Unfortunate… it keep it in mind in case she decides to transfer in the fall.
1 Like
What an awful piece of bad luck:pleading_face: - the trauma of the accident and the medical issues related to the concussion, on top of everything else … I would take the medical withdrawal. 
It might also be worth emailing colleges that accept Spring transfers whether they accept Spring freshmen - explain bad accident, concussion, had to medically withdraw and now wants to attend a college not associated with the accident , ie., perfectly logical, legit reasons to need to start college in the Spring.
Since these colleges admit students based on their HS records (in October the first semester transcripts aren’t available yet) it wouldn’t be a huge leap and some may be okay with the idea.
2 Likes
First semester transcript would have no grades if medical withdrawal taken so admission would be solely on HS record.
I’d consider anything medical withdrawal – unhappy and concussed is not a recipe for success.
Hugs to you both.
(Sorry, meant to reply to the thread)
2 Likes
She needs to find the right fit, not the highest ranked.
I feel like pedigree/peer pressure is at play here.
You have to be somewhere four years, day after day.
She’s already witnessed how that may be if not the right fit. Pedigree isn’t part of fit - in my opinion.
I don.t know her post college goals, but she, far more than the school, will make those happen.
Yes, that’s what I meant but you put it more succinctly 
There has to be colleges that admit students as first semester freshmen in January, ie., no college record after HS graduation.
I agree unhappy+concussed is very risky academically.
1 Like
So sorry to hear of your daughter’s accident and injury. I hope she makes a full recovery. This may be a sign to move on; don’t fight it.
There are several schools that share significant similarities with Notre Dame; Duke, Vanderbilt, & Boston College are most often mentioned. Loyolas & Holy Cross & College of William & Mary are also worthy of consideration.
I hope & pray that your daughter makes a full & quick recovery.
3 Likes
One of my kids had two medical withdrawals during college, and the one that was mid-semester meant the slate was wiped clean in terms of grades and credits. She had migraines and seizures, and when the brain is involved, as it is with a concussion, keeping up is tough because the brain needs to rest and recover. Depending on the severity, concussions can take quite awhile to resolve.
Your daughter could get accommodations (extensions on papers, postponements on tests, note taking etc.) but in our experience, when the brain is involved, work just piles up faster than you can keep up. So yeah, I would think a medical leave would be warranted (and frankly, it gets her out of there… though I think many kids are unhappy until spring term of freshman year…)
A couple of other things:
What is the rush for spring? My kid improved and got an internship at a music agency one time, and the other stayed with a friend of mine in NYC and did some composing. There are lots of things to do and applying for fall ensures a careful choice, and widens the choices.
She does not have to major or even minor in music, and can continue lessons and EC performance- if she prefers to focus on the science. And she doesn’t need a school that is “good for music” to do that, and might have better chances of getting a spot in ensembles or orchestra.
People are suggesting schools that are not “competitive” but my understanding was that she is “academic-y” and “loves learning” and that it was clubs that were competitive. It sounds like she might like a reachy school-? Or a school where kids love to learn at least.
I really love the Colleges that Change Lives website ctcl.org. Some of the schools mentioned above are on there. I would add Sarah Lawrence and Bennington. We loved Clark, which is in a consortium with Holy Cross and WPI. Interesting music offerings and known for excellence in psychology.
The kid who took medical leaves barely remembers them 10+ years later and is doing great, graduated a year and a half late. Another one of my kids had a messy time with a year at an LAC, home for community college, the degree completion program while working. All I can say is that things tend to work out over time!
ps If you got tuition refund insurance, not only do you get the money you spent back with medical withdrawal, but you are also paid whatever the financial award was…
5 Likes
The answer varies. Some colleges may consider a student in that situation a frosh applicant, while others may consider a student in that situation a transfer applicant.
1 Like
Yes, there are open admission community colleges and less selective four year colleges where this is the case, but those may not meet the desires of the OP’s student.
1 Like
I’m going to +1 Santa Clara since BC and Villanova are on your list. Perfect-size undergraduate student body and music seems very welcoming. Students are very friendly and happy. Weather is fantastic. I think the Jan transfer deadline was today but you could call to find out if there is any flexibility?
4 Likes
Based on everything that the OP has written in this thread, I do not understand the recommendation of these two schools. What am I missing ? Thanks.
To continue: OP’s daughter’s first choice school was/is Notre Dame. She is also interested in Boston College and other Catholic/Jesuit schools. The campus culture at the Catholic/Jesuit schools would be quite different than that found at Sarah Lawrence or Bennington.
4 Likes
One criterion was other students loving to learn.
1 Like