<p>K cool. Well I was admitted in 2012, I’m a white female from a high school that hasn’t sent a student to Brandeis in recent memory, and I applied, horror of horrors, as a history major. I’m just saying it’s not an impossible reach.</p>
<p>I am thinking that the OP’s friend has unique writing (English)accomplishments that could be valued by the reach schools and by schools such as Hamilton and Bard (strong writing). Many of these schools also value a steadily improving GPA and her fall GPA of senior year may be her best yet. Also, my S2 took the ACT in October of senior year and had a huge improvement in his scores so it can be done. She needs to study this summer and take a test some time in the fall. Her scores may jump right into the range of her favorite choice school. </p>
<p>The colleges which I suggested also have strong music programs. I think if she is a talented violinist, she would be valued as a needed addition for these schools to continue with an excellent orchestral program. Many of these schools we visited want to grow and improve their music programs and would listen to arts supplement recordings and advocate to admissions. </p>
<p>So I guess I am an optimist - to at least consider and hopefully visit some of the schools I mentioned (not just the reaches) because I think one of these or another school with similar attributes could be where she fits best.</p>
<p>I did explain to her the concept of a reach, match, and safety. She seemed to get these and understand where she fell due to her GPA. The town that she lives in in Ohio also houses a university so many of her friends are professors’ or faculties’ kids so she’s picked up on what a lot of these terms mean just through conversations about applications and whatnot.</p>
<p>How about DePauw (IN)? It’s a really good school, and they have a strong music department. It was on my D’s list of favorites. (BTW, my D also did not like Kenyon - she wasn’t sure why, either - just didn’t. She liked Denison, though, which is near Columbus.)</p>
<p>Maybe Christopher Newport University, a public LAC in Virginia.</p>
<p>I second the suggestion of looking at the 3.0-3.3 parent threads. You’ll get many great ideas, and the 2013 list has all acceptances and decisions for the group. It’s a lengthy list - there are great schools for these talented kids.</p>
<p>Thanks, mamaduck. I missed that suggestion and completely forgot all about it. I’ll take a look at it when I have a bigger block of time =)</p>
<p>DePauw is a great school, but the students are very conservative as a whole. The students are more conservative politically than the teachers, it is a huge party school (work hard/play hard) and Greek Life is huge. If she found Lawrence too preppy she would run screaming from DePauw. Still, I recommend it to a lot of students. Excellent for journalism and a truly amazing radio station.</p>
<p>I will third Depauw University in Indiana. Great LAC. Popular school of music. They are in an upswing as well, new facilities, great administration, new programs coming. I would not characterize Depauw as conservative at all. Quite the opposite in my perspective. I agree that if she did not like Kenyon, she may love Depauw. The one unusual thing that DPU has is an almost erie undying loyalty from alumni. Says something…</p>
<p>-a non DPU alum</p>
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<p>Keep in mind that DePauw campus culture is much more conservative than Kenyon. And Kenyon is more conservative than many of the colleges OP is looking into. </p>
<p>If I recall correctly, former Vice-President Dan Quayle was an alum of DePauw. This fact alone would be enough to discourage most HS classmates…even some conservatives from applying there. </p>
<p>Most Oberlin classmates who were also applied to Kenyon turned down admission to Kenyon because they felt the campus culture was “too conservative/preppy” for them.</p>
<p>CNU is a very conservative place and I believe you’re required to live on campus all 4 years. There music program is only so/so but they are trying to grow it.</p>
<p>I know a handful of people at DePaul and yes, it’s conservative. Her parents are extremely liberal and so is she. She’s not outspoken about it nor does she particularly care about politics but she has very little patience for conservatives. Unfortunate but true. She just hasn’t been exposed to many outside opinions but I don’t think going to a conservative school would be good for her. Moderate is fine.</p>
<p>Romanigypsyeyes, did you mean DePauw (Indiana) rather than DePaul (Chicago) in your last post?</p>
<p>My concern is will this controlling mother actually loosen the apron strings and LET HER leave/go away???</p>
<p>Rig, i meant DePauw. Sorry about that :(.
Tempe, yes. In fact, her mom WANTS her to go away.</p>
<p>The reason I recommended a test optional school (Mount Holyoke) is because they weigh other parts of the application more strongly. Submitting a good score, of course, will help you qualify for merit aid there and at other schools like it, but for kids who don’t have top scores (don’t know anything much about the ACT, but I don’t think 28 is a top score), the scores won’t count against them in admissions.</p>
<p>Has she compiled a list yet from the recommendations made?</p>
<p>She hasn’t been able to research any of them yet because she just got back from vacation (and thus back to the internet) yesterday. I’ll give her a few days and then ask her for an update :)</p>
<p>We HAVE to know! Keep us posted.</p>
<p>Maybe I missed it but will she be able to visit any of these schools?</p>
<p>Yes. They are going on a vacation at the end of July and the beginning of August around the east coast, through Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, etc and coming back up through the UP in Michigan (if you can imagine that path in your head). Along the way, they’re visiting any schools that she wants in that area. </p>
<p>Ones on the west coast would be more difficult but if she wanted to go, I’m sure she would be able to at some point during the school year. </p>
<p>Again, though it’s hard to explain, her mom is very controlling about certain aspects of her life but she is very committed to making sure her daughter has a good education wherever she wants to go.</p>