ideas for non-selective colleges along the NE corridor (amtrak)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many.

Juniata links by Amtrak to Philadelphia. It takes much longer than driving but my kid just did schoolwork.

While I'm a fan of Juniata and it's a great option for environmental science/biology, it definitely does not meet the request for a school that's "more urban/suburban (ie, not an isolated campus - wants access to shops, restaurants, things to do). "

Good point. Sorry, I think I was responding to the “headline,” not whole post.

Conn College has an Amtrak station on town, but we found New London to be somewhat sketchy. [/quote
God forbid working people exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If u are willing to go south, look at Roanoke College or Lynchburg College

Lynchburg is now university of Lynchburg - I had a HS friend who went there and was excited to see my kiddo was looking at Randolph, which is right down the road and in a consortium

Sweet briar is also in the Consortium, I think, and about a 20 minute drive/cab from Lynchburg

they are in the consortium, too. Kiddo considered it, but they don't have the majors she wants. But she really likes Randolph - actually waiting to talk to the admissions guy right now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If u are willing to go south, look at Roanoke College or Lynchburg College

Lynchburg is now university of Lynchburg - I had a HS friend who went there and was excited to see my kiddo was looking at Randolph, which is right down the road and in a consortium

Sweet briar is also in the Consortium, I think, and about a 20 minute drive/cab from Lynchb urg

But Virginia heat. OP said DC doesn't like heat. Also Sweet Briar is a financial risk. I'm sure you remember its board shut it down about 8 years ago. The alums saved it but I still don't think it's worth the $$ when you have so many other options here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If u are willing to go south, look at Roanoke College or Lynchburg College

Lynchburg is now university of Lynchburg - I had a HS friend who went there and was excited to see my kiddo was looking at Randolph, which is right down the road and in a consortium

Sweet briar is also in the Consortium, I think, and about a 20 minute drive/cab from Lynchb urg

But Virginia heat. OP said DC doesn't like heat. Also Sweet Briar is a financial risk. I'm sure you remember its board shut it down about 8 years ago. The alums saved it but I still don't think it's worth the $$ when you have so many other options here

I do remember and it looks like they've done a pretty good job turning that around. Sweet Briar and Randolph are both tiny schools that have something unique to offer. SBC is in the mountains, which should temper the heat? Maybe? It is kind of in the middle of nowhere, my dd has reversations about that... but the campus is massive and has vineyards and horses and greenhouses and apiaries. I was really impressed by SBC. It's my first choice for a similar kid.

My understanding is that what happened 8 years ago was part of a real estate grab--that failed. Since then they've also consolidated majors, streamlined departments, revamped their core classes, and seen enrollment rise. Our kids all need different things from college. SBC isn't a bad place for quirky girls that don't have the grades for Smith. I used to work at Smith and that's what it reminded me of.

[Anonymous]

I investigated SBC for my child looking at Randolph. I had really wanted it to work because I think a small school would be a great place for her.

Randolph is really beefing up its course offerings and looking to grow its student body - it actually has a full dorm unused at the moment (tidbit we learned from the tour over the summer)

Kiddo does have Meredith on her list of applications, which is a bigger women's college in Raleigh, just down the street from NC State. Lovely place, and has both the major options my child wanted.

She has a pretty big range on her list, from Randolph at 5-600 to ODU at 20K (I think?) She likes something different about each school.

[Anonymous]

OP, it's private and I'm not sure how expensive it is, but look at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. It has environmental science and biology programs, a rep for accepting solid B students and the location is right on the banks of the beautiful Hudson River -- just above where the Poughkeepsie Amtrak station is located in town. I think you might even be able to walk from campus to the Amtrak station, maybe.

Here's the profile for accepted students: https://www.marist.edu/admission/undergraduate/accepted-student-profile

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If u are willing to go south, look at Roanoke College or Lynchburg College

Lynchburg is now university of Lynchburg - I had a HS friend who went there and was excited to see my kiddo was looking at Randolph, which is right down the road and in a consortium

Sweet briar is also in the Consortium, I think, and about a 20 minute drive/cab from Lynchb urg

But Virginia heat. OP said DC doesn't like heat. Also Sweet Briar is a financial risk. I'm sure you remember its board shut it down about 8 years ago. The alums saved it but I still don't think it's worth the $$ when you have so many other options here

I do remember and it looks like they've done a pretty good job turning that around. Sweet Briar and Randolph are both tiny schools that have something unique to offer. SBC is in the mountains, which should temper the heat? Maybe? It is kind of in the middle of nowhere, my dd has reversations about that... but the campus is massive and has vineyards and horses and greenhouses and apiaries. I was really impressed by SBC. It's my first choice for a similar kid.

My understanding is that what happened 8 years ago was part of a real estate grab--that failed. Since then they've also consolidated majors, streamlined departments, revamped their core classes, and seen enrollment rise. Our kids all need different things from college. SBC isn't a bad place for quirky girls that don't have the grades for Smith. I used to work at Smith and that's what it reminded me of.

No, it was a financial crisis. I was tangentially involved. Wiki has it right. "On March 3, 2015, the college's board of directors, following a unanimous vote on February 28, 2015, announced the college would close on August 25, 2015, due to "insurmountable financial challenges". They cited declining enrollment and an endowment insufficient to cover potentially large-scale changes needed to boost enrollment, like coeducation.[29] Another possible factor presented by the board was a declining interest in the traditional women's college model.[30][31] Sweet Briar had explored merging with other stronger institutions including the University of Virginia, but nothing came of it.[32]" And wiki goes on about losses in the endowment and other issues.

The alums got together and saved it financially

Just something to consider when you are laying out $40K a year (actually a pretty good deal considering how expensive SLACs have become).. We toured it in 2013 for DD and at the time I thought it looked depressed. DD didn't apply.

SLACs also took an enormous hit during covid. My own SLAC was $30M in the red and is still struggling and it never had the problems that SBC did. Quite a few have closed. Many were downgraded on Moody's.

But if you have a horsey kid it might be great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP, it's private and I'm not sure how expensive it is, but look at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. It has environmental science and biology programs, a rep for accepting solid B students and the location is right on the banks of the beautiful Hudson River -- just above where the Poughkeepsie Amtrak station is located in town. I think you might even be able to walk from campus to the Amtrak station, maybe.

Here's the profile for accepted students: https://www.marist.edu/admission/undergraduate/accepted-student-profile

+1. Marist is beautiful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks - OP here. Will be going more carefully through the list.

Let's see - trying to answer some questions asked.

I was thinking Amtrak as a marker as making it more accessible - one two levels. First, kid who doesn't drive has places to go, second it's probably not terribly isolated. Also making an assumption that flying is more expensive.

Kid has a strong preference for schools that are not isolated - with an urban feel or close walking opportunities off campus.

Our "close list" probably mirrors the standards everyone mentions - yes to Delaware and Pitt. Also Towson. JMU was only school south of DC. Also considering West Virginia, but haven't visited. Kid really liked the feel of Westchester, but didn't like Temple or Drexel or St Joe's or Duquesne. Did not like Christopher Newport or ODU either.

It's hard on this board sometimes - when everyone is posting about T25 and 1580 SATs and all the successes (which are awesome! I do not begrudge!) and it's just harder to evaluate where your mostly B some As some Cs absolute disaster with standardized testing kid might even be accepted. It was hard for my kid to realize that schools that other family members went to - UVA, UMD - were out of reach. It's also hard at school when friends are considering Pitt and Delaware safety schools to think those are your reach schools.

I thought Vermont was a stretch - I should have looked before Nov 1, but until people answered here I really thought it was harder to get into.

Kid just really dislikes the heat. Wants cooler weather, and I just thought we didn't have anything that really is a different sort of climate from DC.

Finally, we live in DC, and the DC TAG program for state schools factors heavily in parent likes (but also kid has somehow really responded well to public universities and feels most SLACs are too small.)

Thanks - wish I had asked earlier!

University of New Hampshire. On Amtrak - goes to North Station in Boston as well as points north such as Portland, Freeport and Old Orchard Beach. Buses to Portsmouth and Hampton Beach. Don't need a car on campus. Skiing and outing clubs. Sports culture - football and hockey. Good food. Down to earth people.

Not as hard to get into as UVM. U Maine is extremely isolated - close to nothing.

Good luck.

+ 1 for all these reasons. To go south to DC, you could bypass South Station entirely and take the local Orange Line (subway) from North Station to the Back Bay Amtrak station. This would be easy for an urban kid.

[Anonymous]

^ in Boston

[Anonymous]

And Back Bay is a good station from which to explore Boston for a couple hours. My daughter and I did this while visiting Dean College in September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paul Smith’s college is non selective, but not anywhere near the NE train line . It is an amazing gem for environmental studies. It is very well respected in the industry.

https://www.paulsmiths.edu/

[Anonymous]

Randolph-Macon College in Ashland VA. Just north of Richmond. Frequent Amtrak service. SLAC with a good reputation regionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVM is fantastic for environmental science, in a great small city with access to all the winter sports you can imagine and also has an Amtrak station. Couldn’t be more perfect based on your list.

The Amtrak Vermonter Train that stops in Burlington has one train in each direction daily - New Haven to St Albans, VT.

The Vermonter stops in Essex Junction, near but not in Burlington. You’ll want to reserve a ride from the station as there aren’t guarantees of a taxi on a busy night or weather. And it’s not a great place to wait alone at night.
Or from DC you can switch trains in NY to the Ethan Allen to get into downtown Burlington. But you don’t want your NE regional to be late and miss that connection.

[Anonymous]

VT?