<p>If she’s open to the West Coast, have her look at the Claremont Colleges, Occidental, Whitman, Reed, etc.</p>
<p>For someone with a 3.3 GPA, the Claremonts and Reed are all huge reaches. Whitman and Occidental might be more feasible, but they’re by no means matches.</p>
<p>Roman – I know you think she will do best at a “small LAC with a supportive environment”, but since she is open to large schools, she should look at the University of Iowa. They have a top English and writing program with an excellent reputation. They also offer the minor in music she is looking for (they are building a new music building that will open in 2016). U of Iowa can also provide excellent health care if needed. Large schools provide lots of opportunity and the support isn’t absent; it comes from living communities, musical groups, academic departments, clubs, sororities, outdoor programs etc. At U Iowa, the mid 50% for ACT is 22-28 and the mean HS GPA is 3.62.</p>
<p>cs, I included that on her list. I literally wrote every suggestion on here (and CTCL) on a piece of paper and gave it to her. I called her this morning to ask her for an update. She hasn’t responded yet.</p>
<p>I’ll second Earlham. You are buying into the community there - no fraternities/sororities and it is a small school, but many things sound just about right. My experience is that they admit students who they think will benefit (less concerned about scores) and stretch the student to their potential. They have a pretty good record of students being able to go on to grad schools etc. It provides a respected education even if it isn’t as “competitive” to get into. If she is trying to get “out of ohio” though, it really isn’t. Inside the Earlham bubble it is diverse east/west/midwest/international, but Richmond IN is pretty much ohio.</p>
<p>You asked about Cornell - it is probably a step below Earlham academically, but is still a strong LAC. It sounds like some students excel at once course at a time, but others do not. It did seem a little rigid in the rules - setting a max class size means professors are scrambling to teach lots of sections instead of having some time to devote to more creative or interdisciplinary work. Nice people though, friendly atmosphere, and a rather pretty campus if you like the midwest.</p>
<p>Any concern about going from such a restrictive environment to one without restrictions? Seems that might be an issue. At some point a foreign study might be an eye opener, and also give her the confidence she will need to leave college some day and be on her own.</p>
<p>maff, thanks for the feedback about Earlham and Cornell. I’m not worried about her in the least being in a freer environment. She’s not the kind that reckless behavior appeals to if that’s what you mean. </p>
<p>Her little sister I’m worried about. She’s going to go nuts in college. But that’s another five years down the road lol. </p>
<p>By foreign study do you mean study abroad? She has spent time in several different countries both for just leisure travel and in developing countries with her mom (her mom does medical work in villages for about two months every other year). </p>
<p>IMO, she doesn’t lack confidence about being on her own. She just doesn’t have the necessary tool kit to do the whole college searching thing.</p>
<p>I haven’t read all the the responses and all of these may be on her list already, but look at Earlham and Ursinus.</p>
<p>Votes for Muhlenberg and Skidmore.</p>
<p>And amusing to hear someone say Kenyon too “preppy/conservative.”</p>
<p>Arizona State might be a great fit. Go Devils!</p>
<p>Romani, I mentored a young man who was an underachiever. He ended up at Beloit, at my suggestion (his older brother was also my “mentee” and was very happy with my help, thank you very much, so he heeded my advice). The young man ended up maturing while at Beloit, and he transferred to Columbia University after his sophomore year. He just graduated from Columbia (his brother is also a Columbia grad). Underachievers can become achievers …</p>
<p>And then there is my son, who is so very smart … so very unmotivated (good grades, but no motivation in terms of advocating for himself) … proving that I can mentor others, but not my own. 
I am not complaining, just balancing my mentoring bragging with my real-life situation!</p>
<p>I know your friend has taken and will likely retake the ACT, but has she considered the SAT? I’ve heard that Ohio is ACT territory, but at my Southern Ohio HS, the two tests were at least equally common. For me and my sister, the SAT was a much better fit than the ACT.</p>
<p>Look at Centre, Dickinson and Gettysburg</p>
<p>I think St. Olaf would be great for this young violinist. Small and supportive with first rate orchestras.</p>
<p>St. Olaf will not work, as the family is atheist and requires a school without an active religious affiliation or orientation. Lawrence U in Lawrence, WI would be a better choice and has a music conservatory, too.</p>
<p>If this young woman will consider a somewhat larger school, do not rule out Barnard. Her ACT scores are defintnely in range, the school excels in English Lit, creative writing, and it also has joint programs with Juliard and the Manhattan School of Music. And of course privileges at Columbia–including meeting thier guys!–right across the street. </p>
<p>I’ve known both faculty and strudents there and it is a lot more supportive then one might think for a school in New York Cit. The high-powered Type A kid and the warm-and-fuzzy kid both can be – and are – happy there.</p>
<p>Though Olaf is a Lutheran college, an atheist would be quite happy there. Goodness, there’s no religious recruitment occurring.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I’m not ignoring this thread. She’s been at a writing camp for two weeks and I’ve been moving for the last few days so things have been hectic.</p>
<p>She personally doesn’t have a problem with religion, but I’m not sure what mom will and will not pay for with regards to religious colleges. Her mom bitterly hates Catholicism but I’m not sure about those loosely tied to other Christian churches. I’ll see them in mid August so I could prod a bit then. </p>
<p>According to her dad, she’s really liking colleges that have a very loose or non existent core curriculum. She went to Montessori schools until high school and thrived there.</p>
<p>A selection of no core look to at, some more reachy than others</p>
<p>Antioch (OH)
Bard (NY)
Beloit (WI)
Bennington (VT)
Colgate (NY)
Evergreen State (OR)
Hamilton (NY)
Hampshire (MA)
Marlboro College (MA)
Moravian ¶, Add Venture program
New College of Florida
Pitzer (CA)
University of Redlands (CA), Johnson Center
Univ of Rochester, (NY), some cluster req’s
Sarah Lawrence (NY)
Smith (MA)
Vassar (NY)
Whitman (WA)</p>
<p>Awesome list, Brown! Thanks!!</p>
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<p>While I thought about recommending Barnard as it’s a great LAC, I had some concerns because Columbia does have a bit of a competitive pre-professional campus culture and I’ve known several “warm & fuzzy kids” who transferred out of Columbia/Barnard because that culture didn’t agree with them. </p>
<p>While Barnard doesn’t have as much of that campus culture, the closeness to Columbia does mean some of that culture rubs off on Barnard students. </p>
<p>That’s not to say it’s impossible…but it will be somewhat serious adjustment for someone who comes from a more radical-lefty/hippie-ish family…especially when dealing with students on the Columbia side. </p>
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<p>Considering what I know about Columbia undergrad political demographics from friends who are grad students/faculty there and from my own observations from frequent ongoing visits to the campus, there may be some issues with political/social compatibility.</p>
<p>While there are a small co-hort of radical progressive-lefties you’d find at schools like Oberlin, Antioch, or Reed, it’s also more than counterbalanced by a much larger critical mass of center-right leaning apolitical students along with a large loud minority of right-leaning libertarians(i.e. Ayn Rand fans, Ron Paulites, etc). </p>
<p>If I’m reading the vibe of OP’s description of the D and her family correctly, it’s likely she may have the same reaction of the undergrad student body/campus culture as most college classmates from my year or earlier who went to Columbia for grad school…that it’s “too conservative/politically apathetic/pre-professional”. </p>
<p>It’s one reason why I have to stifle ROTFLOLs when I see many extreme right-wing/right-leaning libertarian pundits decry Columbia as a “radical lefty institution”. </p>
<p>Sorry, but Columbia’s no Reed, Oberlin, Antioch, Evergreen State or other schools with much more cred in that area.</p>