Please suggest for my daughter

tk21769
Fri, 29 May 2009 11:17:26 +0000

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is that state’s public “honors college”, like Virginia’s William and Mary but with perhaps a more liberal student body and better outdoor recreation (especially if your daughter might like sailing). Life Sciences at SMCM are popular and strong. Like the Life Sciences at Colorado College, the biology and Environmental Science programs at SMCM make good use of the extraordinary local setting to do outdoor field work. The student body there is very diverse racially and economically, but about 80% from Maryland. Access is a little remote, too (1.5 - 2 hours by road from the Baltimore or DC airports), so it may not seem that much closer than a school like Colorado College that’s a short hop from an airport, even if it’s many more states away.

Colorado College is so unusual, with its “block plan” and Rocky Mountain setting, that it does not tend to be ranked among the very most prestigious colleges. In fact, it shares many cross-applicants with top schools like Middlebury and Dartmouth. More than 25% of students admitted this year ranked in the top 1% (one percent) of their HS classes. Yet it is known for a very laid-back atmosphere. Yup, it’s far away, but the airline access is good. Plus, the way their block plan works, you get many 4-day breaks. When you are on vacation (Thanksgiving, Winter break) you are really on vacation with no exams hanging over you upon return. The block plan makes outdoor field work much easier than a conventional schedule. The Rocky Mountain setting not only is spectacularly beautiful, it also offers ready access to many habitat zones for field work in the Life Sciences. The immediate vicinity certainly is not rural but it is minutes away from all the wilderness you could want. And they award merit scholarships, unlike most of the top New England LACs.