<p>As a follow up, what is the culture with respect to students’ informally performing on campus? Just trying to get a feel for what the interest level is generally. Thanks.</p>
<p>itsallok-</p>
<p>There are a lot of opportunities in the music department to sing- they have a concert choir, chamber choir, as well as individual or group voice lessons. And Pomona offers Gopel choir. I have a friend who is an opera singer and really enjoyed being able to have voice lessons on the cheap (free or $75 per semester, I’m not sure which). </p>
<p>There are more than a handful of a capella groups on campus. There might be as many as 8, across all 5-Cs (many of them are made up of students from all 5 colleges). Some are more competitive than others, and each has it’s own personality and genre preference. Each do informal performances around the campuses for enthusiastic audiences. The student body is really supportive of the a capella groups. Every fall Pomona hosts the Southern California A Capella Music Fest in their largest auditorium (which sold out for the event). All the Claremont groups perform, and several groups from UCLA and USC also perform. </p>
<p>Students often perform at the Motley as well- they host musicians on Sunday and Thursday nights.</p>
<p>Thank you, Eternal Icicle. That information is helpful.</p>
<p>Did you ever wish that you’d chosen a LAC that was not part of a consortium? I graduated from Barnard and took many classes at Columbia. At the time I was glad to have so many choices but later I wished I had attended an isolated LAC where I would have gotten to know students and professors better. It didn’t help that I chose an interdisciplinary major… I wouldn’t recommend Barnard to my own high school daughter but she thinks the Claremont Colleges look interesting and Scripps offers some interesting opportunities. I just wonder if you’ve found it to be a disadvantage to be part of a consortium.</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman at Scripss with a dual major, one Scripps and one at Pomona. I don’t know if you have visited ( we hadn’t until we brought my D out there) but if you can one imagine one big campus, this is what it feels like to me. My D has really benefited from the five colleges, getting to know both other students and professors very well. She was offered an amazing opportunity to be a part of a Pitzer student’s senior theatre project where she learned so much and the faculty at each school has really reached out to support and guide her. I can only speak to her experience, but it is the five college opportunity that has enhanced her education so very much, yet she loves being at a womans college and takes great pride in attending Scripps.</p>
<p>I really liked the consortium aspect of Scripps and felt that is significantly enhanced the school, rather than hindered it. I’m not sure I would have gone to Scripps without it because the thought of an isolated student body of 900 women sounds a little bit stifling to me, as did other small, independent LACs I looked at of similar sizes. Cross-registering was a breeze and really enhanced my academic experience. My major was a joint program between some of the schools, and I had a good experience taking courses off-campus. I really disliked one of the profs in my very small major at Scripps, and by having the off-campus courses I got to know a lot of great other profs. I even developed close relationships with a couple of them - they didn’t care that I didn’t go to “their” school. I also liked the fact that there were more people to get to know (including guys), more social activities, more dining halls, and a greater variety of choices in general than if Scripps had stood alone. Many of the people I keep in touch with after college did not go to Scripps.</p>
<p>I would encourage your daughter to visit Scripps and make her own decision about whether the Claremont consortium is right for her. While I don’t know a great deal about the Barnard / Columbia relationship, I imagine the Claremont College consortium has a very different feel to it.</p>
<p>I’m a high school senior who has been accepted into Scripps for the fall.</p>
<p>1) I’m on the fence between UCSD & Scripps mainly because of the price difference. Do you think it is worth the extra $120,000 (for all four years) to attend a small liberal arts school like Scripps, even if their name recognition and national ranking is not great? Would it be better to save money by going to a public school and then using it for grad school?</p>
<p>2) I visited Smith one weekend and found the all-girls environment to be quite stifling. Most of my friends are guys and I was hoping I could experience a coed environment (with the consortium and all) at Scripps but after visiting Smith and seeing how an individual college runs, I am starting to think that I might not be able to deal with the all girls aspect of Scripps. How easy is it to meet guys at the other colleges anyway? Do I have to take a class there in order to meet them? </p>
<p>3) How strong/helpful is the Alumni network? In this economy, alumni are crucial in possible job opportunities and if Scripps’ alumni is weak I don’t think it would be worth the $50,000 per year. </p>
<p>4) Any interesting/unique stories about Scripps? :D</p>
<p>5) How easy is it to study abroad for one year? What if you don’t have any financial aid from the CSS or FAFSA? Do you still have to pay Scripps tuition if you are studying abroad?</p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>
<p>About that one topic. Most of the study abroad is one semester, and is organized through the school. For details see here
[Scripps</a> College : Off-Campus Study](<a href=“http://www.scrippscollege.edu/academics/off-campus/index.php]Scripps”>Study Abroad | Scripps College in Claremont, California)</p>
<p>And here’s the info on how the costs work
[Scripps</a> College : The Costs of Off-Campus Study](<a href=“Study Abroad | Scripps College in Claremont, California”>Study Abroad | Scripps College in Claremont, California)</p>
<p>1) I think that judgment can’t really be made by anyone but you. If you are for sure going to grad school, it might be worth it to save the money and not go into debt. But, I certainly think the Scripps is worth every penny, and that close ties with professors will lead to great recs, which will be invaluable in grad school applications.</p>
<p>2) Smith and Scripps have completely different atmospheres. It sounds like you haven’t visited Scripps, but you should! SD isn’t that far away, and it truly is the best way to get the feel for the college. It’s pretty easy to meet guys if you’re outgoing and that is your goal. You don’t have to take classes to find them. The campuses are very fluid, especially when it comes to social events and weekends. You’ll see guys everywhere, even in your Scripps classes. Just take the initiative to go meet them!</p>
<p>3) Alum network is awesome. We have a searchable online database of alums who have agreed to help Scripps students find jobs/internships/housing, etc. And they really are helpful and friendly. I met with one alum over spring break who put me in contact with production companies she had interned with during my own summer internship search.</p>
<p>4) Dorsey (one of the old dorms on campus) purportedly has a ghost (of an old house mother) who will tuck you in if you fall asleep doing work or comfort you if you feel sad. Most adorable ghost-story ever.</p>
<p>5)You have to petition if you want to do a full year (except for specific programs like Oxford which are automatically one year), but it’s possible so long as it doesn’t impede your eligibility to graduate on time/is somehow academically relevant for you to do so. I have friends that are studying in really cool combos, like France/South Africa, Ireland/Chile, France/Nepal, Italy/Costa Rica.</p>
<p>Has anyone done Outdoor Orientation? If so, could you tell us a little more about it? Would you do it again? Do you know when students receive information about it?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Bumpity Bump Bump</p>
<p>My D will be a sophomore at Scripps and I’ve found that the Consortium is great for her “multifaceted” personality. She immediately connected with the free-spirit attitude of Pitzer and spent a lot of time there initially. She even talked about transferring there. Her best friend ended up being a Pomona student and D tried to find someone to do a dorm exchange so she could live at Pomona next year. She ended up with a suite at Scripps for next year with several classmates and is now extremely excited about that. After her first semester she was already talking about going to law school when she graduates (something she always said she would not do) and looking at business classes to take at CMC. Although she isn’t much of a math/science type, she is enamored with the creativity and antics at Harvey Mudd. While Scripps isn’t the perfect fit for her, somehow the Consortium is.</p>
<p>Eternal Icicle - or any other current students/parents,</p>
<p>Quick question about dorm rooms - do they usually have mirrors or is that something students should plan on furnishing? Coming from out-of-state so we will be swooping in and doing some quick shopping the day before move-in - trying to get our list together. Thanks in advance for your help!</p>
<p>Yes the rooms have mirrors. Usually one over the sink (if the room has one) and a longer, full-length mirror behind the door or next to the closet.</p>
<p>Bed, Bath & Beyond does a cool thing where you can pick out items at your own store, and then they will send the info to the Claremont-area store, and assemble those items so that they’re ready to pick up when you arrive here. I found out the hard way that with 5 colleges all having orientation at the same time, and with most of those students coming from out-of-state with nearly the same plan, it can be incredibly hard to find the simplest things. (During move-in I went to 3 different Targets and could not find any hangers!)</p>
<p>Thanks so much - as usual, you are very helpful! We’ve already done the Bed Bath Beyond order - so hoping we’ll have hangars move-in day. 
My daughter is hoping to receive dorm and roommate info soon - the waiting seems very long!</p>
<p>I always had a small mirror in my room (even when I didn’t have a sink), but it was hit or miss with full-length. Good luck with move-in!</p>
<p>My daughter just found out, via facebook, her roommates, but as we are on the east coast we did not receive the packet yet (and are trying to order things asap due to our travel plans). </p>
<p>We’ve heard there is a big housing crunch this year (250 freshman) and she is in a triple… they said some of the triples were meant to be triples and some of the triples, candidly, are really intended as doubles.</p>
<p>Does anyone know about her dorm -Dorsey</p>
<p>1) If the triples there are really intended as triples or doubles?</p>
<p>2) What do people do with valuables – passports, jewelry (not expensive, but sentimental attachments), cameras, etc.?</p>
<p>3) if the beds there, in Dorsey, are traditional twin or XL?</p>
<p>4) Any other details (beyond the obvious) about what the room may need, given what else is in that dorm (microwaves? mirrors? fans?) OR suggestions for smooth move-in from far away. </p>
<p>THanks!</p>
<p>nemonyc–</p>
<p>Dorsey is a great dorm, one of the oldest, prettiest in my opinion. I know that there is a housing crunch so her room might be a “forced triple” but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Dorsey has a great browsing room and a giant common/tv room (with a big tv) so there will be plenty of places for her to go if she wants to have some more space. People normally do not have to worry too much about valuables. The campus is really safe and all of the dorms require key-card access to get in. But you could get a lock for one of her desk drawers (once you see it), but again, I had no problems with that. Most regular twin sheets will fit the beds at Scripps…I had regular twin sheets last year and they fit my XL bed just fine.</p>
<p>In her room she will get: a closet (or shared closet if there are only 2 for 3 people), a desk, desk chair, 1 comfy chair for the room (shared), bookcase, bed (can be lofted if she wants), and dresser. There are also recycling/trash cans in each room. There will also be a sink and a mirror.</p>
<p>Dorsey does not have A/C so she will NEED a fan (last year move-in day was 110 degrees!)</p>
<p>There is also probably a full length mirror on the back of the door…most rooms have that.</p>
<p>You can buy a fridge from target when you get out there if she wants one …maybe wait and see if her roommates all want to chip in and buy one together, or they can rent a microfridge…microwave is ontop of fridge. </p>
<p>Last year my roommate facebooked me (she lives in LA and I’m on the East Coast too) so once you get the letter in the mail it should hopefully have a few more details…her roommates, where they are from, ect.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!! (I’ll be on campus helping everyone move in because I’m a Peer Mentor and there will be a lot of us to help her (and all of the new first-years) move in! :)</p>
<p>Dorsey is fantastic!!! It’s where I lived my freshman year, and the triple my friends lived in was pretty spacey and where we went to go hang out. I think there are only 1-2 freshman triples in Dorsey, and the one I’m thinking of was 229, I think. Definitely bring a fan. Or two. And things to make it homey. I skimped on bringing pictures and what-not because I wanted more room for “necessities” but the walls can be oppressively white, and it’s best to have something to decorate.</p>
<p>Hi you guys,</p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure why, but my counselors seem to think I am a good fit for the 5Cs (one was for Pomona, the other for Scripps). I wasn’t interested–I don’t know if I really appreciate liberal arts, a small college atmosphere, or a suburban environment–until I read about the Intercollegiate Media Studies program. I’d been thinking about double majoring in communications and graphic arts because I wanted to create a curriculum that would allow me to study both the theoretical and technical aspects of media. A program like IMS, which has that as its own goal, really appeals to me.</p>
<p>What I’m trying to figure out is the selectivity of Scripps’s admissions, so I can appropriately judge how much of a reach it is for me. My current counselor seems to be very confident that I will be able to get in, citing the fact that Scripps accepts 40%(? is this true?) of its applicants. She seems to think that it’s not very competitive because it is a women-only college. Are these legitimate beliefs? </p>
<p>Maybe I’m being unconfident, but I worry that a lot of the applicants are very capable and more appealing than me, especially to a liberal arts college. Basically, although I have a good GPA, I haven’t taken very challenging classes since second semester junior year except for one or two classes at the local junior college. Although I plan to register for a lot of AP exams (I’m self-studying because my charter school doesn’t offer anything but CP classes), Scripps won’t be able to see that when I apply. I didn’t take any last year because I missed the deadline to apply for the tests. And as for extracurriculars, I’m not sure how much Scripps will feel them. I was editor-in-chief of my old school’s paper, started a newsletter at my new school, and I write for the local newspaper. All journalism. :)</p>
<p>I’d also like to get a feel for how difficult the coursework is. I mentioned earlier that I’m lukewarm about liberal arts. Part of that is because I feel like the requirements may prevent me from spending as much time as I would like to devote to my interests, but another is because I’m not sure I can handle a large volume of work. I was in the International Baccalaureate program for two and a half years, and I dropped out mostly because I became overwhelmed.
In general, I enjoy learning in all the different subjects, but I couldn’t really absorb and retain the material when I was pulling all-nighters all the time. If I had been more capable of handling the coursework, I think IB would have been a good fit for me; if I am able to handle the coursework for Scripps, I think I might like it as well. But if not…</p>
<p>Sorry–it seems I tend to write a lot, maybe too much to read and respond to. Thanks for all the help you’ve been giving to potential Scrippsies! :)</p>