<p>Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure that the admissions office is not judging you on precisely what you read. The idea is to get some sense of whether or not you read outside of class (one being obviously preferable). If you have hundreds to choose from, list the ones you want. I know there’s some sort of character limit in place. And obviously an admissions officer doesn’t want to read through a list of 200 books. Use your better judgment. And Harry Potter is always a fine addition to any book list.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s necessarily about how much you read outside of class- in high school I rarely ever read outside of class because I had no time. Moreso I think it’s to get a sense of what type of person you are and your personality- what kind of books do you read? Are you reading Lauren Conrad’s autobiography or are you reading The Fountainhead, Harry Potter, or a book about medical anthropology? Obviously if you’re reading Lauren Conrad’s autobiography and your list is similar along those lines, it’s going to say something…</p>
<p>And while they’re finished now, 4 of the 5 colleges go to various cities for “Claremont College Receptions” (Pomona is the school that doesn’t…). Those are really helpful I think.</p>
<p>That being said, obviously your entire list doesn’t need to be all the classics. I put down a Dr. Seuss book on my list. I think that didn’t say anything about my reading level (obviously) but it said something moreso of my character.</p>
<p>I really wouldn’t take the book list too seriously, all in all.</p>
<p>I applied to Scripps in 2008 and was waitlisted. Since they overaccepted and had an over acceptance. </p>
<p>However, I am planning to reapply for 2010. My family heard a bad review about campus life. While I plan on reapplying, I still want to have these reveiws put to rest.</p>
<p>I was told that the Scripps girls are treated like second-rate students to all the rest of the colleges on campus, is this true? Or is there equality from all the other college (socially and academically)?</p>
<p>And just some questions of my own:
Since the Claremont theater is in Pomona what is it like auditioning for one of their shows?
Is the smog a “problem”?</p>
<p>My D is a freshman theatre major. I will ask her to repond to you, but I will tell you that she loved her audition experience for two shows this fall. She was called back for both shows and was not cast, but thought that the process was fun, engaging and educational.
I am wondering where you read these reviews of campus life? I read so many reviews by student web sites and learned that some were balanced and some were just a forum for students who were disgruntled. I can tell you from my daughter’s experience and from knowing students who attend some of the other 5 C’s that Scripps woman command much respect. Scripps is very challenging academically and the five colleges all interact very well with one another from what my D has seen and experienced. She is having an amazing first year and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!</p>
<p>I have never experienced a situation in which I was made to feel second-rate because of attending Scripps. While the schools tend to hold, and sometimes perpetuate, stereotypes most of it is in jest and people (students, professors) recognize that prejudice based on college affiliation is ridiculous. We’re all smart, we’re all equal. Of course… some colleges are more equal than others ;)</p>
<p>I don’t have any personal experience with the theater program, but everyone I know who participates in it, LOVES it. It seems like there are a lot of opportunities for those on campus interested in theater, and I’ve never hear anything resembling a bitter or disgruntled comment.</p>
<p>And the smog… I came here pretty biased, because I’m from Oregon, the prettiest, cleanest, overall best state (biased, see?). The only time I seriously thought “wth am i breathing!!!” was last month when we were welcomed back to school by some very large, relatively close wildfires. Normally, it’s there on the horizon but not all that bad. I’ve stopped noticing it. It really isn’t as bad as I was expecting.</p>
<p>makethemoment:
i am a freshman theater major at scripps and i have had SUCH a wonderful experience so far. I am taking classes and getting involved in the student-run theater group, and I auditioned for both shows. Please send me a PM if you have any questions! </p>
<p>Scripps students are not treated like second-rate students at all! Everyone from the 5-Cs knows that everyone who is here is really smart and from my experience everyone is treated equally and Scripps women are regared as being very thoughtful and intelligent. </p>
<p>As for the smog, it is not a problem that I notice because it is so beautiful here!</p>
<p>It surprises and amuses me that so many people in this board seem to think Scrippsies are viewed as second-rate compared to other 5C students. I was never made to feel like I was less intelligent than those at Pomona, Mudd, or CMC. (I even know a few Scripps students who turned down Pomona for Scripps because they received the merit scholarship.) I had a friend in undergrad who was mentored by a Pomona professor and being groomed to be a PhD researcher in her subject, and I developed a strong relationship with a CMC professor who wrote me a letter of recommendation for grad school. So it is definitely possible to develop academic skills throughout the consortium. Occasionally you’ll hear a few jokes about Pitzer from fellow students, but generally everyone intermingles and respects each other from all schools. The few silly stereotypes you hear about a Scrippsie are just silly social stuff (like that they sleep with CMCers and marry Mudders, that kinda thing).</p>
<p>I never had a problem with the air quality (and I have mild asthma), except the fall of my sophomore year back in 2003 when we got very close to being evacuated for forest fires. For a couple of weekends there was ash all over the campus, and most of us were wearing masks over our faces outside. The choir performed Beethoven’s 5th that weekend, which definitely made things, uh, interesting!</p>
<p>As the father of a current Pitzer student I can say that on our visits to the Claremont Colleges I never felt like any of the students at any of the colleges were less than stellar. Let’s face it, a lot of students would love to go to one of the 5C schools, but just don’t get in. It doesn’t matter which college one attends - they are all excellent schools and I would have been perfectly happy if my D has chosen Scripps instead of Pitzer. Pitzer is cited by some as the weak link in the 5C’s, but they turned away four out of every five applicants this past spring. It, and Scripps, are outstanding institutions.</p>
<p>I’m a recent Scripps alum with some extra time on her hands. Like the OP, I used this site a lot back when I was searching for and applying to colleges, and I thought I would chime in. </p>
<p>If anyone has any specific questions about academics or extra-curriculars, here’s a bit about myself: I was a philosophy major, with an almost-minor in French and a generous helping of other random classes along the way. As far as campus life goes, I was active in Challah for Hunger, Family (Scripps’ Queer-Straight alliance), QQAMP (the 5C queer, questioning, and allied mentor program), among others. I worked at a variety of different places, but on-campus, I was a barista at the Motley, a cashier at the Scripps Store, and Jumpstart (a Pitzer-based program in a local Headstart preschool), during different years. I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, which is in the south of France. </p>
<p>In terms of the recent discussion, I definitely did not encounter anything along the lines of being looked down on because I was a Scripps student. There is a fair amount of healthy rivalry between the schools, but I have never seen that get in the way of friendships and coursework across campuses. One of the things that feeds into the rivalry is that while they are fully integrated socially and academically, each of the campuses still has a very strong individual character and feeling. Students are generally very proud to attend their respective school, so we all often do our fair share of joking about the stereotypes associated with the others. It rarely becomes anything more than friendly jokes, and people make friends from all across the 5Cs. Academically, I always found that the caliber of the class depended far more on the professor than the institution. I never had a professor or classmates treat me any differently because I was a Scripps student.</p>
<p>I just want to <em>bump</em> this thread so that it will still appear on the page. </p>
<p>Also, Hi Nickeh! I’m one of the first-years (now sophomore) who lived in your hall last year. :)</p>
<p>This thread was really great to read, thanks for those of you that helped with information! I guess I want to keep all of my questions until I know about whether I got accepted early decision. One more week!</p>
<p>WOW! [Flickr:</a> scrippscollege’s Photostream](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/scrippscollege/]Flickr:”>Scripps College | Flickr)</p>
<p>The flickr photostream for Scripps. The campus is stunning. I’ve visited and everything… but I think I’ll be making one of these pictures my background for motivation - hope that’s not too weird!</p>
<p>Well… I heard from scripps three days back and well… I got in. I was wondering about the college. I mean I loved whatever I read about it and hence applied for early decision and was ecstatic when I was selected. But I want to know more about the actual life at Scripps. I would be lying if i said that I am not at all nervous about coming to scripps next fall. I am not from US so there is an added apprehension about coming to a country with such a different culture and society. Please tell me about the college and the people there and how is it really at scripps ! Also I wanted to know about the academics. Thanks ! :)</p>
<p>Hi Saras17, </p>
<p>Sorry it’s taken so long for anyone to reply. We’re still all on winter break, and while I usually check religiously while I’m at school, I haven’t been on here since coming home.</p>
<p>I’m glad that you’re considering Scripps! I personally can’t speak to what it’s like to move to Scripps from a forum country, but I know that there are (at least) a handful of international students every year. Scripps knows there may be a certain level of culture shock, so orientation for international students typically begins earlier and includes a kind of orientation to the US as well as to the school. </p>
<p>Aside from the change in culture, what specifically about Scripps makes you nervous? I would love to answer any questions you have, but “life at Scripps” is a very broad topic, and I’m sure I could write pages. I really love being at Scripps, and I love the people (students, faculty, staff) here. I think it feels like a very safe community, and it’s so easy to make friends among the women here.</p>
<p>Which aspect of the academics do you want to know about? Are you considering any specific fields already, or are you undecided?</p>
<p>well, I still havent really decided about which fields I would take up. At scripps, cant you do your major from any of the 5 colleges ? or something like that.
Also how are the dormitories like ? I have read that Scripps has a gorgeous campus. And what exactly is the orientation about ? Also is the core really hard ?</p>
<p>I rarely come here anymore but can offer my two cents.</p>
<p>1) You can major in any of the Scripps majors, may choose to do an off-campus major if it is not an option at SCR, or may design your own major and have it approved. So academically, it is pretty open minus the actual major requirements and degree requirements of Scripps.</p>
<p>2) Dormitories are great. You’ll have no problem.</p>
<p>3) Orientation is just to help you get settled in- open houses of offices and academic departments, information sessions, free time, a trip to Target for last minute supplies, etc. International students usually come a couple of days earlier and have a bit more orientation with all the other international students- resources available, etc.</p>
<p>4) I have mixed feelings about CORE after finally finishing it this last semester. It depends, but for the most part, it’s challenging but completely manageable.</p>
<p>Short answers, sorry. But the basic idea.</p>
<p>I just re-read my last post. “forum country” instead of foreign country. cute. i’m obviously still on break. </p>
<p>The campus is beautiful. As are our dorms. If it’s possible to visit Scripps, I would recommend it, but you should also be able to find some pictures online if you surf around. Gracieloos covered everything pretty well. I don’t think Core is “hard” so much as it is “challenging.” It really aims to challenge students previously held ways of thinking and learning. However, sometimes it’s frustrating that there are 3 semesters of it.</p>
<p>Thanks gracieloos and eternal icicle ! 
I guess I will be coming to Scripps most definitely this fall ! Cant wait !</p>
<p>I agree, the dorms are BEAUTIFUL…i love my room right now and its so nice even though its in the “freshman ghetto.” I had a a little bit of a hard time with Core 1 in the beginning but now I am so glad that I took it and it was great to get different perspecitives from faculty and students in all disciplines and so far I am loving my Core 2 class this semester. As for life at Scripps, there is really something for everyone so I think you’ll really like it here. :)</p>
<p>hi i’m not sure if any of you are still responding but do you ever wish you didnt go to an all girls school. i’ve been looking at claremont colleges and like scripps but idk if all-girls is missing an experience of living with boys</p>