<p>... which also could be relevant.</p>
<p>If you want to go horseback-riding there, do you have to kill half a day commuting somehow back & forth to the stables? Or is it right there. Level of accessibility might make a difference to people who really want to do this a lot, maybe.</p>
<p>In Barnard's case, I believe their time estimate is rather, shall I say, at least, optimistic. It can take more than 15 minutes to even get over the GW bridge, depending on traffic & time of day.</p>
<p>Some of the schools I suggested have their own stables. But I just looked up Sarah Lawrence and they train at a "nearby stable". I don't know if that would be a big factor because even in high school, you have to drive to your stable to train. I don't think a stable that is within 15 min. or so of campus would really be a big factor for a student.</p>
<p>Now, MY kid, has to travel WAY further to train! Twice midweek, she must leave at 6:30 AM and travel to another state to train. Her competitions are all weekend in other states as well. I imagine the competitions for many sports have that as the case. But the training is usually nearby but that is not true for my D's ski team. </p>
<p>I think Sarah Lawrence is a good match for the OP's daughter based on the little bit she shared so far. Same with places like Skidmore or Smith.</p>
<p>I don't know about the riding prospects or Jewish life, but from the other things you mentioned, Bennington came to mind.</p>
<p>My daughter was looking for a very similar type of school, right down to the equestrian issue - Dickinson did not appeal to her - she didn't find it quirky or artsy in the least.</p>
<p>In addition to Earlham and Goucher both have the feel your daughter wants and wonderful on-campus equestrian facilities to boot. Both were very high on my daughter's list of places that felt "like her." Goucher has a wonderful art program, Earlham has a good art program but it is craft oriented (weaving, metalsmithing, ceramics), which ultimately caused it to fall off my daughter's list but she ADORED Earlham's laid back politically liberal culture. It is also a very intellectual place. One of the great things about Goucher is they just made it mandatory for everyone to study abroad, and are giving all students a voucher to pay for travel to do so. It also has an excellent arrangement that allows students to cross register for classes at other Baltimore schools, including the Maryland Institute and College of Art (MICA), Towson state (has excellent graphic design program), and Johns Hopkins. A free shuttle bus takes them to the other campuses.</p>
<p>My daughter will be attending Beloit College in Wisconsin next year - ultimately, she decided that the equestrian issue was not as important to her as she'd expected. Beloit has the same quirky/artsy feel that your daughter is looking for and a very nice art department which just received a huge donation that will expand the department and create an endowed art chair. One of the attractions of Beloit for my daughter is they have two excellent museums on campus (art and anthropology) and a museum studies minor - they also participate in the Chicago Semester in the ARts program, which sets up participants with internships in film, art, broadcasting, etc. </p>
<p>Beloit, Earlham and Goucher would all be good safe bets for kids with stats high enough for Vassar or Skidmore. Other schools with quirky factor to look into, a various ranges of selectivity: Wheaton College (Mass), Clark U (Mass), Bard (NY), Wesleyan (CT).</p>
<p>I read a recent article in the U of Rochester alum/parents magazine of the club horseback riding team. Might fit your D's profile.</p>
<p>I don't think Bard or Bennington have equestrian teams because I looked into both these schools for my client in the fall with similar interests. Goucher is also one that I recommend for this poster. She didn't share too many stats but the one she did share makes me think that Wesleyan may be too far of a reach.</p>
<p>Other schools with quirkiness factor: Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Grinnell, Macalester. Smith and Mt. Holyoke both have equestrian programs, but are missing the male chromosone. And, definitely Oberlin. Swarthmore and Haverford are highly selective, but also might fit.</p>
<p>Schools with strong equestrian programs (according to the College Finder):
Alfred, Boston U, Hartwick, Hollins, Goucher, LAfayette, Mary Washington, Mt. Holyoke, Otterbein, RandlophMacon Woman's College, St. Lawrence, Skidmore, Skismore, U fo the South, Sweet Briar, Wilson College (PA).</p>
<p>I second BassDad's post - Oberlin was, in so many ways, the best 4 years of my life. And it fits your criteria very well.</p>
<p>And, here's a link to the International Horse Show Association, which governs collegiate equestrian show teams - you can find a list of colleges with equestrian teams here: <a href="http://www.ihsa.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ihsa.com/</a></p>
<p>No, Bard and Bennington don't have equestrian facilities or teams. Might still be worth looking at -- as I said, my daughter was very insistent on needing an equestrian facility/team when she first started looking at colleges, then she realized that other factors were more important to her. So, I'd recommend a list that includes some schools with teams/facilities but that the poster's daughter also focus on schools that may not have teams/facilities but do have the other factors that matter to her. </p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that we found that many schools in ruralish areas (like Bennington and Bard for example) may have local riding establishments nearby. My daughter felt this was a compromise as she could at least continue riding/lessons/showing on her own at these schools. So, I'd recommend asking/researching not just about on-campus teams/facilities but also about local riding schools/facilities. Additionally, we found many schools may not have a competition team but do have riding clubs, which my daughter felt would at least mean she could connect with those with similar interests. So, ask about that as well.</p>
<p>"..even in high school, you have to drive to your stable to train."</p>
<p>Not disagreeing with your point, but just something we might keep in mind, generally: in high school many kids had access to a car, and, better yet, access to parents who can drive them. Relatively more kids do not have cars, or available parents, when they are in college. This makes transportation and accessibility issues potentially of greater concern to such kids than when they were in high school.</p>
<p>LIke in high school one might say "it's a 15 minute drive", period. Now many people have to add: is there a bus to it, where does one get the bus, how often does it come and go. Or if it's walkable how long a walk from the dorms. etc.</p>
<p>Monydad, both the club and the varsity sport teams provide transporation of one sort or another. My D is on a varsity sport and they are driven to practices and events. My D is also on a club team and for that, the transportation expenses are paid by the school but the vehicles belong to club team members. You do not have to have a car to participate on these club teams such as an equestrian club. My D happens to have a car at school this year and was one of the designated drivers for her soccer team, but most did not have cars. I don't think this ends up being the big issue. </p>
<p>I think for the OP, she has many factors she wants in her college search/selection, as all kids should. I know my own kid wanted her college to have either a club or varsity level team for skiing (they all had teams for her other sports....soccer and tennis), and while this was not the MOST important factor, and she had other criteria, like the OP, she was able to narrow down her list to schools that met her criteria, including SOME level of a ski team, as she would not give up this passion. I think there are plenty of schools, in various ranges of selectivity, for the OP, that can include the criteria of an Equestrian Club team. As I mentioned, I am working with a client now who had that as one of her criteria, amongst other criteria, and it was not so hard to come up with a list of 8 schools that included this factor. It doesn't mean to center the decision on that factor, but it is indeed possible to find schools she likes that also include the opportunity to continue at some level in her sport. Again, I don't think she has to provide her own transportaion when the school has an organized team or club sport. Some of these schools even have their own stables and the others use nearby stables. The Eastern schools I mentioned all have equestrian and most of these also meet several of her other criteria which are also important to the OP. </p>
<p>For kids who truly don't want to give up their EC passion, they really do not need to in college. When a college has a team of some sort, be it club or varsity level, transportation is not the concern for the individual student, and in many cases, is either on campus or very nearby. This would not deter a kid who was very into the sport and didn't want to give it up. For sports like crew, the rivers are not necessarily on campus either. Like I said for ski racing, it is not even in the same state as my D's campus but she does it 4 times per week during winter and has daily dryland in fall for that team. </p>
<p>For sport competitions, on the college level, you have to travel a lot as you play or compete against other colleges which are not nearly as close by as who you compete against in HS. So, for that aspect of the sport, it comes with the territory if you are going to participate in college, and this includes club sports. My D's club soccer team also traveled on weekends out of state to games. </p>
<p>I'd suggest she search for schools that meet most of her criteria. You have to narrow it anyway and so while the sport should not be the main factor, you can find a bunch of schools that meet the other criteria and then narrow it by which also have the sport available. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Here's info. on Bard's equestrian club and team. They train 8 minutes from the campus.</p>
<p>Thank you Mini for providing that link at Bard. This is such a new club team at Bard and it just attained club status this semester, which explains why when I looked into it before for a student, it didn't have it down as a club sport, so I am glad to learn it does now. I actually think that Bard is a very good option for the OP as well.</p>
<p>dg, how high is studio art and art history on your daughters list of priorities? They were both essential to my son and his short list was: Williams, Wesleyan, Skidmore, Conn College, Kenyon, Hamilton plus Brown and Yale. He didnt look at Vassar and obviously not Smith, but I would add those two to the list.</p>
<p>Williams has exceptional facilities for art studio and art history one of the best in the country for students looking for strength in both channels. Even though I wouldnt characterize Williams as crunchy (though there is no shortage of trees to hug :)) there is definitely a strong quirky undercurrent, directly related to the enormous opportunities in art, theater, dance and musical performance. The three art museums on or near campus offer excellent exposure to the real world of art and art networking continues on after graduation.</p>
<p>Here is information on the Jewish center. Its a vibrant and active group.
<a href="http://www.jewishephs.org/wcja/prospectives/faq.html#1%5B/url%5D">http://www.jewishephs.org/wcja/prospectives/faq.html#1</a></p>
<p>And on the equestrian activities which are also very accessible.
<a href="http://wso.williams.edu/%7Egpritcha/club.htm%5B/url%5D">http://wso.williams.edu/~gpritcha/club.htm</a></p>
<p>On language, I wouldnt say that Williams is a linguistic destination, but the various departments are respectable.</p>
<p>Carolyn-
Re: your post #49-- great minds think alike! (See my post #32 :) )</p>
<p>Bennington does have riding facilities nearby, but I believe that, while a short one, it is a drive. People go there on their own and through the Outdoors club, but I really dont know that much about it.</p>
<p>My freind's daughter is at Cornell U. and not only does she ride but she giot a job with one of their vets . </p>
<p>My cousin rode at SweetBriar but that was in the 70's and it was quite a funny place .</p>
<p>Also came to mind for Jewish students : a New York State school with a lot of equestrian-ness : SUNY Geneseo . </p>
<p>But I do not know about the student population . For a SUNY , I think ( but please someone correct me ) it may be politically conservative and not artsy enough ???</p>
<p>My daughter is at Virginia Intermont College. She could have gone to a stronger academic environment, but they offer Equine Science as a major and are one of the few schools that offer Photo as a major and not an art concentration. Small school, riding team has won nationals last 2 or 3 years, nice equestian facility and she could take her own horse. Don't know Jewish pop., but know 2 of her close friends are Jewish. Lacks academic prestige, but very artsy and good for those kinda offbeat majors. Everyone in horse world knows VI. Students from all over--her friends from CA, Alaska, D.C., Florida, England, and Puerto Rico. I know you said money not a prob., but they give good merit scholarships just based on gpa. Definately liberal.</p>
<p>Elon may be a good choice too. Strong dept. from what I hear in some of the arts. (my son was business) Has intercollegiate equestrian team, but I haven't seen the facilities.</p>