Recommendations for schools within 3 hours of NoVa for my (below?) average kid?

[Anonymous]

I know you said you are looking for gender balance, but perhaps consider Sweet Briar College (all girls). It really is a charming, wonderful school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know you said you are looking for gender balance, but perhaps consider Sweet Briar College (all girls). It really is a charming, wonderful school.

With 3,000 -5,000 institutions of higher learning in the US, why would anyone pay private fees to a college which recently bellied up but was only narrowly saved by alums? That could happen again tomorrow

[Anonymous]

I'll add Emory and Henry to the list. The people I've known who attended loved it. SW Virginia is actually quite lovely. The Blue Ridge Mountains are pretty year round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not big but take a look at Roanoke. It meets a lot of your other wishlist items and it’s a pretty holistic admissions process.

If you visit Roanoke College, keep in mind that downtown Roanoke is not that far away. Roanoke has a fun downtown with lots of shops and restaurants. 300,000 people with surrounding areas included. A lot of parents and students only visit tiny Salem, VA near the school, think it's too small and then leave. They didn't realize that if they drive up the road ten minutes they'll hit the city of Roanoke with 100,000 people in the city and another 200,000 in the surrounding county. Just FYI.

[Anonymous]

My kid was similar in many ways (slightly higher SATs), and this was our list 2 years ago:
Salisbury
Christopher Newport
Mary Washington
University of Lynchburg
Radford
Longwood
VCU
Shepherd University

For your social kid, I think Radford might be the best option. I know DC likes to make fun of it, but it has a beautiful campus, a friendly and social student body, lots of interesting majors, etc.
UMW has been a good fit in many ways for my quiet kid, but she complains that there's very little school spirit, lots of people go home for weekends, and there just isn't much going on. Also, Residence Life has been terrible to work with.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I both graduated from ODU and we had a blast! Spent a lot of time in Va Beach (even though the school is in Norfolk) and loved our college years!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GMU VCU TOWSON SMCM ST. JOE'S IN PHILLY

GpA and predicted test scores are too low for GMU

[Anonymous]

Goucher, Mary Washington also would consider a larger state schools which sort of normalizes average? Like WVU has some exceptional local kids and your daughter may enjoy being around successful kids from less competitive environments.

[Anonymous]

Op, You said that 3.3 has a few AP classes, does she have honors classes as well? Will she be in at least calculus senior year? If so, and she gets he SAT score above 1200, I’d put University of Delaware and Temple on her “reach” list. Both great schools for B students.

My niece is at Towson. I would not pay for Towson out of state when Virginia has equally good average schools. I hear great things about CNU on this forum. And I’d put JMU and George Mason on that “reach” list too.

PS my niece did not get into Delaware or Temple but did get into JMU. That was a few years ago, and boy things have changed.

Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, You said that 3.3 has a few AP classes, does she have honors classes as well? Will she be in at least calculus senior year? If so, and she gets he SAT score above 1200, I’d put University of Delaware and Temple on her “reach” list. Both great schools for B students.

My niece is at Towson. I would not pay for Towson out of state when Virginia has equally good average schools. I hear great things about CNU on this forum. And I’d put JMU and George Mason on that “reach” list too.

PS my niece did not get into Delaware or Temple but did get into JMU. That was a few years ago, and boy things have changed.

Best of luck.

I meant to say equally good schools for average kids

[Anonymous]

Sweet Briar
Trinity Washington
Muhlenberg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you said you are looking for gender balance, but perhaps consider Sweet Briar College (all girls). It really is a charming, wonderful school.

With 3,000 -5,000 institutions of higher learning in the US, why would anyone pay private fees to a college which recently bellied up but was only narrowly saved by alums? That could happen again tomorrow

I doubt it. They got rid of the old President. A new president is doing things in a different way.

I think the people trying to close the school for their own selfish purposes have been removed. It’s a lovely school. I’ve spent a lot of time on that campus. Pretty hiking trails. Horses. Small campus vibe with everything close. Good security. Nice library and gym.

[Anonymous]

I agree with many of the recommendations on here and also encouragement for elementary education with her skill set if she's at all interested. I would steer clear of VCU if the aim is to focus more on graphic design because it's often regarded as the top public school in the country for visual arts and so you have to have an excellent portfolio and long track record in the arts to get in and taking courses as a non-major is limited. GMU would be a better place where they have a new undergraduate elementary education program and an excellent graphic design program that you can take courses as a minor, non-major etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you said you are looking for gender balance, but perhaps consider Sweet Briar College (all girls). It really is a charming, wonderful school.

With 3,000 -5,000 institutions of higher learning in the US, why would anyone pay private fees to a college which recently bellied up but was only narrowly saved by alums? That could happen again tomorrow

I doubt it. They got rid of the old President. A new president is doing things in a different way.

I think the people trying to close the school for their own selfish purposes have been removed. It’s a lovely school. I’ve spent a lot of time on that campus. Pretty hiking trails. Horses. Small campus vibe with everything close. Good security. Nice library and gym.

Sweet Briar’s closure had nothing tondi with “selfishness”. Go back and read. The President and Board felt it was fiscally irresponsible to continue to operate. It was a very serious matter. The alums got together to raise money to reopen. I would not send anyone there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GMU VCU TOWSON SMCM ST. JOE'S IN PHILLY

GpA and predicted test scores are too low for GMU

I can assure you that they are not.