Anonymous
03/13/2026 14:34
Subject: college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:I think he should consider Virginia Tech as you are in state, he doesn't want an urban school, and he is into school spirit. Virginia Tech offers everything in terms of majors; its not just engineering. Its possible to make a big school feel smaller.
yeah but you have to apply by major and this kid wants to explore
Anonymous
03/13/2026 13:48
Subject: college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:for a kid who is on the cusp but may not get into UVA and William and Mary. We are in-state.
He currently has a 4.2 as a junior, likely to be a little higher next year, 1480 (will take again), good rigor (as in five APs junior year) but definitely not the highest at his school. He has a varsity sport, volunteering, everything good but nothing at the level that it would help him get in anywhere.
He truly has no idea what he wants to study so I think he should go to a liberal arts college. I don't see Virginia Tech being the right place at all. But we'd really need some merit to get the costs down, not necessarily to in-state price but can't afford 90K.
Can anyone suggest schools that their similar kids liked? Thanks in advance!
My son had these and ECs and got into W&M ED 1. They need guys, so that helped. I think your son will get in ED.
Anonymous
03/13/2026 13:43
Subject: college recommendations, please...
OP here. Thank you! Some great suggestions here that I had not thought of.
Anonymous
03/13/2026 13:21
Subject: Re:college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:No offense to anyone who goes there, but people are nuts to suggest a student with "only" a 1480 should look at Shenandoah University. My kid is in that range and got accepted to BC and Wake, plus schools like Fordham with merit, and a big handful of state flagships. Definitely have safeties but aim high!
This did not happen.
BC take a lot of Catholic high school kids without highest stats. Also fewer than 50% submit scores, so this is believable
Anonymous
03/13/2026 13:13
Subject: college recommendations, please...
I think he should consider Virginia Tech as you are in state, he doesn't want an urban school, and he is into school spirit. Virginia Tech offers everything in terms of majors; its not just engineering. Its possible to make a big school feel smaller.
Anonymous
03/13/2026 12:59
Subject: Re:college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:No offense to anyone who goes there, but people are nuts to suggest a student with "only" a 1480 should look at Shenandoah University. My kid is in that range and got accepted to BC and Wake, plus schools like Fordham with merit, and a big handful of state flagships. Definitely have safeties but aim high!
This did not happen.
Anonymous
03/13/2026 12:55
Subject: Re:college recommendations, please...
No offense to anyone who goes there, but people are nuts to suggest a student with "only" a 1480 should look at Shenandoah University. My kid is in that range and got accepted to BC and Wake, plus schools like Fordham with merit, and a big handful of state flagships. Definitely have safeties but aim high!
Anonymous
03/13/2026 12:24
Subject: college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Other state's flagships & assorted SLAC like Dennison, one of the many MANY that in PA (lower tier ones probably giving massive merit), etc.
More info needed for actual, relevant recommendation as your student's stats are higher than the vast majority of college-attending kids so that are many options
He is a sporty, super social nice kid, lots of friends, If it didn't cost 90K, I think a school like Villanova would probably be a great fit. He would love school spirit but is unlikely to be into the Greek scene. Re: academics, I didn't mention it because he keeps changing his mind. He doesn't have strong likes and dislikes. He is more of a well-rounded kid in an era where they're supposed to be spiky.
Dickinson could be a good fit, and it would probably give a lot of merit aid to a student like yours.
Anonymous
03/13/2026 12:23
Subject: college recommendations, please...
U Mass Amherst
Anonymous
03/13/2026 12:22
Subject: college recommendations, please...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Other state's flagships & assorted SLAC like Dennison, one of the many MANY that in PA (lower tier ones probably giving massive merit), etc.
More info needed for actual, relevant recommendation as your student's stats are higher than the vast majority of college-attending kids so that are many options
Denison has a lower admit rate than UVA and W&M.
W&M has a deceptively high admit rate.