<p>I’m also wondering if you right off the top worrying about her being lonely, homesick if you should consider a school closer to home that wouldn’t require a flight - something perhaps 3-4 hours max from home so that trips home are easier and less costly.</p>
<p>My thread from a few months ago:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/688787-please-suggest-some-above-average-schools-cities-served-southwest-airllines.html?highlight=southwest+airlines[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/688787-please-suggest-some-above-average-schools-cities-served-southwest-airllines.html?highlight=southwest+airlines</a></p>
<p>missypie - Stony Brook is about 30 minutes from Islip airport in NYC. Great Southwest terminal. Probably one of the few airports that has great schedules and yet so small that you can see your parked car from baggage claim! When I picked up my daughter there, there was no line whatsoever at security!</p>
<p>Sorry Missypie - I meant New York State, not New York City!</p>
<p>USC offers the 1/2 tuition to all NMSF’s who are accepted AND designate USC as their first choice by the mid May deadline.</p>
<p>[USC</a> Financial Aid - Grants & Scholarships - Undergraduate - Freshmen Only Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/grants_scholarships/undergraduates/meritbasedfo.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/grants_scholarships/undergraduates/meritbasedfo.html)</p>
<p>USC also offers numerous other Merit scholarships, including 1/2 to full tuition scholarships to top scoring entering freshman</p>
<p>U of Rochester might fit. Airport is 10 minute drive. D was psych, stat and minor in math. Good bio too for pre-med.</p>
<p>Southern Methodist University in Dallas has terrific merit $$.</p>
<p>UT-Dallas might be worth a look. They have excellent merit aid, especially for NM Finalists.</p>
<p>to the OP
If you can interest your daughter in an Honors College within a flagship state U, a whole new world of merit money and airports awaits you.The school may be big but the Honors College setting makes it smaller.
D went to ASU (arizona,tempe location,Phoenix airport abt 10 minutes away,Barretts Honors College the model for others in the US.great out of state scholarship$)
S is attending the “other” USC, University of South Carolina (10 minutes from a smaller regional airprt in Columbia SC,Honors College with brand new facilities and a wonderful faculty,outstanding merit scholarship opportunities)
You can then consider many more…</p>