Need help finding schools for my psychology/business major

College Search & Lists
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I’m looking for a college list for my son who is currently a junior.

4 AP so far but haven’t taken the tests for scores. Will take additional 2-3 senior year.

He’s taking stats, calculus AB and AP psychology and AP English along with honors for other classes.
UW3.8 GPA

Weighted 4.5

Likely use the ACT score.. he’s at 30 now but hoping for a 33.

Leader of three clubs.
Founder of behavioral finance club

Started his own website for meta ethics which he hopes to make a non profit this year

Founder of chapter of ethics bowl for his school

service clubs, including chess, debate, FBLA

Plays piano

leader for tutoring club at his prep school.

Ambassador

Volunteers at local food bank

Well rounded and lots of interests so this could change

What’s a good option for him with interests and stats including psychology and mathematics/economics/ finance? I think a smaller to mid size school would be good but won’t rule out larger schools for a honors program

Thinking schools that have combined majors that are psychology combined with economics or business/finance. Something that can combine the two of them where he may not have to go to graduate at school, but also I’ll have that option.

We need merit and have about a $60k per year budget but would like to keep under that
Looking at Northeast but will look elsewhere for good options.
Thanks.

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I would look at SUNY Geneseo. Good school, smaller size.

If he gets his scores up he might make honors at Buffalo (emphasis on “might”).

Keep in mind that depending on his career interests he might need grad school.

Take a look at TCNJ.

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You don’t necessarily need merit - but what is your state of residence?

He will have loads of opportunities.

Does he want large, mid size, small?

Sports - like big time or lesser so?

In city, suburban, rural?

Most any school will be able to fill his needs - most won’t have a defined program but you’ll be able to double, minor, or take electives to meet the focus.

Good luck.

If you could spend, say $30K instead of $60K, would that matter to you? Would that open up geographic flexibility some?

Edit - missed the Small / medium.

Frankly, any school is going to have business / psych - whether one a major and minor or combo - I don’t think you need to get tricky and find a specific program. And you won’t need grad school to check both boxes.

You do need to hit budget. With a 3.8 and 30 ACT, Honors will be tougher at larger schools - like a Delaware or Uconn, etc. So stick with the smaller.

Staying the NE/Mid Atlantic, look at schools like Salisbury, Christoper Newport, and Mary Washington.

If you can stray a bit and want a mid size school but in a city, look at College of Charleston - easily accessible from the NE by non stop flight.

In the NE proper, SUNYs have been recommended. A U Maine would work and URI - you might get Honors here. But before you delve into Honors - don’t forget, all programs are different - and if the school is large, many classes will likely still be large as at many schools, Honors is a part of the experience, not the entirety. UNH isn’t too large.

There are many privates that could work including LACs - Clark University has a finance major and is strong in psych but they are going through some upheaval - but I imagine both programs will be fine. Bentley is a business focused school that would meet your needs and might make cost. St. Joes in Philly (Catholic), Marist, Bryant, Ithaca, Ramapo, Millersville, etc.

I picked my list based on you hitting budget and most, if not all, will be acceptances with the current stats. All of these schools have a finance major (not just business admin). Everyone will have econ and psych - so all bases would be covered. As you probably know, finance and econ are vastly different - one a business discipline and one a social science.

A few schools, Wagner College is one attainable in the NE, will have a formal behavioral econ degree - it fits your size and budget needs. Few schools will have formal combined programs and most that do won’t hit admissions or budget not to mention geography Arizona Eller is a great choice but it’s large and not NE It does have a fine Honors program though and Institute for Behavioral Economics.

Some schools have Business Psychology or Org Psychology -U Maine Farmington, Rider and a lot larger and out of the NE but App State and has Honors.

Hope those names help.

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University of Arizona as a safety. Not in the area you want, but meets the other needs.

Purdue as a target (for the business school) has a Behavioral Economics minor. Again, not in geographic area, but meets the other needs.

USC Dornsife has a Behavioral Economics and Psychology major. Likely won’t come it on budget if you don’t qualify for FA.

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Your son may benefit from researching colleges with an available major in data science, through which topics in psychology or economics can be pursued as applied domains. Such an approach would not preclude an additional major in another field, such as psychology.

As specific suggestions that would match your son’s current profile, look into Denison and Macalester.

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UMass - Isenberg would fit, but is a pretty hard admit in the past couple of years. SUNY, Binghamton is another choice. Fordham (with merit) might work as well.

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Binghamton is a reach right now but if he is OOS it may help, especially if the test score goes up. Also- the School of Management is very competitive.

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Note OP is looking for small / medium. I initially missed it as well.

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Yes, but would consider a larger school if he made honors.

I initially removed Bing for that reason (just getting in right now is a reach) and included Buffalo if he gets his scores up (and honors may still be hard).

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He’s a reach for Binghamton because of his scorers? He is OOS.

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OP needs to research each Honors program. Too many assume 100% of academics are Honors. Often it’s far far less and sometimes additional classes vs major or required classes.

So yes but they should then research each and every. People tend to paint Honors with one brush and it’s many brushes.

Lots of smaller schools will meet their budget, academic and geographical needs as originally stated but yes they did note that as you point out. But most seem to be larger that are recommended or outside the NE.

Only reason I pointed the reminder. Hopefully folks can recommend schools to hit the desired targets.

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Thanks. I guess I want a starting point that fits my budget, his potential majors and be geographically close to the NE (but open to other areas).

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OOS might be “easier” because Binghamton is trying to increase OOS students, but I would not expect honors. If he raises his score? Maybe. Keep in mind that kids who are Ivy level apply to Bing- some attend, some do not.

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Skidmore is a great little school (approx. 2700 students) with a very popular business major, and IIRC about half of the students double major so adding psychology as a double major or minor would be totally doable. It’s not super easy to get into but not the worst either (about 23% acceptance rate). Saratoga Springs is a gorgeous town and would be a great place to spend 4 years. I thought the campus was very pretty. Not traditionally beautiful architecture, but it kind of felt like being in a forest. We liked it more than we thought we would.

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Second TCNJ. The University of Scranton is worth looking at, too. Scranton is very generous with merit and grants. They are both great schools.

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But how would it get to $60k? Also, they have a general bus elective with 3 courses for a focus but I don’t believe a finance degree.

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Not sure of the finances, that’s something the OP would need to look into through the NPC. I don’t know their situation.

Also, they have a management and business major and an econ major but no finance degree correct. OP said “economics or business/finance”. Not sure what you mean about a general business elective with 3 courses for a focus? It’s a major. OP should look at their website to determine if the coursework is what they want.

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Does he have a preference re: urban vs. suburban vs. rural?

For an honors college at a larger SUNY, Albany could be worth a look, particularly if a more urban setting would appeal. The campus is a standout in terms of racial/ethnic/economic diversity, and it has a full range of business programs. And they offer Flagship Match tuition to students from all other states: Flagship Match | University at Albany

Also in NY, Marist is a good suggestion, and nearby SUNY New Paltz is worth a look as well.

My first thought upon reading your post, though, was Miami Ohio. It’s a mid-sized public (16.5K-ish undergrads) but has always cultivated a “Public Ivy” ambience, kind of like a larger and more affordable William & Mary. (W&M itself could be worth a try as well - could be a great fit but will be a hair over budget without merit, and merit is unlikely.) With a >4.3 weighted GPA, MiamiOH would give your son at least 20K in merit as an OOS applicant, which would bring costs comfortably under your maximum; and Ohio publics guarantee the same tuition rate all four years. It may not be quite as “Northeast” as you want, but the Georgian-style campus has a Northeast vibe, and it’s not terribly hard to get to. There’s a full range of business majors, and a variety of ways to combine business and psychology. (Also an Honors College)

Would he like the idea of a co-op based program? Drexel would give him enough merit, I think, and they have a Behavioral Econ major in their business school, in addition to finance, psych, etc. etc.

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St. John’s, NY offers a BA/MBA Psychology/business program in 5 years with some grad courses taken in first 4 years. St. John’s is well known for giving lots of money in scholarships and other financial aid. One co-ed I met recently told me that she went there because of the strong financial package she received, and then went on to say, “My boyfriend also came here because he got a scholarship. Everyone I know (at SJU) got a lot of money.”

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What about the University of Delaware? Right now it looks like a target, but if he gets his scores up maybe he can get some merit and possibly (?) honors.

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