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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]She should look at liberal arts colleges that give merit aid. You might be able to get close to what the state schools cost and she could have smaller classes.  [/quote]

We tried this route with our older kids, and they didn't get enough merit aid (even at much lower-ranked schools) to fill the gap. Our older kids went to state colleges purely because of price.

If anyone has a gifted kid who was/is happy at a lower-ranked school, please post. Thanks! [/quote]

I was CTY eligible and a female NMF.  I tried PSU's Honors College.  PSU profs and classes were good but the social life was lacking in intellectual heft.  I transferred to Pitt and took Honors and regular classes.  I loved Pitt.  My grad degree is an MBA from Michigan.  Also loved Michigan.  So there are 3 flagships where I succeeded academically and met learning goals.

UMD is getting good reviews on DCUM these days.  I recently met a very happy journalism major from our non-MD high school who was top of her college.  Nothing but positivity.  Sounds to me to be like my Pitt experience.  Pitt was considered more gritty and humble 30 years ago.  But there's nothing wrong with being gritty and humble. UMD is also in a bigger metro area with a wider range of employers.

I think your daughter will thrive at a flagship if she selects smaller classes, reading-intensive classes, and meets/communicates actively with professors.  Look for smaller humanities classes, freshman seminars, honors classes, etc.  The peers don't even matter if the professors are good and care about your questions and your learning.  If they are quiet, more focus on you.  My son observed this in a freshman seminar at his flagship.  Now he has a professor who is interested in him doing research for her.  Because he was the star student.

My family is big school friendly.  The real world is a big place.  Better to get used to it.[/quote]

Why are you randomly reviving a thread that is 4 years old? OP has likely graduated college or is a senior in college by now. You always post about transferring to Pitt and going to Michigan. We know your story, PP. We know. [/quote]

I would have found this thread helpful last year!

The big plus is the opportunities and flexibility that come with being at a university that WANTS YOU there vs being at a university that treats the students like they are lucky to be there (which was the vibe we got from some of the top schools we looked at). Ex. Columbia won't event take your AP credits - they make you retake everything! What a waste... instead my student started college as a junior (in terms of credits) and is able to take classes that interest them and are unrelated to graduation requirements etc. They can explore different majors while in college, instead of having to commit to a major as senior in HS....

It was a very difficult decision for my super high stats kid (NMF, 1570 SAT, 17 APs all 5's, national level internship, etc.) to choose a full ride scholarship over the T15 schools they were admitted to. My kid is in second year and doing amazing at a low ranked school ... because this low ranked school pursues top students (1500++ SAT, 36 ACT, NMF types) there are a LOT of them there 1,000s -- so my kid is surrounded by similarly exceptional students in very small classes (think 12-15 students bc kid skipped straight to upper level courses due to having so many AP credits). However the student body is quite large (huge public flagship) so there are all types of students -- which mirrors real life.

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