<p>As any other student on CC, I am also interested in applying to top colleges.
Now, I have done some college search, and I have some schools selected on my list, but I still feel like I might need more options... So I thought, where better to look for help than here! :D
I have interests in many different areas and whenever I tell people what all I am interested in, I get weird looks because of how different they are.
I am interested in
- Visual Arts, particularly Photography, Graphic Design, Film (movie making) and Computer Graphics.
- I was always good with numbers (or so I like to think...) and I really like Physics and I want my future college to have good Math department as well.
- Psychology has always interested me and I love knowing about human behavior etc.
- This year I am studying Philosophy and it fascinates me.</p>
<p>Yep, you've probably guessed - I am "the Undecided"!</p>
<p>I am a student from Europe, so a great international financial aid is very important factor as my parents won't be able to contribute to the cost.
I want to attend a school with rigorous academics with accessible teachers where there is a big focus on undergraduate studies.
And I would like it to have good departments in the areas of my interests.
Does anyone know if there are any schools like this? :(</p>
<p>Thanks! :D
Yale's been my first choice for a while, and now that you've also listed it, I feel somewhat more confident that I am doing a good search.
I just hope I'll get in!!!</p>
<p>I'll throw in a word for my school, Wesleyan U. Great visual arts, one of the best film departments you'll find in a liberal arts setting,* very strong sciences and psych. (I know less about how our philosphy and math departments compare to other school, but I know people who are happy in both departments). </p>
<p>Plus, we're a LAC (since our grad program s are TINY), so teachers are really focued on undergrads.</p>
<p>*Though it is a seperate major than visual arts and has a lot of academic focus, which may actually be a downside since you want to do so many things. Still, check it out!</p>
<p>You might also want to check out Vassar and Oberlin. And I think Williams is storng in the visual arts too. And maybe Tufts, which has som sort of joint program with a nearby arts school (Boston Musame School or somehting like that), if you're interested in that.</p>
<p>Weleyan U., you say? I just looked it up on Princeton Review and I am wondering how it didn't come to my attention sooner :/ Do you know if it offers good financial aid for international students?</p>
<p>I used to consider Vassar, but after reading student reviews and such, I figured I wouldn't fit in there. Also, didn't really like the described atmosphere of Tufts on several places.</p>
<p>I looked up Welseyan and Oberlin and I must say I like it on the first glance. I will request info from them and see how I'll think then :)</p>
<p>In the meanwhile, I would like to know things from students' point of view, so could you answer me couple of things about Wesleyan U? (if I am not asking too much, that is...)
If it's yes :), then:
1. What other schools did you apply to/got accepted, and why didyou choose Wesleyan over them?
2. What year are you in?
3. What would be the most important thing you've learned so far? (it could be both in and out of classroom)
4. How do you feel about your professors?
5. What is the thing you like the most about it?
6. What kind of person should and is attending Wesleyan?</p>
<p>Thank you for putting these schools into my attention and I am sorry if I am asking too many questions!</p>
<p>boho, being undecided is pretty much a hallmark of an American liberal arts education. You get exposed to a lot of different disciplines and are expected to experiment and push your boundaries. </p>
<p>Many U.S. colleges have strong science and math departments. A few are known for their support for internationals, but be aware that not all internationals are created equal as preference goes to developing and/or non-white non-Christian countries. </p>
<p>Art departments are variable. Many good departments are really traditionally based with emphasis on painting, sculpture, drawing and less so on photography, film and print making. </p>
<p>For new media and digital media you're better off at an art school, but then you're not going to get the math and science, unless you go for a combination program like Tufts/Boston MFA or Brown/RISD. These programs have their own sets of complications, so be sure to review carefully.</p>
<p>So...it's a tradeoff. Do your research and decide what's most important.</p>
<p>My list would include Williams, Weselyan, Hamilton, Skidmore, Vassar, Kenyon, Conn College, Brown, Yale. If you are female, Smith. Be aware that Yale is insanely competitive for everyone and even moreso for internationals.</p>
<p>Many of the schools mentioned above such as Weselyan, Williams at. al. have strong science and good fine arts programs but not necessarily good photrography or digital design programs. My daughter is majoring in digital design and is also somewhat math oriented. Here are some suggestions that she considered:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>BROWN /RISD These schools have a joint program. You would get a BA from Brown and a BFA from RISD. There are two dowsides. First, you must be independently admitted to both schools,which is easier said then done. Secondly RISD is more graphic design and not as digitally oriented as some of the schools mentioned below, at least for undergraduate studies.</p></li>
<li><p>RIT. This would be a good choice for both digital (new media design and photography,which is considered one of the best in the US). Being an engineering school, they also have very decent science offerings.</p></li>
<li><p>University of Cincinnati: Being a large school with a decent engineering program, this would meet your science needs. They also have the only undergraduate digital design program in the US with their school of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning,which is a top rates school for design. Cincinnati is also the only one of the bunch that has an integrated coop program as part of their curriculum. This provides 1.5 years of paid experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Tufts/ Museum School of Boston. Tufts has a joint program with the Museum school where you would get a Tufts degree. The catch is that you must be admitted to both. In addition, the Museum School isn't deemed to be as strong in art and digital subjects as those mentioned above. </p></li>
<li><p>Syracuse University has a strong engineering school and very strong transmedia program in their school of Visual Arts. You should check them out.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Boho_girl: I PM’d you the answers to your questions :D</p>
<p>Also, taxguy is right that Wes, at least, does not have particularly strong digital arts (though I know at least one person did a graphic design senior thesis last year). People seem pretty happy with our photo program ,though (not that it’s necessarily at the level of RIT or RISD, I don’t think it is, but it might still satisfy you. As momrath said, it's a trade off).</p>
<p>Bard has a very strong photography program (might not be current, but H is a photographer and insists all photography programs now have a digital component) and is really recruiting science students. </p>
<p>Cornell maybe. It's helpful if you know what you'll major in. BFA programs start freshman yr with an intensive foundation yr - it's not possible to switch your major to art in yr 3. If not majoring in art, make sure the school lets you take GD and photo classes. Some schools limit those classes to majors only.</p>
<p>Oh, thank you everybody so much! :)
Weskid, thank you for PM! Really helpful!
Momrath, being undecided is exactly why I want to go to US colleges! :)
Taxguy, what school does your daughter attend and is she happy with her choice?
Mythmom, thank you for pointing Bard out for me! I checked it out and has majors i am interested in! But I checked it out on Princeton Review and its library and food seem to be awful :( What does H say on that?
Jerzgrlmom, oh, I was also considering Cornell :) I just love how they offer soooooooo many majors. I know there is a strong engineering and architecture program, but I am not sure how strong art is over there. Do you have any information on that?</p>
<p>I will take a look at all those schools, but my main concern is still the financial aid (which comes even bigger issue being an international, and state schools might not be right choice as I've heard they don't give out much financial aid or scholarships to non-residents...) so if they give only a little or don't give fin aid at all to non-residents, all I can do is automatically cross them off of my list regardless of how good their programs are... :(</p>
<p>Also, I looked for Photography major and only a few schools offer them :( and as you have all said, digital section is bigger than photography one. And sadly, Photography is my favorite out of the three arts I named (so now I learned to be happy if that school offered Photography courses at all)</p>
<p>Many of you have mentioned Tufts. But from what I've seen and read on the internet, Tufts students didn't seem so happy with their choice. I heard it's a place where students who didn't get into their first-choice Ivies go for the most part. Any truth in it? Because the people are one of the major deciding factors for me (4 years with people I don't really like or who dislike the school just seem horrid)</p>
<p>And I liked a lot how the atmosphere and the way Swarthmore is (all my sources are from the net, though...). Do you think their programs would fit me? (if at all I have a shot there in the first place and get in by any chance, that is)</p>
<p>Thank you once again, everybody, you're helping me so much! :)</p>
<p>boho_Girl asked,"Taxguy, what school does your daughter attend and is she happy with her choice?"</p>
<p>Response: She is at University of Cincinnati school of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning and LOVES the school. However, my daughter wanted a marching band,which they have, strong digital design,which they have in spades, and a big university where she can take courses such as programming, Hebrew etc. </p>
<p>You might also take a look at Bennington College in Vermont. It is a small but quite good liberal arts school that has strong academics and a very decent offering of digital arts including digital photography. Being a small liberal arts college, you might want to visit it. These types of schools have their pros and cons and are not right for everyone.</p>
Bo, I've eaten meals at two of the top ten schools as ranked on PR's Best Campus Food list. They ain't so special. I've eaten maybe five meals at Bard's cafeteria and a couple at their campus center restaurant. Three of these occasions were last week. My D has no complaints about the food. Sure, it may lack in variety for some after a while but it seemed to have good variety to me. The library says it makes anything available to students that they don't have by borrowing from other libraries. I don't really know what they're lacking other than maybe more study area but then half the time at my state U known for its library system I had to put myself on a waiting list for books or go to another school to find them. PR's list are very suspect. For instance, anyone who truly thinks Sweet Briar has the most beautiful college campus has probably never lived in the country before. Or if they think that Elon belongs in the top ten of that list, then they probably think shopping malls are fine architecture. And they've probably never watched the sun set over the Catskills at Bard. Don't trust everything you read...even here. ;)</p>
<p>Mythmom@ ICP sounds great, I'll have to look if undergrads also have a chance to take advantage of that option
Taxguy@ I see, that's great reason to choose a big school! Also thank you for your suggestion on Bennington, but I really don't want to live in northern New England anymore. Even more so if it means living in a small school (in the middle of nowhere). I didn't mind the coldness of winter, but just the atmosphere among people and all the inactivity during winters :( ...not my cup of tea...
Proud Dad@ Ahaha, I liked how you made your point. Nice! I was also wondering about Sweet Briar since from what I've seen it didn't seem like how it's presented. Thanks, I will keep reminding myself to take everything with the grain of salt ;)</p>