best "fit" for my daughter

<p>University of Chicago. It will be home for her.</p>

<p>artist, Threads like this tend to attract suggestions of every college on the planet. At the beginning of The Search it’s not a bad thing to cast a wide net; the next step is the narrowing in for the visit list and eventually the apply list.</p>

<p>The first and foremost qualifier is your family’s financial status. If you need (or even want) financial aid, you need to clearly understand what that entails. Need based aid is readily available at most selective schools. Merit based aid is not readily available at many of the schools that have been suggested. So before you pass go, understand the money.</p>

<p>Secondly, your daughter should put together a wish-list. Ambience we know, no pervasive Greek presence, activist, involved kids. What about size, location, environment, gender? After doing some visiting she can narrow in on her top choices then expand outward to schools across a range of selectivity (the old reach/match/safety dictum) that are in the same general personality type. </p>

<p>All Northeast liberal arts colleges lean left. Some are very political, some are more apathetic. Some allow dissenting views; some require lockstep sensibilities. The important factor is that each school has a distinctive personality. Once she’s visited, she will know what she gravitates toward.</p>

<p>From the way you’ve described your daughter (smart, activist, musical) I’d suggest the following to start : Brown, Yale, Smith, Wesleyan, Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Vassar. Williams has one of the best environments for musicians among the small LACs, including opportunities for non-majors. It’s not overtly political (more middle-road) but still, decidedly liberal. </p>

<p>You make a couple of comments that imply that there may have been disciplinary issues: :rebellious/difficult personality”“impetuous and rebellious youth” This is not necessarily a deal breaker, but you should be careful how any infractions – even unofficial – are presented by her school, especially in her recommendations. Selective colleges, even the most liberal, may encourage “free spirits” but admissions is fairly hardline when it comes to dealing with potential trouble.</p>

<p>College doesn’t always need to be a perfect reflection of the “real world.” If your D feels stifled in Texas–which she probably does!–I think she would do very well with 4 years at a school where her “type” is the MAJORITY, since she is very much a minority in her present environment. For others, a moderate environment would be more transformative; it really depends on the person, but for liberals growing up in a conservative area I am usually in favor of attending the best social “fit” (a la Oberlin, Wesleyan, Reed).</p>

<p>Hello MomRath -
Excellent step by step approach - thank you! Your suggestions will definitely broaden her field. Oh - and she’s just rebellious/difficult with me (mom - I say black, she says no way.) - stellar at school, conforming all the way, excellent recommendations and rapport. Thanks for the info about Williams. That tidbit was very intriguing, as I’m sure she’ll minor in music. I thought about the schools further NE such as Wesleyan, Amhurst, etc. but thought they’d be too far from her father (moving with military to DC area), and me possibly remaining in Texas. But then again, the decision has to be hers. Based on your note, and the other promptings, I think we should include those schools in our visits and on our list.
By the way, what are your thoughts on the “value” of an Ivy league education (at 45K+/year) versus less expensive, but good state universities or LAC? I believe one magazine did some sort of study/comparison last year, and did spill some doubt on whether or not it mattered in the long run. Any advice?</p>

<p>Brown
Carleton
Chicago
Columbia
Macalester
Oberlin
Reed
Swarthmore
Wesleyan
Yale</p>

<p>nobody mentions tufts? come on, according to a student publication I found on my overnight, they smoke 15 lbs. of weed a week, so they have to be pretty liberal.</p>

<p>all of those things I mentioned are good things by the way.</p>

<p>I hate this place.</p>

<p>artist, Six years ago I thought my son’s education at a rigorous LAC was worth every penny. Today, world economics have changed drastically and many families find themselves re-thinking value. We’ve lived overseas for many years and even though we’re Americans we don’t technically have a home-state any more. Thus, we didn’t really have the choice between a lowcost State U versus a highcost private and his first choice school didn’t offer merit money.</p>

<p>Many many kids thrive at big universities so again, whether to take advantage of your state college is a personal decision based on what’s the best fit – social and academic. If the student gravitates toward small or medium there’s always the merit money approach. Not easy, but for top students, doable.</p>

<p>My son’s experience at Williams was phenomenal both academically and for the help he was given in landing internships and career opportunities. His professors knew him personally and provided excellent job and graduate school recommendations. The alumni/ae network is active and supportive.</p>

<p>For that reason and because I wasn’t entirely happy at my state college, I tend to favor small LACs and medium-sized privates, but *really *the success rate depends entirely on the student. It’s difficult to impossible to quantify happiness and career satisfaction, but I can testify that small LACs do offer a lot of guidance and support during school and after graduation and that the “elite” names can open doors.</p>

<p>Your daughter seems to know her own mind. What schools appeal to her so far?</p>

<p>If she’s seriously into science academics, have a look at the schools in the science categories on the chart Reed puts up at [REED</a> COLLEGE PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“http://web.reed.edu/ir/phd.html]REED”>Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College). They’re all over the country, from Maine to Hawaii, Minnesota to Texas.</p>

<p>Living on the campus of a Northern university, and having had many Southern liberal friends over the years, I have often seen people with Southern accents automatically suspected of homophobia and racism until they have demonstrated otherwise.
Be prepared for this stupidity.</p>

<p>Well since she seems to be kinda against the whole greek life/preppy idea thing I’d say schools with no greek system or schools with very few kids involved in it. So maybe like Tufts (about 10% of kids are in frats/sororities) or schools without greek systems like Holy Cross or Williams.</p>

<p>Very smart, independent, female:
Bryn Mawr
Smith
Wellesley
Mt. Holyoke
Barnard</p>

<p>Yup. Try those. Also, have her take a long hard look at the second tier of women’s colleges (Agnes Scott, Hollins, Sweetbriar, etc.) where there may be a bit of merit money.</p>

<p>But, as noted by momrath, you do need to consider your family financial situation first. Run the calculators at [College</a> Calculators - savings calculators - college costs, loans](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>How Much Will College Cost – BigFuture | College Board) and [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) to get an idea what the colleges/universities will expect your family to pay. FAFSA only schools will only look at the income and savings of the parent with physical custody. CSS Profile looks at the income and savings of both parents. </p>

<p>The Maryland public system grants in-state status to members of the US military physically resident in MD because of a duty assignment, whether or not they claim another state as their “official” residence. If Dad ends up living there, your daughter as his dependent should be able to receive in-state status for tuition purposes. You will need to investigate this a bit more thoroughly. I don’t know what the rules are in Virginia.</p>

<p>Hi All -
Your insight and advice is very helpful. Actually, I think she’d be intrigued by an all-girls school. She does take her schoolwork seriously, and might actually thrive in that environment. This forum is so very helpful…I’ve gleaned so much! Thank you all again!</p>

<p>Look at American while you check out GWU.</p>

<p>Post #24. 45K for Ivy league is low unless that is just tuition. They are way into the 50s now. For most military families–especially those maintaining two homes–it’s a stretch if you are not independently wealthy.</p>

<p>For an all-girls’ school, she might want to check out Scripps, part of the Claremont Consortium in CA.</p>

<p>I definitely second Scripps as a “top-tier” women’s college. It’s like the lone Sister of the West.</p>

<p>Not to be redundant, but I would also recommend U of Chicago for your child. My child had a lot of the same interests and feelings that your daughter seems to have. She will be entering her last year there and loves it. It is a great fit for her and the previous comments are right on the mark. The only thing that may be missing is the music performance aspect. I believe that musical instrument lessons are limited and they may have to send her to an outside party for them, although music in general is great at the school and getting better with the new performing arts center which is being built soon. this is especially true for someone, like my child, who enjoys her music and wants to pursue it more as a hobby than as a major.</p>

<p>to MDmom and NE Parent - great tips - (MD- thank you VERY much. I was/am very similar to you and what you wrote in your private note, so my daughter’s actions and statements are a shock/surprise to me.) And NE, U. of Chicago is a great school, and one she actually looked into unbeknownst to me. We’ll just have to forego the proximity/distance thing, and really visit and let her choose the environs in which she feels most comfortable, while at the same time, exposing herself to a diverse bunch. I really think her statements are just part of her rebellion in trying to grow up and create her own identity. I just wish she’d do it in a more mature way…sigh…well, there’s still hope! thanks so much again!</p>

<p>Many excellent suggestions above. I would add that at “Oberlin” is actually named
Oberlin College and Conservatory. As a college student there, she could take private lessons throughout college, for free, from a music conservatory student, with 2 credits per term on her transcript. </p>

<p>She might major or minor in Music from within the College, which is different than enrolling in the Conservatory.</p>

<p>She would hear outstanding music performed by others and be among many music lovers, both within the Conservatory and College. </p>

<p>My D toured eight LAC’s, with the last being Oberlin. Hearing the great variety of music (not just pop) wafting out of dorm windows on an autumn day, she declared Oberlin “the LAC with the best ambient sound” and applied ED. </p>

<p>Of all the fine institutions cited above, I must say that Oberlin College has to be the most musically rich experience for a college student who loves music and wishes to take some, but not become a professional musician herself.</p>

<p>At one point, D took a course in “Musical Acoustics” which added 3 points to her 9-point Quantitative Proficiency (math) distribution requirement. Now she walks into buildings and pauses to analyze them for sound quality. </p>

<p>It does lean left but recently revived its Republican club, so hope is not lost if she richochets and decides to resume her minority position :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

<p>I would second the recommendation of Wesleyan and Macalester. I recently toured Macalester with my daughter and it was the first school that came to mind when i read the OP. Carleton is another outstanding choice.</p>