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Small school for B student

KM0564KM0564 Registered User Posts: 2 New Member
in Parents Forum
Hello,

I'm hoping someone can give some suggestions for a school for my very shy son, who is a freshman at a mid-sized state school. I'm looking for a school with an accepting student body, especially for kids with quirky personalities. He is doing okay academically at his current school, but not socially at all. Really hasn't made any friends. He lives on campus, and although he likes his roommate, they don't hang out socially. He comes home every weekend and if he has to stay for some reason gets really, really anxious. This is not typical for him because he went to boarding school and also worked at summer camps where he lived there, so it's not his first time being away from home. He is not a big party person, although I'm sure he would love to hang out in someone's room and have a few beers if he had the opportunity. He is attempting to join a community service club, so we are holding out some hope he will meet someone there, but in the event things don't get better, he would like to look into transferring.

We live in Connecticut so New England/New York/Northeast Pennsylvania is where we are looking. I realize it will be difficult as a transfer student, but I think he would do better at a very small school where most kids know each other. He is definitely a B student, so top ranked liberal arts colleges are out. He is still undecided for his major.

Thanks for you any input you may have,

Kate
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Replies to: Small school for B student

  • mom2twogirlsmom2twogirls Registered User Posts: 2,022 Senior Member
    Does he have any interest in catholic colleges? St. Bonaventure, Niagara, Canisius, Nazareth, St. John Fisher, LeMoyne are all in NY and are small, friendly schools. I went to Bonaventure and I know first hand it’s always considered a very friendly, warm place. Students don’t have to be Catholic and they are very supportive of B students.
    Good luck!
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  • NEPatsGirlNEPatsGirl Registered User Posts: 2,798 Senior Member
    Wheaton? University of New England? Does he like the city? Emmanual ?
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  • NEPatsGirlNEPatsGirl Registered User Posts: 2,798 Senior Member
    Assumption, Becker, Salve Regina, St. Michaels
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  • bjkmombjkmom Registered User Posts: 7,508 Senior Member
    edited February 7
    Mount St. Mary (Newburgh NY), Neumann PA, MA College of Liberal Arts, Keystone (PA)
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  • jonrijonri Registered User Posts: 7,258 Senior Member
    edited February 7
    Do you mean a B student in college or high school? If he's a B student in college, he'll have a lot of options. You need to set a few other parameters--how small is "small?" Is 5,000 small enough, or do you mean under 2,000? Does urban/rural make any difference? As others have asked, is Catholic okay? Any ECs he'd like to participate in?

    Does he need fin aid? (That will make it tougher.)

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  • stradmomstradmom Registered User Posts: 4,892 Senior Member
    Is he currently at a school in CT?
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  • happymomof1happymomof1 Registered User Posts: 28,713 Senior Member
    What other places did he consider last year?

    Throw a dart at a map of the northeast, and you should find scads of perfectly fine LACs and small universities within driving distance. But frankly, I'd focus on the anxiety right now. Is this new, or did he exhibit that while in boarding school? Did he come home every weekend then too? If this is new behavior, what has changed in the last year?

    A leave of absence while his menatal health get sorted out might be a better plan than a transfer.
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  • KM0564KM0564 Registered User Posts: 2 New Member
    Thanks for all the suggestions. Looking for a school that's really small with less than 2000 students - it seems most suggested are, and we will be checking them out. He is a B student in college, so good to hear he will have some options. He has had anxiety his whole life and has and continues to get therapy and has been able to manage it somewhat over the years. Rarely came home when in boarding school and liked spending the weekends there, but was a much smaller setting of course.
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  • MAandMEmomMAandMEmom Registered User Posts: 1,407 Senior Member
    I used to work at Dean College in Franklin. MA. They do an excellent job with the support of students. Their Student Affairs group is top notch.
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  • happy1happy1 Forum Champion Parents, Forum Champion Admissions Posts: 23,349 Forum Champion
    edited February 8
    Siena (near Albany) is another small nuturing Catholic school that is worth reading up on.

    I would also google the "Colleges that Change Lives" (CTCL) list of schools as that could have some very good ideas and some schools on that list may be better suited for a "quirky" personality. Goucher is one CTCL school that comes to mind.

    Perhaps Sarah Lawrence is worth a look as well.

    Agree that a gap year or a leave of absence may be a good idea.
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  • KnowsstuffKnowsstuff Registered User Posts: 2,140 Senior Member
    I know this is not in the east but my daughter transferred to Beloit in Wisconsin (it's east of some states). She loves it and they are giving her many opportunities to succeed. She loves the one on one with professors and all types of students. He can be who he is. I just mention it to look for something similar. It has around 1300 students. She went to another lac that had about 2,000 students prior and really doesn't notice the drop off since this campus seems larger. "Colleges that change lives" should have good suggestions.

    BTW - letting him come home on the weekends is not going to help him get involved etc. My own introverted /shy kid at Michigan surprised us all and took charge to join a meet up group, found a kid he connects with. Started a tech student org. Has been a leader in that and gives small talks to the group weekly and is putting on a tech conference this spring. Trust me, this is not the same kid that we set off to college. College really matured him.
    We told him before going off to college that it's his choice but he didn't have to be the same kid he was in high school. He could sorta reinvent himself in college. He did and he's happy.
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  • TS0104TS0104 Registered User Posts: 612 Member
    Clark University is often mentioned with "quirky", and has enrollment of 2240. I think it is in the Colleges that Change Lives book. It looks like a great school and there are threads in it on this forum.
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  • PublisherPublisher Registered User Posts: 5,882 Senior Member
    Wheaton College in Massachusetts. (1,675 students)

    Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. (2,200 students)

    I could list a dozen or more small colleges in your targeted geographical area. But it is just guessing without more info.

    Which boarding school or what is his current school ?

    Specifically what did he like about his boarding school ? And dislike about his college or university ?

    Subjects he likes & dislikes. Activities he likes & dislikes.

    Any career plans or goals ?

    Athletic ?

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  • bobo44bobo44 Registered User Posts: 163 Junior Member
    Check out Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. A little farther than you are looking for, but amazing individualized attention and very accepting cohesive group of students. FA is available for transfers as well as freshman. Gorgeous campus. Under 1000 students.
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