Hi. I am currently a senior in high school and I am currently deciding which schools to apply to. My first choice, and I am applying binding enrollment, is Minerva Schools at KGI, and if I don’t get in, other possibilities that I have thought of are Leiden University College The Hague and Sciences Po’s dual BA programs.
I am very interested in the social sciences, and I am very interested in degrees such as international studies, anthropology, psychology, foreign language, geography, and sustainability studies. Traveling is something that I love, and that is why I am especially interested in Minerva and international schools.
Because I am a dual German citizen, some schools in Europe such as Leiden offer me reduced tuition, another incentive to go to school in Europe
If anyone has any college/university suggestions or know of any degrees that seem to match my interests, it would be greatly appreciated.
May I ask how much research you’ve done on Minerva? I am fascinated by the concept but I find it really difficult to form an opinion because they publish so little data.
Their basic premise is that all education happens online. There’s no classrooms or libraries, and students physically move to a different city each semester. That might be exciting at first, but I’d also worry that it might be stressful and lonely to start over with no friends every single semester.
At a minimum, I would ask them the following questions:
- What are their retention and graduation rates? (Low rates are a cause for concern. Why are their students leaving? I'd worry that the online-only, move-every-single-semester model doesn't work for many students.)
- How many students major in the subject you're interested in? How many courses are offered in your intended major each semester? (Best as I can tell, Minerva is a tiny school. If there's only 1 or 2 advanced classes in your major each semester, you won't get a choice about which classes to take.) Ask if you can see the course list for a single semester. Their website has a list of courses that have ever been taught, but that's hugely misleading. Many of these courses may never be taught again.
- What are their job placement rates? What percentage of graduates have a full-time job within 6 months of graduation, and what's their average income? (Most universities keep tabs on this number. If the university does not survey its graduates, or if they are unwilling to share the results, that's a huge cause for concern.)
I appreciate your reply and concern about Minerva. Luckily, I have been interested in Minerva since I was a freshman in high school. The reason why they have so little data is because their first graduating class just graduated a few months ago. Even though this is a very new university and the traveling is intense, that is what I find exciting about it. Also, when students move to a new city, they travel as a cohort, so I would not have to find different friends. I’m applying to Minerva binding enrollment, and I am sure of my decision, but I’m hoping to know if there are other recommended colleges or degree programs that match my interests in case I don’t get into Minerva.
You are a dual citizen with German citizenship. What is your other citizenship? If US, then are you a resident of a state in the US (and if so which one)? Are you fluent in German?
Do you know your budget?
What is your GPA? Do you have test scores?
I am a US citizen and I live in New York State, however I don’t have any knowledge of German, although I do know a decent amount French. My budget for schools is about $30,000 per year, all costs including tuition.
I currently have about a 95 unweighted and a 98 weighted, and I have received a 1490 on my SAT.
“US citizen and I live in New York State”
“budget for schools is about $30,000 per year”
The obvious thing that comes to mind is checking out the “study abroad” options at the various SUNY schools.
Your interests and stats are very similar to my daughter’s. She is a US/EU/Canada citizen. She decided against Minerva and the Columbia/Sciences PO programs because of the cost but she is applying to Leiden University College, University College Utrecht, McGill, Queen’s University in Canada (which has a rigorous study abroad program and is on the Common app), and UBC. She also considered the following which may be of interest to you: Trinity College Dublin, Columbia/Trinity dual BAs, UBC/Sciences PO double major. You can also apply to Sciences PO independent of a double major - tuition is very reasonable.
You could add Sciences Po Nancy (direct admission and/or dual degree with UCL); Dickinson college in the US; SUNY Geneseo, Binghamton, and Albany, with application to the Honors College (apply quickly as priority deadlines may be near or even have passed!!!)