how would you rank these schools on an over all basis: wofford, furman, Sewanee, Elon, High Point
Elon
Sewanee
Wofford
Furman
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High Point
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My daughter looked at all of these as well. Depends on lots of things of course but I’d say:
Furman
Elon
Sewanee/Wofford
High Point
Wofford and Sewanee are lovely schools but Wofford seemed quite southern as a west coaster, truly lovely though, very nice people, pretty campus etc. Sewanee was just too remote and we found the admissions people not as lovely.
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My D is at Elon and did not apply to the others. My sense is Elon and High Point have more kids from the northeast and Wofford and Furman are more southern. I met someone recently who spoke very enthusiastically about High Point. My D is at the Elon business school and has been happy with it. She is a fellow (which comes with a school-paid trip) and has two internships lined up.
Good luck with the college process.
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Sewanee would be considered the most academically rigorous IMO and is somewhat of an outlier from the others. It’s not for everyone, though.
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Not enough information, but I will give a quick reaction:
Furman & Elon & Sewanee-The University of the South are all on the same level, but very different campus cultures.
Wofford is very Southern.
I really have no meaningful knowledge about High Point University so I cannot offer a reasonable opinion.
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Sewanee for traditional academics, future grad/prof/med school, alumni network, writing, traditions.
Elon for Northeastern reputation, experiential learning (something they pioneered 20 years ago, well before anyone got on the bandwagon), business/leadership.
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Furman for a more Southern feel, more conservative, a sort of midpoint or happy medium between Elon and Sewanee for learning philosophy&experiences, similar in terms of dedicated professors and rigor.
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Wofford
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High Point
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What is your daughter interested in studying? Business would be a very different answer than creative writing.
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Humanities - Sewanee
Business - Furman and Elon
Overall - hard to rank and all will be unknown by the masses and yet Elon, Furman, Sewanee, and Wofford are all well thought of names by people in the know.
High Point has its fans but it’s definitely seen as a hand holding, wealthy, buy my diploma type of school. Not saying it is that but how it’s seen. It’s all about flash from the minute you go for your tour and have your own private parking place to five levels of housing - you can live better than at home. Their job placement is very good, at least stats wise.
In the end and high point is likely most different academically but of these, you should find the best fit and not chase a name.
Sewanee will be most isolated followed by Elon but Elon is just a 5-10 minute ride from society where Sewanee isn’t. Furman is a ride from downtown Greenville while I believe Wofford is closest of these to society.
Good luck.
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As a parent of the "hand holding " school of High Point University, I couldn’t disagree more. First, not all students come from the “rich kid” world. I am a single parent, and scholarships have assisted in my daughter attending.
Second, my daughter is an Interior Designer major, and never once has she been “handed a grade.” As a former educator, the level of rigor and hands on education is too notch!
I would first look at what your student is interested in majoring in, also look at their personality - which school matches them…
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Thank you very much.
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Elon is not able to really be ranked against these schools, but it is highly reputable as you know and emerging as a national university.
As far as the rest:
Furman (slight edge)
Wofford/Sewanee
High Point (big difference and its a regional university)
Frame of reference only, my 1st son loved Elon and almost went there, but Wofford gave him more merit aid by almost 10K that has held through his 3rd year there. He was not the Furman type guy, and Sewanee was just too far away being from central North Carolina.
High Point is a good university, very much a trailblazer in many ways, but its students are not the same as the other schools you mention (Furman, Wofford and Sewanee) where as the rest would be considered your classic Liberal Arts College.
Still, you really should go on fit. And I now have a second one in college and I can assure you this is the most important factor in success.
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Thank you for the comments… and very helpful. I hear you on the feeling at Furman… I would say my daughter had a similar vibe.
Further, I and definitely supporting her decision on this, but also trying to help her think through the various aspects.
Cheers!
Interesting about HPU - I was driving tonight on the I-85 headed East from Durham. When I got to Burlington / Elon - HPU had three billboards - big font, that said something like Visit High Point University, The Premier Life Skills University.
Once I got past Burlington, no other signs.
They are clearly targeting Elon prospects although having been to both, they are different schools.
Interesting - when I drove past Guilford College, which is closer to HPU, there were no signs, etc.
HPU markets heavily - TV, Billboards - they are very targeted and I’m sure backed by research in the methods that they choose.
They must cross shop with Elon to some extent - or perhaps are testing to see if it works.
@KorriRay I’m not dismissing HPU. I mean it has some majors like your daughter’s that isn’t offered at a ton of colleges - but the school has it’s place. But when one is comparing it to Wofford, Furman, Sewanee, etc. - it’s different - it’s not an LAC and it has a reputation as a rich kid, hand holding school. It doesn’t mean it’s every kid and it doesn’t even mean it’s true - but that’s the perception and those I know (like my son’s roommates brother) is there for that precise reason.
I mean, seriously, and there’s a market so I’m not begrudging them, but how many schools have 7 tiers of housing with the possibility of spending nearly $40K a year on room and board?
Whether or not it’s a good school - and placement wise - it clearly delivers - isn’t anything I can answer and I’m sure it’s great for those where it’s a fit - but I noted its perception - and especially when one is comparing it to those others - it’s just a “different” school.
| Housing Tier 1: Our standard rooms consist of North College Court, North College Terrace, Established University Houses, and Double rooms in Finch (Honors Only) | Tier 1 Housing, Meal Plan & NC State Dining Tax= $19,127.82 |
|---|---|
| Additional charges for upgraded housing are as follows: | |
| Housing Tier 2: Single rooms in Finch (Honors Only), North College Court, North College Terrace, Established University Houses, and Wilson. Double rooms in North College Townhomes, Point Place Apartments, University Village, New Build University Owned Houses, Wilson, 3 & 4 person suites in Aldridge Village and York. | +$4,494 |
| Housing Tier 3: Single rooms in McCain Place Townhomes, North College Townhomes, Point Place Apartments, University Village, New Build University Owned Houses and 4 person suites in Caffey Hall. Double rooms in Greek Village, Panther Commons, Centennial Square 1 (Double bedrooms), and Centennial Square 2 (Double bedrooms). | +$6,276 |
| Housing Tier 4: Centennial Square 1 (Private bedroom, semi-private bath), and Centennial Square 2 (Private bedroom, semi-private bath), 2 bedroom suites in Aldridge Village, York, and Caffey Hall. Select single rooms in Panther Commons. | +$9,090 |
| Housing Tier 5: Single bedrooms with private bathrooms in Centennial Square 1, Centennial Square 2, and 1 person suites in Caffey Hall. | +$14,226 |
| Housing Tier 6: Single suites in Panther Commons | +$16,362 |
| Housing Tier 7: Single University Landing Tiny Home | +$18,492 |
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There’s definitely competition between the two. We loved our Elon visit but the admissions rep that gave the information session did make a snide comment about being a “real college, not like that one down the road” to a room full of prospective students. I thought that was silly.
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You’ve added an important “life skill” to the curriculum at High Point- knowing that you get what you pay for. This chart seems like a satire, no?
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At any school where students live off campus, the same disparity exists. There were some Harvard grad students living in austere housing and others literally in the Ritz hotel. HPU is hardly unique. NYU offers its students housing ranging in price from $10k-$26k.
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Yes - don’t denigrate the competition - no matter what business you’re in.
Yes - but - this is the school, not off campus.
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So like NYU, in other words. Yes, I wish schools offered similar flat rate dorms, but apparently there is a market for luxury.