<p>I'm looking to add one more college to my list. This would be a safety school. Right now I have University of Michigan and Notre Dame as my safeties, but I would like another. Michigan is a huge school pretty far from home (I'm in the northeast), and though I liked the school I'm not so sure about the bigness of it all. Notre Dame is a forced application (my father went there). I like the school, but I'm gay, and they're not too fond of that out there in South Bend. I'm also pretty sure I'll get into University of Chicago, but I don't want to depend on that.</p>
<p>So, I'm looking to add one more school. What I would really like to have is a smaller school (2000-4000?) with good faculty where I could really shine. I'd love it to be in or near a city, as well. I'm most interested in math and writing (strange mix, I know), but I am also an advanced musician and would consider double majoring or minoring in it. </p>
<p>Because this is so late, I really need schools that take the common app or send out those express applications (I have tons of them, but I don't know much about the schools!). </p>
<p>Right now my schools are:
Harvard (deferred EA)
Columbia
UPenn
Chicago
Johns Hopkins
Michigan
Notre Dame </p>
<p>Thanks a ton! I really am hugely appreciative. I tried asking my parents, but they're really biased about colleges, and my father could only name Jesuit colleges and insult any other school I named. Thanks again!</p>
<p>It would be helpful if you provided more information about your stats, etc.</p>
<p>That said, looking at where you are already applying, here are a few thoughts. You are probably a strong applicant but I would not guess that Michigan (at this point for a non resident) or Notre Dame are really safeties. More importantly, you don't want to go to Notre Dame so that really is not a great option. Places I would suggest you look at would be University of Rochester and Brandeis(possibly this will not please your Dad, but it meets your other requirements more or less) if you want the Northeast. Also ?Carnegie Mellon? These are still quite selective schools- again, it would help to see your stats. I am sure others will have ideas as well...</p>
<p>Thanks! My GC told me that Michigan was a safety, and he knows me very well (and my school!). Having said that, I know that it's getting late for the rolling schools, but I wanted to save the application fee until I knew about Harvard. </p>
<p>I will definitely think about adding those schools, Marite, but I think it might be a little late to add such strong schools. </p>
<p>Brandeis would be fine with my dad, and they've sent me tons of material. I will certainly look into it. University of Rochester sends me lots, too, and I know practically nothing about it, so I will definitely check it out. </p>
<p>I had never considered Reed, and I don't know too much about it (I know, I'm saying that about all of these). Portland is a great city, and I have family right there, so that would be excellent. I will ask my GC tomorrow about all of these schools. I'm feeling excited now. :)</p>
<p>Oh, for stats:
I have a 2260 (720, 740, 800 the first time) on my SAT. Two SAT2s are mid 600s, and my math 2c is a 700 (I took it when I was fourteen or something). I have taken three APs with two fives and one three. My school only offers one AP class for juniors (which was the three, actually). One class was with seniors. The other (english comp) was taken with no preparation. I've taken the hardest classes at my school, plus some. As I said, I am an advanced musician. I am widely expected to be a professional musician "when I grow up," but I am currently undecided on that matter. I do play professionally now, though. I should have great recs, and my GC showed me his, and it was excellent. Um, I've never done this stats thing, so I don't really know what else to put.</p>
<p>Those are plenty of stats for the ballpark information. What I said about Michigan is solely related to timing, of course...As for the others...Depends how you want to 'play it', but a nice thing about Rochester is the Eastman school...And then there is Oberlin (not sure about their math-strong in writing)- but the issue you might run into there is that you are working their 'power alley' with your area of talent...which from experience of other posters here, can actually be a slight disadvantage when considering it as a 'safety.' Be sure to show appropriate interest in these schools you are just learning about. Try to make personal contact and level your communications with them as you would for all your other schools..all the schools mentioned are interested in kids who are interested in them!! Good to have an open mind...</p>
<p>I will definitely look at Rochester. They have a fantastic music teacher there, but I wouldn't be looking at the music school--a decision I made last year--although I would still take lessons and perform. The fact that they have strong music of course means that they will have more applicants strong in that area, which will certainly disadvantage me. I have a feeling that the teacher at Oberlin teaches a different method than what I play, which would mean I couldn't take lessons from her. Thanks for all the suggestions, though.</p>
<p>Yeah, my GC mentioned Macalester back when I was first looking at colleges. I will bring it up when I talk to him tomorrow. A little cold, though!! :)</p>
<p>Corranged, Your grades and scores are in range for most LACs, even the most selective, and there are several that could offer two out of three in math, music and writing. In addition to Reed and Macalester mentioned above, other LACs to consider would be Bowdoin, Wesleyan, Skidmore, and if you are female, Smith.</p>
<p>If you could compromise on the city part, Id suggest that you take a look at Williams which has excellent math and music departments. You dont say what instrument you play but there are a wide range of performance opportunities on campus, even for non-majors. English is also very strong and although I wouldnt recommend Williams for writing per se, there are several accomplished writers on the faculty.</p>
<p>I suggest Wesleyan U in CT, because of the very liberal and completely gay-friendly atmosphere, because it has an extremely strong music department and also strong writing and math, & it has about 2800 students. It is not in a city, but it is in a decent-sized town with plenty surrounding it (New Haven & Hartford are very close.) Not a safety but probably a match for you.</p>
<p>I hope you're in at Chicago because it sounds like a fit to me. But if you want one more I'd vote for Reed too. Portland is a wonderful, welcoming city and Reed is a creative school with integrity and wit...</p>
<p>You have very good scores, but I would be careful about considering Williams, Bowdoin, or Wesleyan safeties, (you were clear that safties is what you're looking for, right?) If you just want to add extra match/reaches, then these schools would be fine. Safeties, they are not, for anyone.</p>
<p>Here's something I get from reading your post - could be wrong. Sounds like since you are "widely expected" to be a professional musician and you are not sure, you might have just a little burn out going on. You may need at this point in your life to go somewhere that opens life up for you.</p>
<p>In this case, and since you already are out in your sexuality and don't want to be closeted, I do suggest somewhere like Reed or Wesleyan, vs. Williams, Rochester etc. If you have been working hard enough on your music that you already play professionally and yet you have this ambiguity that I think I hear, you might really like to go somewhere known for questioning, but open to creativity etc.</p>
<p>we may have discussed this before, but I can't check history right now since search is temporarily off. What instrument do you play? Many of the departments at Oberlin Conservatory have more than one teacher, so you may be able to find one that uses your method. I believe that the only instruments there for which the only teacher is female are viola da gamba and baroque cello (Catharina Meints) and harp (Yolanda Kondonassis.) In both cases, the teacher is among the best known in the country. </p>
<p>Oberlin does allow students from the College to audition for a spot in a Conservatory teacher's studio and for placement into the top ensembles. As robyrm says, they are strong in writing. Their math department, while not in a league with MIT or Caltech, is very good for a small, undergraduate-only program. Few places anywhere are more accepting of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered/transexual students, although Oberlin may not meet with your father's approval. Also, it is in a small town and not convenient to the nearest city (Cleveland) unless you have a car.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions, my daughter who is studying double bass and math at Oberlin will be home in about a week. I can ask her anything you like then.</p>
<p>Brandeis is a very good idea and is known to be gay-friendly. Sarah Lawrence would likely be a safety- not so great for math, though, possibly also Bard would suit you. If you're considering JHU, Goucher would make a good safety--they allow cross registering and are socially tolerant.</p>
<p>Thank you, everyone! This parents board is fantastic. I talked to my GC, and he gave me a couple of ideas, as well, and we talked about what schools would be right for me. I think I'll end up with Carleton, Reed, or Brandeis (but I'm also considering Oberlin, St. Mary's, Lawrence, Wesleyan, and Kenyon). I need to ask some people, check their websites, and how involved their applications are. I don't have time to say anymore, because I have to go play a gig, actually. I need to pick tonight, so that I can give the rec forms to my teachers tomorrow, the last day of school before vacation. </p>
<p>Corranged - wherever you wind up I think college is going to be a great experience for you, out on your own, like-minded kids, the world to explore. Good luck from the parent's board.</p>
<p>The LGBT community is very accepted (and visible) at Skidmore, and you would certainly benefit from the strong music department. Maybe you can pay a visit.....</p>
<p>Corranged; you may already have done he following, but for musicians with your level of accomplishment, you would want to:
1. make sure you've sent in a CD to the admissions commitees of your schools as well as one to the heads of the orchestras.
2. Along with your CD, send a separate "music resume" to the heads of the orchestras of your schools, with a cover letter explaining your interest in the school and specifically, performing with them.
3. Make contact by e-mail with the heads of the orchestras of your schools. This is a very important thing to do. Again, let them know how interested you are in playing in their orchestra, and that you would love to be able to audition in person...sometimes, that is done, depending on how much they are looking for your instrument, or how accomplished you are.
(All that I have described was done by my friend's son, who is an accomplished musician who just got into Princeton ED).</p>