much less supportive than high school. There is much more opportunity to get lost, not go to class, sleep all day—even at a small school. There is tutoring and professors are helpful but the student has to seek it out.