You get chosen from the Honors. Like many schools, they have a weekend (invite only).
They also have the International Scholars - another invite only.
Mine is in both.
I think C of C is hard to replicate - even GW doesn’t - in regards to the adjacency of everything - but the city not relying on it.
Schools like Vandy (it’s adjacent to West End, so it’s good), Emory (a bit off the beaten path but lots of healthcare and other around it) and Tulane (far less - in the thick of things) are urban by nature - but less so than a C of C.
UT Chattanooga would fit the bill well actually - but obviously much less competitive. It’s similar in vein to a C of C competitiveness wise.
Occidental might be too small - but might be another to look at.
Depending on the STEM type, you might want to add UAH - which is STEM-y - not overly competitive admission wise but great merit and in a high employment area…aero organizations all over. It’s really an engineering recommendation - but with some others mentioned, you might not be on an engineering track - but another name to look at. Very up and coming…mid size.
Santa Clara is expensive. But the college has an excellent college of engineering, if that is an interest. A number of DDs friends subsequently attended medical school so took a lot of STEM courses.
If cost really isn’t a factor, check it out. It’s a Jesuit college and my opinion is the Jesuits have higher education well done.
My kid was also looking for “pleasing weather” and strong STEM programs. She applied to Santa Clara, University of San Diego and University of South Carolina initially. My kid was also looking for colleges where she could play her instrument in the college orchestra, and all three filled that too.
She had all acceptances before mid December.
She chose Santa Clara, and really it was the right choice for her. She was a double major bioengineering and biology. And she played in their orchestra, and loved the pleasing weather!
I will say, her second choice was University of South Carolina, and it’s a place you might want to research.
It’s worth noting that Duke’s campus is contiguous, however; these are terms used for convenience to specify different parts of campus.
You can walk between East and West easily (I used to do it rather than jam into a crowded bus at peak hours), and there are some notable buildings between the two like the Nasher Museum and the Jewish center. Campus Drive is shaded and quite lovely most of the year.
