Anyone know anything about these Catholic colleges?

[teachermom2834]

I'm looking at Catholic colleges in the southeast. Does anyone know anything about Bellarmine University, Belmont Abbey College, Spring Hill College, or St. Leo's University?

 

Ds is a good student but won't have amazing stats. We have some public options in our state but I'm thinking some of these small schools that aren't super competitive might be affordable options with merit aid. Ds is well rounded, lots of sports/ service/ leadership/ Catholic youth activities. He hasn't taken the SAT yet but if I had to guess he'll be in the neighborhood of 1200 CR/math. I think he'll be an attractive student to the right college but we're not looking at the top schools.

 

He doesn't really know what he's interested in but it won't be STEM. He thinks he'd be interested in business or communications or journalism perhaps.

He's just finishing up 9th grade so he has plenty of time. I think he would enjoy a college visit in the fall, though. He has been working hard and I think putting a visual on what he is working toward would be good for him.

[8filltheheart]

I can share info on 2. Spring Hill is uber-liberal including its view toward theology (or lack thereof). Belmont is trying to find its Catholic roots and I have heard that it is shifting more respecting the teachings of the Magisterium.

 

An affordable, small, excellent program is Our Lady Seat of Wisdom in Canada. It is only a 3 yr program, but schools like Christendom will accept the 3 yrs of courses and allow students to transfer in. (if at all interested, contact OLSoW for the list of schools here in the states that they have arrangements with.)

[Barbara H]

Bellarmine University's campus is one of the most unattractive college campuses I've visited. It has an abundance of ugly 60s buildings and doesn't have much of anything in the way of landscaping. That may or may not matter to your child, but I just thought I'd mention it. Some kids really want that pretty quad old building kind of feel and the campus is the opposite of that. They seem to attract a lot of students from Louisville and I don't know how busy campus is on the weekend.

[teachermom2834]

Thank you both. That is good info. That's kind of funny about Bellarmine- sure isn't the impression the website puts forth. It reminds me of how the realtor made the last house we sold look really good online.

[Barbara H]

Bellarmine does have some good stuff to offer - their pre-professional type programs are a good fit for a lot of students - and really a lot of kids barely notice aesthetics, but some really care about them. The nice photos on the website seem to mostly of the library - it is a newish building and is much nicer than the other buildings on campus. The thing that got me though was the walkway you can see that runs around campus. It may photograph okay from a distance but what is above your head all the time looks like plywood that wasn't stained very well and you can see staples and nails in it. As I said I bet a lot of kids don't care, but it bugged me.

 

I've never tried to paste a picture before but let me try this. Sorry it is gigantic and I don't know how to fix it.

[twoboysmom]

I graduated from Spring Hill in the mid-90's. My mother forced me to apply and then drug me to Scholar's Day. My protests stopped as soon as I set foot on the campus...it just felt like home. I feel like I was challenged academically and spiritually and have many fond memories of my days there.

 

FWIW, I don't remember it being ultra-liberal and I came from a very conservative Catholic family. But that was 20 years ago...

[ZooRho]

There is an eloop for conservative hsers. You could join and ask the question there. You may get more answers there.

 

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conservativehs2c/

[teachermom2834]

Thanks, everyone. (and bumping up for any more opinions )