Refining the list -and looking for some mid-sized schools to add [3.85 GPA, <$30k, possibly biology or communication disorders / speech language pathology]

College Search & Lists
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There are tons of colleges near beaches or lakes with beaches. Most of them will have bio and communications majors. More difficult might be speech disorders and under $30k.

Florida:

Atlantic coast: Jacksonville - U of North Florida, Jacksonville U.
Flagler has a lot of financial aid and she might be able to bring it under $30k
Embry Riddle - mostly engineering but bio and some other classes. They like female applicants.
Florida tech - all kinds of bio. Communications. Not sure about the speech therapy, but they have a big psych program specializing in autism (Doug Flutie on the board because of his work with his son’s autism issues)

Stetson, Rollins (my fav!), Palm Beach Atlantic, St Thomas, Barry, U Miami

The honors college of FAU is in Jupiter. FAU itself in Boca.

Gulf Coast: New College, Florida Gulf Coast, Ave Maria (very catholic, so a very niche school, but beautiful), U of South Florida (2 campuses), U of Tampa, U of West Florida in Pensicola)

For most of Florida, it is 4 hours or less across the state, so it is likely one could be on a beach within an hour from most college campuses.

Maryland has schools on the Eastern Shore (Salisbury) which could be affordable.

How about Western Washington in Bellingham? It is a WUE school (I couldn’t figure out where your daughter lives now to see if she qualifies for WUE discount.

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I think this family lives in Kansas.but I could be wrong. Didn’t the parent say the student wanted to get out of Kansas? Maybe I’m making that up!

which should help bc we are from Kansas from the OP

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Yes, I heard Kansas too.

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Molloy!

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Yes Kansas!

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“
Late to the discussion, but UC Santa Barbara is on the beach. It won’t be affordable OOS though.

University of South Carolina Beaufort and UNC Wilmington are both in beach towns . No idea
about OOS costs.

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Please do not discount the importance of the ACT. More schools next year will be doing away with Test Optional policies, so it could be a real limitation.

We made our daughter retest and hired a math tutor for her. She was very upset with us but she went from a 30 to a 32, which was enough to get her merit at all of her choices. Those 2 points made a difference in affording the school where she will most likely end up.

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Thanks! I know some schools will stay test blind and some test optional through 2026. She plans to retake but I’ve already spent a lot on a class -and I saw her doing the studying material on a regular basis. She may simply not test great -and we will have to work with that. On the bright side – we have more than 20 colleges on the list right now. If any decide to go back to test required - we can use that to cut the list! :slight_smile:

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Chiming in late, but as another Miami-sized school, have you considered George Washington U? In addition to all of the usual STEM and liberal arts majors, both of the undergrad majors in their Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences look interesting, with lots of opportunities for clinical exposure - the CogSci one is broader and probably very suitable for keeping options open (i.e. PA, DDS, academic grad program). Plus, it could be attractive to a student with a strong interest in ASL that GWU students can cross-register at Gallaudet.

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I love the suggestion —but the NPC is too high at $46K (WAY higher than our SAI?). I know there are some SUBSTANTIAL scholarships but I don’t think they mean middle class kids? She’s a strong student and competitive based on her numbers and her ECs -but I don’t think it makes sense to apply there.

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Oof, yeah, it looks like their largest merit scholarship is 25K/year, which wouldn’t make any difference if their calculated family contribution is too high - it’s the need-based piece that is lacking. Ah well. :unamused_face:

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Ah well -no worries! Her list is big enough as it is! I’m just hoping we have enough safeties and targets that come in within budget to give her a choice next year. NPCs aren’t always accurate -but I’ve done my best!

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Did I miss it, or what schools does your D think she’ll apply to in the fall?

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Happy to share → So -we are chasing $ so the list is big :frowning:

International (likely admit, but $ unknown) - limited/no essays for most of these?
Mount Allison University (Canada)
Acadia University (Canada)
Dalhousie University Canada)
University of Limerick (Ireland) - I actually think she would love this one - but is is SO FAR away

SAFETY
University of Kansas -in state, they unfortunately do NOT have great merit even for top students -around 25K COA

LIKELY
Miami University (Ohio) - applying EA- they sometimes give OOS a lot of money and use WEIGHTED GPA to award merit - she has a 4.5 weighted GPA so that’s top end for those awards - she doesn’t really want rural Ohio though -but the college itself is pretty fabulous (when you are looking for $, you have to compromise)

University of Rhode Island -applying EA -beach, but relies on her getting a big scholarship - not my first choice but she likes the idea of being by the water - less of a fit for her in my mind

Muhlenberg College - applying EA- a late add to the list (!) -but BOTH a really great fit (from the comments on CC) and affordable per NPC ($17K if it is reliable!) - good pre-health, in a small city, collaborative - my favorite for her of the likelies -at least on paper!

TARGETS
Definitely applying –
Mount Holyoke - 5 college consortium -great academics, women’s colleges produce leaders in their fields; strong alumni network, NPC is good! Downside --small town

Union College - her favorite teacher’s undergrad - applying EA - he thinks she should be able to get in with her stats/ECs and this will be a good fit - NPC is good!

Dickinson College - LAC with great study abroad program; NPC is good!

UPDATE: Moving Brandeis and Connecticut College to the apply list! Thanks for the feedback

Maybe applying – NPC good at all of these -but not sure it’s worth adding any of these to the list?
Lafayette
Kenyon

Hard Targets/Realistic Reaches
Macalester College (need aware so this will hurt her chances)
Smith College - similar to Mount Holyoke with regard to pros but more competitive to get in; I think she’d like the bigger town, NPC is GREAT ($16K)
Skidmore - I really think she’d like this one, but trying not to make a big fuss about it because her chances for admission are limited

Reaches
Washington and Lee (because Johnson Scholarship) - they have a good STEM program
Scripps

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I think that you have a very thoughtful list. If Muhlenberg seems like a great fit, then Conn College seems as though it would a good add from the “maybe” ones, particularly with its proximity to water. And if she’s looking for “different” from Kansas, Brandeis in the Boston metro area would definitely qualify, and Boston is also not far from water.

I can tell that your family has been very thoughtful and intentional with the college search process, and I suspect that she will have a number of options to select from come next spring!

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Thanks - those are good suggestions! She definitely wants different than Kansas! It’s one of the reasons I’m trying so hard to help her have some options.
To be honest – I was worried about personality fit with the two you suggested -so maybe you can give me feedback. I think I’d say she’s serious about her academics BUT she likes to have a busy social calendar! :slight_smile: Not big parties -but eating out, and thrifting, and going to musicals and theater and movies. She likes interesting, funny, kind of quirky people – but also has academic friends and sporty friends and service-oriented friends. As she says - each group brings out a different side of her personality. She wants nothing to do with the ‘frat bro’ kind of crowd. She’s solidly left leaning, “treat people with respect kind” of person -but not a march in the street level of political. She’s the type of kid who is always arranging the social events.

So my worry about fit —
Connecticut College has a preppy/athlete kind of vibe? She’s neither sporty or preppy -although she isn’t crunchy granola kid either.

And the ‘introverted/nerdy’ stereotype of Brandeis? She might like the quirkiness of this group, but might be frustrated with people who didn’t want to do all the things all the time! Would her outgoing personality mean she’s “queen of the social gatherings” at Brandeis? haha

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I haven’t visited either campus firsthand, so all I know is based on what I’ve heard from my years on CC, but that is not my interpretation of life at those colleges, particularly Conn College. @tjd0829, @NEMom26, @31fan might speak to the Conn College experience and @JLKS21S23D25, @bxgirl, and @HomeschoolMomMA might be able to share more on Brandeis

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Conn College these days is more artsy than preppy. I have NEVER heard that stereotype of Brandeis- and I’ve known kids who went there starting in the early 1970’s-today! It’s studious-- but introverted? That’s a new one for me.

I’m not sure where your impressions are coming from, but they don’t jive with what I know about both schools!

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Readings on various places around the web including here (and Unigo)-- I KNOW, I KNOW so unreliable. But it’s really hard to get a feel for ‘fit’ – it’s one reason I keep asking questions. There’s also the recent cuts at Brandeis -but those are happening EVERYWHERE.

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Thanks -this might have been an instance of reading something somewhere ONCE --and then letting that infiltrate my brain. Fit has been the HARDEST element -and without being able to visit – it becomes so challenging. But clearly I am mistaken and I appreciate the correction!

ETA: I’m familiar with the heavy Jewish influence at Brandeis -and while my kids have been raised agnostic, I was raised Jewish -so she’s been to Passover, Hannukah and other Jewish holiday events. I wonder if that nerdy/introverted commentary was a veiled negative stereotype. :frowning: