Help me pick a new college.

[gmckact]

Looking for advice on a new school. Currently a freshman in college and plan on transferring to a different school for the 2006-2007 year. I am not very knowledgeable about schools in the US.

I'm looking for a school with a strong backing in the liberal arts. A decent undergrad business section would also be nice. I currently want to continue studying Spanish (on my 5th year, hope to continue throughout school), get a major in business, and get a major in history\public policy\sociology or something similar. I want to do NGO or non-profit work out of college in another country (thinking Central America) for a few years and then return to the US to goto grad school or settle down.

High school grades were more or less 4.0(with AP credit weighed). Current college GPA after 1st semester is 3.25. SAT score from high-school was 1450(no idea how that transfers into the new system). Just posting this to give an idea where I might be accepted.

Looking for a smaller school (<5000 undergrad's).

Thanks if anyone is able to help.

P.S. I'm from Florida and currently goto Carnegie Mellon University.

[Mvcode3]

Check out University of Puget Soundin tacoma, it fills all of the requirements. Their history\sociology\Political Science departments are all superb.

[mmbt0ne]

Talk to shadow. about Davidson in NC.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

We need more information. For instance, why do you want to leave your current school? Do you want to stay close to home, or see something new? Is weather an important factor? Do you want to be in a big city, or a smaller college town? Do you care about sports? Bars/clubs? Do you like the ocean? Mountains? Amber waves of grain?

[pkr2k5]

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[Georgia Avenue]

All of the colleges in this listing ( LINQO ) are good. I went to two of them, so I'd know.

--GA

[gmckact]

[ QUOTE ]
We need more information. For instance, why do you want to leave your current school? Do you want to stay close to home, or see something new? Is weather an important factor? Do you want to be in a big city, or a smaller college town? Do you care about sports? Bars/clubs? Do you like the ocean? Mountains? Amber waves of grain?

[/ QUOTE ]


Staying close to home\seeing something new isn't really a big deal either way. I do like the ocean but it wouldn't be a huge deal either way. Being near a largish city would be nice.

Reasons for leaving: not happy with the classes\majors I will be able to obtain at my current school, not a huge fan of the city of Pittsburgh (ps - not a "stillers" fan)

Weather is not a huge factor though i'd prefer somewhere where its not so [censored] cold in the winter (this can be dealt with).

A few bars\clubs are nice but I'm still only 18 and don't really enjoy dancing without a few drinks beforehand so I'm not a huge club fan atm as its a pain to drink then go to them.

If i went to a smallish school next year i'd think about trying to play a varsity sport, played soccer in HS but didn't think much of it come college (kind of miss it).

Thank you all for the help, and feel free to throw out ideas, I looked at UPS and Truman State that two had mentioned.

[shadow.]

Personally, I couldn't imagine myself anywhere other than Davidson. Let me give you a brief rundown of it, and feel free to ask any questions.

Davidson is a small (1700 undergrads and no grad students) liberal arts college about 20 minutes outside of Charlotte, NC. It has been consistently ranked in the top 10 of liberal arts colleges in the US, with the max about #6, I believe. Currently, I think that it's #10. The focus is very much on community here. Everyone pretty much knows everyone else, which most certainly includes the professors and the students. Each of my professors knows my name, what I do outside of class, my strengths and my weaknesses. And they remember after you're out of their class as well. You know about them, their hobbies, their families. You've been to their houses for dinner. In keeping with the tradition of community, the Honor Code represents much more than a disciplinary committee; it's a way of life. You'll see bikes unlocked. People will lose money and you'll see a $20 taped up on a door or something. Exams are self-scheduled and un-proctored. There are many take-home assignments. The lynch-pin is a community of respect.

Academics are key here. I believe that the Princeton Review says that students here are hard-working to the point of chronic fatigue. Classes are intense and intellectual, but for the most part lacking in any busy work. The focus is on strengthening an active mind and teaching students how to think, not memorize.

Socially, it's ok. Davidson College is in the small town of Davidson, NC. It's got a mainstreet and shops along that street, and then the college, and then houses. Thus, there's not that much to do in the town itself, but Charlotte is just 20 minutes away. I suppose that the predominant social interaction is through the fraternities on campus. I believe that there are 6. About 46% of students, however, are in a fraternity. There are no sororites. The average Friday night for someone who drinks is pre-gaming in the dorms, then heading down to the fraternity party around 10:30, dancing, and then (if you're lucky) hooking up. Girls here, unfortunately, are not that easy to trick.

Getting in is fairly tough; everyone here is really smart. Your grades/SAT look good, however. The key part is having a well-rounded application. If you've got a 4.0/1600 but do nothing, it's not guaranteed that you'd get in. Community service and acknowledgement of a higher purpose in life are extremely important. Davidson wants citizens, not applicants.

Weather here is fairly good up until about November, when it starts to get cold. Not like up North, but in the 30s and 20s. Right now it's sunny and probably about 38-40.

There are no business majors here, by the way.

Let me know if you have any questions or want to chat.

[threeonefour]

[ QUOTE ]
Check out University of Puget Soundin tacoma, it fills all of the requirements. Their history\sociology\Political Science departments are all superb.

[/ QUOTE ]

AKA the whitest school in america

[Mvcode3]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Check out University of Puget Soundin tacoma, it fills all of the requirements. Their history\sociology\Political Science departments are all superb.

[/ QUOTE ]

AKA the whitest school in america

[/ QUOTE ]

We have a some diversity............... but they are on the basketball or football team. And we are in Tacoma, white people aren't allowed on the hilltop.