#PHSfit College of the Day: Virginia Union University

Do you know where our Superintendent, Dr. Dance, went to college? If you guessed Virginia Union University, you are correct. VUU places more emphasis on grades than test scores, and they do prefer A's and B's in academic courses. Here's what Dr. Dance had to say about Virginia Union U: VUU is a considered an HBCU in the heart of the City of Richmond with a strong Liberal Arts focus. However, over the last several years, a strong focus on education, fine arts, and criminal justice has dominated the academic framework of the university. The campus has roughly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students and prides itself on creating a small family-like culture. Small classes, student activities, and a no-excuses faculty make VUU a great place for students who desire a small home away from home.

#PHSfit College of the Day: University of Scranton

The University of Scranton is a competitive liberal arts Jesuit institution set against the historic mining town of the same name.  A little smaller than Frostburg State, the University of Scranton is a close community of scholars who are mostly Catholic, though many non-Catholic students have found great success and happiness on campus. 

#PHSfit College of the Day: Juniata College

Near Tuscarora Mountain in central Pennsylvania, Juniata College is an private, independent college that has been recognized as one of the colleges that changelives, because of its tradition of thinking outside of the box to encourage its students to find themselves through academic rigor and flexibility. Juniata also defies convention by evaluating students based on the whole picture, rather than a formula. 

#PHSfit College of the Day: St. John's University

St. John's University prepares students from across the U.S. and around the world for success as ethical leaders in today's global society. More than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at our five campuses -- 15,092 undergraduates and 5,254 graduate students. Together they represent 45 states and 122 foreign countries. Students at St. John's represent a vast range of nationalities, ethnicities and faith traditions. This fosters the cosmopolitan atmosphere you expect of a world-class Catholic university -- reflecting the remarkable diversity of New York City itself. (Antwan, Class of 2013)

#PHSfit College of the Day: Goucher College

Identified as one of the Colleges that Change Lives because it provides such a warm family environment for students to develop their own love of learning, Goucher College is a liberal arts college in Towson, just inside the beltway. Goucher is a co-ed institution known for producing students who are well-rounded and well prepared for the work world.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Old Dominion University

A moderately large state university in Norfolk, Virginia, Old Dominion University has an admission profile similar to Towson University, accepting few students with less than a 3.0 GPA or 20 ACT. Taking advantage of its large and diverse student body, there are 200 student organizations on campus, and over 70 undergraduate majors available. Old Dominion is joining the Conference USA, so it will compete with schools like Marshall, Tulane, East Carolina, and Florida International University.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Way up in the outskirts of Erie, Pennsylvania, you'll find Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, a public university with excellent elementary and secondary education, as well as health science programs, in addition to the usual selection of college majors. Most admitted students earn about 500 on each SAT test, and have earned at least a 2.5 high school GPA.

#PHSfit College of the Day: CUNY Lehman College

In Northwest Bronx, Lehman College offers a picturesque college setting in the shadow of New York City, without the high cost of housing and transportation. The average ACT score is around 22, and the average GPA is around 3.0. The fifty majors they offer are among the more popular majors, making Lehman an excellent choice for someone who may be considering a college similar to George Mason U, Catholic U of America, or Philadelphia U.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Hood College

Hood College is a co-ed liberal arts college located in Frederick, MD, so it is only an hour away, but it feels far enough away that you won't want to come home to do laundry every weekend. Hood College has a world-renowned social work program, but because it is a liberal arts institution, it is ideal for any student who really just has a love of learning.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Temple University

In the heart of Philadelphia lies a university as large as the University of Maryland and with as much history as Hopkins, but admissions as attainable as Stevenson.  Temple University is well-known for world-class programs in business, education, and music. Notable alumni include Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch, 80's pop duo Hall and Oates, and R&B singer Jill Scott. 

#PHSfit College of the Day: Randolph-Macon College

About three hours to the south, in the suburbs of Richmond, you'll find Randolph-Macon College. Randolph-Macon offers a liberal arts education, giving students the time and encouragement they need to develop their own way of thinking about how the world works and, most importantly, how to make sense of the challenges that will await them in the ever-changing job market. 

#PHSfit College of the Day: Point Park University

Less than a mile from PNC Park and Heinz Field, Point Park University is a college similar in size to Coppin State, except it overlooks the Monongahela River. Most freshmen have a GPA just over 3.0 and SAT scores just over 500.

#PHSfit College of the Day: New Jersey Institute of Technology

As you would expect from a college called the New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJIT's majors are all related to STEM fields, and sciences that are used in the business world. Most students who attend NJIT have an SAT score above 1700 and a GPA above 3.3. NJIT is located in Newark, which is a distant suburb of New York, but the city of Newark is in fact larger than Buffalo or Orlando. Consider NJIT if you are interested in the sciences, and want to be where the action is.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Morgan State University

Morgan State University is a public, in-state research institution, well-known for its education, engineering, and performing arts programs, as well as other strong academics. It is a historically Black college, rich in history and ties to the Baltimore community. With its location on the eastern side of the city, it hardly feels like a Pikesville High School pipeline college.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Radford University

Radford University is a state university in southern Virginia. It has a medium-sized student body, in a slightly rural community. Students are usually admitted with a 2.75 GPA. Radford has strong business and arts programs. It would be a school similar to Shippensburg University, Frostburg State, and Rider University. Even though the student body is about the same size as UMBC, admissions decisions are usually made using a formula combining GPA and SAT/ACT scores.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Lehigh University

A very selective university known for excellence in science and political science, Lehigh University is about three hours from home, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Most SAT scores are close ot 700 and ACT scores are close to 30. 99% of Lehigh University students graduated in the top quarter of their high school classes. With its strong academic reputation and small town feel, Lehigh is similar to the College of William and Mary.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown College seeks to redefine college by giving new meaning to the traditional constructions of post-secondary education. E-town, named after the town where it is located, is about an hour and a half north of here. Elizabethtown College is a private liberal arts college that works hard to break the traditional GPA-SAT mold, and takes a holistic approach to evaluating students' applications to ensure that all admitted freshmen find a sense of fit on campus.

#PHSfit College of the Day: Princeton University

Princeton University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that stands in the nation's service and in the service of all nations. Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton is an independent, coeducational, nondenominational institution that provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. (Cierra, Class of 2013)

#PHSfit College of the Day: Goldey Beacom College

Quietly tucked away in the suburbs of northwest Delaware, you'll find Goldey-Beacom College, a small liberal arts college. At about a thousand students, Goldey-Beacom has the flexibility and time to evaluate each application individually, even though they do require SAT or ACT scores. Because it is not as popular as some of its neighbors, you may find that the admissions and financial aid departments will likely be more generous than other colleges that you are considering.