I am currently in the process of applying to the questbridge program and I am interested in pursuing both visual arts and art history in college. Of all the questbridge partners, which ones have the best art programs? The list of college partners are:
Amherst College
Bowdoin College
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carleton College
Colby College
Colorado College
Columbia University
Claremont McKenna College
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Duke University
Emory University
Grinnell College
Haverford College
Macalester College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University
Scripps College
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Tufts University
University of Chicago
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Washington and Lee University
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Williams College
Yale University
Do you want to do art as a major (or double major) or are you looking for places where you can minor or simply pursue but with good facilities and instruction? If it’s the first, I suspect that you can eliminate quite a few altogether.
So this may be tedious for you (and @merc81 has given you a good head start), but many of those schools only offer fine arts as a minor. While many that offer studio art as a minor have good facilities and opportunities (i.e., Bowdoin and Colby), they really aren’t what you’re looking for and you can eliminate those immediately. All you have to do is go to each school’s website and click on majors under academics. You’ll see that some, like Williams, have a path within their Art major for people like you who want Studio Art.
Tufts arrangement with the Museum of Fine Arts School was recently changed (for the better, I think) but there does seem to be a fair amount of confusion about how admissions to that program works. Worth reaching out, though, as it’s an excellent program.
And yes, Macalester does offer an Art Major with a Studio Art emphasis.
Since you’re pretty clear in your interests, you should make sure that your choices fit those. And while it’s some work, it should also give you a good idea of the possibilities within those programs and the expectations.
My DS is a junior and also a prospective arts major so we have been looking at many of these schools. My suggestions:
Amherst - They have art history and the five college exchange program for more coursework exposure
Brown - RISD connection
Columbia - NYC and many museum internship opportunities
Tufts - Museum of Fine Arts has been acquired by Tufts
UPENN - Great Art programs and Philly museums
Vassar - Great reputation for strong arts programs
Yale - Strong Art School should you wish to pursue an MFA
@gardenstategal : Colby’s building, in particular, appears to be both cleanly beautiful and well placed on campus. If Colby’s greater context suited the OP slightly better, I certainly would have mentioned their museum with the others.
I get it, @merc81 . Just saying that both those schools have museums (which are often featured prominently when the word “arts” is typed into a search), yet are not what the OP is looking for. Meant it as a caution, not as a "don’t forget those schools!!
@hunkydory, My son was also interested in finding schools that offered both strong art history and studio art. He ended up at Williams which offers majors in both plus a combined major that they call History + Practice. At Williams art history and studio art are combined in one department and there’s a good deal of synergy between the process and the work. There are three world class museums either on or near campus which provide hands on involvement and the studio facilities are extensive.
The other schools on your list that he liked were Wesleyan, Brown and Yale. I would note that Brown has an excellent studio art department of its own, separate from the joint RISD program.
I would add Oberlin, Vassar, Pitzer and Haverford though for various reasons my son did pursue them. Not on the QuestBridge list, but on his: Kenyon, Hamilton, Skidmore and Conn College. If you are female add Smith.
Brown offers concentrations in Studio Art & History of Art and Architecture. A quick perusal at other disciplines leads me to believe a concentration is the same as a major or minor. I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.
In any case, Brown students can take classes at the adjacent Rhode Island School of Design.
I believe acceptance at Brown is in the single digits.