Hi everyone,
I’m a junior trying to put together a college list. I’ve done several online questionnaires that match you with schools based on your criteria, but I haven’t found them to be much help… probably because my criteria is a little vague and I don’t want to rule out schools based on things like size and location.
Here’s what I’d like:
Intellectually curious student body
Minimal greek life, if any
Moderate political climate
Not in the middle of nowhere, but opportunities to do things outdoors
East coast preferred (and not too far north… no six month winters!)
So far I’m considering William and Mary, Kenyon, UVA (in state), Middlebury, and Davidson.
For reference, I have a 3.95 gpa (unweighted) and 2150 sat, IB diploma candidate.
This online article can be useful for generating ideas: “The 25 Most Literary Colleges in America” / Flavowire. Though the descriptions focus on these colleges’ writing programs, most of the schools discussed have excellent English departments in general.
Swarthmore and Haverford (and Bryn Mawr too, if you are female) might suit you very well. These schools are fairly small and therefore have somewhat limited choices for classes if you look at the specific schools–but because there is cross-registration at the three campuses, the limits aren’t especially relevant.
If you’re interested in exploring a much larger school very near by, check out UPenn. (You could visit Swat, Haverford, B-M, and Penn easily on one trip.) Penn does have a fairly active Greek scene and you might not want something quite as urban, but the school has a great English faculty and a whole lot of choices for classes. What really makes UPenn special for English students, though, is Kelly Writers House! Google it. KWH even recruits high school writers, just like football teams do for sports stars (although I suspect without nearly as much sway in admissions decisions).
Emory fits pretty well on your list as well. My son visited English classes at William and Mary as well as Davidson this fall and felt that Emory had a similar feel in class. (The “feel” was an intellectual and also friendly/open attitude both in the classroom and in the halls outside.)
NYU also has a great English program, too–but it is really, really in the middle of the hustle and bustle of NY. If that is right for you, it might be a great option.
These articles – under the same premise that strong writing programs are likely to be found within strong English departments – could also help you find schools to research further:
“The 10 Best American Colleges for Writers” / USA Today
“The 10 Best Colleges for Creative Writers” / The Freelancer
I’m surprised that Hamilton hasn’t been mentioned! (To be fair, it’s one one of those list provided in the articles above). It’s known for its excellent English program, and puts a heavy emphasis on writing in all aspects. East coast, not too sure about the winters but all’s good!
Sarah Lawrence and Vassar might fit your criteria, and Connecticut College depending on whether or not you consider Groton/New London the middle of nowhere.
USA Today has a top 10 English major list. Georgetown and College of the Holy Cross are on it and would meet your criteria of East Coast and minimal Greek life and not in the middle of nowhere
OP, also look into Oxford College of Emory if you plan on researching Emory. When I went there, I regularly mountain biked, kayaked, and hiked in the miles of trails that surrounded the school.
I studied English at Williams and loved it. No greek life at all. Politically moderate. Fantastic (and popular) English department. It’s very rural, but if Midd is on your list, then hey.