Thanks McDaniel, Mount St. Mary's, and Hood College!

McDaniel College

• The CTCL chapter for this colleges starts with the sentence "If you are looking for a place without pretense and full of genuine care, McDaniel should be at the top of the list."
• This campus felt authentic and personal with a slice of Division I style school spirit. 

• Founded 150 years ago as Western Maryland University, they changed their name in the early 2000s because they were not, in fact, in Western Maryland (the name was rooted in the Western Maryland Railroad company).  
• More than requiring that every student have a perfect record, they concern themselves more with course selection and rigor (particularly in the senior year). They have been test-optional for more than 20 years.
• They have the McDaniel Plan, a core curriculum with multiple choices embedded within it. 
• I often reference to families that there are private colleges that will, in many cases, cost the same or less than a SUNY. Sound the alarm because McDaniel is one of those places. Sound the other alarm too because they only require a FAFSA to apply for aid, not a CSS Profile. 
• In what is one of the most unique scholarship options I've heard of, they started a new Educator's Legacy Scholarship for any child of an educator (broadly defined as a teacher, Principal, Secretary, Cafeteria Worker, ANY person working in a K-12 school) that will automatically give $25,000 in financial aid per year to admitted students. Only Carleton comes to mind as another school making a serious and identifiable effort to recruit and serve middle class families. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. (They also have similar initiatives for children of Veterans and children of Alumni). 

Overall Impression: I won't try and hide it, McDaniel is the kind of campus I'm constantly looking to add to my arsenal. Situated on a classic college hill, the setting is beautiful, the people are committed, admission is attainable, and merit scholarships are available. Football, and school spirit, is a huge part of campus culture, but the small setting means it doesn't come at the sacrifice of personal attention.

Mount St. Mary's University

• Founded in 1808 (the second oldest Catholic college in the country!), Mount St. Mary's retains a strong connection to its religious foundation. 
• They have an undergraduate college but also a seminary and future priests share are sprinkled among the people you'll see walking around the campus. 
• They recently added Cyber-security as a major, one of few schools with program that isn't online.
• Division I athletics with under 2,000 students, it is a rare combination. 

Overall Impression: Over 60% of students identify as Catholic and on the spectrum of Catholic schools I would place this one towards the 'more religious' end of the scale (there are 5 chapels on campus, for example). The staff was clearly very passionate about their work and students seemed happy to be attending. 

Hood College

• Originally a Women's College, Hood went co-ed to commuters in the 1970s and then fully co-ed with men living on campus in 2003.  
• This change angered many alum and they sent back their signet rings as a way display their dissatisfaction. Hood however took those lemons and made lemonade, re-gifting the rings to students who couldn't buy their own. Over time, this became a new tradition where the family of deceased alum send back the ring to be passed on to a new generation. 
• The campus is in Westminster, Maryland - a very cute area with historic streets and a sprawling park. The campus buildings are all done in the Georgian style and bricks and columns abound. 
• The President holds open office hours, demonstrating just how student centered the school.

Overall Impression:  At dinner, an administrator had the students in the room recite the impromptu Hood acronym that summarizes their school: Hope, Obligation, Opportunity, Democracy. Hood is a school full of kind and good-natured people.