I am a parent, helping my daughter - a high school junior in the suburban Chicago area - research and compile a list of schools to apply to.
She prefers to stay in an urban area, and is very interested in the East Coast - mainly for a change of scenery. (Yes, we are looking at Midwestern schools too, and even ones in small towns…)
Temple U and Towson came to our attention because two private LACs she is interested in are near each… I think either Temple or Towson might be a good “safety” school for her list, and she may even be very interested in Temple over the small private, nearby.
We have yet to visit, and I have a few questions about both Towson and Temple…
Are these commuter or "suitcase" schools? As an OOS student, I'd like her to be at a place where there is some social life on the weekends, and there is a sense of school community and spirit, if that makes sense... I understand some kids will be going home on weekends and commuting, but do the majority of students reside on campus and stay there through the weekend?
Are there many other OOS students at either school? I don't want her to be the only, or one of the very few, kids from outside the area.
How is Philadelphia in comparison to, say, Chicago? Because, honestly, I am requiring her to apply to University of Illinois in Chicago, and I'm completely comfortable with her living in the dorms at UIC. Is the area around Temple better, worse, about the same? By that, I mean - how far away of a walk is it to the "iffy" neighborhoods that make many people nervous? Is there some validity to the area's reputation, or are the critics of the area, just not used to urban areas? My kid is pretty street savvy, and she knows how to conduct herself in urban areas, but she has never lived in or visited a truly "bad" area. Is the area around Temple as bad as the stories, or is this a lot of skewed perception? (and yes, I guess we'd have to go visit.)
My daughter has a 3.5 uw GPA (4.2 weighted) - she got a 28 on her practice ACT, but is determined to get a minimum of 30 on the actual test. She will probably increase her GPA senior year, because she'll be done with AP Physics and Calculus, and those are the two classes that brought her GPA down... but I doubt she'll raise it more than 3.6 by the end of jr year. Anyway, given those stats, would either Temple or Towson be a good choice for her?
I meant to add - we are also interested in these Eastern schools - University of Delaware and the University of New Hampshire. Privates- Goucher, Arcadia, and maybe Ursinus and Clark.
Towson is in a MUCH nicer are than Temple. Basically suburban. Very nice area, lots to do. There are probably commuters, but it;s a large school so I can’t imagine it empties out every weekend.
Temple has really changed in the ratio of commuter to on-campus. Again it’s a big school and lots going on. The actual campus has really been improved, but the immediate area is very dicey. I have friends who would not let their kids apply there. On the other hand, I know lots of happy kids there. You really need to visit.
Goucher is near Towson. Much, much smaller school. I think you should determine whether your daughter wants a large school or small, because they will feel much different. Same thing with Arcadia and Ursinus. I can’t imagine a kid who likes Ursinus liking Temple or Townson.
UDelaware is also a nice campus, but I have not been there in years so I can’t really comment.
Thanks surfcity! Yes, she still needs to decide whether she wants a big or small school. We have visited a couple of small privates here in the upper Midwest, but have yet to visit a bigger campus.
We do plan to visit these East Coast schools in April, or in the summer. And sounds like I will just have to see Temple for myself…
Temple is large, and safe if you stay within the security perimeter, which includes several streets around the campus and many small apartment buildings. Almost all freshmen and most sophomores now live on campus. Undergraduates do have the option to live on campus all 4 years. I know a girl who is a senior and stayed on campus due to (unnecessary, IMO) concerns of her parents. There are a small number of apartments on campus that are reserved for upperclassmen. There are a huge number of clubs and on-campus activities for students; great concerts in the arena (we just saw Sam Smith there). Students there seem very happy. We have lived in the Philly area for 10 years and I only recall one serious incident of crime against a Temple student, and this occurred pretty far away from campus and very late at night.
My D is probably going there. We live in a northern Philly suburb. Lots of kids from our area go there and live on campus, a few commute and have no problems. I would say a large majority of students are from PA, but Temple gets a good number of students from other areas of the country too. Admissions could tell you about this.
Your D’s stats are already good enough for Temple, but the better she can do on her SAT/ACT and GPA the more merit aid she will get. The scholarships are listed on the website with the stats required. She could also get Honors admission, which comes with an additional stipend for study abroad.
My son just transferred to Temple. He lives off campus. I second everything honestmom said. Philly is a great city for young people, because it is much more affordable than NYC, and even Boston is pricier. There is a great arts scene, but Temple also has D-1 football and basketball teams to root for. The public transportation network is very good. There are subway and commuter rail trains right by the campus.
Take a look at Rutgers. A train ride from NYC, and in a small city of its own. The campus set up is very unique though, with one part of campus on one side of the Raritan River (the more urban side), and one side on the other side of the river (more traditional campus with quads and such), and you have to take buses between them. It’s a turn-off for some, others don’t mind.
Additionally, 14% are OOS, and it’s definitely not a commuter campus. I only recommend the New Brunswick campus though, Camden and Newark are scary places.
Thanks for everyone’s feedback, I really appreciate it. Philadelphia seems like the kind of place she is looking for, and Temple would save us a lot of money, as well. Baltimore sounds good, too, But a friend tells us she would like Phily better…
She also really likes Chicago, but I think she wants to experience living in another part of the country…
I’d personally like to see her at a small private - but the decision is ultimately hers.
Thanks for the rec to check with the admissions dept - good idea. And I will look into Rutgers, thanks!
We went to an open house at Towson and loved it. It used to have the reputation of a commuter school, but no more. The campus was very nice as well as the surrounding area. It has a reasonable cost for an out of state school. It’s worth a visit if you can swing it.