Help me build a list for an indecisive rising senior with big-city dreams [3.9 GPA, top 11%, 1330 SAT, <$50k, undecided H/SS/business, possible prelaw]

Chance Me / Match Me
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I’m helping my D(27) build a college list. Her grades are all As except for straight Bs in math. She has no idea what major to pursue, though she’s expressed interests ranging from business to art history to politics. I would prioritize schools that don’t admit by major or that make it easy to switch. Her preference would be a big city; she absolutely won’t consider anything rural or too far from a major airport. She has some apprehension about very small schools (say under 2,000). I think she would do best in a small-ish to medium-sized school that values undergraduate teaching. Progressive politics is a plus; southern state is a minus. She is curious about Greek life.

Demographics: Southeast US, large competitive public school, no hooks

Cost Constraints / Budget
We will not qualify for need-based aid. Would love to stick to a budget of $50,000/year to save funds for grad school (she’s thinking law), but this is not a strict requirement.

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • GPA: 3.9U / 4.5W (4.0 scale; honors weighted .5; AP, DE, IB weighted 1.0)
  • Class Rank: 70/650 (Top 11% :frowning: )
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1330 (700V / 630M), taken once

HS coursework

  • English: AP Lang (score pending); AP Lit (senior yr)
  • Math: AP Calculus AB (pending); AP Stats (senior)
  • Science: AP Bio (pending); AP Physics 1 (senior); DE Human Anatomy
  • History and social studies: APHuman (5); AP Art History (5); AP World (5); APUSH (pending); AP Psych (senior); DE Psychology
  • Language other than English: AP Latin (pending)
  • Other academic courses: AP Seminar (3); AP Research (pending); AP Personal Finance (senior); DE Business Computing; DE Intro Humanities

Extracurriculars

  • Model UN (officer, local awards, one national honorable mention)
  • Mock Trial
  • Debate, national qualifier in Lincoln Douglas
  • Varsity swimming, three years
  • Mayor’s Youth Council, two years, leadership role
  • Founder and president of a club chapter (40 active members)
  • Officer in two other school clubs that are active in voluntarism
  • Full-time lifeguarding three summers
  • 300+ volunteer hours (food bank, United Way, public schools)
  • PTSA rep
  • National Honor Society VP (personally responsible for planning annual school-wide college/career fair)

I’m grateful for all school suggestions and also ideas to improve her profile. Thank you!

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Of the top of my head, a few schools that she would likely get into that are in cities with nearby airports are

Marquette, Pitt, University of Denver.

They all happen to have law schools and have Greek systems that are small and pretty take it or leave it. Perfect for someone that is only “Greek curious” rather than totally focused on joining a sorority.

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University of Delaware might be worth a look see.

Would she consider DC too far south? If not, what about American University (not sure it will meet budget).

There are a LOT of colleges in the greater Boston area.

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Given your comment about the possibility of law school, here are two schools worth investigating.

SUNY Albany cost of attendance is less than $50,000 for out of state students and enrollment is about 13,000. It is located in New York’s capital city, which would offer opportunities for learning scout state government up close with possible volunteer opportunities and internships.

The College of New Jersey is a top public liberal arts college. The cost of attendance is less than $50,000 for out of state students and undergrad enrollment is about 7500. It is located in Trenton, New Jersey’s state capital and like Albany, would also offer opportunities to learn about law and government up close.

Here are some colleges which offer 3 + 3 BA/JD programs which saves a year of law school tuition:

Dickinson College ( PA )
Rutgers University (NJ)
Manhattan University (NY)
St. John’s University (NY)
Wagner College (NY)
Union College (NY)
Quinnipiac University (CT)
Sacred Heart University (CT)
Suffolk University (MA)
UMass Dartmouth (MA)
Assumption University (MA)
University of Vermont

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I also thought immediately of Pitt. The full-pay OOS cost is over your budget, but merit $ is possible. And a big plus is that admissions are rolling; she can apply in August and have a decision most likely in September… and this can relieve a lot of stress.

Looking at her list of interests, another program that comes to mind is the Historic Preservation & Community Planning major at College of Charleston. I realize that CofC loses points for being southern, but it’s a mid-sized urban school in a great, historic city, and that particular program has a particularly strong reptutation, and would combine your d’s interests in art/arch history, politics/policy, and business. There are a number of honors/scholars programs, and the school would likely make budget with merit, even if you’re not in SC.

A lot of the mid-sized urban or urban-adjacent schools that give merit are Catholic (and many of those are Jesuit). Marquette, mentioned above, is one, but there are many more that might work. Loyola Chicago, DePaul, Loyola Maryland, St. Joseph’s, Fordham, SLU, UofSF, Seattle U, U of Portland, LMU… I don’t know how many would give enough merit to make budget, but they’re worth investigating.

Clark, in Worcester (and less than an hour on commuter rail from Boston) might work. Macalester, in St. Paul, would be a long shot to get enough merit but could be worth a try.

For more OOS publics… not sure if UW-Madison or UMinn would make budget, but may be possible. Same with UVM, if Burlington is urban enough. Southwestern flagships like U of NM, U of AZ, and U of Utah could be worth a look too.

I’m sure you’re aware that the all other things being equal, urban schools tend to be more expensive, so the trick will be finding what she wants at the right price… but there are definitely options.

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Since you mentioned big city, I’ll stick with big city.

The school that is everything she wants, based on what you wrote, is College of Charleston. It’s a tad over $50K but she will get merit aid. She can also get in the Honors College but likely wouldn’t qualify for Charleston Fellows, which would be more aid - given the SAT score. But that’s a tad under 10K, smack downtown, strong in business, poli sci and art history, plus it has a historic preservation major that might interest her. Yes, it’s in South Carolina but it’s a blue dot and much of the populace comes from OOS, including the NE. My poli sci/international studies liberal thrived there and started a club to work with the settlement of Afghan refugees.

Others, not just in city, but hit your size and cost desire, UT Chattanooga, like Charleston, in a touristy area. Not a huge city but has a sky line. It’s 10K kids and has a campus where Charleston has a campus, but it sort of fits in the city. UTC is across a bridge from downtown. It will crush the budget - it will be $30K-ish; very popular in TN. Yes, it’s the South but it hits what you want.

Case Western is in Cleveland - they seem to be buyers so you’d need significant aid but they’ve been paying - and your major isn’t core to them so they might. So UTC is a home run cost wise, Charleston is a home run based on what you described, and CWRU could be - worth an app but don’t count on it. It’s about 6500 kids I think. It’s Ohio (red) but the mayor/area is liberal.

Trinity in San Antonio is near the action - it’s smaller but they’ve got great merit aid and need out of state kids (they’re getting more and more). 2500 kids. Like CWRU it’s not assured budget or admission wise but worth a shot. Again, blue city, red state.

Likely not good for your daughter as they are too small but Atlanta has two LACs that will crush the budget - Agnes Scott (all female) and Ogelthorpe. Not that you’d use it but they are both part of a consortium where you can take classes at other local schools including Ga Tech and Emory. Another blue area, red state.

Smaller City would be U Mary Washington - it’s the right size. And smack in Fredericksburg. Purple state. It’s in between DCA and Richmond Airports - with DCA having a train.

Schools like Pitt are unlikely to hit $50K and are too big based on what you defined. SUNY Albany (not in downtown Albany but on the outskirts, etc. isn’t really in town and might work. Will best budget . U Denver isn’t downtown either but there’s a street car/train to get there (and the airport) - whether it hits $50K, I don’t know.

One small town with an airport - crazy thought because it’s small - but Ithaca would crush the budget (big merit), has two colleges with Cornell, and a nice downtown. It’s 5K kids

CWRU and Trinity may hit. The rest would crush the budget.

Two others - not sure if would work - American (could work) is very liberal as is UVM.

I think, in general, you’ll find most kids are not political on campus though and even at conservative area schools, she’ll find her type. At a school like AU, more may be but as a general rule no.

First one I thought of was College of Charleston though - based on the description. All these schools have bus, poli sci, and art history.

Hope that helps.

PS - I see others talking about law school. I don’t see it in your post but where she goes will likely have zero impact on law school although some schools offer a 3+3 which could save you a year of tuition.

U Oregon - too big, Eugene smaller but an airport (Southwest flies there), progressive - over budget but if you can save a year of school / law

U Buffalo -conservative part of state, will hit budget, too big but a 3+3

But unless you know now you want law, it’s likely not realistic.

Good luck.

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I thought of Pitt and Macalester, too. Macalester does offer a merit pre-read: Early Financial Aid Assessment - Macalester College

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What about VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University)? Not a big city but plenty urban, artsy, funky.

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I thought of it but 22k undergrad and 8k grad was my only hesitation.but it definitely fits the request otherwise.

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I suspect Macalester would come in above budget, even with the highest merit package, but it would fit your kid’s interests really well. Has anyone mentioned George Washington University? I don’t know if merit would get you under budget, but it’s got a very active political scene, both in terms of academics and extracurricular opportunities. I second suggestions for University of Denver, University of Minnesota, and University of Wisconsin, if they can come in under budget. Lewis and Clark might also be worth a look.

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The bolded is the reference to law school and is reinforced by an interest in politics as a possible major as well as extracurricular participation in both Model UN and Mock Trial.

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My two cents is that all of big city (particularly depending on how big), smaller undegrad program but not too small, not-Southern, and $50K or under is a tough combination. Not that you can’t try, but I think your kid will probably benefit from prioritizing which of those are more or less important than the others.

I’d also underscore that while making that budget might be an issue, otherwise Jesuit colleges are going to provide a lot of great fits.

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I don’t know if you meant to suggest Pitt isn’t in Pittsburgh, but that is quite wrong. Pitt is right in the heart of Pittsburgh, in the area known as Oakland, which is sort of the civic center of PIttsburgh with all of Pitt, CMU, and Carlow University, a lot of the top hospitals, and a lot of the top cultural institutions. Being so centrally located, it is very easy to get from there to other parts of the city as well.

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You are correct. Meant SUNY Albany and Denver - both in town but not downtown. Pitt is very urban. Will clean up my verbiage. But for this student it’s a worth an app but don’t count on it. But based on the population they described, maybe too large.

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May want to make sure that these are not duplicates in what they cover.

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Yep.

Depending on their priorities, though, Pitt might be a good choice for an early application, since they do rolling admissions. Merit offers can lag admissions offers, but they still might know sooner rather than later whether it is at least a viable choice, and that might help them cut down the remainder of their application list.

And some people do in fact kinda fall in love with Pitt, particularly after visits. You don’t have to feel that way, it can just be a solid option, or indeed not an option at all. But probably worth exploring a bit.

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I think you’re splitting hairs here. DU is in south Denver, which is a residential part of the city but not suburban (the suburbs are farther out). There’s a light rail stop on campus, and downtown Denver is two stops away. Many urban universities are not necessarily downtown but are still considered urban and have an urban feel. When you’re on campus (including at DU), you feel like you’re part of the city.

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I like all of these suggestions. DU includes merit in their NPC, and they came in at $48,000!

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A Jesuit school could be a very good fit. Her club involvements and work with the mayor’s office are all social-justice oriented. She toured Fordham Rose Hill, and loved it; I’ll look more closely at the others you mentioned.

Thank you for the suggestion re: College of Charleston. Public art is a particular interest for my daughter; the Historic Preservation and Community Planning major sounds quite adjacent, and I don’t think I would have come across this on my own.

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I appreciate this insight. We have enough money saved to send her anywhere; I guess she’ll have to decide whether she wants to keep money back for grad school.

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