Please weigh in if you have any ideas about the ideal college with these factors or maybe you currently attend a school that meets a lot of these items on our wish list!
**Mostly warm weather, year-round
**Ability to easily walk to classes (as opposed to taking shuttles)
**Medium size enrollment
**Urban, walkable campus that contains the college, but where the city itself is not solely reliant on the college. For example- George Washington University, College of Charleston
**Looking for a more selective school; 34 ACT, 1500 SAT
**cost/scholarship is not a factor
I’m excited to hear what input you guys might have!
Rice? I guess it depends on what you consider to be “urban” and “walkable” but I think of it as doing well on this dimension for a Sun Belt university.
Is WUSTL too far north? If not then same sort of answer.
Wake Forest is a step less urban but seems like it would be worth considering.
Finally, have you considered some of the Claremont Colleges? None individually is medium-sized, but they add up collectively.
The first school that came to mind is Tulane in New Orleans. Loyola New Orleans is directly adjacent and would be a safety for someone with those stats.
Have you thought about U. of Miami? I don’t think that shuttles are necessary there.
Thank you!! I had considered DUKE but read somewhere that Freshmen take a shuttle to classes because of the proximity of their dorms… but I am not sure if this is accurate. Thank you for weighing in!
Heads up that even on compact campuses, students should be willing to use the shuttle services. If they are available- that means there’s a need.
Leaving the library at midnight and you don’t have a group from your dorm heading back? Take the shuttle. That’s what it’s there for. Have a volunteer assignment in a local nursing home, research lab or elementary school and the shuttle goes past the building? That’s what it’s there for- so that a student doesn’t spend an hour walking when the shuttle can do it in ten minutes. Want a 7 am workout before the gym gets crowded? The shuttle means you’ll be on time for your 9 am lab even after showering.
What’s the constraint about the shuttle? At one of my kids colleges, the shuttle was the fastest and cheapest (i.e. free since you’ve already paid for it) to get to the train station, the bus links to nearby cities, local shopping or to pick up a prescription, etc. Walking is great-- and so is using the safe, fast and free shuttle system! And on the late night rides, the driver would wait until the kid had swiped into the building… so personal security system…
I think you nailed it with C of C and you might qualify for the Charleston Fellows - which is very selective.
If i’m reading correctly, you are noting GW and C of C as the type you are looking for - correct - because I’m not sure the others you mention have that same type of urbanness. And condensed campus.
I think the apprehension with the shuttle is not necessarily with the shuttle itself; but with the size of the campus that would necessitate a shuttle I’d love to have fully walkable from dorm to classes.
For example, Va Tech is humongous - in population and size - but guess what - the way it’s laid out, very walkable - dorms to class, etc. Obviously not urban - but walkable and has everything one can need.
FSU - another large school - but campus isn’t that big vs. a UF which is.
There are many smaller schools adjacent to towns but you want bigger (i.e. medium size) schools - so not the two mentioned above - but giving examples of things aren’t always as big as you think.
btw - U Tampa would be another mid size - adjacent to downtown Tampa…but far less selective. But would meet your other needs - moreso than even cross state Miami.
Thank you!! This is great information. I had no idea CoC had this program and we will for sure look into this. Vandy for sure on the list, too! And I’ve seen U of Miami mentioned quite a few times. Great advice!!
I’d love to have fully walkable from dorm to classes.