We were looking into this one and were concerned that it is way too small (like 1K students?). Now knowing that it is very liberal makes it easier to not add it to the list.
It is the most popular choice in our area for Education major. The size may be too big and their introductory science classes are more than 100 students. She is very social and loves being with people (and peers love her) but she also wants smaller classes and ability to get to know her professorsâŠ
So schools like W Chester and Millersville should be on the list. Why ? They are assured to hit budget.
If you are able to expand the geography, schools like Truman State. Perhaps Christopher Newport, a very good small public LAC like school in Virginia might hit or get close. And itâs not too far. Another small school - 500 or so - Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic - on its own campus in Jupiter Florida. Frostburg State in MD is $32kish for PA residents b4 merit.
If you hit on the ACT, flagships like U of Alabama WILL be in budget. They have the small McCullough Medical cohort. Smaller UAH will be too. Smaller school like Tennessee Chat may be. Others like KU should hit $30k too. It has a top Honors program. And SUNYs were already mentioned - perhaps New Paltz or Geneseo work but it canât be assured. But obviously theyâre in your desired geography.
I think you start with small in state publics like Millersville. If you can go $40k, expand the reach - Beloit, Kalamazoo, Drew, Washington (already mentioned), the anti Washington Randolph Macon (they are opposite), Wooster, Allegheny and others mentioned. Will they get to price? Run the NPCs. Hofstra is another. As is York College of PA.
Some I mentioned 100% will - others hard to tell. And you need at least one assured of the budget is locked.
Ps - many at public or non religious private schools take religion classes. But learning about religion doesnât necessarily mean religious.
And donât forget a big school can be made school. Short of an in state public you likely need trade offs.
Good luck
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WCU is definitely a good choice for education and music, as well as healthcare. And it is on the larger side. It sounds like you may have to determine which is more important - meeting the budget or size or religion/non-liberal status. It may be tough to find all three.
Arcadia is a bit smaller, less rigorous, but may give more merit. Ursinus has an excellent premed track, is also small, many opportunities to do research with professors etc, but youâll have to run the NPC to see about budget.
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Donât discount large publicâs, one of mine who graduated UDel honors college had the intro science weed-outs but then classes became smaller (exercise science), my daughter at Clemson honors college is very close to many professors and advisors (finance).
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Yes, I agree with you. We have to be flexible with some criteria. You can (almost) never have it all.
Wow⊠so many recommendations. Will look into each one of them! Thank you.
@tsbna44 , do you have an opinion on Stevenson and Moravian Universities?
Adding W Carolina $20k all in.
No opinion. Visit and see. Best way to tell. In the meantime run the NPC to see if can get close.
Moravian may not be religious but it is connected to a Religion/Church- so Iâd look into that.
Stevenson look promising. They say the average cost is $25k but it includes need aid. So possible but likely not probable.
If you have a tight budget start visits with schools that will hit 100% even if out of your geography. The rest, at $30k, are crapshoots.
You want to be happy day after day - and given a tight budget youâll likely end up at a school you werenât intending so visit those first if possible.
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Fair enough. Thank you!
Moravian is quite religious - I think itâs the only college of the Brethren (of the Moravian church) in the US. There is a lot of history and faith steeped in that region.
But their new general curriculum starting Fall 2025, just checked - theyâve been working on it for years - doesnât require any course in religion and does require a course in Ethics.
Stevenson is more commuter and isnât as strong academically as others already listed; only about 15% had a GPA 3.7 or higher regardless of rigor and only 40% were even in the top quarter of their HS class so my concern would be that she has few academic peers (premeds need to target the appropriate balance of challenge, peer group, being in the top 10-25% but not one of only a handfulâŠ) â but thereâs nothing wrong with the college.
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Look at McDaniel - can get almost full ride (I have no idea how liberal it is) - daughterâs friend is there.
Gettysburg will check all your requirements and will get to mid 40th with Eisenhower scholarship (check website).
Binghamton may work (do not know details.)
Consider St. Maryâs at MD. Public LAC.
Look at Hobart and William Smith - has some automerit, but will be in 45 range.
It is extremely difficult to get under 40 without going South.
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Take a look at SUNY Geneseo.
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Thanks for info on Moravian and Stevenson!
Thank you for the info. Will look into those.
Will do. Thanks!
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I looked at St Joeâs General Education Program. It has a core requirement of 19 credits, only 1 of which is a theology class, Students must take THE 153, 154 or 155. Of the 3 only 2 appears to be overtly Catholic in outlook.
153 Encountering the New Testament (3 credits)
This course examines the biblical traditions and texts of the Christian
Scriptures as products of particular historical and cultural communities,
and as literary and theological document
154 Catholic Theological Tradition (3 credits)
This course critically engages the Christian, particularly Catholic,
understanding of humanity in relation to God.
155 Catholic Social Tradition (3 credits)
This course engages students in study of Christian teachings and
practices related to the call to social responsibility, particularly in what
is known as Catholic Social Teaching.
The Faith and Reason requirement can be fulfilled by nearly 20 differently courses, including an interesting list of philosophy classes, theology classes, a biology class (God and Evolution), a history class (Revolutions 1517-1648) or an interdisciplinary classes (Psychology and Religion).
Not all of the theology classes options are Christianity based. Thereâs one that deals with atheism in the modern world, another than explores the tenets of Islam, and still another explores Buddism.
(Hey, if my daughterâan unabashed atheist-- aced her [required] world religions/theology class despite telling the chief theological advisor to the Archbishop of Santa Fe who was her instructor for a portion of the class that Jesus was âallegedly some old dude who lived 2000 years ago and was possibly the the worldâs first documented vampireâ, Iâd say many theology classes are pretty open-minded and non-prescriptive.)
The distinction would be whether the courses in question are devotional or not. Non-religious colleges can offer non-devotional religious studies courses, while religious colleges can offer both those and devotional religion courses.
People can totally choose schools based on their own preferences. My son would not apply to Belmont because at the time all professors had to be Christian. We toured Saint Joeâs and it remains high on my not Catholic D25âs list. There are no Mass or church attendance requirements. Students who arenât comfortable with religion or spirituality at all can skip the following info.
Not beating a dead horse but for those who may read this thread for informationâŠ
The Jesuit tradition course is common at all Jesuits that I know of. I myself teach a course that touches on this. Here is a brief video that gives a better look at more of the relaxed nature I know most Jesuits to be (I think since Iâve drank with the Jesuits makes me have a different view). https://youtu.be/J6GbWA2DuPQ?si=wxyy6IEUjNUUIHOo
At a Jesuit, you will hear âcura personalisâ all the time and none of it has to do with trying to convert anyone to become Catholic.
At SJU in particular, beyond their Jesuit into course (which is fielded under theology course), students typically have to do another theology course but the following courses count as creditâŠ
Religious Difference courses require students to gain a critical understanding of one or more religious worldviews that differ from the Roman Catholic perspective studied in their Signature Core theology course. Students will either engage in in-depth study of a non-Christian religious tradition or take a comparative religions course that in some measure addresses the issue of religious diversity. Examples include (but are not limited to):
- THE 211/REL 211 Hebrew Bible
- THE 380 Interreligious Dialogue
- REL 101 Comparative Religion REL 212 Israelite Religion REL 231 Judaism
- REL 241 Islam
- REL 251 Religions of Ancient India
- REL 261 Hinduism
- REL 270 Japanese Religions
- REL 271 African and Caribbean Religions
- REL 311 Comparative Religious Ethics
- REL 312 Spiritual Practices in Comparative Perspective
- REL 321 Religion and Law in the Ancient World
- REL 338 Christian and Jewish Responses to the Holocaust
- REL 341 The Qurâan and its Interpreters
- REL 342 Women in the Muslim Tradition
- REL 351 Indian Buddhism
- REL 352 Mahayana Buddhism
- REL 354 China and the Creation of East Asian Buddhism
- REL 355 Immortals, Ancestors, Ghosts and Gods
- REL 356 Death and the Afterlife in Chinese Religions
- REL 357 Food Practices and Chinese Religions
- REL 382 Women and Religion in the Ancient World
- REL 383 Ancient Greek Religions
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Thank you so much for looking it up for me!
Yes, I actually read those requirements yesterday. I also read that they have full tuition scholarship that my daughter could potentially get but she refuses to apply to any school that has religious class requirements. This is a non-negotiable criteria for her. So despite St. Joeâs meeting many of other requirements, this is sadly a no.