<p>Take a look at [this</a> post](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14439229-post35.html]this”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14439229-post35.html) in another thread from a student with good grades and extremely low SAT scores, who was apparently told she wouldn’t be able to get in anywhere, but who applied and was admitted to a number of CTCL schools . . . and has nothing but good things to say about their more holistic approach to her application.</p>
<p>My daughter will be a freshman at Lewis & Clark this fall. It’s not a CTCL, but the whole CTCL concept was very helpful to her (and her parents). She would never have even visited Lewis & Clark if she didn’t make a trip to visit Whiltman, which she learned about from CTCL. We love the CTCL concept, and have recommended the book, website, info sessions to many others!</p>
<p>I go to Earlham, and I’ve never looked back. I turned down many more prestigious schools to go here, and I’ve not been disappointed.</p>
<p>Here’s an anecdote I recently told in another thread:</p>
<p>I have a friend who recently graduated from my non-prestigious LAC (Earlham College) who chose our college over Brown, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Wellesley colleges (might be wrong on a couple of these but I know they included Brown and Wellesley). She liked all of them for different reasons, and asked the admissions departments of each college if she could contact 5 seniors (from each college) to ask them about their experiences. At the end of each talk, she asked them all this question: “Given what you know now, would you have made the same decision to go to your college?” The only college where all five students said yes was Earlham, so she came here.</p>
<p>Kind of a strange way to pick a college, but it worked out really well for her. She graduated early with a near-perfect GPA, started several successful campus organizations, studied abroad, and excelled in basically every area. Now she attends Oxford University for grad school pursuing a doctorate in (I think, I might ask her) International Relations.</p>
<p>Obviously, she was a pretty exceptional case. Not every student thrives in the environment that a LAC provides. Additionally, she probably would have seen similar success at Brown or any of the other colleges. Still, I think that her story is a powerful example of what a LAC education can provide.</p>
<p>Dodgersmom: Thanks for linking my story! I appreciate it. I hope it gives other hope. I was also accepted to Juniata, Earlham, Lawrence, and Ursinus which wasn’t listed in that past post. So, out of the 10 CTCL schools I applied to, I was accepted to all of them; however, I was wait-listed for OWU (EA) but got off the wait-list in Jan. Even Holy Cross wait-listed me which shows that they had to like me somewhat. </p>
<p>I would strongly suggest any CTCL! However, I wouldn’t suggest Cornell College because they don’t have a holistic admission approach. I applied there, but withdrew my application because they were going to reject me solely on my SAT score. Wooster, Allegheny, Clark, etc all looked past it and their AVG SAT score was MUCH higher. Those are truly holistic schools. I would probably add Beloit and Kalamazoo if I would have applied to more. It was funny because Georgia College and State deferred and then rejected me solely on my SAT score as well (I talked to an admissions officer). Mean while, I know kids going there who didn’t even take honors class much less AP. </p>
<p>The CTCL’s are a great organization, but I would also not solely focus on them. Wheaton College in MA was my 2nd choice and it’s a not a CTCL. However, I will be attending Knox (a CTCL) and I’m quite excited! I will say that a lot of the CTCL’s are very rural. We passed the exit for Wabash College in Indiana and I couldn’t believe there was a college there! And I thought Earlham was rural. </p>
<p>BTW, I am a he not she :)</p>
<p>^ Beloit accepted me even though my ACT scores were way below their average as well :)</p>
<p>And, ECAdmStudent, I hope I can succeed at an LAC!</p>
<p>And Early_College, people on CC thought I had a learning disability when I said I got a 23/22 on the ACT. They thought I was mental for applying to UChicago, but I actually ended up getting deferred.</p>
<p>It’s funny because I’ve had a lot of honor/AP friends get around the same score on the SAT (but usually closer to a 1500). CC is elitist in so many ways. I love how the majority of the CTCL’s are holistic. A bad SAT score should not determine if one gets in or not. We’re not talking about Ivy’s, just hidden gem LACs. Subsequently, I’m glad I’m going to a college where it’s SAT Optional. At Clark U, they’re not only going SAT Optional, but they are not going to use SAT scores for scholarships now. </p>
<p>Good Luck at Beloit rbouwens, it’s a fantastic school! :)</p>
<p>BTW, I love Knox’s curriculum. The 3-3 calendar could not be any better. We only get a 6 week winter break haha :)</p>
<p>by chance anyone going to the CTCL fair in SF Bay area coming up end of this month?</p>
<p>question, I notice most CTCL don’t have engineering. Would you suggest your child go to a LAC get a physics degree, then try to get a masters in engineering? What if you felt the idea of a CTCL or LAC style education is better suited for your child, but the opportunities such as schools like Olin is not within reach.</p>
<p>Just food for thought. I read most of the CTCL book and agree with it. But son is on the rail about what kind of school he wants to go to, and what we can afford.</p>
<p>There are liberal arts colleges (including at least a couple of the CTCL schools that I know of and probably more) that have 3-2 engineering programs, where you do three years at the LAC and two years at a university with engineering. A student doing that ends up with two bachelor’s degrees.</p>
<p>Very interesting thread … even with the long sidebars.</p>
<p>Saw no real mention though of the two CTCL schools that my D might consider … Clark and Juniata. Any thoughts on these two?</p>
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<p>Actually I consider that to be a good thing. This whole so-called “holistic” approach gives me the jitters. I tend to subscribe to Bill Parcell’s logic: “You are what your record says you are.”</p>
<p>^^I was JUST reading a digression on another thread about Juniata but I haven’t been able to find it. It was all very positive.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, google “The College Solution” website. It’s very good and the author has a kid there, I think.</p>
<p>GoldFather: If a teen (or parent for that matter) thinks a SAT score defines who they are, then that’s just sad. A 3 hour test is not you’re “record”, but is merely a $$$ waster. </p>
<p>Sally305: Juniata has a BEAUTIFUL campus; however, it is located in the middle of no where haha. Even more so than my college town.</p>
<p>ECAdmStudent, your friend isn’t the only one who picked Earlham over famous-name schools. When we went to Admitted Students Weekend, there was a prospie in our tour group who was deciding between Earlham and Cornell. When we returned for Orientation, there she was, at Earlham.</p>
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<p>But your record is more than scores and stats. Holistic admission takes into account the part of your record that’s not encompassed by GPAs and SATs.</p>
<p>early_college, yes the town where Wabash is located (Crawfordsville) is only 15,000 people, but the school itself is also a lot smaller than most people realize, It is only 900 men, so it is a tiny place.</p>
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<p>Understandable in a teen; less so in a parent.</p>
<p>It might be quite possible that a student attending Earlham, in Iowa, when referring to “Cornell”, was meaning Cornell College in Iowa, rather than Cornell University, in NY.</p>
<p>Earlham is actually in Indiana, but lots of people get the flyover states mixed up :)</p>
<p>But Earlham does get several highly qualified students, including someone this year that turned down Smith and other more “prestigious” schools for its excellent foreign language programs, Bonner Scholar program and generous financial aid.</p>
<p>Ack! LOL, MizzBee-- I need my morning cup of coffee!! IA and IN, separated by IL :)</p>
<p>Many moons, ago when referring to “Gainesville”, I was meaning Gainesville, FL, home of U of F. But I didn’t clarify. And where I was at the time, it was assumed I was referring to Gainesville, GA. Honest mistake, depending on ones frame of reference.</p>
<p>Still quite possible, unless it was specified, that a person in IN was referring to Cornell College in IA, not Cornell U in NY, though your point is well taken that people turn down “better” (for lack of a better word) schools all the time for a variety of reasons, including financial. We know a student who turned down Princeton for Tulane to take advantage of merit/scholarship money. There are tons of these examples on cc.</p>