<p>Wake Forest?? Maybe?</p>
<p>Roarscream, not sure about the athletics, but maybe Swarthmore? Definitely fits the natural and pretty requirement, English is very strong, academics are very strong, and I don’t think they’re cutthroat, and it fits your location requirement pretty well (near Philadelphia, possibly too cold?). I’d also consider Kenyon. </p>
<p>Pear, the first thing I thought was Princeton (the so-called “social Ivy”) though you might not find the impersonal classes, and they have those eating club thingys instead of frats. Also, maybe Northwestern? Both of these places are pretty cold though…</p>
<p>My Dream College:</p>
<p>Most Important:
-Strong academics, but more importantly, an intellectual environment. As my English teacher put it, I want a campus where people “sit around talking about Aristotle.” Aeschylus would also be acceptable.
-Very strong English program; I’m almost 100% sure that writing will play an important role in my life, and one of the no. 1 things I want out of college is a grounding in critical theory and great literature.</p>
<p>Pretty Important:
-Many opportunities to perform plays, and at least some musical theater, bonus for frequent student-produced works
-Preferably urban location-the bigger the city, the better
-I LOVE Core Curricula—not a requirement, but something I’d love.
-High campus awareness of Classics; I really do want to talk to people about Aristotle and Virgil</p>
<p>Kinda Important:
-Size–Not so small that I’ll know 75+% of my class, not so big that I’ll have frequent 200+ person lectures.
-Diversity is relatively important; my current HS is pretty one-dimensional ethnically</p>
<p>Bonus if there’s a strong (or at least noticeable) Christian presence on campus, but I’ve heard this is pretty rare at non-Christian colleges (not that I wouldn’t consider a Christian college), and generally one can find some sort of Christian community at almost all colleges.</p>
<p>Haha, that’s Chicago and Columbia for you, silverchris, with Reed, Swarthmore, and St. Johns as potential alternates. I’m also fascinating by great books schools… </p>
<p>check out this thread:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/448045-core-curriculums.html?highlight=core+great+books[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/448045-core-curriculums.html?highlight=core+great+books</a></p>
<p>and this website:
[url=<a href=“http://coretexts.org/inst_members.htm]ACTC[/url”>http://coretexts.org/inst_members.htm]ACTC[/url</a>]</p>
<p>poetrygirl-- I’m thinking Rochester, Brandeis, Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon for sort of what you’re looking for in that the drinking scene is toned-down. Also, remember that college is college, most students are beyond the pettiness of high school and proving how cool they are, and it’s perfectly socially acceptable to go to parties and not drink. </p>
<p>All of the schools I mentioned will have parties, but I imagine them not being as singularly fueled by alcohol.</p>
<p>Unalove–thanks. Sounds like what I’m looking for. I’ll look closer at Rochester and Hopkins. Carnegie Mellon is a little too science-centered for me, at least from what I’ve read about it. I’ve visited Brandeis, but didn’t feel connected to the campus or students.
And yeah, I wouldn’t mind going to parties and such–I just don’t want to end up somewhere out in the middle of nowhere where everyone drinks for entertainment or whatever.
Does anybody know if any of the LACs in the North East sound like they’d fit me? What’s the social scene like at Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Swarthmore, Haverford, Vassar…places like that?</p>
<p>silverchris–I second what unalove said. I immediately thought of Reed when I saw your post. It’s very intellectual. Portland is a really wonderful, beautiful city too.</p>
<p>^Unalove: Yeah, UChi and Columbia are my top two; I suppose it was pretty obvious from the core + big city thing + intellectual thing! Still, it’s good to know my dream college-college list correlation makes sense to somebody besides myself.</p>
<p>poetrygirl-- </p>
<p>One of my very good friends is at Vassar and does not drink. He has found a niche for himself.</p>
<p>You also might want to consider Oberlin and Wesleyan-- I get the impression that while both schools have a drinking/drug/party culture, they also have a lot of cool student activities for non-users. Check out Wesleyan’s frequently updated blog, Wesleying, for an idea of what goes on around campus during a typical week:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://wesleying.blogspot.com/]Wesleying[/url”>http://wesleying.blogspot.com/]Wesleying[/url</a>]</p>
<p>-about 1500-7000
-northeast or west coast (just not the south)
-rural
-beautiful campus
-strong acedemics
-accesible professors
-good food(what can I say, its important to know what you will be eating for the next four years)
-good amount of greek life
-lots of class offerings
-strong intellectually
-sports are big but not overbearing
-outdoorsy
-laid back
-not a ridiculous workload
-undergrad focused</p>
<p>pramirez- that screams colgate or dartmouth!</p>
<ul>
<li>Relatively Small Classes, Small-Medium Sized School (Nothing more than 25,000)</li>
<li>California (North of Santa Barbara), Oregon, Washington, Upper Midwest, New England/Mid-Atlantic</li>
<li>Good Music Scene (Indie-Rock / Electronic)</li>
<li>In Proximity of an Urban Outfitters
- Located in a place where one can completely utilize public transportation or use a bike without needing a car</li>
<li>Majority of Students live on campus at least first two years
- NOT a commuter school</li>
<li>Sort of Laid-Back but intellectual</li>
<li>Large Class Offerings</li>
<li>Sporting Events (I’d love a school with a good Basketball team, or at least a popular one)</li>
<li>Sort-of to Incredibly Well-Known</li>
<li>Near a Forest
- It has to Snow at least twice a year (the more, the better)</li>
<li>Language Houses, preferrably</li>
<li>Good History Program or International Studies/Relations
- Generous Financial Aid</li>
</ul>
<p>Definitely Macalester, but I’m not sure how good their basketball team is.</p>
<p>OK, let me give this a shot:</p>
<ul>
<li>a maximum of 7000 students</li>
<li>extremely laid-back student body, no cut-throat competition</li>
<li>people want to learn for the sake of learning</li>
<li>no core, or lax, easily fulfilled distribution requirements</li>
<li>smart folks who are intellectual, not pretentious, and like to have some good, sober fun (like watching movies, going to concert, hanging out and just talking, goofing off, trying something wacky, playing a sport…you get the idea). However, I wouldn’t mind the occasional party</li>
<li>no pressure to drink/do drugs at parties</li>
<li>no/non-dominant Greek scene</li>
<li>accessible professors</li>
<li>easily available research opportunities</li>
<li>good program in bio/molecular bio/neuroscience</li>
<li>preferably located in the northeast or out west</li>
</ul>
<p>And please don’t tell me Brown 
(it’s my dream school btw)</p>
<p>Grinnell, maybe?</p>
<p>That’s so funny - i’ve had my eye on Mac for quite a while.</p>
<p>Tetrisfan - Loyola Marymount, Lewis & Clark, Evergreen State</p>
<p>tetrisfan - you sound like me…how about pomona?</p>
<p>in no particular order…
- north east or west coast
- near or in a city
- smallish…but maybe medium?
- good bio program / research opportunities for undergrads
- great profs
- small classes
- students who are intellectual & hard working yet laid back
- some drinking/partying but not based around greek life</p>
<p>Hey yeah, we sound similar!</p>
<p>Brown and Pomona are like my top two at the moment, wow!</p>
<p>PS: I’m a sophomore, so I have a while to go. I was just curious.</p>
<p>Midd…um…it’s my second dream just after Carleton.</p>
<p>Yea, I’m a junior…Pomona was one of the first colleges I visited & I kind of fell in love…</p>
<p>I’m going on another tour later this month including Haverford, which I’ve heard is a good LAC for science…we’ll see.</p>
<p>Very nice thread… I’m sort of stuck, and this is helping me like you wouldn’t believe.</p>
<p>My Dream College-
- In or extremely near a city is absolutely not negotiable. I’m stuck in suburban sprawl in the south, and I need out. Preferably not in the south, but seeing as how interesting Rice looks, who knows?</p>
<ul>
<li>Not too big, not too small. I know that’s being sort of vague, but I’d rather not be in a college that’s smaller than my high school, nor be in a college bigger than most small towns. <10,000, >1000,2000 is around right.</li>
</ul>
<p>-LACs are nice, as are smaller universities, but I don’t really have a preference.</p>
<p>-I really do like great books curricula, but I really don’t know what I want to major in. As long as the sciences are decent, it sounds A-OK. Basically all-around strong academics.</p>
<ul>
<li>Drinking and drugs can be around, but I don’t want them in my face all the time. I’m definitely not a big partier, but as long as that whole scene isn’t running around the quads naked, I’m good.</li>
</ul>
<p>-Weird is good. </p>
<p>-Diversity is also good. Need I remind you, suburban south. </p>
<p>So. Yeah. Chicago, Rochester, Union, and Brandeis are all on my list. I hope I’m not too picky.</p>
<p>check out northwestern.</p>