<p>Actually, I have 2 questions: 1)what schools are strongest in the department of classics (Latin, ancient Greek, classical civilizations) and, 2) Is an interest in becoming a classics major ever considered a "hook", you know, an advantage? My impression is that not too many students are interested in this area of study, so maybe if my child is studying Latin in high school, doing very well, and hoping to continue, would this open doors at competitive colleges?</p>
<p>If your child is interested in classics, studying Latin in high school and expressing an interest in it could possibly help him/her out in the admissions process, since sadly, not many people major in classics. I was a Latin nerd in high school (still am, actually) and was told by my college counselor that that would help me out with college admissions. Not sure how true that is, but that's what I was told when going through the whole college search.</p>
<p>I'm double majoring in Latin and Greek at Swarthmore, and, from what I can tell, the classics department here is awesome. It's a pretty small department, but has great professors. I've heard that Bryn Mawr has a really strong department, as does Harvard, Berkeley, Michigan, Penn, and probably many more colleges that I can't think of at the moment. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>I've heard that Brown has a great Classics department.... they offer a concentration in Sanskrit within their department, too, if you want to branch out a bit.</p>
<p>The Classics department at the University of Toronto is quite good.</p>
<p>calicomom,</p>
<p>I will be attending the University of Chicago as a first year in the fall, and I know from personal experience that their Classics department is excellent. I took the Beginning Greek summer intensive last year at the University, a nine-week course that covered more than a year of U. of C. college Greek, and this year I audited Intermediate Greek during the schoolyear. (I was given the opportunity to do this because I was homeschooled.)</p>
<p>I cannot more highly recommend the University of Chicago's Classics department. The professors and grad student TAs are caring and helpful and go out of their way to help students through office hours and quick responses to e-mails with desparate questions. The department is relatively large, having, I believe, sixteen professors, many of whom have won the University's Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching; I am fortunate enough to have taken from two such professors, one for the first two quarters of Beginning Greek, the other for the third quarter of Intermediate (Homeric Greek, the "Iliad"). At the same time, the courses are overwhelmingly difficult and go at break-neck speed, faster than another college I was considering that is known for its Classics department. But this is why I love the U. of C. so much. I am pushed to and past my limit, and I can feel my brain expanding, incorporating new knowledge, translating texts that not everyone can understand. It is hard to describe exactly what I mean, but the U. of C. gives me a crazy, intellectually stimulating experience. It really is the "life of the mind" at its best.</p>
<p>When I applied to the U. of C., I did position myself as a prospective Classics major - but solely because I am interested in Classics. In addition to Beginning and Intermediate Greek courses through the College, I have studied Latin for many years, so I could easily back up my interest in the area. </p>
<p>I know this post is very much pulling for the U. of C., but I admit that I am biased. :) Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.</p>
<p>Xaire. ("Be well" in Greek)</p>
<p>My college counselor suggested Connecticut College and Holy Cross (they give scholarships to prospective classics majors) for schools strong in Classics, but are not ultra selective.</p>