<p>SAT: 1890 (710 CR, 710 W, 470 Math. I got a 12 on my essay)
GPA: 3.5
Extra-curriculars: Theatre (600+ volunteer hours), speech team (100+ competition hours), Amnesty International, Student Advocates of Gender Equality (V.P.), Japanese hosting/exchange program, writing/reading/art club (president)
Awards: Entire department awards, "Wellesley Book Award," NCTE Nominee, AP Scholar with Honor. I have also won/placed in many creative writing competitions.</p>
<p>I've taken rigorous honors/AP courses in English and history and gotten 4s on all the tests I've taken. I've worked for a year as a children's math tutor and am currently working at the public library.</p>
<p>I'm a strong writer, just bad at math and standardized tests...blech.I'm going for a creative writing and women's/gender studies double major with a minor in a language. So...give it to me straight, I guess. I know my essays are really strong n and my interviews seemed to go alright...I interviewed with the playwriting professor, and he made remarks that I would fit in perfectly at Oberlin, but for all I know they say that to every student. </p>
<p>This is the professor that everyone recommended for his really cool seminar for freshmen right? Wow! Hellojc you are really lucky! I heard really awesome stuff about the professor.</p>
<p>I get it. :) Waiting for the admission decisions has been nerve wrecking for me too. Less thn 1 1/2 months to go. I keep checking my inbox n mailbox.</p>
<p>Interesting combination of schools. My daughter applied to 11 schools including Indiana University, Purdue University, Butler University, Kenyon College and Oberlin. Has also been admitted to Indiana, Purdue and Butler. You must also be from Indiana. Right now, I think Oberlin is her first choice, but she is having trouble deciding - I think her finalists are Oberlin, Northwestern, Williams, Indiana and Fordham-Lincoln Center. As you can tell from her list, she is not real sure what she wants as far as size and location. What she does want is a solid academic school (chemistry and spanish are her likely majors) which will allow her to pursue her interest in the theatre (technical/directing). We just visited Oberlin and she was very impressed with the apparent opportunities available in the theatre program for non-majors. But, the facilities were not up to some of the other schools - Northwestern and Williams in particular. And, the location left a little to be desired. Any comments to help guide her?</p>
<p>Oberlin has a first-rate library and art museum, it has a top conservatory that offers recitals almost daily and an excellent concert series, and that is just classical music -- there is also jazz and all kinds of contemporary music (including electronic); the first-year dorms are a little frumpy, but in general, the facilities are excellent. Although it doesn't have the endowment of Williams, it is competitive in terms of the quality of its facilities, and certainly in the quality of its faculty. The location soon becomes fairly irrelevant -- the students make their own environment, as they do at Williams, though it is certainly closer to an airport and to a big city than Williams -- i.e., Cleveland, which is 30 minutes away. The culture at Northwestern is very different -- preprofessional, frat-oriented; your daughter should visit these schools and get a sense of where she thinks she fits in.</p>
<p>My advice: don't worry about chances. I know I'm probably being a bit hypocritical here since I too worry about getting in, but what happens happens. I try to tell myself that as long as you know your going somewhere next year that you find relatively appealing (and from what I see in your credentials you may have gotten money from) you will be happy. Most people love the college experience whether or not they got into their first choice. And honestly, where you go undergrad is not as big of a deal. My mom went to Community college, U of A, and Purdue and is now working right alongside my dad who went to Harvard, UC-Berkley, and Oxford. So just go with the flow, you'll be happy wherever you are and if you aren't you can always transfer.</p>
<p>I know what you mean, emma. I was reading some other thread on this board, and someone posted something along the lines of: asking for chances after you've applied doesn't do anything for you--it just takes you on an emotional ride. </p>
<p>And I know that I'm not going to y'know, give up or anything because I don't get into the school I want. It's not where you get your education, it's what you do with it. That sounds pretty cereal-box, but that's what I go by. </p>
<p>I am from Indiana :) and most of the adults around here are like, "It's ok to follow your dreams, just make sure you get a job that makes money first because you probably won't succeed" which is why I'm so desperate to get out of that environment. I know I've got ****-poor math SAT scores, but I'm just hoping and praying that they look beyond numbers. :) I don't know. I guess I'm just saying I'm crossing my fingers, ready or not.</p>
<p>I have very similar stats to you; I have a 1900 SAT and a high B+ average taking the hardest courses offered at my school. I also was on community service committee for four years, did several internships, had an art-school worthy art portfolio, and was a member of several other clubs at my school. I applied ED and ultimately got rejected. I know it's hard to remain optomistic after hearing these kinds of stories, but they interpret everyone's apps differently, so don't lose hope and let us know how it goes :)</p>
<p>Chemistry profs are known for being amazingly friendly and kind- check out prof. Matlin, if you can, as well as Loose. Chemistry students are focused, but non-competetive and also have lives outside of lab. Oberlin has no grad students, so professors work with only undergrads for research. All classes are taught by full professors, and have upperclassmen "TA" tutors.</p>
<p>As for Spanish, the Hispanic Studies department here is lovely- professors are really excited about what they teach. The Spanish House has lots of events- dance, food, music nights and lectures. There's a strong politcal focus on Latin America on campus that really benefits Hispanic Studies as so many different groups come in.</p>
<p>Theatre-
So much theater! Sketch, improv, traditional, experimental.... If she's interested in tech, Concert Sound is one of the best jobs on campus, as you learn all about lights, sound and PA (and get paid to go to concerts). Also, all shows want tech people to build, design and run. As for directing, there are lots of opportunities, especially over Winter Term, to put up a show. </p>
<p>Location
Oberlin is the College. Everything that comes to Oberlin is for the college, so it's all affordable and amazing. The music program is spectacular and the people are incredibly creative. There's so much art, dance, theatre and passion... but we're also a lot more laid-back than the other schools, which is nice.</p>
<p>noir.stork.. since you're a tourguide I think I'll try to squeeze in some questions too. lol.</p>
<p>What about transportation from Oberlin to, say, Chicago? (maybe you don't know info for that specific location but I'll ask in case you do... sorry). Is it a long and painful trip back home during the winter?</p>
<p>Also, how is weather? And do people generally need a car (I think people have said no, but I just want make sure I can get necessities and entertainment without needing a driver's license)</p>
<p>I know several people who have taken trips to visit friends in Chicago, and they generally take buses there--only $50 or so for both ways, if I recall correctly.</p>
<p>And you definitely don't need a car. Plenty of people will have them, and there's enough stuff to do on campus, that it's not worth the hassle of having a car and having people try to bum it off of you.</p>
<p>Cars:
Most people don't have cars. They're allowed, if you want, but it's really unnecessary, unless you live awfully close. There' so so SO much stuff to do on campus that Cleveland/ a car is almost unnecessary.
To get home? Carpool. And buses.</p>
<p>The weather is ridiculous. It was over 60 degrees today, tomorrow it's 30. Last year, there was a blizzard on Valentine's Day and snow in April, but January was 50º. It's certainly not colder than chicago, and we're not in the snow belt (no "lake effect"), but the weather has a sense of humor.</p>
<p>LCT bus- 6$ for non-Obies. Drop-off and pick-up is on the main check-in floor (not baggage claim floor). Ask one of the airport security folks where the stop is- they're really friendly. </p>
<p>Cabs are absurdly expensive. I've waited for hours for the LCT to avoid paying a cab (and made some really cool friends). In Oberlin, the LCT makes one stop near the admissions building (get off here) and one farther away, about a block east of downtown. The further stop is the one you take to depart. It's really easy and fast.</p>