Hi thanks for your suggestions; I have schools in the UK that will almost definitely want me, which includes King’s College London, Manchester, Bristol etc. I am also probably applying for Oxford:)
So at the moment I’ve decided on:
Tufts (a maybe), Rice (maybe the music school), Brown (if I have the time to write the supplements properly), NYU-CAS;
Barnard, MHC, Vassar, Scripps, Smith, Amherst, Haverford, Middlebury, Colby, Oberlin, Grinnell.
UK Reach school: Oxford University for music
Safety schools are in the UK(Bristol, Manchester, King’s College London, Royal Holloway London), HongKong (HKU) and Canada (Univ of Toronto!) ~!
Any thoughts on this updated version and suggestions?
Yes I have always been to private boarding schools money is not a problem and FA isn’t necessary for me. Thanks for asking that!
@AliciaSmith Given your passion for music, I would swap Colby for Williams. Both are rural and have competitive admissions, but Williams has a stronger music program. Every student is entitled to free lessons regardless of major. From our visits and research, Williams has a quirkier vibe and is more diverse than Colby. Here’s the link to the Williams music department page: https://music.williams.edu/
Also, Williams, like Amherst, only has one round of ED leaving more room for RD while Colby has ED1 and ED2 leaving less room for RD applicants.
Thanks a lot, but wouldn’t you think Williams would be too much of a reach for me?
Colby has no supplemental essay nor application fee; so is Amherst, like they ask for a school research paper for supplement so that’s not a lot of work; I am not sure about Williams I know it would be a good fit but in terms of academics?
I’m also looking at women’s colleges and have a huge interest in music so here are my recommendations:
- Barnard (was at one point my dream school, excellent in almost every way)
- NYU (I'd recommend looking at NYU Steinhardt if wanting to study music)
- Goldsmiths University of London (good music, good safety school)
- Royal Holloway (good access to city while still being far enough to be in the quiet)
- Scripps (BEAUTIFUL campus and one of the 5Cs)
- Mount Holyoke (don't know too much other than it's a nice school)
- Bryn Mawr (email the international rep and explain that you can't take the SAT, they might be understanding)
- Wellesley (truly an amazing school)
- Wesleyan (good arts and academics, it's in Connecticut, not a women's school, but it has an amazing community and beautiful location)
- Brown (obviously a reach school, but stunning location, I have a friend who goes there and adores it)
- Reed College (it's in Portland, Oregon, top LAC, STUNNING location, good arts programs and good academics)
- Vassar (formerly an all women's school, good arts programs, it's in NY state, not too far from the city, but also still remote)
- Sarah Lawrence (right outside the city, good arts as well, good LAC)
- Amherst (probably a reach, but a phenomenal school)
- University of Newcastle (Newcastle is just really beautiful, but I don't know too much about their programs)
- University of Glasgow (my brother goes there and LOVES it, STUNNING campus, all around a very good school)
- Bowdoin (good LAC, stunning location in Maine)
- Bennington (it's in Vermont, good LAC, good arts and humanities)
- Syracuse ( very good music, it's in upstate NY, larger school with lots of pride)
If you’re looking for a place that’s quiet and peaceful, I would not recommend EDing to Barnard. If you do want to be in the city, then definitely do, but it sounds like you’d prefer a more remote setting. I would recommend not EDing anywhere, but if you can do early action at any school, that would probably be smart.
No one has asked this, so I will: Why are you interested in coming to the US for university? With your history of depression, it might make more sense to stay in England, where you will have better access to care and where the people who love you can bring you home quickly, if needed.
College health services will not be good for long-term therapy. If you were my child, I’d be concerned about this.
My daughter, a Wellesley grad, also has depression and anxiety, and when she wanted to spend her junior year in France, we had her line up her therapist (she picked one in the UK via Skype) as well as all of her medications before we agreed to let her go. If you are serious about studying in the US, you should make sure you have a therapist and a way to get your prescriptions as soon as you know which school you will attend. Don’t wait for a crisis to sort this stuff out.
As far as schools go, Mount Holyoke sounds ideal for you. It’s rural, but with access to a small town, liberal, and test optional. But whichever school you choose, make sure your health care is all set up before you set foot on campus!
Thank you for your very warm note! I have left home (China) since the age of 13 to study in the UK/Canada very briefly. Tbh, my parents and a very strict, conservative boarding school plus identity struggle (British judgements, I went to a white, posh and rural school, which was ranked 2nd in the country but the new headmistress was such a spoiler and we went like a ‘downward spiral’. Only the white parents were taken into account) and a series of complex issues led to my depression. I am extremely independent. I seeked for help everywhere when I know I was sick and wanted to die, I am also less vulnerable than most people of my age in my pov.
As for my parents, I just want to be independent as there’s a big ideology gap between us. My mother still tries to educate me “marrying well is the priority,” and my father, a university professor and expert in his field, physically abused me when I ‘came out’ as an LGBT. They love me, but we need to keep a distance. I will be responsible for them as they sent me away for a good deed, but in the end I know it is my life. Europe and the conservative, condescending British upper-class that I have encountered, made me want to go somewhere ‘Liberal’ and full of opportunities to accept myself better, in which I haven’t fully yet.
I want to be in a culturally more diverse place, along with more progressive style of learning. In the UK, everything is so ‘academic’ in the sense that when you get trained in Oxbridge, for example, you don’t possess the real abilities to deal with the actual workplace/hands-on skills. You will be prepared to do research, work as a scholar, in which I also have interest in, but this may not apply in 3 years. I looked at the course structures, and felt that the rigour of courses in Oxford and Wellesley (I am a musicologist and musician) are compatible, but in terms of connections and applications to the real society, Wellesley is much better. This is why I want to apply despite the school vibe may be over competitive for me, as the course setting is just what I am looking for. For Mount Holyoke, yes the school is good, but I looked at a few course settings. Even some junior courses for music and certain languages are “lack of depth,” and I might have to take courses in other colleges. Yet, it will probably be less convenient; so despite my grades are slippery I do think I have the depth in thinking that will allow me to thrive in top-uni-learning 
My parents considered my depression as a shame of the family, they only picked me up when I fainted in school due to panic attack. I really didn’t want them to come to the UK cause I know with them things will just be worse. They’re trying to persuade me to stop taking anti-depressants right now as I gained 40 pounds from taking them and no longer slim. My mother has insulted me with very nasty words, so " people who love you can bring you home quickly, if needed" will not apply, I want to be strong enough that one day when I get into difficult situations like this, I won’t have to rely on them. I also want to make lots of money (yeah I mean in UK you can’t change your major but US you can, and doing music will just allow me to live) so I can afford expensive nursing homes when they need one day, paying back the education and money they’ve offered me. They have worked hard for this, and I don’t want to be an unappreciative ■■■■■■■■; without them I cannot talk here and think like this…
As a note of caution, I’d encourage you to use your discretion regarding anecdote, @AliciaSmith. Some of the colleges suggested on your thread report lower 4-year graduation rates (a strong indicator of student satisfaction), for example, than the superb colleges that have been criticized.
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/highest-grad-rate
I think the Smith/Mount Holyoke/Amherst area might be exactly what you are seeking. I’m not actually hearing things that make me think all girls school from you. I am hearing you want a very liberal school in a very liberal area. I actually think you would like UMASS the best of those schools if you ended up in a learning community because some of what you are looking for is going to require a larger school. Perhaps you can trick your parents into thinking UMASS Amherst IS Amherst? I feel confident you will find your people there. The thing is its somewhat rural (Hartford and Boston are only a couple hours away) so I worry a bit about the access to mental healthcare.
Maybe for better weather and equally LGBT friendly there is something equal in New Orleans or California that has enough of a name your parents will bite. I am not familiar enough with either area to give you good suggestions though.
Thank you for your comments. I doubt if a sensible adult will let me trick my parents to let them mistaken UMass A for Amherst; plus I’m unwilling to go to such a school with a low ranking due to other considerations.
I’m not sure what Universities are there in New Orleans that you’re suggesting?..
I think women’s college is different from girls schools and it’s the gender discrimination that I’ve also been brought up with that makes me realise maybe women’s college can help me understand the barriers that females have to face in the current society.
Thanks?
U.S. News assigns “selectivity ranks” to colleges, which differ somewhat from general ranks. In context, these ranks may help you determine which colleges may be of appropriate selectivity:
Selectivity Ranks for National Liberal Arts Colleges
- Pomona
- Harvey Mudd
- Haverford
- Amherst
- Hamilton
- Swarthmore
- Williams
- Barnard
- Bowdoin
- Washington & Lee
- Wellesley
- Colorado College
- Smith
- Vassar
- Carleton
- Colby
- Colgate
- Davidson
- Claremont McKenna
- Grinnell
- Middlebury
- Wesleyan
- Bates
- Bryn Mawr
- Macalester
- Scripps
- Franklin & Marshall
- Denison
- Kenyon
- Mount Holyoke
- URichmond
- Oberlin
- Union
You will note that if Williams might represent too high of a reach for you, then Amherst may as well, for example.
Thank you, but I intend to apply for some of the higher school with less supplemental work just to see what happens, I have saved enough money to support as many applications as I would like to; as my predicted grades turned out better than I have expected, plus the extenuating circumstances, and I probably have one of the most challenging courses chosen for my ib, as well as I play in the national youth orchestra.
That post was intended mostly to help you sort your tentative choices, @AliciaSmith. I recommend you apply to any school that you like and for which you have reason to believe you are qualified.
Hamilton resides within 10 miles of a city of over 60,000 people, and its area has been categorized as suburban in publications such as Newsweek. More importantly, Hamilton’s surrounding town of Kirkland was recently ranked as the 6th safest small town (population 5,000 to 15,000) in the country, with no recorded violent crime. For this latter reason, especially, I would not deter the OP from researching Hamilton further. As an additional aspect to consider, Hamilton places within the top 1% of all U.S. colleges by percentage of alumni giving (so, 50% greater than, say, Yale and Vassar, for comparison), an indicator of student satisfaction.
The above noted, I like some of the women’s colleges (e.g., Smith) for you, @AliciaSmith, in that they seem to fit your personality and interests as you have described them.
As part of your additional research, you may want to consider this Princeton Review survey-based ranking: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=lgbtq-friendly.
It’s a great list. Go with it.
I got my offers from almost all the UK unis, including an interview invitation (it is selective and academic) for Oxford to read music!!!
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