Less popular Hidden Gems

[Anonymous]

Check out the UK schools! Durham, university of York, any of the Russell Group universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out the UK schools! Durham, university of York, any of the Russell Group universities.

Definitely not.

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Anonymous wrote:St. Mary's College of Maryland

Great campus, right on the water. It's gorgeous. Plus, it's an honors college and attracts studious types. If your kid is into sailing or rowing, it must be on their list. Cheap in-state tuition, plus a high acceptance rate (70s).

The only downside is that it's remote. It's near nothing. Like, not even a pharmacy or grocery store. The nearest pharmacy is 7-8 miles away. There is no town around the school, nor restaurants or even a bar.

I think the location is what dissuades so many from applying.

I went there. That's actually part of the draw for a lot of people I think.

If I was the next Governor of MD, I'd focus on trying to make St Mary's College tuition-free in order to lure the state's top students. It's already an honors college, but I think the location does a big disservice to its desirability. Not a lot of 18 year-olds want to go to school at a state university in the middle of rural farmland on the Chesapeake. If the school was free, I think the school would get a lot of looks from students and families.

That school should be similar in caliber and prestige to William & Mary. It's has the capability to get there.

No, William & Mary is fairly unique as one of the country's oldest schools and it's mid-sized (6500 undergrads). St. Mary's is a lot more like Mary Washington in VA--they serve an important niche--liberal arts programs for students who aren't academic superstars and don't want to spend on private school tuition.

William & Mary is similar in size to Princeton and Brown, so it is about 5.5X plus the size of St. Mary's, which is similar in size to Swarthmore. New College in Florida may be a model for St. Mary's in that it has become relatively more selective over time. UNC Asheville and UMW also have similar roles. I think there is value in these schools, but they can get lost in the conversation with the big state universities.

[Anonymous]

Elon - good value for private school.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Check out the UK schools! Durham, university of York, any of the Russell Group universities.

Definitely not.

Care to say why not? In our experience an excellent education!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD liked Muhlenberg so much that she dropped Brandeis and BC. Nice when your kid likes a safety better than targets. Very welcoming campus. Seems like great faculty, personal attention and actively tries to help students upon graduation w/ alumni networks and school affiliations. Some nice historic buildings on campus. Gorgeous dining hall. New green science building being built. Also, voted best food in PA!

Also nationally recognized faculty in public health!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:If you polled 10 random executives and asked them which school excited them more for applicants - Claremont McKenna or University of Alabama I bet 8 would say Alabama - at least.

LOL. Maybe at a lumber company or a gun maker.

Right? Where I am from, going to college in ALABAMA opens zero magic doors 😂

It's not a state known for its higher education or for that matter, education in general.

Roll Tide.

On the other hand, it's a perfectly fine choice for preprofessional students who are going to grad school and can get merit aid. If you're GRE/LSAT/MCAT scores are good, there's no shame in an Alabama transcript in your application file. It saves a lot of loan money for a lot of kids.

And if you are comp sci or engineering, it doesn't matter where you go. Just go to an accreedited school.

[Anonymous]

If your kid wants to go into medicine, I know that VCU has that guaranteed admissions program from the honors college to MCV.
https://honors.vcu.edu/admissions/preferred-applicant-track-medicine/

Maybe lots of schools have that? I don't know. Mine doesn't want to be a doctor. I've just heard about it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Claremont McKenna. Super underrated here, but top notch academics, great quality of life, internships/opportunities abound, alumni network + top outcomes.

Not a hidden gem. It’s a very elite college. You people know nothing!

It is not well-known at all. Even in SoCal, it's not known.

Just stop. It’s ranked 8th in Us News. It’s extremely selective. It’s not “hidden” in any way, shape or form.

It’s also easy to find on a map.

[Anonymous]

I do not think OSU is a hidden gem, but Ohio University might be, especially for an average high school student.

[Anonymous]

It's not a good fit for every student because it's so tiny, but New College of Florida in Sarasota is a good choice for liberal arts colleges. Beautiful campus and location as well. When I went there, the total student body was 300 but now I think they have over 1,000 students.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DD liked Muhlenberg so much that she dropped Brandeis and BC. Nice when your kid likes a safety better than targets. Very welcoming campus. Seems like great faculty, personal attention and actively tries to help students upon graduation w/ alumni networks and school affiliations. Some nice historic buildings on campus. Gorgeous dining hall. New green science building being built. Also, voted best food in PA!

The food is so bad. We visited this summer and the visit included lunch. Made me concerned about the other PA schools if it was rated best. I know people love the school but we were not impressed (apart from food I mean).

Are you kidding?! Their food is AMAZING! You must have strange taste, cuz that dining hall food is incredible.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Claremont McKenna. Super underrated here, but top notch academics, great quality of life, internships/opportunities abound, alumni network + top outcomes.

Not a hidden gem. It’s a very elite college. You people know nothing!

It is not well-known at all. Even in SoCal, it's not known.

Very well known. Almost impossible to get into.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DD liked Muhlenberg so much that she dropped Brandeis and BC. Nice when your kid likes a safety better than targets. Very welcoming campus. Seems like great faculty, personal attention and actively tries to help students upon graduation w/ alumni networks and school affiliations. Some nice historic buildings on campus. Gorgeous dining hall. New green science building being built. Also, voted best food in PA!

The food is so bad. We visited this summer and the visit included lunch. Made me concerned about the other PA schools if it was rated best. I know people love the school but we were not impressed (apart from food I mean).

Are you kidding?! Their food is AMAZING! You must have strange taste, cuz that dining hall food is incredible.

I'm the first poster on this thread. Is your kid at Muhlenberg? If so, how do they like it?

[Anonymous]

Sewanee....Muhlenberg....Come to mind.