We’re nudging closer to that final list and I’m hoping for some input as to whether we’re hitting the right mix. My Ds (currently a Jr. in a nationally ranked top 20 HS) stats:
ACT: 32 (33 superscored)
3 AP classes: AP Psy, AP Lang., AP Env. Science
other: heavily involved in theatre for the past 9 years, including all school plays and musicals, community theatre group, summer theatre camp at Cranbrook. HS Choir. Member of HS forensics team, Jr. Director for her forensics team which went on to state finals. Jr. director for children’s community theatre group for the past 3 years. Various volunteering for local charities, summer volunteering painting homes and sprucing up inner city neighborhoods.
She hopes to major in one of these areas: Theatre/Communications & Rhetoric/Psychology
Prefers: small, private LA colleges in upper Atlantic region.
Will apply to: Bard, Ithaca, St. Lawrence, Skidmore, Vassar
Visiting in late summer/fall: Bates, Colby, Bowdoin, Emerson, Brandeis, Clark U., Connecticut College, Wesleyan.
Are there any others that she should seriously consider, perhaps as safeties?
I think her list is nearly perfect as stands. However, Hamilton belongs on it for its strengths in writing and debate and for its new theatre and studio arts building. Hamilton has a well-balanced curriculum, yet still holds its own in the visual and performing arts with some of the decidedly more “artsy” schools. Wheaton (MA) is worth a look and meets the criterion of a school she is likely to get into.
I would add Lafayette because its awesome and then add Muhlenberg as a high quality safety with good merit potential. They are 15 miles from each other and easy to see same day. Muhlenberg is well known for its theater program.
Ithaca seems like an outlier to me.
Hamilton is great for debate and Bates is one of the strongest debate teams in the country and has a Rhetoric major.
In your quest, figure out the risk/reward of applying Early Decision to some of the super selective schools.
My gut tells me the Maine schools, Weslyan, Vassar and Hamilton are gonna be tough. Look at male vs female acceptance rates at the really selective ones.
Also, please interview at the tough ones, so they know you are interested. This is critical.
Since you are going to Clark visit Holy Cross, which is a lovely and very fine school.
Holy Cross has a great theater program, and is more in-line academically with some of the schools you list vs. Clark, Emerson or Ithaca.
I actually think Holy Cross would stand out on OP’s list more so than the other schools because it’s Catholic and is known for having a lot of preppy, conservative kids, whereas almost all the other schools on the list are known for being really liberal. But if this doesn’t bother her, she should definitely check it out.
Sounds like strong ECs but where are the academics in comparison to her class? The 3 APs aren’t that strong, only one core class, and some of these schools are pretty selective. But you do have a good mix.
our high school doesn’t do a class ranking and her strong point is not in math. I thin she has excelled in the areas in which she is strong. That’s what she’ll have to work with and in the end, any college who accepts her is going to have a gem :">
Might also consider Oberlin and Kenyon. Oberlin strong arts programs across the board. Kenyon a bit more moderate culturally than Oberlin (which is very liberal), but they’re both terrific LAC schools. Kenyon is very strong in English/writing/core liberal arts curriculum.
Ithaca may not be a strong academically overall but it is certainly very well known for theater program (so well known in fact that there might be a lot of competition for roles, etc.–just something to think about).
I am guessing that unless her arts supplement is very, very strong that colleges like Wesleyan, Vassar, Hamilton, Maine schools are pretty high reaches (which is fine as long as she is aware and will be happy at some of the more match/target schools).
Kenyon is also well known for theater but may be out of preferred geographic area. Both Denison and College of Wooster in Ohio offer a lot of merit aid and good theatre programs.
I believe Lafayette College offers some arts/theatre scholarships (which means they are actively recruiting artsy people) so that might be a good place to consider.
Sounds like Clark and Conn College will be good bets for your D.
Just one more thought: When my D13 was applying (also interested in theatre) we were given the advice to consider some colleges that are not as well known for theatre since her interest/intention to major would make her stand out/more desirable than places where hundreds of girls interested in theatre are applying. Based on Ds results (and her stats/profile sounds similar to your D’s, ACT 32, 3.8 UW/4.5 W GPA, 5 APs mostly in humanities/social sciences and the rest honors/IB), I think it was good advice. She was WL at Wesleyan, rejected at Middlebury and Williams, accepted Hamilton, Bucknell, Conn College, Muhlenberg and Denison (the latter two with significant merit money). She ended up at Bucknell with a merit scholarship for theatre (smaller than what Denison or Muhlenberg offered) and has been blessed to have had so many performance opportunities and lots of attention from theatre faculty even as a first year student. NOTE - I am not suggesting Bucknell for your D - doesn’t sound like the vibe/atmosphere is right for your D based on others on your list.
It really depends on what your D is looking for in terms of theatre - is she thinking of a career in theatre? Does she just want opportunities to continue her interest by taking classes and performance opportunities? Just things to consider.
thanks momofzag! Actually, I was hoping that perhaps Wesleyan, Vassar or the Maine schools might also consider a student who is good academically but more interested in the Arts or Psychology. Any of those will no doubt fit for her “reach” schools. We did visit Muhlenberg during spring break. For whatever reason, she didn’t “feel” it there. But she really liked Bard and St. Lawrence which we also visited. So far, those are her two top choices. And yes, we did visit Ithaca as well and she said that unless she auditioned and made the cut there, she probably would not be interested in attending. I think she really wants to study theatre in some aspect but doesn’t want to go the conservatory route which would include auditions and a BFA. She prefers to get a BA. Thanks for all the info., quite helpful!
My D didn’t want to go the conservatory route either (although she is looking to do a summer conservatory style program and/or a semester abroad for more conservatory-style training).
I think you should check into Ithaca further - it may not be worth staying on the list if you find out that the auditioned BFA candidates get all the roles, etc.
Isn’t Emerson a BFA as well? I know they do auditions?
What about some of the other PA LACs like Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall (and Lafayette which I already mentioned) as possibilities for more match/safe schools?
Did your D look at Sarah Lawrence or St. Lawrence in Canton, NY? If she hasn’t considered Sarah Lawrence, she might like it.
Emerson is a BFA which is why my D isn’t necessarily interested, although she wants to stop at the campus…she has a friend there. St. Lawrence University in Canton was one of my D’s favorites! My husband and I both liked it as well! Everyone was extremely friendly, it’s a beautiful campus too!