<p>Actually, I think a lot of top LACs do not REQUIRE a senior project, but do offer and encourage the option.</p>
<p>Thatās exactly right, shennie. Most good liberal arts college do not require a senior year thesis project. In fact, a friend of mine at one highly ranked liberal arts college wanted to write a senior thesis, but was unable to do so because the faculty did not like her proposal. At colleges like Reed, Wooster, New College of Florida, Allegheny, thatās not the case; a student is not discouraged from writing a senior thesis.</p>
<p>mnrmom, what did you decide?</p>
<p>College of wooster is a hidden gem. Buried lower in national lac at 71 I think but it is first class. There is a Jr. And sr. IS requirement but you have an advisor and great input. People forget about this school so it attracts less stellar students than kenyon just about 1 1/2 hour away. But it is highly comparable, cousin is a Jr be entered with a 24 act, 3.7 gpa and out of the 45,000 cost received a 29,000 financial aid heavy with merit.</p>
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<p>I donāt put a lot of stock in rankings. Still, I have no idea why the College of Wooster is ranked so low in US News. In my estimation, itās easily a Top 50 liberal arts college. Now that theyāve become a bit more selective in admissions (from 70% to 59%), I think theyāll shoot up a few placesāperhaps to the 50s or 60s. Besides many of the colleges in Loren Popeās College That Change Lives are ranked rather low. Most of them truly are true hidden gems. </p>
<p>Thatās a very nice merit award, mspearl. For some students, itās cheaper to go to a liberal arts college than a state university. Whatās more is that you get a fantastic education and a completely different college experience at a liberal arts college versus a state university. Itās not for everyone, but I know many who are in total bliss at these small colleges.</p>
<p>(As an aside, Wooster wants to be seen in the same light as Kenyon. Itās not quite there in terms of prestige, though I think the academics are more comparable than some folks let on.)</p>
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<p>Jaelei: that is exactly why my cousin ended up at wooster! It was cheaper to attend than all the other schools her applied to! Especially a certain public university that gave him nothing. And I apologize his act was a 26, not a 24. </p>
<p>Wooster is in a beautiful area in Ohio. I live 18 miles south and there are large rolling hillsā¦bucolic. many compare our area to new England. We also have the largest population of Amish in the world. It is nothing unusual to see Amish buggies in wooster. I just canāt say enough good,about,it. I guess I am very prejudiced but I really honestly believe it is as good as kenyon and oberlin. I would love my D to go there. She will apply and she might need,to get realistic because their aide is good. I feel like I should try to keep this a secret. Lol.,I donāt want too much competiion for her.;)</p>
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<p>Thinking backā¦my momās Jr thesis was on urban legends and her Sr. IS was on the rise of religious evangelicals/fundamentalists. I was 12 when she graduated from wooster with degree in history. Everyone cried as my mom was 32 and had steadily worked her way through school while working full time at the college and having me. She was able to attend free as an employee. I remember being introduced to womenās studies in 2nd grade. Lol. And telling my Mennonite teacher she was sexist! Ahā¦memories. but Yes, awesome school in my very biased opinion!</p>
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<p>I donāt know anyone who went to Bennington. From what Iāve read, itās a Sarah Lawrence type school, very artsy, progressive, non traditional. I know a lot of kids who went to Skidmore and, it too, seems to be of the artsy ilk but not as much and with a strong strain of academics. I can vouch for the charming town of Saratoga Springs. A gem of town in northern NY. I think it is the strongest academically of this quartet.</p>
<p>I have close friends and know many kids who went to Allegheny, and have gotten a good report about that school. If it were just a bit further east, it would have been on our list. I havenāt met a person there whom I dislike and they all seem to be very well educated. Iāve only known a few kids who have gone to Wooster, but have also heard a lot of good things about that school. Sounds like a good strong LAC and a nice place to do college. </p>
<p>I know that Allegheny gives out some merit awards. Seems like a lot of kids got them. No idea how they are about financial aid.</p>
<p>Skidmore also has a strong business program. Itās odd that way: arty and then some very focused business folks. It has some strong merit awards in music.</p>
<p>There is very little difference between Skidmore and Wooster in terms of academics. In fact Iād probably give a slight edge to Wooster, in part because of the independent study program, which is highly regarded. </p>
<p>As I said, folks donāt seem to know much about Wooster. And it appeals to certain kinds of students. Skidmore is actually larger too at about 2,500 students. Thatās a sizable difference, especially for students who want a slightly larger college. Wooster has an enrollment of about 1,800 students, I believe, though they may be expanding. </p>
<p>mspearl, thatās exactly why I like Wooster. Allegheny, too. And Reed. Students need to look beyond so called āeliteā liberal arts colleges, they need to ditch the rankings, and they also need to get over their regionalism. Ohio is a nice state. Wooster isnāt New York City, but as you said, itās bucolic and charming. I could easily spend four years there.</p>
<p>For anyone interested in learning more about I.S. at Wooster, see [Independent</a> Study - College of Wooster](<a href=āhttp://www.wooster.edu/Independent-Study]Independentā>Independent Study - The College of Wooster The College of Wooster). Every senior develops his or her own project and can apply for funds to do research. Some students have received funding to conduct research in Spain, Australia, and other countries. Cool stuff, if you ask me. </p>
<p>For more on Alleghenyās senior capstone, see [Senior</a> Project Academics | Allegheny College - Meadville, PA](<a href=āhttp://sites.allegheny.edu/academics/senior-project/]Seniorā>Senior Project | Academics | Allegheny College). </p>
<p>Allegheny is not as rich as Wooster or Skidmore, which is something to consider. Allegheny and Wooster are peer institutions, but I think Wooster is better academically.</p>