I would say Gettysburg, Dickinson, Susquehanna, Ursinus, F & M, Juniata, and Muhlenberg for PA. Union for NY, plus there’s some other small colleges in NY and MA that I don’t know much about. Do a search and see what comes up. What about Fairfield? I have a cousin who goes there and loves it. It’s a great school, and it’s close to home.
Saint Michaels in Vermont. We found it to be the most friendly college of all out tours.
Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa (999 students) Students take just one course at a time. Similar to Colorado College.
Wabash College in Indiana. (864 students 100% male).
Bennington College in Vermont. (724 full time students 65% female).
Sarah Lawrence students tend to be quirky.
@katwkittens As much as I like UNC-A as quirky, more than 60% of students live off campus. That might not fit the profile of a small school where everyone knows each other. I think a school with everyone living on campus would be much more desirable.
And I’ve heard GREAT things about App State, but that has almost 20k students and definitely doesn’t fit the desired profile. But it’s nice to hear of your niece and nephew’s success there. It really does sound like a great school and a hidden gem for us northerners.
@katwkittens. I just lectured in North Carolina at a medical conference. A lot of the doctors had their kids going to both of those schools and loving it with UNC also. Ashville from what I hear is a really up and coming art community also.
Also I send Juniata and Muhlenburg
@KM0564, you may want to contact his boarding school college advisor to see if s/he has any suggestions. Most BSes will assist kids who have ended up with a college mismatch.
@eb23282
I wasn’t referring to App’s size so much as the feel and friendliness of the school and their school spirit. My kiddos attended much larger schools in-state publics (NCSU & UNC CH), OOS publics (UNM) and some much smaller OOS schools (P’ton and service academies) and smaller in-state public (NC A&T). And in comparison App state feels much smaller than most of those except NC A&T. Some of these schools have large grad programs as well that can overwhelm undergrads with so many more buildings and students. Kenan-Flager at UNC CH has so many new buildings and grad students with undergrad it dwarfs some of the undergrad buildings on campus (and that is just the business school). With the hospital, med school, dental school, nursing programs, pharmacy, OT, PT the campus and plethora of people is just massive.
So compared to Carolina the feel and atmosphere of App State (ASU) seems really small, granted the numbers say otherwise. I guess it is a parent’s point of view from doing the move-ins and numerous campus visits!
OP’s son’s needs sound very similar to those students I am familiar with and thought it might be a good fit.
Gettysburg really doesn’t get enough love here. I second that suggestion.
How about Franklin & Marshall? It’s only a little bigger than 2,000 students. Campus is tiny but so pretty! I know FYs are (breaking out my inner Harry Potter) sorted into residential colleges very similar to Ravenclaw, Slytherin, etc… I’d have to look up if that continues after FY though as I’m not sure.
Ohio is also chock full of small, quirky, friendly LACs if he’s interested in looking a little further west.
@ChaosParent23 While Gettysburg and Franklin & Marshall (both less than an hour from my home) are excellent small schools, I don’t really see them as the best schools for a shy, quirky non-party type of kid, particularly one who wants to fit in as a transfer student. Gettysburg in particular has a strong Greek scene and mostly attracts more outgoing, social types. I do know a very quirky girl who is a senior there, but her mother has said she has struggled with the social aspect. Also, I would imagine both of these schools would be a reach for a transfer student with a B average. I second the suggestion of Susquehanna and would add Juniata and possibly Moravian, Elizabethtown, and Lebanon Valley. Allegheny also has a very friendly, supportive atmosphere. There are a ton of good, small LACs in Pennsylvania and Ohio, though some may be farther from Connecticut than may be ideal for a student with anxiety issues.
If he doesn’t mind going a bit further, what about Eckerd in Florida? A B student should be able to get in ( I admit I don’t know much about their policy on transfers). It’s a small liberal arts school that was included in Colleges that Change Lives…could be worth a look.
There is also Monmouth in New Jersey, don’t know much about it, but I do have a friend who went there and really liked it. It is expensive though…
And lastly, what about Juniata in Pennsylvania? The only downside I’ve heard is that it’s kind of isolated (in a small town)
College of the Holy Cross in Mass (good for a B student?)
Endicott College in Beverly, Mass: A co workers kid, who also went to my kid’s school went there and enjoyed it. He has a decent job now and speaks fondly about his time there. It seems like a good school for a B student…I don’t know anything about transferring in, but again, could be worth a look!
Clark University, Mass
Iona College in NY
Mc Daniel in MD
Suffolk University in Boston
Drew University in NJ
Ithaca College in NY
Alfred University also in NY
Cabrini University in PA
Albright College, PA
I know some of these schools may be a bit bigger then you’re looking for, but they’re not huge…and they’d probably have what you’re looking for…
I know you aren’t looking out west, but just in case: Beloit in Wisconsin, Carroll in Montana, Westminster in Utah, and Linfield and Willamette in Oregon would be good for a B student…
Many of the northeastern states have public LACs (see the COPLAC members list), so whichever is in state for you may be worth va look.
I am going to second Clark. Very small and campus. Known for being quirky and accepting.
I don’t think it IS important to have reach or OOS schools on your list. If you like the schools you are applying to and would be happy to go to any of them, you don’t need to reach or go OOS. The majority of college students attend instate schools, many community colleges. Do what makes you happy and what you can afford.
What about Muhlenberg in Pennsylvania? I think they have a little over 2,000.
I agree that a small school could be risky for a student with a quirky personality. I also question if transferring will sole the issue. It seems to me starting all over again could create greater anxiety and he would “find the same thing only different” at a new school. He would have to be really willing to work hard and put in the effort to get involved and make connections as a transfer. It is so much easier as a Freshman when everyone is trying to fit in and make friends.
IMHO, I would focus on trying to improve the situation where he is and start by trying to spend a few weekends on campus. Maybe even just one of the two night? Stay Friday night and come home Saturday afternoon?
Someone mentioned Siena. I would caution against that. That population is not quirky and I know so many students who live there for a semester and then move off campus because it just isn’t “all that.” Clark - yes quirky and perhaps some of the other MA LACs.
I feel for you - good luck.
If this were my child I would be looking for small schools with happy campuses. And a group tolerant of different types of people without edging into the downright weird student body.
that means of the ones mentioned
Muhlenberg (happy campus, Greek life is under control)
Drew (happy and pretty campus, no Greek life)
Beloit – happy campus and fun quirky people – but too far for you I know.
Skidmore
Wheaton in Mass
I’ve heard good things about St Mary’s of Maryland – small, accepting, like a country club on the Chesapeake, basically happy group
Also have heard good things about American in DC – students tend to be accepting and happy
Way out of your geographic range, I know happy students also at Southwestern University outside of Austin TX. Very old pleasant and pretty campus and generally happy, arty, accepting student body.
I would avoid–
- Gettysburg and F&M – too heavy with the Greek Life IMHO unless you feel that Greek might help him socialize.
- Sarah Lawrence and Bennington – Too isolated for Bennington and SL is more than quirky. There’s a lot of neuroses there and it’s tolerated quite well there–they do a good job – but do you want him to be around a neurotic socially angsty population?
- College of the Atlantic–great little school and town it’s in is gorgeous, but maybe a little too isolated for him.
- Bard–too self-consciously outre for him to feel warmly welcomed IMHO
Goucher in Baltimore
My daughter goes to York College of PA and is happy there