JFSinIL Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 After visiting Yosemite for three days this June, this boy reared in dull, flat Illinois has decided his only criteria (so far) for college is that it be within easy reach of Yosemite or another great National Park. He has no idea what he wants to do with himself other than be able to get out and hike around in the wilderness. Plus he likes math as "it makes sense". So - any good general colleges/universities near National Parks???? Esp. out west. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 How about University of Colorado at Boulder? It's just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. We just visited it this summer and had a fabulous time. My oldest thought the univ. at Boulder would be a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Univ. of Colorado at Boulder Univ. of Utah (Salt Lake City)-not by a National Park, but right in the Wasatch Mtn range w/beautiful hiking trails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 So - any good general colleges/universities near National Parks???? Esp. out west. Not quite as dramatic as western mountains but some of the East Coast ones are accessible. I would have your son look at an Appalachian Trail map, then search for colleges that are nearby. Here in NC, hikers, rock climbers and skiers can be attracted to Appalachian State University or Brevard College. Middlebury College in Vermont also draws people attracted to the outdoors. My son did a backpacking camp at tiny Montreat College this summer. There is a trail that runs from the campus to the tallest point in the eastern US, Mount Mitchell. By the way, my husband spent the summers of his college years working as a camp counselor in Maine. When he had a day or two off, he would go hiking or rock climbing at Acadia. Some of the best days of his life... Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 What about something in Minnesota, near the Boundary Water Canoe Area? Another option might be University of Wisconsin in Madison. While it is fairly close to the Chicago area and has many of the benefits of being in a good-sized town, it also presents access to nature, especially water. My own dh sometimes wishes he had gone there for that reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda's Mommy Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls. We are an hour from Crater Lake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Hen Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 My DS has the same notion too, and we were in Yosemite in June too. So much snow but we still hiked to Mono Pass, and a bunch of other places through the snow..... National Parks though are not the only places to go hiking or be in the wilderness; National Forests, and State Parks have great hiking and backpacking trails too. We're on the East Coast though and I've requested that he look within 300 miles of our home. Paul Smith College in NY state puts him on the St. Regis Waterway and in the Adirondacks State Park -- I fear my child would never be studying if he was there :-) RPI puts him in Troy, NY close to the Adirondacks and Catskill mts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I believe James Madison in VA is near Shenandoah Nat'l Park. Not near a park, but in the mountains, VA Tech, is certainly a great school for a math oriented individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happymom Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 BYU Idaho (Rexburg ID) 85 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, also 3 hrs to Grand Teton National Park. We just went camping about 15 minutes from VA Tech on the New River. Good fishing and you can rent tubes to float down the river. It was beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 I believe James Madison in VA is near Shenandoah Nat'l Park. Not near a park, but in the mountains, VA Tech, is certainly a great school for a math oriented individual. I vote for JMU in Harrisonburg, VA as well. George Washington National Forest is fairly close by on the west and Shenandoah National Park is nearby on the east. There is skiing at Massanutten, as well as canoeing and rafting on the Shenandoah River. The scenery is stunning all year long, but especially in the fall. I certainly enjoyed my four years there.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Getting some good ideas here - ds looked at them yesterday and bookmarked a few on the 'puter. I'll show him today's crop this afternoon! Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahwahnee Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 I agree with your son :001_smile:, we love to go to Yosemite. UC Merced is brand new and closest to Yosemite, and all of the Sierra hiking. Cal State Fresno is close too. One of my cousins went to University of Nevada Reno. Close to skiing.:tongue_smilie: He also went to Humboldt State University near Redwood National Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Ah - I did not think of Humboldt - my kid brother went there for a spell before transferring elsewhere. I have more schools for ds to peek at!!!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibrarianMom Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale is near the Shawnee National Forest. The daughter of our children's minister is a pre-med major there and actively involved in campus ministry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I vote for JMU in Harrisonburg, VA as well. George Washington National Forest is fairly close by on the west and Shenandoah National Park is nearby on the east. There is skiing at Massanutten, as well as canoeing and rafting on the Shenandoah River. The scenery is stunning all year long, but especially in the fall. I certainly enjoyed my four years there.:) Our son went to JMU and stayed in Harrisonburg after graduation! Yes, he loves it there, and commutes to work from there. He does hike and camp a lot, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristiana Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 How about Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. It's a pretty good school from what I hear, is about an hour away from both Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park (my personal favorite) and Zion's, as well as 2-3 hours from all the others in southern Utah--Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Monument Valley, as well as the Grand Canyon in AZ. I'm not sure how the math program is, but SUU also hosts one of the world's best Shakespearean festivals there on campus every summer and fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 We just got back from a vacation 45 min west of Denver, right in the mountains. The Colorado School of Mines is in Golden is northwest of Denver and with a 5-10 minute drive you are in the mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park is probably 90 minutes from there, but lots of national forests are very close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Boys Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 University of Tennessee (GO VOLS!), near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I'm a little prejudice. My ds20 marches in the Pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I love the reasons dc pick for college! My son is still staing close to home so he won't have to figure out what to do with his stuffed animals. I like the Oregon Institute of Technology it brings back my school days...All of the Colleges in the Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon area are near mountains and the ocean. Don't tell him (you'd miss him too much) but Alaskan schools would fit the citeria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 I'm actually looking forward to having him go somewhere interesting so I can visit and then go hiking etc. myself ;) Alaska - hadn't thought of that one!!! Then in a couple more years DD#1 will be off, and I have another kid after that.... everyone should go to a different part of the country so I get an excuse to travel. Road trip!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetreasurs Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Just keep in mind the weather when the kids are in school. We go to Maine every summer and have a blast but during the school year would not have near as much fun outdoors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 UC Santa Cruz isn't close to a national park but the campus and area surrounding it is beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Wyoming Catholic College http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/tabid/36/Default.aspx Great Books program Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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