Runways To College, LLC

Hello Kansas State University! 

Last week, I visited the main campus in Manhattan, Kansas 💜
~15,000 undergraduates and a strong sense of community. K-State stands out for pre-vet and animal science (yes—they have their own dairy 🐄), with a clear emphasis on applied, hands-on learning across programs.
Rolling admissions offers flexibility, and note—calculus isn’t required for admissions to engineering.
A great option for students seeking practical experience in a supportive college town environment.

University of Kansas! A beautiful, hilly campus with great energy—KU really stands out. The town of Lawrence is vibrant and full of life, making it feel like a true college community.
🎓 22,544 undergrads
🌎 43% out-of-state students
🏛️ 23% Greek life
📚 Popular majors: Business, Nursing, Psychology, Marketing, Journalism, and Engineering
🏀 Fun fact: KU is home to the original rules of basketball, written by James Naismith
And yes… Allen Fieldhouse is iconic—but not air conditioned 😅

I enjoy easing the stress families might feel when applying to colleges. I love my job! Thank you to my wonderful students and parents.

Decision day- May 1st is almost here! I’m celebrating all of the wonderful options my students have. Their hard work paid off. It was such a pleasure to help this amazing group of students. Cheers to the Class of 2026! Wishing you blue skies and tailwinds!

Day 5 and final stop— Rhodes College!

This beautiful campus with Gothic-style buildings is consistently named one of the most beautiful campuses in the US. They are across from a huge park and also the Memphis Zoo.
Rhodes College is home to between 1800 and 2000 students. They have a three-year residency requirement on campus. Popular majors include business, biology, international studies, and political science. Students can get involved in research as early as the spring of freshman year. 70% of students participate in an internship. Rhodes also has a nationally recognized mock trial team.

One selling point of the school is its close connection to Memphis and a research partnership with St. Jude’s Hospital. Rhodes has around an 80% acceptance into medical school and a 93% acceptance rate to law school.
Note—They are permanently test-optional, there is no application fee, and no supplement is required to apply. Rhodes is awesome!

Thanks to IECA for putting together an amazing Blues and Bluegrass tour! What a great week!

Day 4 —University of Memphis!

The University of Memphis is located seven miles from downtown Memphis. It is home to 15,000 undergrads. Popular programs include business, kinesiology, psychology, biology and health studies. The University of Memphis offers a B.P.S. in Aviation Management and a B.S. in Commercial Aviation, but note that it is not on the current FAA-approved list of R-ATP schools. Hopefully, it will be in the near future.

They offer low tuition for out-of-state students, and they have doubled their scholarships this year. The university has connections with some of the large companies in the area like FedX and AutoZone. Students said it feels like a smaller school and they like the community feeling.
Incoming freshmen are offered the chance to participate in Frosh Camp. It is a fun, extended orientation experience held at a camp.

Day 4– Ole Miss!

Oxford, MS is a darling college town. Ole Miss is home to 22,000 undergraduate students. It has the resources and experiences of a large school, but the environment of a smaller university. The campus is beautiful!

Popular programs include digital communication and media, business and nursing.
Their school of accounting is ranked top 10 in the nation. Ole Miss has nine competitive programs that require additional information. Fun fact—Students in their Center for Intelligence and Security Studies have to intern with an agency. That’s exciting! Engineering applicants need at least a 3.0 and a 24 or higher on the math section of the ACT. No essay is required for the institutional application, but you need one for competitive programs.

The student housing application opens on 10/15, and freshmen have to stay on campus first year. Apply early for the best housing options.

Excellent— students can get in-state tuition with a certain GPA and test scores.
Baseball is their most competitive sport, but their football tailgating is epic.
Hotty Toddy!

Day 3- Mississippi State University!

MSU is located in Starkville, MS and is home to 23,000 undergraduate students. They have a dairy farm on campus with delicious ice cream. Top majors include engineering, business, and kinesiology. MSU has rolling admissions and is test optional, but test scores help with merit scholarships.
No essay is required, and they do not require letters of recommendation.

Baseball is their top sport, but football is big too!
Fun fact- the cowbell tradition- students bring cowbells to athletic games for good luck. If you are looking for a college with lots of experiential learning, MSU may be for you.

Note— Housing is determined by when students apply. So use the MSU application so you can get in sooner and get the housing app.

Day 3- University of Alabama!
UA is home to 35,000 undergraduates. This beautiful campus has so much to offer beyond Greek life. They are in the top 12 for alumni support.
Fun amenities include a lazy river, and a new Pilates reformer studio.
Exciting news- Nursing is planning to double in size, and starting in fall ‘27, it will be direct admit.
Business is the largest college, but they are also known for engineering, health sciences and psychology. There is a major for almost anyone here.
Advice- complete the priority housing application when it opens.
Alabama is moving to test required for the class of 2027. Complete applications must be submitted by Dec. 5th. Consider using their application, but they also accept the Common App.

I was lucky enough to see one of my students who is a senior there! She is thriving and has loved her experience. Roll tide!