College Searching...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm searching for a college and looking for others' thoughts...
Here are my preferences for a school.</p>

<ol>
<li>Not religious (I know, I know, it shouldn't matter, but I don't have many criteria).</li>
<li>Not in a ridiculously rural middle-of-nowhere place. So like, at least suburban.</li>
<li>I'm really not sure if I want large or small, so I guess either.</li>
<li>Parties are nice, I guess, but I don't want some frightening fraternity mess every weekend.</li>
<li>Liberal school. No Jesus and no Bush please. </li>
<li>Not sure of my major, but no Bio schools or technical institutes or art colleges.</li>
<li>Not completely nameless, but not famous enough to be all worried about its prestige and image.</li>
<li>Not in Portland, because I'd like to travel somewhere new.</li>
<li>Coed, obviously.</li>
<li>My GPA is about 3.7 and my SAT is Reading 720/Math 690/Writing 750 = 2160 and ACT = 32.</li>
<li>I hold office in a couple of little clubs, and was an exchange student. I'd like to be again.</li>
<li>Nothing in the South. Around a coast somewhere would be nice.</li>
</ol>

<p>Also, could someone tell me in more detail what they like/dislike about big/small schools? "Being one of a crowd" or "Being paid attention to" is all I can get out of most websites.</p>

<p>To anyone who responds- Thank you so much for taking the time. I'd love your input.</p>

2

<p>First of all, I’m pretty sure that #7 doesn’t exist. Prestige is for better or worse the coin of the realm in higher education. Every institution I’ve been affiliated with has had a desire to improve its prestige or brand image. The best you can ask for is either a place that doesn’t take it to extremes or a place that can back it up.</p>

<p>Second, I’m a small school fan. My undergraduate was at a small school, my master’s was at a small graduate school that was part of a ginormous university, and my doctorate is at a large regional university. I like a couple of things about small schools:</p>

<p>At least at some small institutions, policies can be flexible. Staff are empowered to use their judgment. A faculty chair can determine that a particular course should satisfy a major requirement for which the course isn’t listed in the catalog, and that’s that. The bursar and financial aid director can and will work with you if you hit financial troubles. One time when I had two courses required for my two majors scheduled at the exact same times, the two professors were great about helping me work out the conflict (I ended up doing basically a DI plus take the exams in one and actually attending the other). There are fewer slaves to bureaucracy, and the student experience is better for it.</p>

<p>Also from a social stand point, I felt better being a part of a small student community where I wouldn’t necessarily know everyone, but everyone was within one or two degrees of separation. Virtually every opportunity is open to everyone. At my alma mater, every fraternity party save the “swaps” were open to the whole campus. There were enough people that I was able to “find my tribe”, but not so many that I would rattle around for four years and possibly never find my niche.</p>

<p>I think my experience academically was typical for small schools - my biggest class was Econ 101 with about 35 people in it. I got to know every professor in my first semester - not the TA, the actual professor (because there are no TAs!). I never lacked for choices, but was never lost in a lecture hall.</p>

<p>I believe in it so much that I came back to work at my alma mater after a few years in industry, so I’m either biased or passionate, your choice. ;-)</p>

<p>In fact, I’d recommend my place, but alas we are squarely in the South. And the students are typically moderate vs. liberal. And we have a large bio major. And we’re affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Other than that we sound perfect for you. ;-)</p>

3

<p>The Eugene Lang New School (New York)… long name, may be “off” by a bit… typically called The New School.
University of Vermont
Hampshire College</p>

4

<p>Do you need financial aid?</p>

5

<p>For the LACs: Swarthmore, Haverford, Pomona, Claremont McKenna and Vassar. If you are willing to drive 30-45 minutes for your urban fix, add Bowdoin.</p>

6

<p>Wesleyan. It’s in a very small city, but, it’s hard to call any place mid-way between New York and Boston “nowhere”:
<a href=“Google Maps”>Google Maps;

7

<p>lynxinsider- O__O You just totally sold me on small schools, wow.
I was kind of thinking about Bates and Whitman, since friends are going there and simply rave about them (and of course they meet my criteria, except Whitman is rural).</p>

<p>krystal987- Why did you pick those? Are you sure they’re not rural? And I wonder how competitive the New School is, and what the reputation is like. </p>

<p>Erin’s Dad- Yes, it’d be nice. If there was some ridiculously awesome school though, I might be able to work it out so I don’t need much.</p>

<p>Wesleyan…is Wesleyan, is it not?</p>

<p>What do you all think of Brown?</p>

8

<p>I assume you are asking if Wesleyan is affiliated with the Wesleyan Methodist church… and the answer is no. </p>

<p>like most of the other schools mentioned in this thread, the school began religiously affiliated, but like these schools, ties to religion were cut a long time ago(in Wesleyan’s case in the 1930’s I believe due to Prof. Atwater declaring alcohol to have nutritional (read: caloric) value, among other disagreements).</p>

<p>in fact, the most common religion on campus today is probably that of the non-practicing Jew (~25%).</p>

<p>most of the other schools named for John Wesley are still part of the Methodist church, but Wesleyan is not one of them.</p>

9

<p>Whitman is right in a very nice town of 30,000–not rural.</p>

10

<p>Brown is a pleasant enough place; open curriculum; has that East Coast architectural feel; a bit reachey for someone with your stats. Providence is right there, but, it really isn’t an overwhelming city – probably comparable to Portland.</p>

11

<p>Occidental? Pepperdine? Some of the Claremont schools?</p>

12

<p>Pepperdine is a little too religious. What’s Occidental like, in terms of social atmosphere, etc.?</p>

13

<p>^^Complete opposites. My understanding is Occidental is sort of the west coast Wesleyan (or, maybe Wes is the east coast Oxy?) Very diverse and left of center.</p>

14

<p>College of William & Mary?</p>

15

<p>Isn’t College of William & Mary Christian? Sounds like it…</p>

16

<p>Pepperdine is DEFINITELY religiously affiliated. Although they do have a beautiful campus. You really REALLY should look at Wesleyan.</p>

17

<p>

</p>

<p>No, the names refer to William of Orange and Mary Queen of England who granted the college’s original charter. Suffice it to say, W&M is one of the oldest colleges in continuous existence the United States.</p>

18

<p>my criteria/stats are really similar to yours and I’m looking at Michigan, GWU, UVA, to name a few… It seem’s like GW would appeal to you from what I gather…I’m hoping to get some more ideas so I’m probably going to keep checking to see what else people suggest to you haha, good luck!</p>

19

<p>If you are willing to give up the coastal criteria, you could include Macalester (in St. Paul Minneapolis)-and urban LAC. If you are willing to go rural but have a city within 30min to an hour, Carleton, in Northfield, is near Minneapolis, Grinnell in Iowa is an hour from Iowa City and Des Moines, and Oberlin is about 40 minutes to Cleveland. They all meet your criteria except coastal and suburban. And Grinnell gives generous merit aid for which you may qualify.</p>