Best ENGLISH programs on east coast

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Its getting down to crunch time and I have yet to come up with a list of schools I would like to apply to. I dont really know what I want to do, but enjoy creative writing and english. Does anyone have suggestions for schools on the east coast with descent english programs?</p>

<p>I am currently looking at Washington College's creative writing program, but really know absolutely nothing about the school. Just looking for a general list that I can start to narrow down...</p>

<p>(and preferably schools under 30k or with really good financial aid options)</p>

2

<p>Which state do you live in?</p>

<p>Gourman Report ranking for undergraduate English</p>

<p>Yale
UC Berkeley
Harvard
U Chicago
Stanford
Cornell
Princeton
Columbia
Johns Hopkins
U Penn
UCLA
Brown
Indiana
U Michigan
UC Irvine
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Rutgers
UNC Chapel Hill
U Iowa
u Virginia
NYU
U Notre Dame
U Illinois
U Washington
Duke
U Texas Austin
SUNY Stony Brook
U Rochester
Emory
Washington U St Louis
Dartmouth
U Minnesota
UC San Diego
Vanderbilt
Pomona
Brandeis
Swarthmore
Heverford
U Mass Amherst
UC Santa Barbara</p>

3

<p>Creative writing programs from Rugg's Recommendations:
Agnes Scott
U Alabama
Bard
Middlebury
Beloit
Barnard
Bennington
Brown
Carlow
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Creighton
Dana
Denison
Dominican
Eckerd
Emerson
Fla St
Grinnell
Hamilton
Hobart
U Iowa
John's Hopkins
Kenyon
Lewis-Clark State (ID)
Linfield
Long Island U Southhampton
Lycoming
U Maine Farmington
U of Michigan
SUNY New Paltz
NC State
Northwestern
Oberlin
U Oregon
U Pitt
Redlands
St Andrews (NC)
San Fran St
C of Santa Fe
Sarah Lawrence
Stephens
Susquehanna
Sweet Briar
Temple
UVA
Washington Coll (MD)
Webster
Wheaton (MA)
Wichita State
Wittenberg</p>

<p>US News graduate creative writing programs:
1. University of Iowa 4.5
2. John Hopkins University (MD) 4.2
3. University of Houston (TX) 4.2
4. Columbia University (NY) 4.1
5. University of Virginia 4.1
6. New York University 4.0
7. University of California, Irvine (CA) 4.0
8. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (MI) 4.0
9. University of Arizona 3.9
10. Boston University 3.8
11. Cornell University 3.8
12. University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA) 3.8
13. University of Montana (MT) 3.8
14. University of Washington 3.8
15. Washington University (MO) 3.8
16. Brown University (RI) 3.7
17. Indiana University, Bloomington (IN) 3.7
18. University of Arkansas (AR) 3.7
19. University of Utah 3.7
20. Arizona State University 3.6
21. Emerson College (MA) 3.6
22. George Mason University (VA) 3.6
23. Hollins College (VA) 3.6
24. Sarah Lawrence College (NY) 3.6
25. Syracuse University (NY) 3.6</p>

4

<p>caledonia, I think you'd have a hard time finding a selective school that DOESN'T have a good English department. It's pretty much a given at any college or university with rigorous academics. Creative writing may either be a separate major or a program within the English department. Here you'll find a degree of differentiation, but most colleges have writers/poets on the faculty and encourage creativity.</p>

<p>You might be better off building your list around your financial needs. $30K for a private college will be difficult unless you're eligible for need or merit based aid. You should clearly define your financial situation, use one of those on-line calculators to determine how much need-based aid you might get, then start looking for colleges that fit you financially.</p>

<p>If you don't qualify for much need-based aid, I'd suggest you take a look at the thread at the top of the Parents Board "Schools known for good merit aid."</p>

5

<p>On the East Coast:</p>

<p>Yale and Harvard have the best English literature departments, although they each have a slightly different focus. Cornell is probably the closest runner-up.</p>

<p>For undergraduate creative writing (or poetry), Yale has the best program by far. Students there seem to win every award out there. I think that Johns Hopkins, Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Brown, Wesleyan, Dartmouth and Hamilton are also pretty good, among a few others.</p>

6

<p>Well, of course, it really would help if you could give us an idea of your grades (unweighted please) and test scores before we make suggestions. It does little good for you to look at Yale or Cornell if they are not within the realm of possibility.</p>

<p>If you're not sure what you might major in, it also makes little sense to pick schools solely based on their English departments. You should also consider other factors, including whether the curriculum structure will help you narrow down your interests. (Some people who are unsure of their interests, for example, might do best in a very open curriculum with little in the way of required courses, others may need a more structured curriculum that exposes them to multiple subject areas). And, of course, you DO need to consider other factors - location, size, social scene, etc.</p>

<p>Washington has a nice creative writing program but is extremely isolated. It is a 45 minute drive to the nearest KMart. Is that the right environment for you? If so, and assuming you have decided you prefer small schools, consider schools like St. Mary's College of Maryland, Hobart & William Smith in upstate NY, Bennington, Wells (I am tossing out ideas that are close to Washington's level of selectivity thinking that is probably an indication of where your stats are).</p>

<p>On the other hand, if 45 minutes to the nearest Kmart sounds a little too isolated, look at schools like Goucher, Sarah Lawrence, Clark U. </p>

<p>There are, of course, many other schools to consider, and we'd need to know more about your grades/test scores, preferences, etc. to make further recommendations. This is just an attempt to give you some way to categorize schools beyond "good English department" -- which, as been pointed out already, many schools have so it is probably not a good way to narrow things down.</p>

<p>Again, pay attention to the graduation requirements, focusing in on which system will be the best fit for you to discover your interests, and also be sure to ask about advising.</p>

<p>Good luck!
Carolyn</p>