<p>When I saw the "Hard to work out..." header, I thought maybe it'd be a question about recreational athletic facilities on campus. That would've been so easy :p</p>
<p>1. Core</p>
<p>I'm unfamiliar with Andover's humanities, and I don't remember ever hearing anyone address Core from that particular perspective. It shouldn't be redundant, though, because the focus of the courses is split between specific content, which comes from a range of disciplines and changes each year, and more general overriding themes, which are more philosophical/metaphysical. If she's familiar with any of the readings, the context should still be new, and if she's familiar with an interdisciplinary approach to the humanities, the content should still keep her engaged. It can be tough for student's to wrap their minds around such a theoretical approach, so I do imagine that your daughter will be very well-prepared. If any part of Core does have a been-there-done-that feeling for her, it will probably be Core 1, because after that, students are able to choose between various sections/topics according to their own interests. If Core I feels new, she should be in the clear. </p>
<p>Who is it geared toward? Kind of...everyone. I'll speak specifically about Core I, b/c it's the only semester that all students have in common (the intended audiences of Core II and III probably depend a little bit upon the specific section topics). First, it's a good introduction to lots of things that Scripps students benefit from having a solid grasp of: interdisciplinary studies, a heavy reading load, college-level analytical writing, etc. (but it's not a "study skills" course, a writing course, or any other sort of "how to"). Second, Core I is a bonding opportunity for first-years--an excellent chance for them to get to know one another and to establish common ground--and a nice introduction to topics like anthropology, philosophy, etc. that aren't often covered in HS. It's also a good way to meet some faculty, think about who might be interesting for a GE class, etc. It definitely has both practical and intellectual components.</p>
<p>See here for Core I syllabus + sample Core II and III sections (left-hand menu): Scripps</a> Core</p>
<p>2. Campus "Energy"</p>
<p>Scripps is indeed something of a quiet refuge...I've heard it called an 'oasis' by other consortium students. In my personal opinion, it doesn't have any sort of isolated 'ghost town' feel to it, but is better described as something like 'serene.' A student who wants a bit more hustle and bustle could feel oppositely, and some students do interpret the atmosphere as 'uptight.' It would be worth spending a night on campus for your daughter to figure out whether Scripps' type of quiet suits or bores her.</p>
<p>There's energy across the campuses, but you do have to know where to find it. Because Claremont is a huge space for just 5,000 undergrads, that's true for all of the schools, though perhaps Scripps in particular. During the day (and when classes are in session), Seal Court and the Motley are great places to go for guaranteed action...just something to remember come fall! </p>
<p>3. Politics/Activism</p>
<p>Pitzer is probably a bit more left-leaning and a bit more radical than Scripps (which, for comparison, is probably on par with or a bit left of Pomona), but both of the campuses have strong liberal + activist populations. I fit the description you gave of your daughter, and I got along fine at Scripps. Having come from a very conservative HS, though, I was already an accomplished smile-and-nod-er, and probably would've been fine on most campuses. </p>
<p>4. Alternative to Pomona</p>
<p>In what sense? It depends on what your daughter is looking for...I happen to think that Claremont is largely about fit. My guess is that Pomona/Scripps have a larger cross-admit pool + a larger number of similarities than Pomona/Pitzer, so if the school she loved most was Pomona, Scripps will probably be the more appealing alternative. That said, having students on campus might make a big difference, and I don't know exactly what qualities of Pomona most appealed to her, so she could certainly go either way.</p>
<p>It's good that you'll get to go back to the campuses when classes are in session. I suspect that a fall visit will really help answer this question, because it is a subjective one.</p>
<p>5. Financial Aid ED</p>
<p>I don't know, though I believe that both schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, which is a positive. I also believe that Scripps is need-blind, while Pitzer is need-aware, but I'm not entirely sure about that. Neither school is loan-free. </p>
<p>6. Graduate Programs & Alumni Networks</p>
<p>I only graduated in 2007, but as a very-happy-in-her-post-college-plans and decently-dutiful-in-her-goodwill-towards-past-present-and-future-students alumna, I like to think Scripps is doing well on both fronts ;) </p>
<p>My experience at Scripps was that not every student continues on to the top grad program in her field, but the ones who do well and choose to aim high seem to have excellent results (and preparation, from what friends tell me). Harvard, Columbia, Oxford, CalTech, Berkeley, Michigan, UCSD, NYU, USC, UCLA, Duke...off the top of my head, all had accepted students in my grad class. A good deal fewer Scripps students than Pomona students choose to continue on after college, but from what I saw, the placement of interested, qualified students is excellent. </p>
<p>I can only speak anecdotally, and I don't have the experience to draw comparisons with Pitzer. I can't say much about alum network, simply because I never attempted to use it as a resource, so I don't know.</p>
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<p>Glad to hear that you and your daughter enjoyed your visit to Claremont. Fall will be an entirely different experience, and hopefully an even more rewarding one. I'm sure that seeing and speaking with students will help you both answer some of these questions, too!</p>