If this is of interest, maybe look into Lesley University, which is known for its expressive arts therapy programs. They have an undergrad social work major, a human services major, an expressive arts therapy major, and a counseling major that can include an expressive arts specialty. Explore Academics | Lesley University It would not be in budget based on merit alone (around 42K/year for a 3.2 GPA student who isn’t eligible for need-based aid) but it’s a tuition exchange school so perhaps affordable that way. It’s a match admissions-wise; median stats are above hers, but acceptance rate is 75% so odds of acceptance are still decent. 16% Hispanic (and 7% Black)
Given the culinary interest, another “helping” profession to consider would be nutrition/dietetics. Another tuition exchange school which is particularly known for culinary arts & nutrition/dietetics (and there are a couple of majors that combine the two) is Johnson & Wales in RI. They also have counseling and public health related majors. Explore JWU Programs | Johnson & Wales University 89% acceptance rate, and typical cost after grant aid (without tuition exchange) is around 35K/year. 13% Hispanic (and 13% Black).
Nicholls (LA): About 5300 undergrads with 62% white, 16% black, and 6% Hispanic. Offers a social work concentration within its social sciences major, as well as majors in dietetics and in culinary arts. There’s a dance team, but no dance minor that I saw. Sticker is right around $20k.
U. of Memphis (TN): About 17k undergrads with 41% identifying as white, 37% as black, and 9% as Hispanic. Sticker price is around $25k. Offers a major in social work, dance, dietetics, and culinary arts.
I went to Marquette decades ago, so I am a little familiar with the UW state schools. They are very well spread across the state, so I would encourage her to go to one that she can commute to, and then get good grades and transfer after one or two years. That $30k per year budget can be stretched a little bit if only needed for 2-3 years instead of 4 years.
With a 21 ACT, she will only be competitive for test optional schools, but as a transfer student, more schools won’t require test score.
Would it be correct to say that she wants more ethnic diversity than UW Milwaukee (64% White) and UW Parkside (62% White)? If so, then that could be a benchmark for others to look for “diverse enough” colleges.
What about St Kate’s, Augsburg, and Hamline (Twin Cities)- respectively 53%, 38%, and 59% White - and Elmhurst (near Chicago, 50% White, 29% Latino/Hispanic)? I didn’t check the majors they offer but all 3 would be solid matches to very likely.
It may be too high a reach (only 6% had a 3.0-3.25 GPA and average ACT is 28-30), but I want to mention: https://wp.stolaf.edu/socialwork/social-work/
+ https://wp.stolaf.edu/dance/
It’s 75% White though (about 10% Hispanic/Latino) and of course a big reach so you’d have to run the NPC and see if she’d be eligible for the dance scholarships (if so, it’d be a hook).
They meet need, too, so run the NPC as TE is unlikely but perhaps not needed.
Her senior schedule& senior grades would likely be scrutinized to see if she can handle the rigor, so she might not want more pressure for senior year or might welcome the challenge.
Hearing that the service aspect of your D’s visit to St. Joe’s really appealed to her made me think of the Jesuits (which you’re probably already very familiar with ) as well as the Franciscans.
These are some Franciscan colleges that your family may want to investigate. On Niche the students all report their schools as balanced or there appears to be a balance between conservative, moderate, and liberal views with the exception of Franciscan U. of Steubenville where the majority of students identified the campus as conservative or very conservative politically.
Alvernia (PA ): About 2k undergrads. 63% white, 14% Hispanic, 11% black
Franciscan U. of Steubenville (OH): About 2800 undergrads. 70% white, 19% Hispanic, 3% Asian.
Creighton has been on the list (and she will look at SLU with Lindenwood). I told her to look at Gonzaga but not sure it has all she wants major/minor/dance wise.
I did just add U of Scranton to the list. I think it could be an excellent fit for her now that she is viewing colleges truly for herself and not just tagging along with big bro.
It’s always funny to me that my kids say I know nothing but I knew Syra cuse would be perfect for S23 and that a Jesuit may be an excellent fit for D25. But of course, I don’t “know them at all.”
D25 is telling me she isn’t sure she wants to be a cop because “mom says she doesn’t believe I can do it.” Which isn’t totally true. I don’t “see” her as a cop because when she talks about future jobs it is all about helping people and victims and such and having worked with law enforcement for over 2 decades, what she is describing can be achieved by many other occupations. Very recently she says she could see herself working as a guidance counselor or social work.
So the goal is to have options within criminal justice, social work, counseling, education services, or some type of child/family service major AND maybe a dance minor. Its not easy.
A decent amount of police work is being the social worker of last resort, when police officers have to deal with neglected social work problems like homelessness, addiction, mental health, suicide attempts, and domestic disputes.
Has she considered the less competitive Jesuits? Wheeling Jesuit (WV) has a lot of medical related majors like therapy, SW. Regis (Denver) also now has pharmacy as well as the tradition majors. Not sure of the bathroom situations. The neighborhood Regis is in has some of the best Mexican food in town, and isn’t too far from some old time Italian too.
@2plustrio – omaha here; and can share ideas about creighton and UNO. Creighton gets a lot of (deserved) love; its a business and pre-professional school. It skews preppy/non-diverse/wealthy-ish. But as you know, that’s an average - and not everyone fits in that mold. It’s well respected. We know some kids who’ve been on or are on dance team. good dancers; maybe not D1 large SEC schools type of dancers.
UNO - about 6 miles down the road - is different; it’s more of an urban school; lots of first-gen and definitely diverse. They have a solid criminal justice and social work program; and a dance team that’s actually quite good (more competitive than creighton- know this as my daughter danced in omaha for years!). UNO has OUR tuition for 15 states (150%) including wisconsin. I know some criminal justice profs there; would be glad to help with that if interested.
) as well as the Franciscans.